Minnie (Minnie) Dean New Zealand serial killer Date of Birth: 02.09.1844 Country: New Zealand

1. Biography of Wilhelmina (Minnie) Dean
2. Early Life and Arrival in New Zealand
3. Marriage and Life in Etal Creek
4. Childcare Business and Accusations
5. Arrest and Trial
6. Execution and Legacy
7. Epilogue

Biography of Wilhelmina (Minnie) Dean

Wilhelmina (Minnie) Dean was a New Zealand woman who was convicted of infanticide and hanged for her crimes. She is the only woman to have been executed in New Zealand.

Early Life and Arrival in New Zealand

Minnie Dean was born in Greenock, Scotland, to John McCulloch, a railway engineer, and Elizabeth Swan, who passed away from cancer in 1857. The exact date of Minnie's arrival in New Zealand is unknown, but by the early 1860s, she was already living in Invercargill with her two young children. Minnie claimed to be the widow of a Tasmanian doctor, although no official records of her marriage were ever found.

Marriage and Life in Etal Creek

In 1872, Minnie married Charles Dean, the owner of a local hotel, and adopted his surname. They lived in Etal Creek, an important settlement on the way from Riverton to the goldfields of Otago. However, their financial problems persisted, even when they attempted to switch to farming. Eventually, they moved to Winton, where Charles started pig farming.

Childcare Business and Accusations

Minnie found work as a paid caregiver, taking in unwanted children. At that time, having children out of wedlock was heavily frowned upon, and effective contraception methods were scarce. Therefore, Minnie had no shortage of clients, and it is estimated that she cared for up to nine children at a time. Unfortunately, child mortality was high in New Zealand at the time, and some of Minnie's own children also died. Although the local coroner found that Minnie was not responsible for the deaths of her charges, it was challenging to convince the local gossipers, who had already made up their minds about her guilt.

Arrest and Trial

In 1895, Minnie was seen boarding a train with a small child and a hatbox. When she disembarked at her station, she only had the hatbox, which was described as quite heavy. Later, a woman claimed to have entrusted Minnie with her granddaughter, and the girl's belongings were found in Minnie's house. However, the girl herself could not be located. A thorough search of Minnie's garden revealed the bodies of two infants and a three-year-old boy. The coroner determined that at least one of the children died from suffocation, while another died from an overdose of sedatives. Minnie was immediately charged with infanticide.

Execution and Legacy

Minnie's defense attorney, Alfred Hanlon, tried to argue that the children's deaths were not her fault and that she hid their bodies to avoid scandal. However, the court was not convinced, and on June 21, 1895, Wilhelmina Dean was found guilty. She was executed by hanging on August 12, 1895. Minnie Dean remains the only woman to have been executed in New Zealand's history. Since then, the country has abolished the death penalty, so this "honor" is unlikely to be repeated in the foreseeable future. She was buried in Winton, next to her husband.

Epilogue

On January 30, 2009, a headstone with the words "Minnie Dean - part of Winton's history - and everyone knows where she lies" was placed on Minnie's grave. It is believed that the headstone was erected by members of her family.