On March 8, 1954, while battling post partum depression, a 24 year old Maine housewife drowned her three children in a bathtub before attempting suicide. After spending only 5 years at the Augusta State Hospital, Constance Fisher was released from the institution. Her release marked the beginnings of a new era in the treatment of the mentally ill in America, as the nation moved to phase out the large state run mental hospitals. On June 30, 1966, Constance Fisher again drowned her three children in a bathtub in what has been called the most bizarre murder story in the history of New England. The incident was foretelling of another American tragedy; the plight of the acutely mentally ill with no facility left to properly care for them.
About the author
Bob Briggs is a freelance writer, born and raised in Maine. He is the author of four books, two about his hometown of Hallowell, and two on the University of Maine where he earned a Bachelors of Arts Degree in History in 1980. Briggs has worked as a reporter for the Kennebec Journal and The Capitol Weekly. He was a religion writer for 10 years. He is a certified school teacher, and taught four years in public schools. He has served on the board of directors for Grace Christian Academy in West Gardiner, Maine. He is an advocate for making child safety a national priority.