Ep 12. Beverly Allitt

Beverly Allitt was a nurse who carried out a killing spree over a period of 59 days in a pediatric ward in Lincolnshire, England. She is responsible for the murder of four children and the attempted murder of nine others, all of whom were under her care.

Throughout the episode, we delve into Allitt's background and early life to understand what led her to commit such heinous crimes. Born in 1968 in the village of Corby Glen, Allitt experienced a difficult childhood due to her strained relationship with her parents and being bullied at school for suffering from epilepsy.

After leaving school at the age of 16, Allitt became a nurse and was initially regarded as a talented and compassionate caregiver. However, it soon became apparent that Allitt was behaving erratically and showing signs of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, a condition where a caregiver intentionally injures or harms someone under their care.

Allitt became particularly obsessed with one child, seven-week-old Liam Taylor, who she attempted to murder three times in one night. Liam ultimately died as a result of her actions. Allitt also killed Timothy Hardwick, Kayley Desmond, and Becky Phillips, all of whom were under the age of five.

The investigators on the case describe the challenges they faced when trying to piece together Allitt's motives and methods. Her erratic behavior initially led them to believe that she may have been suffering from epilepsy herself, but this theory was quickly disproven. Further investigation revealed that Allitt had a history of faking illnesses and injuries, and that she enjoyed attention and praise from doctors.

Eventually, Allitt was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. However, her trial was heavily publicized and controversial, with some arguing that Allitt was not mentally sound at the time of the killings.

The episode features interviews with experts in criminology and psychology, as well as journalists who covered the case extensively. Allitt herself does not appear, as she is currently serving her sentence in prison.

Overall, the episode provides a chilling look into the mind of a killer, and leaves viewers questioning the motives and tendencies that can drive someone to commit such unthinkable acts.