Pauline Parker
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Pauline Yvonne Parker was born on May 26, 1938 in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Together with her friend Juliet Hulme, she murdered her own mother, Honora Parker, on June 22, 1954. The two girls killed Honora because Juliet and her father were leaving shortly for South Africa and, though Pauline wanted to travel there too, her mother forbade it. According to their own accounts, Pauline and Juliet were devoted friends who collaborated on a series of adventure novels which they hoped would be bought by a Hollywood studio and made into epic films.
They had also invented their own personal religion, with its own ideas on morality. According to their doctrine, they knew well that murder was against the law, but felt they were doing Mrs. Parker a favor by sending her to Heaven, where she would be happy.
On that June 22, the girls beat Mrs. Parker about the head with a half brick concealed in a stocking, and when the body was found they claimed that the woman had 'slipped and fell', though this was not in accordance with the forty-five wounds on the woman's head. The bloody stocking with the brick in it was found nearby.
The two were tried by jury in Christchurch, and found guilty. As they were too young to be considered for the death penalty under New Zealand law at the time, they were convicted and sentenced to be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure. In practice, this sentence meant they were to be detained at the discretion of the Minister of Justice. They were released separately some five years later.
Prior to the trial, Pauline Parker had been known as Pauline Rieper. Her mother, Honora Parker, had been living with her father, Herbert Rieper, in the manner of marriage, but during police investigations, it was revealed that they were not in fact married. Thus, during the trial, both Honora and Pauline were referred to with the "Parker" surname.
Upon release, Pauline apparently spent some time in New Zealand under close surveillance before being allowed to leave for England. As of 1997, she was living in the small village of Hoo near Strood, Kent, under the name "Hilary Nathan," and running a children's riding school. She has become a devout Roman Catholic and extremely remorseful about having killed her mother.
The story of the girls was made into a film, Heavenly Creatures, by New Zealand producer-director Peter Jackson, in 1994. Pauline was played by Melanie Lynskey and Juliet by Kate Winslet.
[edit] References
- J.H.H. Gaute and Robin Odell, The New Murderer's Who's Who, 1996, Harrap Books, London
- Famous Criminal Cases, Volume Two, 1955, London
- Hallmark of Horror, 1973, London
- Obsession, 1958, London
- More Criminal Files, 1957, London
- Patrick Wilson, Children who kill, 1973, London
- NZ Women's Weekly article revealing Parker's new identity [1]
- London Daily Mail, Jan. 6, 1997, p.17
