Real Justice: Branded a Baby Killer
The Story of Tammy Marquardt
by Jasmine D'Costa
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Pub Date Sep 15 2015 | Archive Date Dec 05 2016
James Lorimer & Company | Lorimer
Description
In 1991, nineteen-year-old Tammy Marquardt gave birth to a baby boy, Kenneth. Two years later he was dead. Tammy was convicted of his murder and sent to prison for life. Her conviction hinged largely on the evidence given by Dr. Charles Smith, the pediatric forensic pathologist at Toronto's famed Hospital for Sick Children. At the time, Dr. Smith was considered top in his field and his findings were never questioned.
Tammy had two other sons taken away from her by the Children's Aid Society and her sons were adopted out to a new family. She spent fourteen years in prison for a murder she did not commit. Her fortunes turned when an inquiry into the cases of Dr. Charles Smith found that he was unqualified for his position and he had made serious errors in dozens of cases, which led to a series of wrongful convictions of innocent people, including Tammy. Tammy was released on bail in 2009 and eventually acquitted of all charges in 2011.
This book tells how an innocent mother's life was nearly destroyed by an unethical and incompetent doctor and how she fought for and finally received some justice.
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9781459409934 |
PRICE | CA$12.95 (CAD) |
Featured Reviews
I am a massive fan of true crime books and was delighted when I was given the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. I wasn't aware of the story of Tammy Marquardt until I read the book. You can't help but feel for Tammy after reading the book, she always maintained her innocence and it took far too long for this to be recognised. This was really well written and I sat down and read it in one sitting. There are some cheap true crime books out there at the moment - thankfully this is not one of them, I really enjoyed reading it - just wish it wasn't a true story.
The summary hit all of the main plot points. I read another book in this series (Kyle Unger's story.) and was familiar with the layout, style of writing, and theme of the series. Stories of false convictions break my heart - especially when it comes to anything about children. I hadn't heard of Tammy Marquardt until I read this book but my heart breaks for her and her family. The writing is straight-forward, appropriately detailed, and well-researched. I appreciate the inclusion of a timeline, index, and glossary at the end of the book. It always makes me happy to see those in a YA non-fiction book. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
When Tammy’s baby boy dies, she is an immediate suspect in his death. Convicted, she is sent to prison on the testimony of a forensic pathologist, who is later investigated for malpractice. Fourteen years later, she is released from jail and acquitted of the charges. This was a well written and engaging book. It is perfect for teens or young adults interested in the criminal justice system. Overall, well worth picking up.
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