Ellen Etheridge – Texas Serial Poisoner
Background
Ellen Etheridge was born in 1866 and married J.D. Etheridge, a prosperous widower living in Bosque County, Texas, in 1912. She entered a blended household, becoming stepmother to eight children. Resentful and jealous of the affection her husband continued to show his children from his previous marriage, Ellen began plotting to eliminate them. Her method was poison—first lye, and later arsenic.
Crimes & Motive
Ellen Etheridge’s crimes occurred in two phases during 1913. In the spring, she used lye, a corrosive substance, to poison some of the children. When that did not achieve her full aim, she resumed her attacks later in the year using arsenic, a more lethal and less detectable method. She later confessed to poisoning the children out of deep jealousy toward the love her husband gave them.
Known Victims
- Beulah Etheridge (age 2) – Died after ingesting lye, June 1913, Bosque County, TX.
- Harrison Etheridge (age 8) – Died from lye poisoning, June 1913, Bosque County, TX.
- Oscar Etheridge (age 5) – Died of arsenic poisoning, October 2, 1913, Bosque County, TX.
- Richard Etheridge (age 9) – Died of arsenic poisoning, October 2, 1913, Bosque County, TX.
- Pearl Etheridge (age 7) – Survived arsenic poisoning, became violently ill on October 2, 1913.
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