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 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.
