Waneta Ethel (Nixon) Hoyt (May 13, 1946 – August 13, 1998[1]) was an American serial killer who was convicted of killing all five of her biological children.
Hoyt was born in Richford, New York. She dropped out of Newark Valley High School in the 10th grade to marry Tim Hoyt on January 11, 1964.
Deaths of children
James Hoyt, Hoyt's longest surviving biological child, died on September 26, 1968, 28 months after he was born on May 31, 1966. All of Hoyt's other biological children died before turning 6 months old: Eric (October 17, 1964 – January 26, 1965), Julie (July 19 – September 5, 1968), Molly (March 18 – June 5, 1970), and Noah (May 9 – July 28, 1971). For more than 20 years, it was believed that the babies had died of sudden infant death syndrome.
Several years after the death of their last child, the Hoyts adopted a child, Jay, who remained healthy through childhood and was 17 when his adopted mother was arrested in 1994.[2]
The last two biological Hoyt children, Molly and Noah, were subjects of pediatric research conducted by Dr. Alfred Steinschneider, who published an article in 1972 in the journal Pediatrics proposing a connection between sleep apnea and SIDS.[3] The article was later discredited, and subsequent research failed to replicate the results.[4]
Investigation and trial
In 1985, a prosecutor in a neighboring county who had been dealing with a murder case initially thought to involve SIDS, was told by one of his experts, Dr. Linda Norton, a forensic pathologist from Dallas, Texas, that there may be a serial killer in his area of New York. Norton arrived at this suspicion after reviewing Steinschneider's report on the Hoyt case in which the Hoyts were not identified by name. When the prosecutor became the district attorney in 1992, he tracked the case down and sent it to a forensic pathologist, Michael Baden, for review. Baden concluded that the deaths were the result of murder.
In 1994, because of jurisdictional issues, the case was transferred to the district attorney of the county in which the Hoyts resided.
In March 1994, Hoyt was approached at the post office by a New York State trooper with whom she was acquainted. He asked her for help in research he was doing on SIDS, and she agreed. She was then questioned by the trooper and two other policemen. At the end of the interrogation, she confessed to the murders of all five children by suffocation, and she was arrested.[5] The reason that she gave for the murders was that the babies were crying and she wanted to silence them.[6]
Hoyt later recanted her confession, and its validity was an important issue during the trial. An expert hired by the defense, Dr. Charles Patrick Ewing, testified, "It is my conclusion that her statement to the police on that day was not made knowingly, and it was not made voluntarily." He diagnosed Hoyt with dependent and avoidant personality disorders, and he opined that she was particularly vulnerable to the tactics used during her interrogation.[7]
Dr. David Barry, a psychiatrist hired by the prosecution agreed that Hoyt had been manipulated by the police tactics. Nevertheless, Hoyt was convicted in April 1995.
On September 11, 1995, she was sentenced to 75 years to life, 15 years for each murder, to be served consecutively.[8] It has been speculated since her conviction that Hoyt suffered from Münchausen syndrome by proxy, a diagnosis that is not universally accepted in the psychiatric community.[9]
Aftermath
Hoyt died in prison of pancreatic cancer in August 1998.[10] She was formally exonerated under New York law because she died before her appeal.[11] She was buried at Highland Cemetery in Richford, New York.
^Sanz, Cynthia (9 October 1995). "A Mother's Fatal Embrace". People.
^Steinschneider, Alfred (1972). "Prolonged Apnea and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Clinical and Laboratory Observations". Pediatrics. Itasca, Illinois: American Academy of Pediatrics. 50 (4): 646–654. doi:10.1542/peds.50.4.646. PMID 4342142. S2CID 8561269. (subscription required)
^Judson, George (April 22, 1995). "Mother Guilty In the Killings Of 5 Babies". The New York Times. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
^Geringer, Joseph. . TruTV Crime Library. Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
^Richard, Firstman; Talan, Jamie (1997). The Death of Innocents: A True Story of Murder, Medicine, and High-Stakes Science. Bantam Books. p. 557–558. ISBN978-0553379778.
^Hernandez, Raymond (September 12, 1995). "Mother Gets 75 Years for Smothering 5 of Her Children". The New York Times. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
^Bearak, Barry (22 May 1994). "COLUMN ONE : A Mother Who Lost Five Babies : One after another, Waneta Hoyt's children died. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was blamed. Years later, Hoyt said she killed them--then recanted. Now, she faces murder trial amid a swirl of questions". The Los Angeles Times.
^Bartlette, DeLani R. (May 30, 2021). "Waneta Hoyt and the Doctor Who Protected a Serial Killer". Medium. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
External links
"Waneta Ethel Hoyt" Radford University March 5, 2010 note: it incorrectly gives Massachusetts as the place of Hoyt's birth, reverses the last two digits of her birth year, and gives September 26, 1968 as Eric's DOD when it was actually James's DOD[unreliable source?]
January 01, 2023
waneta, hoyt, waneta, ethel, nixon, hoyt, 1946, august, 1998, american, serial, killer, convicted, killing, five, biological, children, bornwaneta, ethel, nixon, 1946, 1946richford, york, diedaugust, 1998, 1998, aged, bedford, york, criminal, penaltylife, impr. Waneta Ethel Nixon Hoyt May 13 1946 August 13 1998 1 was an American serial killer who was convicted of killing all five of her biological children Waneta HoytBornWaneta Ethel Nixon 1946 05 13 May 13 1946Richford New York U S DiedAugust 13 1998 1998 08 13 aged 52 Bedford New York U S Criminal penaltyLife imprisonmentDetailsVictims5Span of crimes1965 1971CountryUnited StatesState s New YorkDate apprehended1994 28 years ago 1994 Contents 1 Early life 2 Deaths of children 3 Investigation and trial 4 Aftermath 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditHoyt was born in Richford New York She dropped out of Newark Valley High School in the 10th grade to marry Tim Hoyt on January 11 1964 Deaths of children EditJames Hoyt Hoyt s longest surviving biological child died on September 26 1968 28 months after he was born on May 31 1966 All of Hoyt s other biological children died before turning 6 months old Eric October 17 1964 January 26 1965 Julie July 19 September 5 1968 Molly March 18 June 5 1970 and Noah May 9 July 28 1971 For more than 20 years it was believed that the babies had died of sudden infant death syndrome Several years after the death of their last child the Hoyts adopted a child Jay who remained healthy through childhood and was 17 when his adopted mother was arrested in 1994 2 The last two biological Hoyt children Molly and Noah were subjects of pediatric research conducted by Dr Alfred Steinschneider who published an article in 1972 in the journal Pediatrics proposing a connection between sleep apnea and SIDS 3 The article was later discredited and subsequent research failed to replicate the results 4 Investigation and trial EditIn 1985 a prosecutor in a neighboring county who had been dealing with a murder case initially thought to involve SIDS was told by one of his experts Dr Linda Norton a forensic pathologist from Dallas Texas that there may be a serial killer in his area of New York Norton arrived at this suspicion after reviewing Steinschneider s report on the Hoyt case in which the Hoyts were not identified by name When the prosecutor became the district attorney in 1992 he tracked the case down and sent it to a forensic pathologist Michael Baden for review Baden concluded that the deaths were the result of murder In 1994 because of jurisdictional issues the case was transferred to the district attorney of the county in which the Hoyts resided In March 1994 Hoyt was approached at the post office by a New York State trooper with whom she was acquainted He asked her for help in research he was doing on SIDS and she agreed She was then questioned by the trooper and two other policemen At the end of the interrogation she confessed to the murders of all five children by suffocation and she was arrested 5 The reason that she gave for the murders was that the babies were crying and she wanted to silence them 6 Hoyt later recanted her confession and its validity was an important issue during the trial An expert hired by the defense Dr Charles Patrick Ewing testified It is my conclusion that her statement to the police on that day was not made knowingly and it was not made voluntarily He diagnosed Hoyt with dependent and avoidant personality disorders and he opined that she was particularly vulnerable to the tactics used during her interrogation 7 Dr David Barry a psychiatrist hired by the prosecution agreed that Hoyt had been manipulated by the police tactics Nevertheless Hoyt was convicted in April 1995 On September 11 1995 she was sentenced to 75 years to life 15 years for each murder to be served consecutively 8 It has been speculated since her conviction that Hoyt suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy a diagnosis that is not universally accepted in the psychiatric community 9 Aftermath EditHoyt died in prison of pancreatic cancer in August 1998 10 She was formally exonerated under New York law because she died before her appeal 11 She was buried at Highland Cemetery in Richford New York See also EditList of serial killers in the United StatesReferences Edit Crimezzz net Waneta Hoyt March 5 2010 Sanz Cynthia 9 October 1995 A Mother s Fatal Embrace People Steinschneider Alfred 1972 Prolonged Apnea and the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Clinical and Laboratory Observations Pediatrics Itasca Illinois American Academy of Pediatrics 50 4 646 654 doi 10 1542 peds 50 4 646 PMID 4342142 S2CID 8561269 subscription required Ewing Charles Patrick 2008 Trials of A Forensic Psychologist A Casebook Hoboken New Jersey John Wiley amp Sons ISBN 978 0 470 17072 4 Judson George April 22 1995 Mother Guilty In the Killings Of 5 Babies The New York Times Retrieved December 13 2021 Geringer Joseph Black Widows Veiled in Their Own Web of Darkness TruTV Crime Library Archived from the original on June 4 2008 Retrieved 5 May 2012 Richard Firstman Talan Jamie 1997 The Death of Innocents A True Story of Murder Medicine and High Stakes Science Bantam Books p 557 558 ISBN 978 0553379778 Hernandez Raymond September 12 1995 Mother Gets 75 Years for Smothering 5 of Her Children The New York Times Retrieved December 13 2021 Bearak Barry 22 May 1994 COLUMN ONE A Mother Who Lost Five Babies One after another Waneta Hoyt s children died Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was blamed Years later Hoyt said she killed them then recanted Now she faces murder trial amid a swirl of questions The Los Angeles Times Waneta Hoyt The Orlando Sentinel August 12 1998 Retrieved February 16 2015 Bartlette DeLani R May 30 2021 Waneta Hoyt and the Doctor Who Protected a Serial Killer Medium Retrieved December 13 2021 External links Edit Waneta Ethel Hoyt Radford University March 5 2010 note it incorrectly gives Massachusetts as the place of Hoyt s birth reverses the last two digits of her birth year and gives September 26 1968 as Eric s DOD when it was actually James s DOD unreliable source Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waneta Hoyt amp oldid 1127074284, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
