Stella Budrikis: The Edward Street Baby Farm

True Crime Author Stella Budrikis discusses Perth's infamous "baby farm" tragedy, and shares her tips for bringing history to life.

Stella Budrikis has a way of bringing history to life. She’s the author of the biography Susan, and most recently, The Edward Street Baby Farm, a gripping true crime novel about the Alice Mitchell murder trial, the infamous ‘baby farm’ tragedy that led to legislative changes to protect children’s welfare.

In 1907, Alice Mitchell was arrested for the murder of five-month-old Ethel Booth. During the inquest and subsequent trial, the general public was horrified to learn that at least 37 infants had died in Mitchell's care in the previous six years. It became clear that she had been running a 'baby farm', making a profit out of caring for the children of single mothers and other 'unfortunate women'.