Maude Dieden, Child Care Provider, Starved Ten Babies to Death - 1929

FULL TEXT (Article 1 of 3): Chicago, June 20. – Charged with operating a so-called baby farm where ten babies are said to have died within the last three months, Mrs. Maude Dieden was arraigned here today before Judge Joseph Schulman, who ordered the farm closed and twenty-seven children on the farm sent to juvenile institutions.

Miss Jessie Binford, of the Juvenile Protection Association, is the complaining witness. The specific charge against Mrs. Dieden is operating without a license.

[“Ten Babies Died on Chicago ‘Baby Farm,’” (INS), The Telegraph-Herald (Dubuque, Io.), Jun. 20, 1929, p. 2]

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FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 3): Chicago, June 20.—A new job— and altogether different from the usual assignment was given Chicago police today. They must find the parents of eleven babies, all under three years of age, taken from the “baby farm” when it was ordered closed.

There were big blue eyed dreamers gurgling the hours away, little lads with winsome blue eyes and little girls with brown flashing eyes that sent a smile to all who cared to play with them.

Meanwhile., the case against Mrs. Maude Dieden, 40, charged with operating the farm without license, was continued by Judge John Schulman until July 25.

Mrs. Dieden, on the other hand, charged that she had been the victim of a “shake down” by a doctor.

She refused to name any parties to the conspiracy but said the doctor had caused the death at ten children in the past two years by giving them “Too much, of a mixture of hot water, canned milk, corn syrup and acid.” She admitted, however running the place without a license.

Officials of the detention home who removed the children from the “farm” said all were well fed and well cared for generally but that the “farm” was far from clean.

“All of them are fine youngsters,” said Mrs. Omminial Wishnell, attaché of the court. “Any parents that let these children go are losing a lifetime of joy.”

[“Difficult Job For Chicago Police, To Look For Parents,” Burlington Daily Times (N. C.), Jun. 21, 1929, p. 14]

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FULL TEXT (Article 3 of 3): Chicago, Dec. 21 – Conviction of Mrs. Maude Dieden for operating a children’s home after her license had been revoked today disclosed charges that ten children had died from malnutrition after having been removed from the woman’s home.

The charges were made by Miss Harriet Comstock, an official of the Juvenile Protective Association, who testified that she knew often children, taken from Mrs. Dieden’s home suffering from undernourishment, who later died in other institutions.

Mrs. Dieden was sentenced to serve thirty days in the house of correction and fined $100 for operating her home without a license, but obtained a sixty-day stay pending appeal.

Her arrest took place December 17 after numerous women, complaining their children had to be removed from her home because of malnutrition, signed warrants against her.

Miss Comstock testified the woman’s license was rescinded last January 28 but she later obtained a permit to resume operations, which she did temporarily until hospitals and welfare associations succeeded a gain in having the permit cancelled. The welfare worker said that on last June 29 twenty-nine children were removed from the home, all suffering from lack of nutrition.

[“10 Children Died Of Malnutrition – Deaths of Little Ones Revealed After License of “Home” Is Revoked.” Syndicated (AP), The Joplin Globe (Mo.), Dec. 22, 1929, p. 1]

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For more cases of “Baby Farmers,” professional child care providers who murdered children see The Forgotten Serial Killers.

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