Minnie lost her four year old son Albert in 1911. In January 1912, Minnie lost her infant and toddler to pneumonia. Three months later, in April of 1912, Minnie McGee poisoned her remaining six children by soaking phosphorus matches in weak tea and giving it to them to drink. They became deathly ill within hours: they vomited, their pulses weakened, their hearts failed.
The first five children died on the same day: Louis (13), Penzie (12), Georgie (8), Bridget (6) and Thomas (5). Johnnie (10) had been staying at his uncle's and was poisoned two days later, when he returned home.
Minnie was convicted of murder, and sentenced to hang. The community rallied around her and petitioned for clemency on her behalf. In the end, her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Minnie lived the of the rest of her days between Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick and Falconwood Asylum in Charlottetown.
Mary and Patrick lived in a rural area, where they had limited contact with other people. Patrick was gone far more than he was at home, leaving Mary alone for months and sometimes years. Everyone that knew the family said that she cherished her children. It's believed that she had a breakdown when her two youngest children died in January. She had also intended to kill herself, but she only became ill. She was first sent to prison, but within four months, she she had become "violently insane" and was sent to the asylum.
Fourteen years after entering the asylum, she was released in error. It was brought to the authorities attention and after six weeks, she was discovered and sent back to prison. After eight weeks of observation, it was decided that she was insane and had been for many years. She was diagnosed as suffering from manic depression and mania. She was sent back to the asylum, where she spent the rest of her life.
Shortly after Mary's conviction, Patrick moved to New England, where he remarried and had another family.
The first five children died on the same day: Louis (13), Penzie (12), Georgie (8), Bridget (6) and Thomas (5). Johnnie (10) had been staying at his uncle's and was poisoned two days later, when he returned home.
Minnie was convicted of murder, and sentenced to hang. The community rallied around her and petitioned for clemency on her behalf. In the end, her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Minnie lived the of the rest of her days between Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick and Falconwood Asylum in Charlottetown.
Mary and Patrick lived in a rural area, where they had limited contact with other people. Patrick was gone far more than he was at home, leaving Mary alone for months and sometimes years. Everyone that knew the family said that she cherished her children. It's believed that she had a breakdown when her two youngest children died in January. She had also intended to kill herself, but she only became ill. She was first sent to prison, but within four months, she she had become "violently insane" and was sent to the asylum.
Fourteen years after entering the asylum, she was released in error. It was brought to the authorities attention and after six weeks, she was discovered and sent back to prison. After eight weeks of observation, it was decided that she was insane and had been for many years. She was diagnosed as suffering from manic depression and mania. She was sent back to the asylum, where she spent the rest of her life.
Shortly after Mary's conviction, Patrick moved to New England, where he remarried and had another family.
Minnie lost her four year old son Albert in 1911. In January 1912, Minnie lost her infant and toddler to pneumonia. Three months later, in April of 1912, Minnie McGee poisoned her remaining six children by soaking phosphorus matches in weak tea and giving it to them to drink. They became deathly ill within hours: they vomited, their pulses weakened, their hearts failed.
The first five children died on the same day: Louis (13), Penzie (12), Georgie (8), Bridget (6) and Thomas (5). Johnnie (10) had been staying at his uncle's and was poisoned two days later, when he returned home.
Minnie was convicted of murder, and sentenced to hang. The community rallied around her and petitioned for clemency on her behalf. In the end, her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Minnie lived the of the rest of her days between Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick and Falconwood Asylum in Charlottetown.
Mary and Patrick lived in a rural area, where they had limited contact with other people. Patrick was gone far more than he was at home, leaving Mary alone for months and sometimes years. Everyone that knew the family said that she cherished her children. It's believed that she had a breakdown when her two youngest children died in January. She had also intended to kill herself, but she only became ill. She was first sent to prison, but within four months, she she had become "violently insane" and was sent to the asylum.
Fourteen years after entering the asylum, she was released in error. It was brought to the authorities attention and after six weeks, she was discovered and sent back to prison. After eight weeks of observation, it was decided that she was insane and had been for many years. She was diagnosed as suffering from manic depression and mania. She was sent back to the asylum, where she spent the rest of her life.
Shortly after Mary's conviction, Patrick moved to New England, where he remarried and had another family.
The first five children died on the same day: Louis (13), Penzie (12), Georgie (8), Bridget (6) and Thomas (5). Johnnie (10) had been staying at his uncle's and was poisoned two days later, when he returned home.
Minnie was convicted of murder, and sentenced to hang. The community rallied around her and petitioned for clemency on her behalf. In the end, her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Minnie lived the of the rest of her days between Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick and Falconwood Asylum in Charlottetown.
Mary and Patrick lived in a rural area, where they had limited contact with other people. Patrick was gone far more than he was at home, leaving Mary alone for months and sometimes years. Everyone that knew the family said that she cherished her children. It's believed that she had a breakdown when her two youngest children died in January. She had also intended to kill herself, but she only became ill. She was first sent to prison, but within four months, she she had become "violently insane" and was sent to the asylum.
Fourteen years after entering the asylum, she was released in error. It was brought to the authorities attention and after six weeks, she was discovered and sent back to prison. After eight weeks of observation, it was decided that she was insane and had been for many years. She was diagnosed as suffering from manic depression and mania. She was sent back to the asylum, where she spent the rest of her life.
Shortly after Mary's conviction, Patrick moved to New England, where he remarried and had another family.
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