Australian Baby-Sitter Serial Killer, Helen Patricia Moore - 1980

►6 Victims of Helen Patricia Moore:

Mar. 1, 1979 – Andrew Stuart Moore, 2-years-old, murdered, at Claymore

May 19, 1979 - Suzanne Louise McIntosh, 16-months-old, murdered, at Dharruk

Jan. 16, 1980 - Vaughan Robert Nicholson – 12-months-old; survived, at Claymore
Feb. 23 (24?), 1980 - Rachel Ann Hay, 2-years-old, murdered, at Claymore

Feb. 1, 1980 - Aaron William Crocker – 2-years-old; survived, but made blind and unable to walk, at Claymore

Mar. 31 (24?), 1980 - Peter John Moore, 7-years-old, murdered, at Claymore

Dates are taken from: “Life term for woman who killed three,” The Canberra Times (Australia), Dec. 9, 1980, p. 10]

***

(ARTICLE 1 OF 5): FROM blog: Porky’s Place:

I know that we have seen some truly egregious examples of the female sentencing discount recently, but the case I am about to detail is by far, bar none, the worst case of the female sentencing discount I have ever come across - the case of Australian serial killer Helen Patricia Moore.

In May of 1979, in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, 17 year old Helen Patricia Moore suffocated Suzanne McIntosh, a 16 month old cousin whom she was babysitting - the child’s death was at the time put down to cot death.

In January of 1980 Moore attempted to suffocate yet another of her babysitting charges, 12 month old Nicholas Vaughan. Having thought her latest attempt at murder a success, Helen Moore went back to calmly watching TV. A while later the baby boy started crying, she called the ambulance and the boy made a full recovery.

Despite this latest suspicious incident, the babysitting jobs kept coming and on February 1st 1980 Helen suffocated two year old Aaron Crocker with a pillow, again failing to finish the job properly. Little Aaron survived but was left blind and crippled and died several years later as a result of Moore’s attack.

A few weeks later on February 24th 1980, two year old Rachel Hay died while in the care of Helen Moore.

In march of 1980, Helen’s seven year old brother Peter was found dead at the bottom of the stairs in the family home, only then did Helen’s mother Jesse realize something was up. She called the police and the whole story came out, with Helen quickly confessing first to the murder of Peter then to the other crimes.

Now here’s the thing, when Helen Moore was sentenced in 1980 the judge gave her life, but a dozen years later she sought a sentence review and that original sentence was reduced to 13 years and nine months, and in 1993 Helen Moore was given parole! Think about it, this is a serial killer who preyed on children and they let her out of jail after just 13 years.

Could someone please find me a case wherein a male serial killer, especially one who preys on small children, is allowed to go free after only thirteen years in jail, even if he was 17 at the time of the murders?

I seriously doubt that such a case can be found, as i am something of a true crime fan and I’ve never even heard of such a thing.

And just to underline how pro-woman and disregarding of children’s safety our western patriarchies are, a year or two into her parole she got pregnant, and even though they took the baby away from her for a very brief period, it was soon handed back to her, despite the fact that she was a killer of small children. Now if that doesn’t show the precedence that women’s rights take over the safety of children, nothing does.

Helen Moore’s parole period ran out in 2005, and even though I haven’t been able to confirm it, it is highly likely that she was set free, and that right now, out there in Australia somewhere, a serial killer is living free and easy, and why?

Because our society places such a high value on women and such a low value on men and children, that’s why.

By the way, don’t bother googling Helen Moore’s name - all I could find was an article about how they briefly took the daughter away from her when she was born, all else I got from a book called “Australia’s Serial Killers” by an Australian crime writer called Paul B. Kidd. The book was published in 2001, hence my not being able to confirm that she did make it through the parole period.

["The Ultimate Female Sentencing Discount," Porky's Place, undated] LINK to antimisandry blog source

***

► THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES DATE FROM 1980

***

FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 5): Sydney. – Police say an 18-year-old babysitter killed three children, one of them her younger brother.

They told Camden Court yesterday [April 1, 1980] that Helen Patricia Moore had said she wanted to kill them.

Miss Moore, of Claymore, is charged with the murder of Peter John Moore, 7, at Claymore on Monday; Susan McIntosh, 16 months, at Mt. Druitt on May 19 last year; and Rachel Hay, 2, at Claymore on February 24 this year.

She did not plead.

Police told the court they were questioning Miss Moore about the death of a fourth child.

They said she was doing housework at her home on Monday when she walked up behind her brother, who was watching television, and put her hands over his nose and mouth, trying to suffocate him.

Sergeant D. Worsley, of the homicide squad, said the boy broke free and tried to run to the front door, but Miss Moore chased him and “again took hold.”

“She forced him to the floor and held him for three pr four minutes until she thought she had killed him, she said.”

“She then took a shower before returning to the lounge room to telephone for an ambulance.”

Sergeant Worsley said Miss Moore had been babysitting when the two girls had died and that the circumstances had been similar.

He said Miss Moore covered the children’s faces while they were asleep in their cots.

Sergeant Worsley told the court that Miss Moore’s only reason for committing the offences was that she wanted to kill them.

Mr. K. W. Hiatt, SM, refused bail and remanded her to appear in court on April 19.

[“Babysitter ‘was killer,’” The Age (Melbourne, Australia), Apr. 2, 1980, p. 3]

***

FULL TEXT (Article 3 of 5): A two-year-old boy was left blind and unable to walk after being assaulted by an 18-year-old woman, Campbelltown Court of Petty Sessions was told yesterday.

The court was told that Helen Patricia Moore, of Fullwood Place, Claymore, Campbelltown, who is already facing three charges of murdering young children, had also committed a fourth murder and had assaulted two other young children with intent to murder.

At her appearance in court yesterday, her second in eight days, three fresh charges were brought against her.

Appearing before Mr. John Hiatt, SM [Stipendiary Magistrate], Moore was charged with the murder of her step-brother, two-year-old Andrew Stuart Moore, on March 1, 1979.

She was also charged with having maliciously assaulted with intent to murder Vaughan Robert Nicholson, 1, of Fullward Place, Claymore, on January 16 this year, and Aaron William Crocker, 2, of Westhall Way, Claymore, on February 1.

The fresh charges brought to six the number she is facing. No pleas have been taken.

On April 1 she appeared in Camden Court of Petty Sessions charged with the murder of her brother, Peter John Moore, at Claymore, on March 24, 1980, Susan McIntosh, 16 months, at Mount Druitt on May 19 last year and Rachel Hay, 2, of Claymore on February 24 this year.

Detective-Sergeant Donald Worsley of the CIB Homicide Squad told to court yesterday Moore had assaulted Aaron Crocker while minding him during his parents’ absence.

He alleged she had gone to the cot of the sleeping boy and placed her hands over his mouth and nose.

“When she thought the child was dead she went to the loungeroom. Later she heard the child cry.”

He said Moore had notified neighbours and an ambulance had rushed the unconscious child to Liverpool Hospital. He was later transferred to the Prince of Wales Hospital.

The boy was in a deep coma for two weeks and remained in hospital for a further sex weeks.

“That child is today blind and is unable to use its legs because of the assault,” he said.

On January 16 Moore had attempted to murder Vaughan Nicholson by smothering him with her hands.

“She thought she had killed him. Whilst in another part of the house she heard a noise,” Sergeant Worsley said.

After Moore called neighbors the boy was rushed to the hospital.

Sergeant Worsley said the baby appeared to have suffered no ill effects but further examinations were being conducted.

He told the court that Andrew Moore had fallen ill on March 1 last year and was rushed to hospital where he was found to be dead.

He agreed that Moore, a single woman who lived at home with her parents, had no previous convictions.

Moore’s solicitor, Mr. Jim Marsden, said his client wanted bail.

He said that if Moore, who was only 18, was remanded in custody she would be held with “quite a number of hardened criminals.” There could be concern for her psychological and physical well-being.

Mr. Marsden said there was no reason to believe her job had disappeared and suggested that if granted bail she might be released under some form of supervision.

He added that his client wanted psychiatric attention.

Mr. Hiatt dismissed the application for bail and told Moore: “No amount of bail would ensure your appearance for trial.”

He said there was also the likelihood that if she was released further offences could be committed. Her remanded her in custody to appear in the City Coroners Court at Glebe on May 19.

Yesterday’s hearing was delayed for more than four hours after Moore collapsed in her cell at Campbelltown.

She was rushed by police car to Campbelltown Hospital, where she was treated for nervous collapse and dehydration.

[“Woman faces further murder, assault charges – Boy now blind, unable to walk, SM told,” The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), Apr. 10, 1980, p. 2]

*** 

FULL TEXT (Article 4 of 5): Sydney: A young woman had told police she had killed a baby because her younger brother had died, the Supreme Court was told yesterday.

Police told the court that Miss Helen Patricia Moore, 18, had told them that after seeing her brother die she had not seen why other children should live.

Miss Moore is charged with murdering Suzanne Louise Mcintosh, 12 months, at Dharruk; near Campbelltown, on May 19 last year.

She is further charged with murdering two other children, including her stepbrother, at Claymore, also near Campbelltown, early this year; and also faces charges of attempting to murder two other children at Claymore early this year.

She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The court was told that Miss Moore was minding the children for their parents at the time of the alleged offences.

Detective-Sergeant Donald Worsley, of the homicide squad, said Miss Moots,had admitted the five offences during interviews at Campbelltown police station on March 31 and April 1.

She had told him she had.attacked the children by holding her hands over their noses and mouths until they stopped struggling.

Judge Roden adjourned the trial until this morning.

[“Police allege girl admitted murder,” The Canberra Times (Australia), Dec. 3, 1980, p. 10]

***

FULL TEXT (Article 5 of 5):

Jesse Moore: “We were driving in a police car to Campbelltown Police Station after identifying Peter’s body. I was in the back seat with Helen. I looked down at her  hands and saw the scratches and finally I knew she had done it. She had killed them.”

~ To Helen – by Jesse Moore ~

Mothers don’t stop caring when you’re out of sight,

They still think about you; morning, noon and night,

Whether you are right or wrong, They still keep loving you,

And if you’ve been a mother, You know that this is true,

A child is a gift from God above, entrusted just to you,

How can you stop loving a special part of you?

So when you’re feeling all alone and you’re sad and blue,

Remember just two things, my child, Jesus and I love you.

***

Five years ago, a doctor prescribed Valium to “a neurotic mother” – Mrs. Jesse Moore – and told her that there was nothing wrong with her teenage daughter Helen.

Last week, Helen Moore, 18, babysitter, was found guilty of the murders of two others. She was jailed for life.

Her mother broke her silence last week and talked to The Sun-Herald about Helen’s life and the events that led to the murders.

Mrs. Moore spoke of the premonitions that warned her Helen had killed three children, of losing two sons and her feelings of failure as a wife and mother.

She said her daughter could be an “ideal” child or a “monster.” She had adored children and at one stage wanted to teach handicapped youngsters.

Jesse Moore spoke of Helen’s life which had see-sawed from bliss in the company of her small step-brother, Andrew, to horror, when, at five, a psychiatric patient molested her and at 17, a man on a train ejaculated onto her school uniform.

Mrs. Moore, 37, and her husband, John, 46, have coped with an enormous amount of trauma over the past two years. Their belief in God has sustained them. A small sign in their living room says: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change …”

There is much of their lives they would wish to, but cannot, change.

Their son, Andrew, 14 months, died of the mysterious cot death syndrome in early March, last year. In November, her husband John suffered a severe stroke that partially paralysed and almost killed him. At the same time, Jesse was rushed to hospital with an advanced ectopic pregnancy. Their son, Peter, fell down and broke his arm.

And, four days before last Christmas, their uninsured house caught on fire, destroying many of their possessions. Mrs. Moore harboured the awful suspicion that her daughter was responsible for the deaths of two children and the injuries to the other two children.

Then on March 31 this year, when her seven-year-old son died, Mrs. Moore finally knew Helen was responsible for the tragedies.

“We were driving in a police car to Campbelltown police station after identifying Peter’s body,” she said.

“John was in the front seat. I was in the back with Helen. I looked down at her hands and saw the scratches and finally I knew she had done it – that she had killed them. I had been facing the terrible truth for so long and finally I knew.

“But Peter was the only one who died for a reason. He died so Helen could be caught. The other incidents had passed officially unnoticed but Peter was too old and his death was suspicious.”

Mr. and Mrs. Moore are not just “the murderer’s parents.” They are also the victims.

“Everyone refers to me as Helen’s mother. But I was also Peter’s mother,” Mr. Moore said.

“You could never comprehend how much we have been through. Two years ago, I had five children. Now I have two.

“John and I don’t hate Helen for what she’s done. Hating her will not bring back those children. for some, her sentence will never be enough. For others it is too much.

“But giving Helen a life sentence is not going to cure her. when I heard the verdict, guilty of murder, I wanted to scream out, ‘You’re wrong.’ I expected the verdict, guilty of manslaughter with diminished responsibility…

“The judge ruled that Helen should get whatever care is necessary and available. The latter is the operative word. We are not wealthy people and we can’t afford to have her privately cared for. She really needs some ongoing treatment.

“Although she has told me she is genuinely sorry for what she’s done and she would not do it again, we will never know when Helen is cured. I would hate to make the decision to release her in 20 years’ time. Given another traumatic experience to set her off, I don’t know if she wouldn’t do something similar.”

~ Another Child ~

Mr. and Mrs. Moore are trying desperately to have another child. Although they still have another child. Although they still have two sons, they are by Jesse Moore’s previous marriage. John has lost both his sons.

“I pray to God I will be able to give John another child. He deserves that much,” Mrs. Moore said.

“If we ever have another child, I don’t know if it would be safe to have Helen back in the house.”

Mrs. Moore has lived with Helen’s unbalanced mind for 18 years.

“Helen has had a mental problem since she was a baby, but no would believe me,” Mrs. Moore said.

“It became apparent at 18 months. She was difficult to communicate with and self destructive. She would tear up her possessions, destroy the things she loved.

“When she was 13, she had a terrible fight with one of her brothers. She pulled out a great handful of hair and scalp. This was the last straw – I took her to the local doctor.

“He spoke to Helen and me, patted Helen on the head, said she was quite normal and prescribed Valium for me. After that, I thought maybe it was me who was neurotic.

“Helen would not be horrible all the time. There would be phases where she would be the epitome of the ideal daughter. But I’d always be able to tell when a bad phase was beginning.

“She didn’t smoke. She didn’t take drugs. She was not very outwardly emotional and she didn’t make friends easily – a quiet girl.

“Andrew’s death was a great shock to her. I’m convinced she never killed Andrew. On the day we buried Andrew, she broke off with a very special boy – her first love.

“Andrew and Helen were so close – she was devoted to him and took him everywhere with her. She was babysitting him but failed. I really think she felt in some way personally responsible.”

Mrs. Moore cannot explain how she knew Helen was harming children after Andrew’s death.

The night Susan McIntosh died on May 19 last year, Mr. and Mrs. Moore and their four children went to the Billy Graham crusade, Mrs. Pat McIntosh had asked Helen to babysit Susan.

~ ‘Needed Me’ ~

“I was talking to a lady on the bus when suddenly I felt that the McIntosh children needed me,” Mrs. Moore said.

“I couldn’t shake it, then suddenly it passed. When we returned home, Mrs. McIntosh telephoned.  She said Susan was dead. I asked Helen if she had anything to do with the death. She hysterically denied it.”

Vaughan Nicholson was attacked on January 16. when Mrs. Moore heard that Vaughan was in hospital, she immediately suspected Helen.

“I thought, ‘Oh my God, she’s done something.’ I screamed at her but she replied I was always ready to blame her when something went wrong. Then the experts said Vaughan had suffered a convulsion and I apologized to Helen.”

Then, on February 1, Helen babysat for Aaron Crocker. When Mrs. Moore heard about Aaron, she accused Helen again.

“I shook her. I was sure she had done it. Helen ran crying to her room. We prayed it would be something other than Helen’s hand that had hurt Aaron.”

Rachel Hay died on February 24. The police brought Helen home and explained to Mr. Moore that Rachel had died of cot death. Helen insisted on going to the funeral.

Finally, on March 31, Peter died. Mrs. Moore had left her work as girl Friday after the fire in December. She had a premonition that something would happen at home.

Helen – who has an IQ slightly above average – and Mrs. Moore have always had a good rapport. On the day of Peter’s funeral, Mrs. Moore spoke to her daughter at Mulawa Prison.

“Mum, I didn’t plan it. It just happened,” she told her mother.

[Alison Stewart, “Portrait of a baby killer – A life of agony haunts babysit killer’s family,” The Sun-Herald (Melbourne, Australia), Dec. 14, 1980, p. 2]

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

***

More cases: Serial Killer Girls

***

For similar cases see: Baby-Sitter Serial Killers

***

More cases: Youthful Borgias: Girls Who Commit Murder

***
[115,011-3/22/20]
***