A nurse known as the ‘Angel of Death’ was responsible for the deaths of potentially 60 infants during a horrifying spree that spanned several years.
Genene Jones, a notorious serial killer in the United States, preyed on vulnerable babies and children under her care while working in Texas hospitals in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite being perceived as a caring and dedicated nurse by colleagues and parents, she was secretly administering lethal doses of drugs to young patients, causing them to go into cardiac arrest and then appearing as a hero by resuscitating them.
Jones’s killing spree is believed to have originated at Bexar County Hospital in San Antonio, where unexplained deaths began to mount in the pediatric intensive care unit. Suspicious activities led to speculations among the hospital staff about foul play. After being transferred to a clinic in Kerrville, more children tragically perished under her care, including 15-month-old Chelsea McClellan, who became her final victim in 1982.
The revelation of Chelsea’s death exposed Jones’s murderous actions. Subsequent investigations uncovered the presence of a lethal drug in Chelsea’s system, leading to Jones’s arrest and subsequent conviction for murder and child injury. During her trial in 1984, prosecutors portrayed her as a manipulative individual seeking attention by creating life-threatening situations to showcase her heroic efforts.
Despite receiving a 99-year prison sentence, Jones faced the possibility of early release due to a Texas law aimed at reducing prison overcrowding. However, the families of her victims and prosecutors fought to keep her incarcerated. In 2017, she was charged again for the murder of another infant, Joshua Sawyer, and subsequently pleaded guilty in 2020 to avoid the death penalty, receiving another life sentence.
Experts estimate that Jones may have been responsible for as many as 60 infant deaths, although the exact number remains uncertain due to missing records and destroyed evidence. The motive behind her actions continues to puzzle observers, with some suggesting a desire for attention while others believe she was drawn to the power of life and death.
Jones, now in her seventies, remains imprisoned in Texas, displaying minimal remorse for the devastating impact of her crimes. During her 2020 sentencing, District Judge Frank J. Castro condemned her actions, emphasizing the irreparable harm she caused to families and expressing his belief in a higher form of judgment for her actions.
