Dagmar Overbye

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Dagmar Overbye
Born
Dagmar Johanne Amalie Overbye

(1887-04-23)23 April 1887
Denmark
Died6 May 1929(1929-05-06) (aged 42)
Denmark, Copenhagen
Children3
Conviction(s)Murder
Criminal penaltySentenced to death; Commuted to Life Imprisonment
Details
Victims9–25
Span of crimes
1913–1920
CountryDenmark

Dagmar Johanne Amalie Overbye (23 April 1887 – 6 May 1929) was a Danish serial killer. She murdered between 9 and 25 children, including one of her own, during a seven-year period from 1913 to 1920. On March 3, 1921, she was sentenced to death in one of the most noted trials in Danish history—one that changed legislation on childcare.[1] The sentence was later commuted to life in prison.

Overbye was working as a professional child caretaker, caring for babies born outside of marriage, murdering her own charges. She strangled them, drowned them or burned them to death in her masonry heater. The corpses were either cremated, buried or hidden in the loft.

Overbye was convicted of nine murders, as there were insufficient proof of the others. Her lawyer based the case on Overbye being abused herself as a baby, but that did not impress the judge. She became one of the three women sentenced to death in Denmark in the 20th century, but she – like the other two – was reprieved.[citation needed]

She died in prison on May 6, 1929, at age 42. Notes relating to her case are included in the (Museum of Police History) in Nørrebro, Copenhagen.

The Danish author wrote a novel called Englemagersken (The Angel Maker) based on her.[2] in Copenhagen has performed a play named Historien om en Mo(r)der (Morder meaning "murderer" and moder meaning "mother") based on her life.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ (2003). "Dagmar Overby (1887–1929)". Dansk kvindebiografisk leksikon (in Danish). KVINFO.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2011-05-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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