In 1968, an 11-year old girl named Mary Bell made news after killing two young boys in her hometown, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Four-year old Martin Brown was found in an abandoned house on St. Margaret’s Road, on May 25, 1968. Investigators initially believed he had accidentally swallowed some pills due to a bottle found near him. Eerily, after his death Bell went to his home asking to see him, informing his mother that she wanted to see him in his coffin when she was reminded of his death. July 31, 1968, Brian Howe, three, was also found dead, this time off of Scotswood Road. Before his remains were recovered, Mary Bell told his sister he could be playing on some concrete blocks that had been dumped, and he was found among the blocks. Both boys had died of asphyxiation, and Howe also had small cuts all over his body made with a pair of scissors and a razor recovered with his remains (Blanco)(“Mary Bell”).
An investigation was launched quickly, the medical examiner suggesting to authorities that a child could be responsible due to the small amount of force used, and investigators interviewed approximately 1,200 children. Among those children were Norma Joyce Bell and Mary Bell, who have no familial relationship. The two stood out due to the evasiveness during their interviews and changed their stories twice during the followup interviews that took place. The two eventually confessed, claiming the other had “squeezed” Howe’s throat. Mary claimed that Norma was the one that cut him up as well, reportedly with a razor blade (Blanco).
On May 11, 1968, the two had been playing with another three-year old boy when he was severely injured. The incident, where the young boy reportedly fell, was deemed an accident. The next day Mary was reported for attacking and attempting to strangle the three daughters of a local woman. Norma’s father caught Mary choking her on May 26th and sent her home after slapping her (Blanco). Norma and Mary had reportedly also attempted to suffocate another little girl. While Norma, who had learning disabilities and may have been manipulated by Mary, held the girl down, Mary tried to fill her mouth with sand. When the girl escaped and the incident was reported, no action was taken (“Mary Bell”).
Bell was born on May 26, 1957, to 17-year old Betty Bell. Betty Bell was a sex worker at the time and later married career criminal Billy Bell (Blanco). Bill Bell was known to be violent and had reportedly threatened investigators with dogs when they wanted to interview Mary (“Mary Bell”). Raised in what was considered the poor area of Scotswood, Bell developed a reputation for her behavior that was likely a result of who her parents were, which included attacking other children and theft (Blanco). According to Mary’s own account, in the book “Cries Unheard: The Story of Mary Bell,” her mother was absent at best and would make Mary get involved in her sex work. Mary claimed that her mother tried to kill her during her early life, attempting to make it look like an accident (“Mary Bell”).
The trial occurred in December 1968 at the Moothall, where Mary was described as being confident. Both girls admitted to leaving notes in their school, after breaking in, relating to the death of Howe. While Norma was found not guilty, Mary was not, though she was found guilty of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. Mary was sentenced to life in prison and spent eight years in a prison for young offenders. She escaped Moore Court in 1977, after being transferred there, with two of the boys there (Blanco).
Bell was released from prison in 1980 and went on to have at least one child. Both were granted lifelong anonymity in 2003 and that has been extended to a grandchild as well. Understandably, the surviving members of her victims’ families were unhappy with this outcome. One surviving family member lamented not being able to see her son grow up and have his own children, while Bell has gotten that chance (“Mary Bell”)(Blanco).
Blanco, Juan Ignacio. “Mary Bell: Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Mary Bell | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers, https://murderpedia.org/female.B/b/bell-mary-flora.htm.
“Mary Bell.” Crime+Investigation UK, https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/mary-bell.
Syn Writes 