Forbidden Fruit: Six Shocking Real Life Incest Stories Throughout History

Published November 3, 2021
Updated November 9, 2023

Barbara Daly Baekeland

Barbara Daly Baekeland

Born in 1922, wealthy American socialite Barbara Daly Baekeland‘s modeling photos graced the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. But while these images portrayed perfection, beneath the surface, Baekeland was suffering from severe mental instability.

Baekeland and her husband Brooks lived in extravagance: lavish parties, excessive drinking, and extramarital affairs from both sides. Brooks eventually grew tired of Barbara’s unstable personality, rude outbursts, and frequent suicide attempts. Brooks filed for divorce and their son, Antony, moved in with his mother.

Antony, like his mother, suffered from several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia. By the time Antony was 20, Barbara had heard from a friend that her son was romantically involved with a bisexual man named Jake Cooper.

Barbara Daly Baekeland With Baby

Barbara holding a baby Antony.

In an attempt to “fix” her son, Barbara would hire prostitutes to coerce Antony into having sex. After many failed attempts, Barbara took matters into her own hands, allegedly manipulating her son into having sex with her in a desperate attempt to “cure” him.

But, tragically, unlike other cases of famous incest, this one ended in murder. On November 17, 1972, 25-year-old Antony killed his mother with a kitchen knife. When police arrived at the scene, Antony was ordering Chinese food. After his release from prison, Antony nearly stabbed his grandmother to death.

author
John Kuroski
author
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.