Helpful Score: 2
From Publishers Weekly
Though former television reporter Becker managed to interview Paula Sims, who was convicted of murdering her baby girl, this troubling tale is more sordid than insightful. In 1986, in the small Illinois town of Brighton, young mother Paula Sims reported that her 13-day-old daughter was stolen by a masked man with a gun. Baby Loralei's body was soon found in the nearby woods. But while police were skeptical of Paula's story and while she and her husband, Robert, failed lie detector tests, investigators had no real case. Becker traces Paula's unsavory history, including her childhood molestation by her grandfather. After having a second baby in the nearby town of Alton and finding herself pregnant a third time, Paula considered divorce from the dominating Rob but feared him. In 1989, Paula reported six-week-old Heather kidnapped. The baby was found in a trash can, and Paula was convicted of murder. She pleaded no-contest to obstructing justice in the earlier case, but prosecutors had no case against Rob. Interviewing Paula, Becker finds a haze of factors that contributed to Paula's damaged psyche, and psychologists suggest she may have suffered from postpartum psychosis.
Though former television reporter Becker managed to interview Paula Sims, who was convicted of murdering her baby girl, this troubling tale is more sordid than insightful. In 1986, in the small Illinois town of Brighton, young mother Paula Sims reported that her 13-day-old daughter was stolen by a masked man with a gun. Baby Loralei's body was soon found in the nearby woods. But while police were skeptical of Paula's story and while she and her husband, Robert, failed lie detector tests, investigators had no real case. Becker traces Paula's unsavory history, including her childhood molestation by her grandfather. After having a second baby in the nearby town of Alton and finding herself pregnant a third time, Paula considered divorce from the dominating Rob but feared him. In 1989, Paula reported six-week-old Heather kidnapped. The baby was found in a trash can, and Paula was convicted of murder. She pleaded no-contest to obstructing justice in the earlier case, but prosecutors had no case against Rob. Interviewing Paula, Becker finds a haze of factors that contributed to Paula's damaged psyche, and psychologists suggest she may have suffered from postpartum psychosis.
Helpful Score: 1
The hurt that this woman went through while being so controlled by her husband. She thought that she had met Mr. Right, but after the marriage it all went south. Those 2 un-lucky innocent young baby girls and the one lucky boy that survived. Just to go to the prison and see his mother and call her a baby killer, all put in his head by his daddy. This man didn't deserve to get the boy either and i think the courts were way OFF on deciding the sentence for this young lady. An easy read and gripping story for the TC lovers.
This is not the first book I've read on this case but it is the first one where they have actually touched on what caused this to happen. From the first time I heard of this crime I suspected exactly what this book says happened. Paula should have had more support from not only the medical community but from her family and especially her husband. But that was not to be so these beautiful children are dead. I in no way condone what she done but I can accept that her post-partum depression contributed greatly to what happened. I'm glad Paula has opened up about her feelings during this time. If it saves another child then we need to listen and pay attention and reach out to help those mothers who are struggling. Precious lives lost cannot be brought back. Very very sad story.
