Mary Flora Bell, born in 1957, was an 11-year-old girl who committed two murders in England in 1968. Her early life was marked by trauma, with her mother, a prostitute, showing her hatred and neglect. Mary was forced to participate in her mother's work at the age of five. She began to display violent tendencies, eventually killing two young boys, Martin Brown and Brian Howe. She was arrested, sentenced to prison, and served 12 years. After her release, she got married, had a daughter, and lived a relatively normal life. Her daughter later learned about her mother's past through a journalist, and Mary eventually gave an interview about her crimes. Mary's case led to changes in the law to protect the identities of children who commit crimes.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Mary Flora Bell was born in Newcastle, England on May 26, 1957.
2. Her mother, Best McKittrick, was 17 years old when she gave birth to Mary.
3. Mary's father was unknown.
4. Mary was adopted by her stepfather, Billy Bell.
5. Mary's mother was a call girl and had emotional problems.
6. Mary's mother showed hatred towards her and had tried to kill her when she was one year old by giving her an overdose of medication.
7. Mary was forced by her mother to serve her clients when she was five years old.
8. Mary's first victim was a 4-year-old boy named Martin George Brown, who was killed on May 25, 1968.
9. Mary and her accomplice, Norma Bell, lured Martin to an abandoned house and killed him.
10. Mary and Norma went to the wake of their victim, where Mary wanted to see the lifeless boy lying in the coffin.
11. Mary's second victim was a 3-year-old boy named Brian Howe, who was killed on June 31, 1968.
12. Mary and Norma lured Brian to a vacant lot and killed him, with Mary making an "M" mark on the boy's belly.
13. Mary and Norma were investigated by the police, but initially denied any involvement in the murders.
14. Mary and Norma eventually confessed to the crimes under pressure from investigators.
15. Mary was sentenced to prison and served 12 years before being released in 1980 at the age of 23.
16. Mary got married and had a daughter after her release from prison.
17. Mary's daughter only found out about her mother's crimes through a journalist who visited their home.
18. Mary gave an interview in 1988 discussing her crimes and their aftermath.
19. A biography about Mary's life was written by a journalist named Guita Cerne.
20. Mary's daughter was granted the right to live anonymously and change her name in 2003, leading to a change in the law in the United States to protect the identities of children who commit crimes.