On a cold day in Waterville, Maine, on March 8, 1954, a tragedy unfolded within the home of the Fisher family. One-year-old Deborah Fisher, a young female, was found deceased in her bed, appearing as though she were merely asleep. The grim discovery was made by her father, Carl Fisher, after he returned home from work to a locked door. Worried, he sought the help of his wife's physician to gain entry into the house.
Upon entering, the scene that greeted Carl was one of unimaginable
horror. Not only was little Deborah gone, but her two brothers, Daniel and Richard, had also met the same fate. Daniel, like his sister, was found tucked in his bed, while Richard had been drowned in the bathtub. The architect of this devastating loss was their own mother, Constance Margaret Fisher.
Constance, who had been battling depression, was immediately identified as the suspect. She was arrested and charged with the murder of her three children. The community was stunned, struggling to reconcile the image they had of the pretty and nice, albeit moody, young woman with the act she had committed. Before she could stand trial, a psychiatric evaluation determined that Constance was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, rendering her unfit to face the charges. Consequently, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to the Augusta State Hospital.
The story of Deborah's death is inextricably linked to the troubled life of her mother. After several years in the mental institution, Constance was released, a decision that would have further tragic consequences years later. The events of that March day in 1954, however, left an indelible mark on the community and a family shattered by the loss of three innocent children, including young Deborah.
