Evelyn O'Connell (née Carnahan) was born in London, England to Howard Carnahan. At a young age, Evelyn acquired an interest in Egypt and its history, namely its artifacts. Commencing her career as a librarian, Evelyn ventured on an expedition to the ancient City of the Dead, Hamunaptra, where, along with others, she encountered an ancient cursed mummy known as Imhotep, which she helped to defeat. This act brought various adventures in the years to come as Evelyn, along with her husband Rick O'Connell, their son Alex O'Connell, and Evelyn's brother Jonathan Carnahan, encountered many ancient powers and forces.