The Forgotten Serial Killers: Child Care Providers (“Baby Farmers”) Who Murdered Children

baby farm – 1.) a place that houses and takes care of babies for a fee. 2.) a residence for unwed pregnant girls or women that also arranges adoptions.

Most of the baby farmers listed her were serial killers. Several notable cases involving murder and abuse by baby farmers that are not serial killer cases.

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Abbott, Evelyn (USA), 1891 – scores of babies died

Andrasen, Fru (Norway), 1901 – 27 infants

Ashmead, Elizabeth (USA), arrested 1904, 1909, 1911 – 100s of babies died

Atherton, Dr. Bessie (USA), (with Cramer), 1926 – 3 dead babies discovered
Bamberger, Henrietta (USA), 1899 – midwife; 300 est; conv of 1 abort-murder of mother
Banks, Leila (USA), 1925 – 3 babies died

Barnes, Catherine (England), 1879 – 3 babies died

Barthian, Mme. (France), 1893 – 25 babies died
Batten, Annie (Australia), 1904 – “alleged wholesale infanticide”
Batts, Ellen (Australia), 1889 – 3 babies murdered
“Berlin Baby Farmer” (Germany), 1892 – 15 bodies found
Bilien, Valentina (Germany), 1946 – 114 babies killed by severe neglect
Blair, Anne (Australia), 1870 – 1 baby died

Bronzo, Rosa (Italy), 1879 – “several bodies”
Breitschwart, Christine (USA), 1892 – 4 babies abandoned in streets & gutters in winter, 1 died
Calahan, Julia (USA), 1871 – 3 babies died

Campbell, Nellie (USA), arrested 1902 – 8 babies died

Chard-Williams, Ada (England), 1899 – 1 baby died (executed)
Chartier, Veuve (France) 1906 – 1,500 babies died
Chivers, Daisy Ellen (England), 1928 – 1 baby murdered; suspicion of others
“Christiana Baby Farmers” (Norway), 1902 – “a small army of tiny corpses were dug up”

Claus, Charles & Catherine (USA), 1890 – 5 babies died
Clayton, Madge (Australia), 1908 – 6 babies died
“Cologne Baby Farmer” (Germany) – 50 babies died
Compton, Mary (England), 1673 – willfully starved 4 children (executed)

Connelly, Matilda (USA), 1912 – 4 babies died

Cooper, Martha & Daniel (New Zealand), 1922 – 3 dead babies discovered

“Copenhagen Baby Farm Couple” (Denmark), 1860 –
Cramer, Marie (USA), (with Atherton), 1926 – 3 dead babies discovered

Day, Gertrude (USA), 1914 – unsolved mystery

Dean, Minnie (New Zealand), 1895 – 3 babies & 1 toddler died (executed)
De Jesus, Luisa (Portugal), 1772 – poisoned to death 28 babies (executed)
Delaware, Miss (New Zealand), 1889 – many babies killed
Delpech, Anne Gaillard (France), 1868 – murdered 10 babies
Dieden, Maude (USA), 1929 – 10 babies died

Douglas, Amy (England), 1899 – 3 babies died from starvation
Dunn, Honora (Australia), 1881 – multiple babies abused & murdered
Dunne, Maria (Ireland), 1898 – 3 babies died

Dupin, Anne (France), 1869 – Boulouire, France; 40+ deaths
Dyer, Amelia (England), 1896 – 100s of babies died (executed)

Eckhardt, Wilhelmena (USA), 1906 – 12 babies died
Fortmeyer, Julia (USA), 1875 – 3-100 babies murdered
Geisen-Volk, Helen (USA), 1925 – 53 babies died

Gobay, Annie & Emma Kitchen (USA),1903 – at least 3 babies died
Grammage, Augusta (England), 1875 – convicted of murdering a child

“Grey Nuns of Montreal” (Canada), 1876 – 631 babies died

Gunness, Belle (USA), 1908 – 21 babies “disappeared”
Guy, Mary Ann (New Zealand) – convicted of manslaughter for one death

Guzovska, Madame (Poland), 1903 – “over 500” babies died

Hanson, Annie (USA), 1892 – at least 5 babies died
Hawkins, Laura & Nettie Van Sarver (USA), 1917 – 1 known death
Hill, Abigall (England), 1658 – 4 deaths (executed)

Holmen, Mrs. (Sweden), 1906 – over 1,000 babies died
Ishikawa, Miyuki  (Japan), 1948 – 103 babies died

Jager, Mari Azalai (Hungary), 1897 – a very large number of babies died

Johannesen, Fru (Norway), 1901 – 27 infants

Julien, Madame (France), 1867 – midwife, many victims
Kadletz, Frau (Czech Republic), 1906 – 50 victims

King, Jessie (Scotland), 1889 – 3 babies died (executed)
Knorr, Frances (Australia), 1894 – from 3 to an estimated 13 babies died (executed)

Konopkova, Marianne (Poland), 1906 – 30 babies died
Kreis Children’s Home: Ella Schmidt, Liesel Bachor, Kathe Pisters (Ger.), 1946 – 370 babies

Kusnezowa, Madame (Russia) 1913 – 1,012 babies died

Lacroix, Diana (Canada), 1927 – 7 babies died
Laphame, Belinda (USA), 1893 – 3 or 4 babies killed, kept in jars; others killed
Larsson, Olivia Charlotta (Sweden) 1912 – 1 death; 2 rescued from starvation

“Limburg Baby Farmers” (Germany), 1892 – multiple babies died

Lowry, Mary (USA), 1904 – 2 babies died, 3 babies near death

Lynn, Rachel (USA), 1911 – unknown number of babies died

Mabre, Louise (France) 1763 – 62 babies died (executed)

Makin, Jane (Australia), 1892 – 13 babies died

Maksymischin, Paranka (Galicia (Poland)), 1890 (executed)

McClosky, Margaret (USA), 1876 – 6 babies in starving condition

McDonald, Cynthia (USA), 1887 – 2 babies died, 2 babies in starving condition

McKenzie, Emily Charlotte (England) 1884 – many babies died
Miller, Mrs. A. H. (USA), 1903 – 2 babies died; additional bodies searched
“Minneapolis Baby Farmer” (USA), 1908 – starving baby rescued

Mitchell, Alice (Australia), 1907 – 37 babies died
Mittlestedt, Pauline (USA), 1886 – “professional infant murderess”
Morris, Jane (USA), 1898 – New York, N. Y.; BF; 5
Myer, Frau (Germany), 1892 – 58 babies died
Newman, Isabella (Australia), 1913 – 3 babies died

“Nijni-Novrogod Nurse” (Russia), 1894 – 17 babies died

Nilsson, Hilda (Sweden) 1917 – 17 babies died

Nivison, Symenthe S. (USA), 1884 – 22 babies died
Nordberg, Alva (Sweden), 1905 – 4 babies died
Noskina, Feige (Lithuania), 1892 – 65 babies died

“Odessa Baby Farmer” (Ukraine), 1887 – 10 babies died

Olsen, Fru (Norway), 1901 – 27 infants died

“Osaka Baby Farmers” (Japan), 1902 – 300 babies died
“Osaka ‘Devil Woman’” (Japan), 1906 – 100 babies murdered

Ostrovoskafa, Rachel (Ukraine), 1885 – more than 3 babies died; infanticide cult

Overbye, Dagmar (Denmark), 1920 – 11 confessed child-murders
Parr, Agnes (USA), 1877 – multiple babies died 
Persson, Maria (Sweden) 1911 – 21+ babies died
Piard, Annie (USA), 1883 – multiple babies starved to death
Porro, Rose & Margarite Coraldi (Italy), 1873 – 8 babies killed (executed)
“Przemysi Baby Farmers” (Austria), 1893 – 27 babies buried in cigar boxes

Reignolds, Mary (USA), 1875 – 5 babies died
Rogers, Frances (England), 1871 – 4 children died, sentenced to 20 years
Roseberry, Edna (USA), 1948 – tortured babies routinely

Sach, Amelia & Annie Walters (England), 1902 – probably 100s of babies died (executed)
Saldakowa, Julia (Galicia (Ukraine)), 1903

Sánchez Aguillón, Felícitas (or Sánchez Neyra) (Mexico),1941 – 40-<100 murders
Scholes, Elizabeth (Australia), 1906 - 2 confirmed dead, probably several more
Seiffert, Jennie (USA), 1889 – 2 babies dead, 4 dying

Skoublinska, Marianne (Marianna Skublińska) (Poland), 1890 – 76 babies

Spinks, Ann (England), 1898 – at least 2 babies died
Tanaka, Mrs. & Mrs Juniki (Japan), 1924 – 8 babies murdered by fake foster parents
Tann, Georgia (USA), 1950 – 1,000s of babies died
Todd, Sophia Martha (England), 1877 – 5 deaths

Tooke, Annie (England), 1879 – 1 child murdered & dismembered

Turner, Maud (Canada), 1909 – suspected of numerous murders

Tydrych, Leontina (Poland), 1927 – 60 babies died

“Villa Vico Baby Farmer” (Portugal), 1854 – 9 babies died

“Warasdin Baby Farmers” (Croatia), 1893 – torture & maiming, child trafficking
Ward, Mary Josephine (USA), 1884 – at least 10 babies died
Waters, Margaret (England), 1870 – 5 babies died (executed)

Wiese, Elizabeth (Germany), 1903 – burned babies in stove (executed)
West, Mrs. Fred (Clara West) (USA), 1906 – burned babies alive

Willis, Rhoda (Wales), 1907 – 2 babies died

Winsor, Charlotte (England), 1865 – unknown number (executed)

Worcester, Rozilla (USA), 1877 – 6 babies died (in 30 day period)

Young, Lila & William (Canada), 1936 – an estimated 400-600 babies died

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NOTE: A few of the cases in the list involve non-serial killers: baby-torturers or providers who are confirmed to have killed only one or two of their charges.

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Murder Method (when known):

Battery – Geisen-Volk, Noskina

Buried Alive – Ashmead, Wiese

Crushed to Death – Winsor

Drown – Delpech, Overbye, Wiese, Noskina (in cesspool)

Drugging / Poisoning – Dean (laudanum), Jager (poison), Kusnezowa (poison), Mabre (arsenic), Reignolds (laudanum), Sach & Walters (chlorodyne), Topper (poison), West (laudanum), Nivison (morphine, belladonna), West (laudanum), Dean (laudanum), Reignolds (laudanum), Waters (laudanum), Luisa de Jesus, Wiese (morphine), King (arsenic), Laphame (opium)

Exposure – Tann (sun), Chivers (cold), Barnes (no clothing), Geisen-Volk (frozen), Breitschwart (frozen) 

Incineration alive – Ashmead, Fortmeyer, Overbye, Stysinski (arson), West, Wiese

Needle into heart° – Makin (needle, heart), Mittlestedt (darning needle, heart)

Neglect – Ishikawa, Mitchell, Nivison, Rogers, Spinks, Waters, Young, McCloskey, Geisen-Volk, Larsson, Nilsson, Persson (incomplete list)

Starvation – Barnes, Barthian, Campbell, Lowry, McClosky, Mitchell, Seifert, Tanaka, Waters, Julien

Strangling by hand or instrument – Chard-Williams*, Claus, Compton, Cooper, Douglas, Dyer, King, Knorr, Ostrovoskafa, Overbye, Turner, Geisen-Volk

Suffocation – Dean, Newman, Winsor, Noskina

Twisting baby’s neck – Eckhardt

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Burned corpses after murder: Asmead, Birney, Chivers, Eckhardt, Overbye, "Vivienne Midwife," West, Wiese

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* Chard-Williams - Stunned, strangled and trussed up with cords

° Similar method used by nursemaid: Schnell (hairpin into brain)

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►• Baby Farmers & Baby-Killing Midwives Executed

1763 – Louise Mabre (France)

1772 – Luisa de Jesus (Portugal)

1870 – Margaret Waters (England)

1873 – Rose Porro & Margarite Coraldi (Italy)
1896 – Amelia Dyer (England)

1902 – Amelia Sach & Annie Walters (England)

1889 – Jesse King (Scotland)

1903 – Elizabeth Wiese (Germany)

1865 – Catherine Winsor (England)

1907 – Rhoda Willis (Wales)

1895 – Minnie Dean (New Zealand)

1922 – Daniel Cooper (Australia)

1894 – Frances Knorr (Australia)

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For a detailed look at a baby farm visit:

Tour Through a Chicago Baby Farm in 1912

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Baby Farming in England – Described in 1923

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This photograph of Frankie Heath, rescued from a Minneapolis baby farmer,   is taken from this post:

“Minneapolis Baby Farmer” (USA), 1908 – starving baby rescued

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Edith Rendell, The Baby Farmer” (poem),  Kerang New Times (Victoria, Australia), Sep. 24, 1909, p. 4

THE BABY FARMER.

Ye mothers of Australia

O lend your pitying ear

To the wail of helpless infants

That’s borne upon the air.

As ye clasp your own loved darlings

In comfort to your hearts, I

Just think upon the fate of those

Who hear neglect’s cruel smarts.

Unwelcome little strangers

To this cold world they come,

No mother love awaiting them.

No friend, no name, no borne.

Not theirs the fault that brings them,

It is the parent’s sin,

Yet on their helpless bodies

Falls all the wrong and pain.

Who’ll rid me of this burden,

The desperate mother cries,

I cannot, will not face my friends

With shame before my eyes.

An accommodating stranger,

For dross to be paid down,

Takes the tender infant

To nurse him as her own

O luckless little creature.

Thy doom hath now its seal.

The horrors that await thee

The inquest will reveal.

Not by violent measures

She deprives hint of his breath —

By methods known unto the craft

The child is done to death.

Not alone in other states

The baby farmer thrives,

Ev-u in our very midst

She’s sacrificing lives.

She’s not a downcast person.

She’s possessed of many wiles;

She laughs and talks and is quite gay,

But she murders while she smiles.

We seek for population

In countries far away,

Yet human life is wasted

Around us every day.

The care of babes should not be left

To private enterprise

A home should be provided,

Which the state should supervise.

You say an institution

Would foster vice and sin;

How can this be

The evil hath ever with us been.

Ye women of Australia

O stay this fearful wrong,

And by concerted action

Save the helpless throng.

Ye Christian men and women.

Give it your earnest thought

To found a home for waifs and strays,

To which they may be brought.

Root out the baby farmer

By giving her no place,

And free this youthful land of ours

From murder and disgrace.

—    Edith Rendell.

[Edith Rendell, The Baby Farmer” (poem),  Kerang New Times (Victoria, Australia), Sep. 24, 1909, p. 4]

 

ALSO SEE the related category of Baby-Sitter Serial Killers

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To learn more details about murderous child care providers in history, including baby farmers, adoption agents and baby sitters, see the 2-part article “Death on the Baby Farm,” by Robert St. Estephe, A Voice for Men, July 16, 2013

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SEE MORE: Female Serial Killer Collections

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