The Edward Street Baby Farm: The Murder Trial that Gripped a City by Stella Budrikis

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges. Half-title page has been inscribed by previous owner. Body text and binding are still very good.

In 1907, Perth woman Alice Mitchell was arrested for the murder of five-month-old Ethel Booth. During the inquest and subsequent trial, the state's citizens were horrified to learn that at least 37 infants had died in Mitchell's care in the previous six years. It became clear that she had been running a 'baby farm', making a profit out of caring for the children of single mothers and other 'unfortunate women'. The Alice Mitchell murder trial gripped the city of Perth and the nation.

Drawing on the court transcripts and newspaper reports of the day, this true-crime account examines the events leading up to and beyond the tragedy and follows the lives of the key players in a city that would be forever changed by the courtroom revelations.