New Zealand’s Baby Farmer
Why did a trusted nurse murder babies?
4.1 (37)
42 mins
Discover the chilling true story of Minnie Dean, the only woman ever legally executed in New Zealand. Explore how a desperate economic climate led desperate young mothers to hand over their infants to an unregulated caregiver. Learn about the shocking police investigation that uncovered small bodies buried in hatboxes beneath her flower garden.
Ep 1:
The Boogeyman of Southland
Meet the woman behind New Zealand's most enduring legend: a Scottish girl's hidden past, a fabricated identity, and the ocean voyage that set her fate in motion.
Ep 2:
From Winton's Inn to the Baby Farm
Bankruptcy, fire, and tragedy strip away everything Minnie Dean has—until desperate circumstances and a broken society push her toward the grim trade of baby farming.
Ep 3:
Death on the Rails to Lumsden
A hat box, a train journey, and two vanished infants spark a horrifying garden discovery that will drag Minnie Dean into a courtroom fighting for her life.
Ep 4:
The Hanging of Minnie Dean
As Invercargill's courtroom turns into spectacle, Minnie Dean faces the gallows, leaving behind unanswered questions, chilling folklore, and a legacy still debated today.
Discussions (5)
Hazel
Level 4 · 1 mo agoGrass grows fine on her grave
Miles
Level 2 · 1 mo agoCalling the trial unfair because of public opinion but the evidence was damning...3 bodies in her own garden, suffocation confirmed on Eva, secret burials. Jury bias argument doesn't erase that.
George
Level 4 · 1 mo agoBuried three kids in the garden but the real villain was a society with zero safety nets. Wild how the souvenir stands outside the courthouse didn't get put on trial.
