The Ideal Maternity Home ~ Case of the Butterbox Babies Part 1. TRIGGER WARNING!!!

 

I felt compelled to write about this case, as I had seen a movie depicting this disgusting case when I was much younger, The film was called "Butterbox Babies" and it came out in 1995. If you can stomach the story of the ButterBox Babies, then I would suggest you watch the movie. I am issuing a TRIGGER warning for this one though!!!

Gosh, I don't even know where to begin with this case. It is obviously a very dark mark left on Canada, specifically the province of Nova Scotia...

The place that was created was called "The Ideal Maternity Home" which was open and functional from 1928 to 1947. It was ran by an unordained minister of the Seventh Day Adventist, who was actually a chiropractor named William Peach Young and his wife, Lila Gladys Young, who was a registered mid-wife, but a self-proclaimed obstetrician. They remained open until the government stepped in and shut this hellhole down.

I like to believe that their intentions were good when they first created this "safe" space for unwed mothers. It was originally called "The Life and Health Sanitarium" in the early 1920's, which offered maternity care for married couples, but also providing privacy for unwed mothers, and the placement of their child once they were born. This should have been a beautiful place and sanctuary for unwed mothers during the Great Depression and into World War II. Key word there would be "SHOULD"...

Before I get too deep into this story, we must acknowledge how life was back then. The average wage was eight dollars a WEEK, and to have a child it cost the average single mother, five hundred dollars for all the maternity services they received. This is where the despicable acts of William and Lila Young were beginning to be uncovered....

They were SELLING the babies on the black market for up to ten thousand dollars, per child. They were also the largest maternity home in the country, averaging 80 to 125 babies that remained in the home. It is believed that there were between 800 and 1,500 babies born in the span of 1928 to 1947.

It became clear that something was very sinister happening behind the closed doors of the IMH (Ideal Maternity Home), enough so that the government began investigating the home in 1934. Everything was very difficult to prove, or gather information from anyone because so many people admired the Youngs for their work, including politicians who stood behind them. It is super important to note that the publci welfare system at this point simply didn't have the resources to investigate and charge beyond a reasonable doubt... too many people adored William and Lila Young.

Things did come to a halt, for a time, in 1935, when the welfare system uncovered that they had been frauding the system by charging for  childcare for a child that was deceased. 

Not even a year later, they were charged with manslaughter of an unwed mother and her baby; unfortunately for all their other victims, they were acquitted of all crimes.

For the next 6 years, things were running fairly smoothly... at least to the public's eye they were. When I say, "no one knows what happens behind closed doors..." this is one of the cases that would definitely fit THAT bill!!!

Government and public welfare did not completely close the book on these two, as something didn't sit right in their minds. In 1942, there was an inquisition done on the couple again, this time pertaining to a recent baby they had placed for adoption.  Basically with no one coming forward with any more information, either because they loved the Youngs or the unwed mothers were too fearful to tell the real tale.

Another 4 years go by and in 1946 the government was unable to prosecute them for having lied and faked their credentials and medical qualifications. The government was getting fed up with William and Lila Young and DID convict on seven violations of the Maternity Boarding Houses Act. 

At this time, the Youngs decided to rename the Ideal Maternity Home to the "Battle Creek of Nova Scotia Rest Haven Park". It needs to be noted that they only changed the name, business was as per usual in what I can only call the "house of horrors" at this point.

To be continued...