Mary Ann Cotton Murder

One woman’s extensive family mysteriously died, each death shared similar circumstances. Officials would not catch her for many years, leaving her to commit her murderous acts on most of her family. She was born in October of 1932, and she was executed in Durham jail in March of 1873 (Hartlepool 1). She is said to have murdered up to twenty one family members and friends (Wilson 19). Mary Ann Cotton, Great Britain’s first female serial killer, was responsible for those devastating events (Wilson 19).
Mary Ann Robson was born in the English mining town of Low Moonsly in October of 1832 (Hartlepool 1), (Hale 45). Her parents were Margaret and Michael Lonsdale (Hartlepool 1). Many said she was an outgoing child (Hale 45). Also, many said she was very faithful in her church attendance by the age of fourteen (Hale 45). Mr. Joseph Nattrass was Mary Ann’s first husband (Hale 49).Joseph had left a will that left all of his money to Mary Ann (Hale 49). When Mary Ann was employed by a Doctor Quick- Manning, she fell in love and wanted to be with him (Hale 49). Mary Ann soon murdered Joseph, her first child, and Frederick Cottons oldest …show more content…
Scott, became very sick (Hale 47). Mrs. Scott asked that Mary Ann come back home and nurse her to health (Hale 47). Mary Ann went home and while she was there she all but looted the house of valuables (Hale 47). Everyone thought that she was strikingly beautiful and of a kind and caring nature (Hartlepool 1). Many women during these days became known as “Baby Farmers” (Wilson 19). These were women who had children just to put life insurance on them, only to kill them days later and collect the money (Wilson 19). This led to the creation of the “Infant Protection Bill” (Wilson 19). This bill prevented the purchasing of life insurance on infants (Wilson 19). All the women who had been convicted of being Baby Farmers shared similar characteristics, they were calm, cold, and calculating (Wilson