Mary Bell was just 10 years old when she and her best friend, Norma, embarked on a short lived crime spree, resulting in the death of two young toddlers. Mary's life was full of trauma from an early age, and despite practically screaming out to everyone around her that she needed help, guidance, and love, her pleas were either dismissed as simply problem behaviour, or ignored completely. This is a case that asks the age old question: was it nature or nurture? Was Mary Bell a child who was born a killer, or was she a monster who was created by her environment. I know where my opinion lies and we would love to hear what you think.

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Sources:

The Case of Mary Bell: Portrait of a Child Killer by Gitta Sereny

Cries Unheard: Why Children Kill- The Story of Mary Bell by Gitta Sereny