Cries Unheard: Why Children Kill: The Story of Mary Bell     

Author: Gitta Sereny

Publisher: Metropolitan Books

American release date: April 13, 1999

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/Criminology/416 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

In 1968, Mary Bell (age eleven) and Norma Bell (age thirteen) were arrested for the murder of two little boys – Martin Brown (age four) and Brian Howe (age 3). The arrests shocked Great Britain, as well as the rest of the world. Children killing children? What was wrong with these girls? The world looked on in horror as they were sent to trial. Norma Bell (no relation to Mary) was acquitted of the crimes, but Mary was convicted and incarcerated. Of course, they didn’t send her to prison right away, that came later. The judge who sentenced her called her a monster. Was it possible for such a young child to be a monster? Or was there more to the story that no one bothered to look into?

Gitta Sereny covered the trial when it happened. Her first book on the subject was The Case of Mary Bell. She never lost touch with Mary, even after her release in 1980. Mary wanted to be left alone, and refused offers from various sources for her story. It wasn’t until after the death of her mother, Betty Bell, that Gitta contacted her again and she agreed to talk to her and to tell her story. This is her story.

To say she came from a troubled home would be an understatement. Mary’s mother was seventeen when she had her and immediately wanted “the thing” taken away. During the first four years of Mary’s life, she tried to kill her four times. From the ages of four to eight, she allowed her to be sexually abused (Betty was a prostitute). But no one took any of that into consideration when they tried her as if she were an adult.

I remember reading about the case in the newspaper back in 1968 and I was shocked, of course (I am just a little older than Mary myself). I’ve never forgotten about what happened, so when I found out about this book, I had to read it. It made me reevaluate what I thought about Mary and what she did. She should have never been tried, she should have been helped. Her cries for help fell on deaf ears, though.  At her tender age, children have no concept of the finality of death. The biggest reason why Norma Bell was acquitted and Mary convicted had to do with their support systems – Norma’s family was there for her, and Mary’s was not.

Major reforms need to happen in regard to children who commit such crimes below a certain age. Another case that is mentioned in the book has to do with the torture and murder of young James Bulger by two ten-year-old boys. They too received early release from their life sentences. Today Mary lives with her daughter and her partner in anonymity. She is not the child she once was. I can’t help but admire her resilience and strength after all she has been through, especially with her horrible mother. This book is important for us to gain an understanding and show compassion for children, who don’t always know what they are doing.  They aren’t adults and should not be treated that way, even if they commit adult crimes. We shouldn’t let their cries go unheard.