5 page paper including title page and reference page abstract page.

Last Name 1

Student's Name:

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Mary Bell

Abstract

The research paper commences by giving a brief background in the current situation and life Mary Bell is experiencing at the moment. Although she was released from prison, the current anonymity regulations make it hard for an individual to comprehend her exact location. It continues by exploring her family life and how it played an instrumental role in her delinquent behavior. Through her family, issues of abuse and mental health care at the epicenter of her action. It concludes by explaining her case and how it unearthed until when she was released from prison. The paper concludes by acknowledging that issues of mental health and family can play a crucial role in influencing an individual's personality and delinquent behavior.

Where She Is Currently

After serving for approximately twelve years in prison, Mary Bell was finally released by the government at twenty-three. To help her start a new life, she was granted a new identity and anonymity to ensure that she escapes the media scrutiny. She became a mother four years after being released (Sereny, 12a). Although after her release, she lived in her hometown, Tyneside, they didn't stay for long. While remaining anonymity, Bell was instrumental in contributing to the Biography, providing tidbits and avenues about her childhood life and how it affected her growth. The government was angry that Mary Bell would receive payment for her contribution to the Biography and attempted to hamper and hinder its publication.

In 2001, she won a High Court case to remain anonymous and hell her daughter to keep her anonymity for as long as she is alive. It was later updated to encompass her granddaughter as well. After her identity was unearthed by the press and realizing their location, it was essential for Bell that her family remains intact and protected from her previous crimes. At the moment, there is no one sure where she is currently (Sereny, 14a). With the new anonymity regulations and laws in place, it is difficult for an individual to comprehend where she relocated. Hopefully, such an identity would be revealed when she dies. Nonetheless, after multiple childhoods of trauma and abuse, it is best for Bell to have an opportunity to raise and live with a family in a peaceful environment free from media scrutiny.

Family Life

Mary Bell was one of the most intelligent young girls of her generation and was mostly described by other kids in their community as a girl that experienced a troubled childhood. She was raised by a prostitute mother, Betty, who was absent primarily. She got pregnant when she was only seventeen years of age. While growing up, and all her life, Mary has never known her biological father. Most family members indicated that her mother had, on various occasions, attempted to kill her and make her death look like an accident (Hymowitz, 50). For instance, Mary accidentally fell after taking sleeping pills. However, an independent witness gave an account vindicating that they witnessed Betty giving sleeping pills to Mary pretending to be sweets.

In an interview, Mary had indicated that she was forced to engage in sexual activities at a slender age by her mother. As early as two years old, she started getting withdrawn and detached. Whether it is accidentally choking her or throwing her out of the house, they are evidence that Betty had multiple murder attempts levied against her at her tender age. In other words, Mary experienced a short life full of drama and family abuse. Besides, her fallout from the window during her early years caused brain damage (Hymowitz, 50). It harmed her prefrontal cortex, where most of the informed decision making happens. But, several experts concentrate on her abuse and her upbringing at the hands of her mother as one of the reasons why she engaged in delinquent and atrocious crimes.

The Court Case and Mental Illness

Thriller and horror cinematography has often provided narratives of cruel and wicked children. However, reality can sometimes overcome fantasy and fiction, as in the story of Mary Bell. She was born in 1957 in England and was the daughter of the famous prostitute Betty while she has never known her father all her life. A few months after giving birth to Bell, Betty got married to a renowned criminal who acted as Bell's father (Gernes, 29). During this period, Newcastle was violent and had recorded extensive rates of crime. Soon, Mary commenced behaving aggressively and engaged in beating classmates and vandalizing things. On the eve of her eleventh birthday, Mary is with her Friend Henan Belle. The two friends decide to create a trap for Martin Brown, a four-year-old boy, son to their neighbor. They implore him to use sweet and attractive words. They start by deceiving the boy that they will give him candies. They then take him to an abandoned nearby house. Mary strangles and chokes him to death. Upon returning, the parents fail to see Martin Brown (Riddell, 6).They reported the incident to the police, who, after a reasonable search, found a body abandoned in a nearby abandoned house the following day. Initially, the case was seen as an accident due to the lack of apparent signs on Martin's body indicating any form of attack

After a few weeks, there is an unusual happening in Martin's kindergarten. An unknown person had sneaked inside and vandalized things, destroying chairs, overturned classrooms, and on the walls, there was writing saying that Martin was murdered. The police opened an investigation into the matter, but in the end, they pass it as an episode of vandalism, which had no bad intentions. In 1968, Norma and Mary struck again, and they target a 3-year old boy, Brian. He is also lured by a candy excuse and strangled. However, this time, they decided to embody the letter M on her stomach (Riddell, 6). They cut his genitals and hair, leaving the corpse out in the field. The body is found on the same day and is connected to Martin's death. The community members are informed that there is a serial killer on the loose.

The police questions approximately 12000 children and two young girls are suspected. They were Norma Jean Bell and Mary Bell. Their responses were less convincing, and after getting pressurized, Mary Bell admitted that she was responsible for the death of both Martin and Brian. Mary was arrested, whereas Norma was classified as an inactive spectator in the crime. Although Mary declared that Norma was her accomplice and participated actively in the killings, the police failed to believe her. She was sentenced to death in 1968 (Lawton, 219). She remained in prison for 12 years until 1980, when she was released after undergoing various psychiatric treatments (Sereny, 20 b). She was declared healed while in her detention, which played an instrumental role in her release. She issued a new identity to help her fit into society without people reminding her of her past, including the members of the press and media. Throughout her entire life, her presence in the media is polarized. For this reason, there are specific segments of the population that believe that she is attempting to correct her mistakes.

Mary Bell's background and upbringing were influential in her delinquent behavior. She was raised in an impoverished area in Newcastle. The site is a densely-populated and working-class area, which is an indicator of the hustle surrounding the area. The local children are frequently seen in the playfield without having any parental supervision. Besides, her home life was a nightmare of deprivation and extreme abuse (Sereny, 20 b). She was brought up by a mentally unstable and alcoholic mother who was mostly absent from the family due to her prostitute profession. Besides, during the first few years, she was forced by her mother to engage in prostitution. Her parent even threatened her. There are also serious allegations that her mother had a mental illness or a psychiatric illness known as Munchausen's syndrome, which was caused by the fabricated health challenges by the caregivers. In other words, Mary could have played a crucial role in worsening her mother's mental conditions as she could be set free. The awful upbringing seems to have shaped her character and personality. For instance, some of her schoolmates indicated that Mary is known for her unpredictable and violent behavior. Moreover, although she is pretty, her teachers could only comment on how brilliant she is in school but raised concern about her emotional detachment from others. Besides, although her behavior is noticed from an early age, there is no treatment in place to help her recover hence ending up causing terrible consequences.

Works Cited

Gernes, Joshua Joseph. WHAT CREATES JUVENILE KILLERS? A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF AUSTIN SIGG AND MARY BELL. Diss. 2017.

Hymowitz, Kay S. "Cries Unheard-Why Children Kill by Gitta Sereny (Book Review)." Commentary 108.2 (1999): 68.

Lawton, Henry. "" Cries Unheard: Why Children Kill, The Story of Mary Bell", by Gitta Sereny (Book Review)." The Journal of Psychohistory 27.2 (1999): 219.

Riddell, M. "So what if Mary Bell was paid to tell her story? Politicians and journalists who profess outrage..." New Statesman 127.4383 (1998): 6-6.

Sereny, Gitta, a. The case of Mary Bell: A portrait of a child who murdered. Random House, 2013.

Sereny, Gitta, b. Cries unheard: Why children kill: The story of Mary Bell. Metropolitan Books, 1998.