On February 25, 1980, 2-year old Cassidy Johnson was sent to a doctor's office in Blountstown, Florida. She was diagnosed with encephalitis, and on February 28, Cassidy died. An autopsy listed the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the skull. Falling, who had been babysitting for Johnson, said that Johnson had "passed out" and fallen out of her crib. The attending physician did not believe Falling and recommended in a note to police to investigate her. However, this note was lost, and the case was closed.
Shortly after Johnson's death, Falling moved to Lakeland, Florida. Two months later, in early summer 1980, 4-year old Jeffrey Davis died while under Falling's supervision. The autopsy pointed to myocarditis, a heart condition which is rarely fatal, as the cause of death. Three days later, his funeral took place, and Falling was asked to oversee Jeffrey's cousin, 2-year old Joseph Spring. He died a few hours later, doctors diagnosing a viral infection. Doctors also noted that the virus may have caused the death of Jeffrey as well.
In July 1981, Falling left Lakeland and returned to her hometown of Perry in Northern Florida. As few families wanted to entrust their children to her care, she began to work as a nursing assistant/housekeeper for seniors; 77-year old William Swindle died in his kitchen on the same day that Falling had started caring for him.
In the fall of the same year, the daughter of Falling's half-sister, 8-month old Jennifer Daniels, died. While Falling's half-sister had gone to the supermarket, she left her daughter with Falling for a few moments in the car, during which time the girl stopped breathing. Doctors suspected Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to be the cause of death.
The turning point of the enigmatic death streak was the death of 10-week-old Travis Coleman, who died on July 2, 1982, while Falling was taking care of him in Blountstown. At the autopsy, the doctors found internal injuries that only could have been caused by suffocation. When the police contacted Falling, she confessed to murdering three of the children because she had heard voices telling her "Kill the baby". She had suffocated the children with pillows and blankets.
On February 25, 1980, 2-year old Cassidy Johnson was sent to a doctor's office in Blountstown, Florida. She was diagnosed with encephalitis, and on February 28, Cassidy died. An autopsy listed the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the skull. Falling, who had been babysitting for Johnson, said that Johnson had "passed out" and fallen out of her crib. The attending physician did not believe Falling and recommended in a note to police to investigate her. However, this note was lost, and the case was closed.
Shortly after Johnson's death, Falling moved to Lakeland, Florida. Two months later, in early summer 1980, 4-year old Jeffrey Davis died while under Falling's supervision. The autopsy pointed to myocarditis, a heart condition which is rarely fatal, as the cause of death. Three days later, his funeral took place, and Falling was asked to oversee Jeffrey's cousin, 2-year old Joseph Spring. He died a few hours later, doctors diagnosing a viral infection. Doctors also noted that the virus may have caused the death of Jeffrey as well.
In July 1981, Falling left Lakeland and returned to her hometown of Perry in Northern Florida. As few families wanted to entrust their children to her care, she began to work as a nursing assistant/housekeeper for seniors; 77-year old William Swindle died in his kitchen on the same day that Falling had started caring for him.
In the fall of the same year, the daughter of Falling's half-sister, 8-month old Jennifer Daniels, died. While Falling's half-sister had gone to the supermarket, she left her daughter with Falling for a few moments in the car, during which time the girl stopped breathing. Doctors suspected Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to be the cause of death.
The turning point of the enigmatic death streak was the death of 10-week-old Travis Coleman, who died on July 2, 1982, while Falling was taking care of him in Blountstown. At the autopsy, the doctors found internal injuries that only could have been caused by suffocation. When the police contacted Falling, she confessed to murdering three of the children because she had heard voices telling her "Kill the baby". She had suffocated the children with pillows and blankets.
