Marybeth Tinning
Encyclopedia
Marybeth Tinning is an American
serial killer
currently serving a 20 years to life sentence after being convicted of the murder of one of her children
. Her case is held to be one of the most extreme cases of Münchausen syndrome by proxy
.
, a small town in New York
. She and her younger brother both attended Duanesburg High School
, where she was a typical student. Her father, Alton Roe, worked as a press operator for General Electric
. She was a woman that tried to kill herself several times as a child.
Over the next few years, she worked in a series of low wage jobs. Eventually, she became a nurse's aide at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady
. In 1963, she met Joe Tinning on a blind date. The couple married in spring 1965.
.
On January 20, 1972, Tinning took Joseph, then two years old, to the Ellis Hospital emergency room. She said that he had experienced some type of seizure
. The child was kept under observation for a time and, when doctors could not find anything wrong with him, was sent home. Several hours later, Tinning and her son returned to the ER, her son now dead. She told doctors that she had placed him in bed and returned later to find that he had turned blue, and was tangled in his sheets.
Less than six weeks later, Tinning was back at the same emergency room with her daughter Barbara, four. She said the little girl had gone into convulsions. Though the doctors wanted the child to stay overnight, Tinning insisted on taking her back home. Several hours later, she returned with Barbara, who was unconscious and later died. Her death was attributed to Reye's Syndrome
. All three of Tinning's children had died within 90 days of each other. Tinning became pregnant with her fourth child the following year.
On Thanksgiving Day 1973, she gave birth to a son, Timothy. On December 10, three weeks after his birth, Timothy was brought back to the same hospital dead. Tinning told doctors she found him lifeless in his crib. Again, doctors found nothing medically wrong. His death was listed as SIDS
.
Two years later, on March 30, 1975 (Easter Sunday
), Tinning gave birth to her fifth child, Nathan. On September 2, she showed up at St. Clare's Hospital with the baby dead in her arms. She said she was driving in her car with the baby in the front seat when she noticed that he had stopped breathing. Again, there seemed to be no explanation for his death.
In 1978, the couple made arrangements to adopt a child. The same year, Tinning became pregnant again. The Tinnings did not cancel the adoption and chose to keep both children. In August 1978, they received a baby boy, Michael, from the adoption agency. Two months later, on October 29, she gave birth to her sixth child, Mary Frances. In January 1979, Tinning rushed Mary Frances, to the emergency room, directly across the street from her apartment, saying the baby had had a seizure. The staff were able to revive her. However, on February 20, Tinning came running into the same hospital with Mary Frances, who was brain dead
. Once again, Tinning said she found the baby unconscious and did not know what had happened to her.
Once Mary Frances was buried, Tinning once again became pregnant. On November 19, she gave birth to her seventh child, Jonathan. In March 1980, she showed up at St. Clare's hospital with Jonathan unconscious. Like Mary Frances, he was successfully revived. Due to the family's history, Jonathan was sent to Boston
Hospital where he was thoroughly examined. The doctors could find no valid medical reason why the baby simply stopped breathing. Jonathan was sent home. A few days later, Tinning returned to the hospital with Jonathan, and he was brain-dead. Jonathan died on March 24, 1980.
Less than one year later, on the morning of March 2, 1981, Tinning showed up at her pediatrician's office with Michael, her adopted child, then two and a half years old. He was wrapped in a blanket and unconscious
. She told the doctor that she could not wake Michael and had no idea what was wrong. When the doctor examined Michael, he was already dead. Since Michael was adopted, the long-suspected theory that the deaths in the Tinning family had a genetic
origin was discarded.
On August 22, 1985, Tinning gave birth to her ninth child, Tami Lynne. On December 19, next-door neighbour Cynthia Walter, who was also a practical nurse, went shopping with Tinning and later visited her home. Later that night, Walter received a frantic telephone call from Tinning. When Walter arrived, she found Tami Lynne lying on a changing table. Walter testified that the child was not moving and she could not feel any pulse or breathing. At the emergency room, the baby was pronounced dead.
Her first attempt for parole
was in March 2007. At the parole board meeting Tinning said, "I have to be honest, and the only thing that I can tell you is that I know that my daughter is dead. I live with it every day," she continued, "I have no recollection and I can't believe that I harmed her. I can't say any more than that." Her parole was denied.
In late January 2009, Tinning went before the parole board for the second time. Tinning stated "I was going through bad times," when she killed her daughter. The parole board again denied her parole, stating that her remorse was "superficial at best." Tinning was eligible for parole again in January 2011. In 2011 parole was denied again. Her next opportunity for parole will be in January 2013.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
currently serving a 20 years to life sentence after being convicted of the murder of one of her children
Infanticide
Infanticide or infant homicide is the killing of a human infant. Neonaticide, a killing within 24 hours of a baby's birth, is most commonly done by the mother.In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible...
. Her case is held to be one of the most extreme cases of Münchausen syndrome by proxy
Munchausen syndrome by proxy
Münchausen syndrome by proxy is a label for a pattern of behavior in which care-givers deliberately exaggerate, fabricate, and/or induce physical, psychological, behavioral, and/or mental health problems in others. Other experts classified MSbP as a mental illness...
.
Early life
Marybeth Roe was born in DuanesburgDuanesburg, New York
Duanesburg is a town in Schenectady County, New York, USA. The population was 5,808 at the 2000 census. Duanesburg is named for James Duane, who held most of it as an original land grant. The town is in the western part of the county.-History:...
, a small town in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She and her younger brother both attended Duanesburg High School
Duanesburg High School
Duanesburg High School is a high school located at 133 School Drive, Delanson, New York, in Schenectady County, in Upstate New York. It is affiliated with the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services...
, where she was a typical student. Her father, Alton Roe, worked as a press operator for General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
. She was a woman that tried to kill herself several times as a child.
Over the next few years, she worked in a series of low wage jobs. Eventually, she became a nurse's aide at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
. In 1963, she met Joe Tinning on a blind date. The couple married in spring 1965.
Children's deaths
In the first five years of their marriage, the couple had two children, Barbara and Joseph. In December 1971, Tinning gave birth to a third child, Jennifer. Jennifer was sick at birth and never left the hospital. A few weeks later, she died of a severe infection, which was diagnosed as meningitisMeningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
.
On January 20, 1972, Tinning took Joseph, then two years old, to the Ellis Hospital emergency room. She said that he had experienced some type of seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
. The child was kept under observation for a time and, when doctors could not find anything wrong with him, was sent home. Several hours later, Tinning and her son returned to the ER, her son now dead. She told doctors that she had placed him in bed and returned later to find that he had turned blue, and was tangled in his sheets.
Less than six weeks later, Tinning was back at the same emergency room with her daughter Barbara, four. She said the little girl had gone into convulsions. Though the doctors wanted the child to stay overnight, Tinning insisted on taking her back home. Several hours later, she returned with Barbara, who was unconscious and later died. Her death was attributed to Reye's Syndrome
Reye's syndrome
Reye's syndrome is a potentially fatal disease that causes numerous detrimental effects to many organs, especially the brain and liver, as well as causing a lower than usual level of blood sugar . The classic features are liver damage, aspirin use and a viral infection...
. All three of Tinning's children had died within 90 days of each other. Tinning became pregnant with her fourth child the following year.
On Thanksgiving Day 1973, she gave birth to a son, Timothy. On December 10, three weeks after his birth, Timothy was brought back to the same hospital dead. Tinning told doctors she found him lifeless in his crib. Again, doctors found nothing medically wrong. His death was listed as SIDS
Sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome is marked by the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by medical history, and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and a detailed death scene investigation. An infant is at the highest risk for SIDS during sleep, which is why it is sometimes...
.
Two years later, on March 30, 1975 (Easter Sunday
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
), Tinning gave birth to her fifth child, Nathan. On September 2, she showed up at St. Clare's Hospital with the baby dead in her arms. She said she was driving in her car with the baby in the front seat when she noticed that he had stopped breathing. Again, there seemed to be no explanation for his death.
In 1978, the couple made arrangements to adopt a child. The same year, Tinning became pregnant again. The Tinnings did not cancel the adoption and chose to keep both children. In August 1978, they received a baby boy, Michael, from the adoption agency. Two months later, on October 29, she gave birth to her sixth child, Mary Frances. In January 1979, Tinning rushed Mary Frances, to the emergency room, directly across the street from her apartment, saying the baby had had a seizure. The staff were able to revive her. However, on February 20, Tinning came running into the same hospital with Mary Frances, who was brain dead
Brain death
Brain death is the irreversible end of all brain activity due to total necrosis of the cerebral neurons following loss of brain oxygenation. It should not be confused with a persistent vegetative state...
. Once again, Tinning said she found the baby unconscious and did not know what had happened to her.
Once Mary Frances was buried, Tinning once again became pregnant. On November 19, she gave birth to her seventh child, Jonathan. In March 1980, she showed up at St. Clare's hospital with Jonathan unconscious. Like Mary Frances, he was successfully revived. Due to the family's history, Jonathan was sent to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
Hospital where he was thoroughly examined. The doctors could find no valid medical reason why the baby simply stopped breathing. Jonathan was sent home. A few days later, Tinning returned to the hospital with Jonathan, and he was brain-dead. Jonathan died on March 24, 1980.
Less than one year later, on the morning of March 2, 1981, Tinning showed up at her pediatrician's office with Michael, her adopted child, then two and a half years old. He was wrapped in a blanket and unconscious
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness is the condition of being not conscious—in a mental state that involves complete or near-complete lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. Being in a comatose state or coma is a type of unconsciousness. Fainting due to a drop in blood pressure and a...
. She told the doctor that she could not wake Michael and had no idea what was wrong. When the doctor examined Michael, he was already dead. Since Michael was adopted, the long-suspected theory that the deaths in the Tinning family had a genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
origin was discarded.
On August 22, 1985, Tinning gave birth to her ninth child, Tami Lynne. On December 19, next-door neighbour Cynthia Walter, who was also a practical nurse, went shopping with Tinning and later visited her home. Later that night, Walter received a frantic telephone call from Tinning. When Walter arrived, she found Tami Lynne lying on a changing table. Walter testified that the child was not moving and she could not feel any pulse or breathing. At the emergency room, the baby was pronounced dead.
Confession and conviction
Suspicion mounted against Tinning, who was always alone when the children died, but there wasn't any evidence of wrongdoing. However, after a police interrogation, Tinning confessed to smothering Tami Lynne, Nathan, and Timothy (which she later retracted). She denied having harmed the other children. She was convicted in Tami Lynne's case and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.Her first attempt for parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
was in March 2007. At the parole board meeting Tinning said, "I have to be honest, and the only thing that I can tell you is that I know that my daughter is dead. I live with it every day," she continued, "I have no recollection and I can't believe that I harmed her. I can't say any more than that." Her parole was denied.
In late January 2009, Tinning went before the parole board for the second time. Tinning stated "I was going through bad times," when she killed her daughter. The parole board again denied her parole, stating that her remorse was "superficial at best." Tinning was eligible for parole again in January 2011. In 2011 parole was denied again. Her next opportunity for parole will be in January 2013.