Angels of Death: Healthcare's Female Serial Killers: Female Serial Killers

By O. Chambers

Delve into the minds of the nursing profession's deadliest female serial killers.

Nearly half of female serial killers are nurses or professionals working in healthcare. Most are likely to be at least average in intelligence, well-educated, and dead-set on stealing their victims' money.

You may wonder if nurture or nature is to blame, and what getting close to these women's psyche actually feels like. Although each journey is different, malicious intent is usually something that popped up very early in these women's lives.

Crime stories are fascinating because it arouses our morbid curiosity and gives insight into the dark side of humanity. The true stories in this book are no different. They will both chill and enthrall you, unlocking the mysteries behind some of the most heinous crimes in healthcare history.

In this chilling account, you will discover:

How a 19th-century nurse from Reading took advantage of expectant mothers' trust to rob them of their cherished newborns

The brilliant, pleasant, friendly facade that a nurse known for her "jolly" disposition used to keep her patients ill and subject them to cruel experiments

The greed of a wealthy nurse who passed herself off as a saint while using murder as a means to financial gain

How one vocational nurse with an amazing talent for inserting IV needles transformed herself into the Black Angel of "The Death Shift" at a pediatric clinic

• Language: English
• Publisher: O. Chambers
• Release date: Jul 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223095101

O. Chambers

O. Chambers is a nurse, avid true crime reader and author of the new book Angels of Death: Healthcare’s Female Serial Killers. This is the first book in this true crime series about women serial killers. O. Chambers’ 30 years of nursing experience shines through as it highlights the importance of why nurses kill their patients. Her extensive work experience in many different healthcare organizations has emphasized where and what the gaps are in the system that allowed these killers to keep killing. She lives and works in Pangnirtung, Nunavut Canada which is nicknamed the “Swiss Alps of the North” and spends her time hiking and photographing the breathtaking scenery of Nunavut.

Book preview

Angels of Death: Healthcare's Female Serial Killers

Female Serial Killers

O. Chambers

Published by O. Chambers, 2023.

ANGELS OF DEATH

HEALTHCARE’S FEMALE SERIAL KILLERS

O. CHAMBERS

© Copyright 2023 - All rights reserved.

The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher.

Under no circumstances will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the publisher, or author, for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book, either directly or indirectly.

Legal Notice:

This book is copyright protected. It is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part, or the content within this book, without the consent of the author or publisher.

Disclaimer Notice:

Please note the information contained within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes only. All effort has been executed to present accurate, up to date, reliable, complete information. No warranties of any kind are declared or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaged in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. The content within this book has been derived from various sources. Please consult a licensed professional before attempting any techniques outlined in this book.

By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances is the author responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, that are incurred as a result of the use of the information contained within this document, including, but not limited to, errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.

CONTENTS

Introduction

1. The Ogress of Reading: Amelia E. Dyer (1836-1896)

2. The Nightmare Nurse: Jolly Jane Toppan (1857-1938)

3. The Wealthy Murderess: Amy Archer Gilligan (1873-1962)

4. Black Angel of The Death Shift: Genene Jones (b. 1950)

5. The Lethal Lovers: Cathy Wood (b. 1962) and Gwendolyn Graham (b. 1963)

6. The Nice Canadian Killer: Bethe Wettlaufer (b. 1967)

7. The Dark Angel of the VA: Kristen Gilbert (b. 1967)

8. Britain’s Angel of Death: Beverley Allitt (b. 1968)

9. Accused and Acquitted: Daniela Poggiali (b. 1972)

10. The Poison Nurse: Kimberley Saenz (b. 1973)

Conclusion

Resources

About the Author

"Before God and those assembled here, I solemnly pledge;

To adhere to the code of ethics of the nursing profession;

To co-operate faithfully with the other members of the nursing team and to carry out faithfully and to the best of my ability the instructions of the physician or the nurse who may be assigned to supervise my work;

I will not do anything evil or malicious and I will not knowingly give any harmful drug or assist in malpractice.

I will not reveal any confidential information that may come to my knowledge in the course of my work.

And I pledge myself to do all in my power to raise the standards and prestige of the practical nursing;

May my life be devoted to service and to the high ideals of the nursing profession."

(Nightingale Pledge, 2022)

INTRODUCTION

When most people think of the stereotypical serial killer, the image of a cold-hearted, mentally disturbed man often comes to mind. What about the murderers, however, who are, in fact, women? Furthermore, how does the fact that some of the worst serial killers in history have been female nurses within the healthcare field challenge the ideas and stereotypes about crimes that exist in our world?

Nurses are thought of as kind, understanding, nurturing, and compassionate—the very opposite of a murderer. In addition to this, when examining the cases of the most famous female serial killers within healthcare, the tendencies and motivations that appear are very revealing, especially when understanding that some of their crimes make the murders of others look relatively tame in comparison.

This collection delves into this type of woman, from her humble beginning as a little girl and what shaped her as she grew up into a young lady. It presents her particular focus within the field of healthcare, including whether she prefers to care for the very young or for the elderly, as well as if she works privately or takes a position in a well-established facility. From there, each of these women have taken a turn for the worst to become notoriously known as a serial killer within a system that is expected to bring health instead of death. Though the motivations and details surrounding each case vary broadly, there are similarities in each, and an overall theme can be clearly seen.

By digging deep into each story, there is an opportunity to discover intricate details about the basic culture, societal structure, and deeper beliefs that each woman grows up in, lives within, and accepts for herself. Some of these elements are good, and others specifically hurt her in the journey of her life. For the empathetic reader, it is obvious how these external factors trigger her to act in the way that she does.

At the same time, however, each woman in this collection has ultimately been forced to take responsibility for her actions by standing before the law and being charged for her crimes against other human beings, ones that she was expected to care for and heal. The manner in which she has responded to investigation, and whether or not she has offered a confession, is deeply telling about her integrity as a person and what ongoing issues she has had to face. As in all situations in life, some of the facts about each woman are readily available and plainly spelled out, while other unrecorded details require an active imagination to carefully connect the dots and consider the many possibilities surrounding each circumstance.

For the reader, this is an opportunity to learn about serial killers, their specific tendencies and motivations, and the groups of friends and coworkers that surround them. And yet, this collection is not an attempt to frighten anyone, even though the actions and stories within are truly horrific. Rather, it presents an opportunity to understand the faulty elements of community cultures, healthcare facilities, justice structures, and legal systems that unknowingly allow such murders to happen and even enable the women that intentionally commit these heinous crimes.

Additionally, this collection enables intelligent readers to consider how to learn from the actions of the heroic figures who step in and stop each woman from continuing in her cycle of murder—whether it be a friend, a coworker, a family member, or an investigator. As the expression goes, If you see something, say something, reminding every single person to exercise compassion and care toward others and recognize the unspoken cries for help from both of a potential killer and their potential (or actual) victim. While healthcare workers have an even greater responsibility to be aware of the warning signs because their official licensure depends upon it, every truly sympathetic individual can learn how to be more aware as well. Every person’s health is valuable, whether that health is external or internal, and where there is life, there is hope that positive change can be made to heal what has been broken and restore what has been harmed.

1

THE OGRESS OF READING: AMELIA E. DYER (1836-1896)

The year is 1836 in the small English village of Pyle Marsh outside of Bristol, England. A beautiful baby girl is born into the Hobley family and given the name Amelia Elizabeth. Her father is a master shoemaker who provides well for his growing family of six, which includes three sons and two daughters. A bright young child, Amelia shows an interest in literature and poetry early on, but her childhood is particularly challenged because her mother begins to deal with ongoing mental illnesses after suffering from a bout of typhus.

As she grows up and looks to her mother for everything that a parent ordinarily provides for their precious offspring, Amelia learns to deal with her unique and difficult situation. Many children have a healthy mother to lovingly raise them and act as a strong role model for the rest of their lives. Instead, this strong English youngster takes the role of caregiver and learns all about the challenges of mental illness firsthand by dealing with her mother’s violent outbursts, doing the best she can to care for the ailing woman.

In 1848, when young Amelia is only twelve years old, her mother succumbs to her health challenges when she dies in a raving fit. The whole family struggles with the loss, and Amelia is sent to live with her aunt in Bristol, where she soon becomes an apprentice to a corset maker. After her father passes away in 1859, her eldest brother inherits the shoemaking company and Amelia becomes estranged from some of her immediate family. Because of this, she decides to keep her own residence in Bristol at the age of 23.

The following year, Amelia marries