𝕊𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤: 𝕁𝕒𝕟𝕖 𝕋𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕒𝕟
“Angel of mercy
A type of criminal offender (often a type of serial killer) who is usually employed as a Mexican practitioner or caregiver and intentionally harms or kills people under their care”
In Boston, Massachusetts on March 31st 1854, Bridget Kelley gave birth to another baby girl she named Honora Kelley. Unfortunately, Bridget would later pass on due to tuberculosis which left a young Honora and her older sister Delia Josephine with their father Peter Kelley who was an abusive alcoholic. In 1860, Peter ended up surrendering the girls to the Boston female asylum- leaving them to never see their father again. It wouldn’t be until November of 1862 that Honora would leave the orphanage and be placed into the home of Ann C. Toppan and her daughter Elizabeth as an indentured servant. She became part of the family and her name would later be changed to Jane Toppan. In 1865, Jane would begin her nurse training at Cambridge hospital. From here, she would take on name names for herself; one of them being Jolly Jane. This was because she was very well liked by her patients and their families as well as the hospital staff. She was described as being very well liked, being and friendly- little did anyone know what was going on behind closed doors. Jane often referred to her patients as Guinea pigs, doping them up with morphine and atropine just to examine what it might do to the nervous system. From there, she would continue to tweak dosages so they they would drift in and out of consciousness. Many fake charts were made while these patients were under her care so that nothing could be traced back to her. In 1889, she would move in to Massachusetts General hospital where she would claim the loved of even more patients by administering opiates. Jane would be caught and get to, this led to the beginning of her career as a private nurse. She went on to kill many more people including her Landlord and his wife, as well as her foster sister Elizabeth with poison being her weapon of choice. The Davis family would lead to her arrest with the murder of four of their family members in the summer of 1901. Their deaths were only mere weeks apart from each other. A toxicology exam would be ordered which would lead to the discovery of the poisonings. October 29th, 1901, Jane Toppan was arrested for murder and would confess to taking the lives of 31 patients however it is believed she is to be responsible for many more. There were many motives tossed around, I guess we will never truly know what made her tick. Many say it was the sexual thrill of it all while others say she wanted to see the inner workings of their souls from within their eyes. Quite possibly jealousy or an old family feud. Regardless, she would be committed to the Taunton state hospital for the reason of insanity.
Jane Toppan died on August 17th, 1938.
May all her victims rest in peace.
“That is my ambition, to have killed more people- more helpless people- than any man or woman who has ever lived” -Jane Toppan
*Photo is not mine nor is any quoted material and is not intended to be copyright infringement*
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Jane Toppan, infamously known as the 'Angel of Mercy', was more than just a caregiver; she was a murderer who exploited her position to inflict unimaginable harm. Born in 1854, her early life shaped her twisted path into nursing, where she could prey on vulnerable patients. Toppan's reign of terror commenced when she conducted horrifying experiments on her charges, administering dangerous doses of drugs like morphine and atropine, effectively turning them into guinea pigs for her sadistic studies. Her favored method often involved administering fatal doses and then reveling in the chaos that followed. In an age where medical practices were harsh and often unregulated, she thrived on the trust placed in her by families and colleagues. Colleagues affectionately nicknamed her 'Jolly Jane', unaware of the sinister games she played behind the scenes. It wasn't until multiple suspicious deaths at the Massachusetts General Hospital were linked to her actions that law enforcement began to take notice. Toppan's arrest in 1901 revealed a staggering confession of 31 murders, though many believe the true count was much higher. The psychological motives behind her actions remain complex and debated. Some speculate that she craved the power that came with life and death decisions, while others suggest deep-seated issues stemming from her troubled childhood. Regardless of her motives, Toppan's legacy is a chilling reminder of how perceptions of care can be warped into acts of cruelty. Ultimately, she was deemed insane, spending her final years in a mental institution until her death in 1938. Jane Toppan's story continues to provoke fascination and horror, making her one of the most notorious female serial killers in history.