The case of Mary Bell is one of the most disturbing cases in the history of serial killers, not because Mary mutilated her victims, but because she was merely 10 years old when she committed her first murder. The news quickly spread around the town in England, and she was nicknamed an “Evil Born.”
The then 11 years old stood in a trial where she was convicted for the murder of two boys, aged 3 and 4 years. Mary did not seem shameful or guilty at all during her trials. The medical team proposed that Mary was a victim of psychosis, so she showed no remorse for the heinous crimes she committed.
The court put Mary into jail without announcing the release date. She was released after a decade after the medical team noticed a positive change in her behavior. Mary was then given a new name to start a brand new life.
Beginning of a Disturbing Life of a Prostitute’s Daughter
Betty, a 16-year-old English prostitute, gave birth to the evil child Mary Bell on May 26, 1957, in Northumberland, United Kingdom. According to the doctors, Betty was an ungrateful mother as she never liked Mary Bell. She was heard telling the doctors to take “that thing” away from her at the time of Mary Bell’s birth.
Mary’s life only went downhill from thereon. She was treated in ways that no daughter should be treated by their mother. The only time Mary Bell was at peace was when Betty had to go on her “business trips” to Glasgow. Other days she would mistreat little Bell and make her feel worthless.
Prelude to Becoming England’s Youngest Serial Killer
Mary Bell was only four years of age when her mother started presenting her as a prostitute in front of her clients. It is often believed that little Mary Bell became hostile because she suffered from a series of traumatic events that made her lose the difference between right and wrong.
In the following years, Mary fell from the window of her home when Betty thanked god for Mary’s accident since she was desperately trying to get rid of her. Mary’s mental health deteriorated with the advancing years as she once tried to kill herself by consuming a bottle of sleeping pills.
However, she was saved right in time. The worst was yet to come when Mary lost her only confidant in a bus accident. It pushed Mary’s last button as she had lost all empathy for humankind now.
Neighbors Complained About Little Mary’s Violent Behavior
A few years later, Mary’s neighbors started complaining about her bizarre conduct to her mother and eventually to the Police when her mother seemed unbothered. In 1968, Mary was playing with a 3-year-old boy who came home badly injured.
However, Mary escaped this time as the parents did not believe that a 10-year-old could harm their child. A few days later, Mary was reported to the Police after the mothers of three girls complained that Mary choked their daughters. The Police interrogated Mary and closed the case since no concrete piece of evidence was found.
Mary Bell Murdered Martin Brown Just for the Sake of Thrill
Martin Brown, Mary’s 4-year-old neighbor, was playing with Mary Bell on May 25, 1968, oblivious of what was going inside Mary Bell’s evil mind. Mary attacked the little boy and pushed him to the ground, where she then proceeded to strangle him. Mary did not leave Martin Brown until he was unconscious.
She then ran away and returned to the scene with one of her friends Norma whom she had told that two boys attacked Martin Brown. The Police discovered Martin Brown’s body in a deserted house in Scotswood, England. There were no evident signs of abuse on Martin’s body which is why Mary Bell easily escaped from the murder charges. Furthermore, a bottle of painkillers was present by the side of Martin’s dead body, which made the Police rule the death as an accident.
Mary Teased Dead Martin’s Parents
11 years old Mary’s evil mind now had new ideas to tease the family of the deceased. She went to Martin Brown’s home and met his mother at the door. Martin’s mother inquired why Mary was there, to which Mary responded that she wanted to meet Martin.
The traumatized mother told her that Martin had passed away. Mary Bell then passed a mischievous smirk to Martin’s mother and told her that she already knew about it. Martin’s mother freaked out after witnessing the 11-year-old behaving like the spawn of satan.
Mary Bell Murdered and Mutilated the Body of a 3-Year-Old
Only two months had passed when Mary targeted her second victim, but there was no sweet escape this time. Mary prepared her accomplice Norma to kill their three-year-old neighbor Brian Howe. The girls took Brian to play with them. They then killed the three-year-old in a similar pattern like Mary killed Martin earlier.
However, this time, Mary mutilated Brian’s body using a pair of scissors. She scratched the thighs of the little boy and engraved her name’s initial “M” on Brian’s torso, followed by cutting off his penis. The letter “M” carved on Brian’s torso became the prime evidence for the Police while they looked for the culprit.
Police Investigation Revealed that Brian’s Murderer was a Child
Mary Bell and her accomplice Norma Bell helped Brian Howe’s sister look for her little brother. They purposely guided Brian’s sister to the location where they left Brian’s dead body by the side of bricks. Brian’s sister immediately informed her parents about the saddening death of her brother. Brian’s murder shook the town since they had not recovered from Martin’s death as of then. The Police sent Brian’s body to the forensic team, revealing that Brian’s murderer was rather a child since very little force was applied to strangulate him.
Mary Bell Gave In During Police Interrogation
Mary’s problematic past brought her under hot waters. The Police investigated Mary Bell and Norma Bell for the next few days. Initially, the girls stood firm on their stance. However, Mary Bell’s one statement exposed her lies.
She mistakenly told the Police that she saw an eight-year-old boy hit Brian and that he carried a pair of scissors. The Police had not let out the information that the 3-year-old was mutilated with scissors. Mary Bell and Norma Bell were then pressured to accept their crime, after which Mary started blaming Norma for the murder. Eventually, both the girls surrendered to the Police and were arrested on charges of manslaughter.
The Trial of an 11-Year-Old
The prosecution suggested running tests on the mental state of Mary Bell. A few days later, the reports came, suggesting that Mary Bell was a patient of psychopathy. The court convicted Mary to an indeterminate sentence until she was safe enough to be released from jail. Mary Bell spent nearly ten years in jail and was finally released in 1980 at the age of 23 after she started showing signs of a normal human being. She then continued to live her life independently under a new identity.
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