United States of America
ABBOTT
Evelyn "Mother"
Active from 1889-1890, Roxbury, Massachusetts
DID YOU KNOW...
Money Fact
Abbott charged $8 a month to care for children over the age of 3
Adoption Fact
Children as young as 1 week were put up for adoption by Abbott
Sad Fact
Evelyn Abbott's husband was never mentioned in the media. If he was present, he was not held accountable
THE DISPATCH
The Beginning
In America in the 1890s, there was no social or financial support for single mothers. A woman could be shunned for having an illegitimate child. Travel could be treacherous, and couples did not always want to take their children with them. To meet the need, people – usually woman – would take long-term care of infants for a fee in a nursery. This lead to the unscrupulous “baby farmer”, whose charges would die from neglect or outright murder.
As a baby farmer, Abbott would take in infants for a fee, and care for them until the parents returned. Often, the parents never returned. The intention was to adopt the child to a family. And while some of the baby farmers were, no doubt, legitimate, many were not. Desperate people, often single, poor mothers, sometimes had no choice. Abbott opened her boarding-house for infants in 1883, and, as far as records indicate, operated legally.
Early Activities
In 1888, Abbott took in more than 80 children. Of those, 40 died in her care. It was easy at the time to blame various illnesses and maladies. When a child dies in her care, she was supposed to report the death. In at least 4 of the 40 deaths, she did not even register that she had received them into her care.
Suspicions Raised
Body Found, Tied to Abbott
- September 30, 1889
- Roxbury, Massachusetts
In 1889, Abbott received an additional 78 children. At least 23 infants died that year before September 26. Not a single child died after that date. However, on September 30, the bodies of nine infants were found scattered around the city within a mile radius of her house. On November 4, one body was found wrapped in a paper with Abbott’s address printed on it.
License Renewal Challenged
- January, 1890
- Roxbury, Massachusetts
In January, 1890, Abbott tried to renew her license. Roxbury medical examiner Dr. Draper opposed. Although not good enough for criminal charges, he said he could provide proof of 30 dead babies found within a radius of 3/4 of a mile of Abbott’s place.
Indictments & Arrest
Ongoing Operations, Arrests
- May-September, 1890
- Roxbury, Massachusetts
Abbott continued to operate her boarding house without a license. In May 1890, she was charged and fined for not being properly licensed. She continued to operate. On July 18, 1890, Abbott was arrested with concern to the deaths of babies.
In September, Abbott was arrested in regards to administrative matters – not having a license – and fined and released. However, she was immediately rearrested. She faced administrative and licensing issues. Abbott was required by law to keep track of the children she received. By law, she was required to send notices to the State board of lunacy and charity. She had not.
Final Trial and Sentence
- October-November, 1890
- Roxbury, Massachusetts
Abbott was finally arrested, but not for murder.
On October 15, 1890, at trial, she was shown to have wanted to receive an infant, but there was no proof she actually did. The judge declined to sentence her.
Abbott hired an attorney to represent her. She skipped the November 20th continuance of her trial, but her lawyer attended on the 25th of November, 1890. He began his legal wrangling, putting off the final decision.
Finally, Abbott received three months in a House of Correction.
Abbott Appeals
- January 15, 1891
- Roxbury, Massachusetts
Evelyn Abbott appealed, but on January 15, 1891, the judge confirmed her sentence. Evelyn Abbott may have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of infants of the years. She was never charged with homicide.
Abbott’s Death
Although “Mother” Evelyn Abbott is deceased, we currently cannot locate records on where and when she died.
SIMILAR SERIAL KILLERS
Kristen Heather Gilbert
Gilbert was a medical Angel of Death in Massachusetts USA in the 1990s
Marianne Konopkova
Konopkova of Wieliczka, Poland, was also working in the 1800s, and was also thought to have killed 30 children
Sandra Pankow
Pankow of Appleton, Wisconsin USA was convicted in 1986 for 2 child murders, with 1 acquittal
THE STATS
Evelyn Abbott in historical timeline
Statistical table for Evelyn Abbott
| Killer Name | Abbott, Evelyn |
| Gender | F |
| Arrest Date | July 18, 1890 |
| Conviction Date | November 25, 1890 |
| Sentence | 3 months and $100 fine plus costs |
| Status | Deceased |
| Deceased | Yes |
| Job Types | Lying-in and nursery for babies |
| Labour Type | Blue |
| Sexual Preference | Straight |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Killer Type | Baby Farmer/Boarding House, Organized, Stationary |
| comment1 | Charged with failing to properly document receiving illegitimate children to board |
| comment2 | About 100 children a year received, zero adopted. Operated for 8+ years. In 1880, 73 children received |
| comment3 | 9 baby bodies were found within a mile of her home |
| Total Dead Victims | 30 |
| Victims (Suspected) | 30 |
| False Claims | No |
| Victim Gender | Various |
| Victim Race | Unknown |
| Victim Type | Infants and Babies |
| Previous Crimes | Fined repeatedly by Roxbury officials for documentation violation |
| Contact Police | No |
| Contact Press | No |
| Prison Name | House of Correction |