Constance Fisher
Child Serial Killer Case
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Maine, United States
TIME PERIOD
1954-1966
VICTIMS
6 confirmed
Constance Fisher was deemed unfit to stand trial for the murders of her three children, which occurred on March 8, 1954, in Waterville, Maine. After being hospitalized at Augusta State Hospital, she was released in 1966, only to commit the same crime again, killing three more of her children that year. Fisher was apprehended on July 1, 1966, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity and subsequently committed to a mental institution. In 1973, she escaped from the hospital but died shortly thereafter in an accident. Significant evidence from the initial crime included a suicide note indicating her belief that she was acting under divine instruction.
Constance Fisher's actions have led to speculation about the impact of her mental health on her behavior, with many believing that her paranoid schizophrenia played a significant role in her decision to kill her children. Some theorize that the stress of her early life, including her abandonment and subsequent adoption, contributed to her mental illness and violent tendencies. Additionally, there are discussions regarding the adequacy of mental health treatment at the time, with some questioning whether her release from the institution was appropriate given her history.
The Tragic Tale of Constance Fisher: A True Crime Narrative
A Life Begun in Shadows
Constance Margaret Sirois entered the world on March 26, 1929, in Oakland, Maine, her life marked from the start by abandonment. Left by her birth parents, she was taken in by the Sirois family. Neighbors described her as a pretty girl with a nice demeanor, though she was often noted for her moodiness. At the age of 17, in 1946, Constance married Carl Marion Fisher, a 24-year-old World War II veteran working at a car shop in the Maine Central Railroad. The couple settled into a modest home in Waterville, Maine, where they welcomed three children: Richard in 1947, Daniel in 1948, and Deborah Kay in 1953.
As the years unfolded, Constance's mental health began to unravel. She was gripped by anxiety and depression, plagued by worries about her children, their finances, and the constraints of their small home. Her despair reached such depths that she attempted suicide, though she survived the attempt.
The First Tragedy
March 8, 1954, dawned like any other day, but it would end in unimaginable horror. Carl Fisher returned home from work to find the door locked. Sensing something was amiss, he sought help from Dr. Richard Chasse, who had been treating Constance for her depression. Together, they forced their way into the house. In the bedroom, Carl discovered the lifeless bodies of Daniel and Deborah, seemingly asleep in their beds. The bathroom revealed a grimmer scene: his eldest, Richard, drowned in the bathtub.
Frantic and unable to locate Constance, Carl called the authorities. Police arrived and found Constance unconscious, hidden under a bed, having attempted suicide by ingesting a bottle of liquid shampoo. A chilling suicide note detailed her belief that she drowned her children to "save them from evil," claiming divine instruction to commit the act.
Institutionalization and Release
Constance was promptly arrested and charged with murder, her actions shocking the community. Yet, a forensic psychiatric examination revealed she was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, rendering her unfit for trial. Consequently, she was committed to the Augusta State Hospital for treatment. During her stay, she calmly recounted her crimes, stating to a psychiatrist, "I wanted someone to baby me." Her treatment included insulin injections and high doses of hormones, which induced seizures.
Remarkably, within a year, Constance began to show improvement. By 1955, she no longer experienced auditory hallucinations. Her husband, Carl, sought her release, but his efforts were initially thwarted by the hospital's medical board. However, amidst a nationwide push for the deinstitutionalization of mental patients, Constance was released to Carl's custody on March 6, 1959.
The Fishers moved to a new home Carl had built in Fairfield, Maine, and the family grew with the births of Kathleen Louise in 1960, Michael Jon in 1962, and Natalie Rose in 1965.
The Second Tragedy
On June 30, 1966, history repeated itself with eerie precision. Carl returned home to find nine-month-old Natalie drowned in the bathtub. In a panic, he rushed to a neighbor's house to call the police, as his home lacked a phone. Upon their arrival, officers discovered the bodies of Michael and Kathleen tucked into their beds. Constance was found unconscious in her own bed, having attempted another suicide by overdosing on pills. The press dubbed it a "duplication of tragedy."
Constance was taken to Thayer Hospital in Waterville and, once stabilized, faced murder charges. She was brought to Skowhegan in Somerset County where prosecutors deliberated her fate before deciding to try her in Kennebec County.
Trial and Second Hospitalization
During her arraignment, the Attorney General, Richard Dubord, declared that the State would not seek additional psychiatric treatment for Constance. George W. Perkins was appointed as her defense attorney. Dr. Price Kirkpatrick testified that Constance's bouts of depression were likely due to improper medication adherence. Despite the testimonies, the court ordered another psychiatric evaluation at the Augusta State Hospital. The examination concluded she was competent to stand trial, leading to charges for the murders of Kathleen, Michael, and Natalie.
Throughout the trial, witnesses like Capt. Albert Dross of the Waterville Police Department and Dr. Joseph J. Hiebel of Thayer Hospital testified about Constance's coherent responses during interrogations. Dross noted that she had planned to use a gun and a knife for suicide. Despite the prosecution's efforts, the defense successfully argued her insanity, resulting in the judge ordering her confinement to the Augusta State Hospital for life.
Escape and Death
Constance's time in the hospital was marked by good behavior, until October 1, 1973, when her husband, burdened by grief, ceased his visits. Shortly after, Constance managed to escape, prompting a search. On October 9, her body was discovered by duck hunters, floating in the Kennebec River near Gardiner. The autopsy concluded she accidentally drowned, likely on the day she escaped. Her death spurred criticism from hospital superintendent Roy Ettlinger, who condemned the use of milieu therapy, believing it increased suicide risks.
Constance was laid to rest in the family's graveyard plot in Waterville. When Carl passed away in 1990, he was buried alongside his wife and their six children, a family reunited in death after a life marked by tragedy.
Sources
For more information, visit the original Wikipedia article on Constance Fisher.
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First Murders Committed
Constance Fisher drowns her three children in Maine.
Constance Arrested
Constance is found unconscious after a suicide attempt and arrested for the murders.
Released from Hospital
Constance Fisher is released from Augusta State Hospital after four years of treatment.
Second Murders Committed
Constance drowns three more children, mirroring her previous crimes.
Constance Apprehended
Constance is found unconscious after another suicide attempt and arrested.
Competency Hearing
Court rules Constance competent to stand trial for the murders.
Trial Begins
Constance pleads not guilty by reason of insanity during her trial.
Constance Escapes
Constance escapes from Augusta State Hospital but drowns shortly after.
Body Discovered
Constance's body is found in the Kennebec River, ruled an accidental drowning.
Constance Fisher was deemed unfit to stand trial for the murders of her three children, which occurred on March 8, 1954, in Waterville, Maine. After being hospitalized at Augusta State Hospital, she was released in 1966, only to commit the same crime again, killing three more of her children that year. Fisher was apprehended on July 1, 1966, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity and subsequently committed to a mental institution. In 1973, she escaped from the hospital but died shortly thereafter in an accident. Significant evidence from the initial crime included a suicide note indicating her belief that she was acting under divine instruction.
Constance Fisher's actions have led to speculation about the impact of her mental health on her behavior, with many believing that her paranoid schizophrenia played a significant role in her decision to kill her children. Some theorize that the stress of her early life, including her abandonment and subsequent adoption, contributed to her mental illness and violent tendencies. Additionally, there are discussions regarding the adequacy of mental health treatment at the time, with some questioning whether her release from the institution was appropriate given her history.
The Tragic Tale of Constance Fisher: A True Crime Narrative
A Life Begun in Shadows
Constance Margaret Sirois entered the world on March 26, 1929, in Oakland, Maine, her life marked from the start by abandonment. Left by her birth parents, she was taken in by the Sirois family. Neighbors described her as a pretty girl with a nice demeanor, though she was often noted for her moodiness. At the age of 17, in 1946, Constance married Carl Marion Fisher, a 24-year-old World War II veteran working at a car shop in the Maine Central Railroad. The couple settled into a modest home in Waterville, Maine, where they welcomed three children: Richard in 1947, Daniel in 1948, and Deborah Kay in 1953.
As the years unfolded, Constance's mental health began to unravel. She was gripped by anxiety and depression, plagued by worries about her children, their finances, and the constraints of their small home. Her despair reached such depths that she attempted suicide, though she survived the attempt.
The First Tragedy
March 8, 1954, dawned like any other day, but it would end in unimaginable horror. Carl Fisher returned home from work to find the door locked. Sensing something was amiss, he sought help from Dr. Richard Chasse, who had been treating Constance for her depression. Together, they forced their way into the house. In the bedroom, Carl discovered the lifeless bodies of Daniel and Deborah, seemingly asleep in their beds. The bathroom revealed a grimmer scene: his eldest, Richard, drowned in the bathtub.
Frantic and unable to locate Constance, Carl called the authorities. Police arrived and found Constance unconscious, hidden under a bed, having attempted suicide by ingesting a bottle of liquid shampoo. A chilling suicide note detailed her belief that she drowned her children to "save them from evil," claiming divine instruction to commit the act.
Institutionalization and Release
Constance was promptly arrested and charged with murder, her actions shocking the community. Yet, a forensic psychiatric examination revealed she was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, rendering her unfit for trial. Consequently, she was committed to the Augusta State Hospital for treatment. During her stay, she calmly recounted her crimes, stating to a psychiatrist, "I wanted someone to baby me." Her treatment included insulin injections and high doses of hormones, which induced seizures.
Remarkably, within a year, Constance began to show improvement. By 1955, she no longer experienced auditory hallucinations. Her husband, Carl, sought her release, but his efforts were initially thwarted by the hospital's medical board. However, amidst a nationwide push for the deinstitutionalization of mental patients, Constance was released to Carl's custody on March 6, 1959.
The Fishers moved to a new home Carl had built in Fairfield, Maine, and the family grew with the births of Kathleen Louise in 1960, Michael Jon in 1962, and Natalie Rose in 1965.
The Second Tragedy
On June 30, 1966, history repeated itself with eerie precision. Carl returned home to find nine-month-old Natalie drowned in the bathtub. In a panic, he rushed to a neighbor's house to call the police, as his home lacked a phone. Upon their arrival, officers discovered the bodies of Michael and Kathleen tucked into their beds. Constance was found unconscious in her own bed, having attempted another suicide by overdosing on pills. The press dubbed it a "duplication of tragedy."
Constance was taken to Thayer Hospital in Waterville and, once stabilized, faced murder charges. She was brought to Skowhegan in Somerset County where prosecutors deliberated her fate before deciding to try her in Kennebec County.
Trial and Second Hospitalization
During her arraignment, the Attorney General, Richard Dubord, declared that the State would not seek additional psychiatric treatment for Constance. George W. Perkins was appointed as her defense attorney. Dr. Price Kirkpatrick testified that Constance's bouts of depression were likely due to improper medication adherence. Despite the testimonies, the court ordered another psychiatric evaluation at the Augusta State Hospital. The examination concluded she was competent to stand trial, leading to charges for the murders of Kathleen, Michael, and Natalie.
Throughout the trial, witnesses like Capt. Albert Dross of the Waterville Police Department and Dr. Joseph J. Hiebel of Thayer Hospital testified about Constance's coherent responses during interrogations. Dross noted that she had planned to use a gun and a knife for suicide. Despite the prosecution's efforts, the defense successfully argued her insanity, resulting in the judge ordering her confinement to the Augusta State Hospital for life.
Escape and Death
Constance's time in the hospital was marked by good behavior, until October 1, 1973, when her husband, burdened by grief, ceased his visits. Shortly after, Constance managed to escape, prompting a search. On October 9, her body was discovered by duck hunters, floating in the Kennebec River near Gardiner. The autopsy concluded she accidentally drowned, likely on the day she escaped. Her death spurred criticism from hospital superintendent Roy Ettlinger, who condemned the use of milieu therapy, believing it increased suicide risks.
Constance was laid to rest in the family's graveyard plot in Waterville. When Carl passed away in 1990, he was buried alongside his wife and their six children, a family reunited in death after a life marked by tragedy.
Sources
For more information, visit the original Wikipedia article on Constance Fisher.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Murders Committed
Constance Fisher drowns her three children in Maine.
Constance Arrested
Constance is found unconscious after a suicide attempt and arrested for the murders.
Released from Hospital
Constance Fisher is released from Augusta State Hospital after four years of treatment.
Second Murders Committed
Constance drowns three more children, mirroring her previous crimes.
Constance Apprehended
Constance is found unconscious after another suicide attempt and arrested.
Competency Hearing
Court rules Constance competent to stand trial for the murders.
Trial Begins
Constance pleads not guilty by reason of insanity during her trial.
Constance Escapes
Constance escapes from Augusta State Hospital but drowns shortly after.
Body Discovered
Constance's body is found in the Kennebec River, ruled an accidental drowning.