Behind closed doors at Cromwell Street (Part 2/3) | Forensic Files

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sold [Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any
time you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website this episode contains graphic
descriptions of child abuse it won't be suitable for all listeners [Music] on the evening of Sunday August 2 1992
Gloucester Constable Stephen Burnside was patrolling his local bead along Cromwell Street
at around 6 pm he was approached by a 13 year old girl called Sarah not her real
name Sarah asked the constable what would you do if a friend was being assaulted
Sarah had been tormented over the past few days after hearing a harrowing confession from her best friend
visibly upset and feeling she had no one else to turn to Sarah's friend had divulged that she'd been raped
for legal reasons this victim could not be named the first attack happened inside the
victim's home her father had summoned her to an upstairs room he made her sit on a couch
and ordered her to keep her eyes fixed on any by television he then raped her capturing the entire
ordeal on a video camera he'd set up nearby later he took her out into the back Garden
he explained that he quote hadn't done it properly and it would cause the victim medical problems if he didn't
finish the job he then took her back to the same room as the initial attack and raped her
again afterwards the victim sought help from her mother who was at home at the time
she just told her daughter oh well what do you expect you were asking for it the next morning the victim's father
took her to a warehouse that he was painting as part of his job the building was deserted when he took
her inside and raped her for the third time when it was over he patted his daughter's thigh and remarked
I'll leave it alone now he warned her you mustn't say anything I'll go to prison for five years we'll all be split
up and you need a mum and dad at your stage of life Weeks Later the victim confided in her
school friend Sarah about what she had endured Sarah agonized over what to do with the
information she didn't want to go to the police but felt there was no alternative
Constable Burnside was a familiar presence on Cromwell Street so when Sarah saw him she shared what she knew
Burnside listened carefully as he jotted down notes he then returned to the station and reported the information to
the sexual offenses unit days later on the morning of Thursday August 6 a team of two detectives and
four police officers arrived at a residential address on Cromwell Street While most buildings in the area
retained their original red brick exteriors this house had been rendered with sand colored concrete giving it a
bland flat and featureless appearance each of its three stories were defined by a sash window with a pea green
colored frame that overlooked the street they were perfectly aligned one on top of another
neck curtains hung behind them the house itself had seen better days with leaking gutters leaving dark
streaks of rain water on the walls unlike neighboring homes which had front doors that opened directly under the
street the front door was on the right side behind a low black metal gate with gold spear tips
it spanned the width of a narrow driveway that separated the house from a Seventh-Day Adventist Chapel next door
a second Iron Gate had been installed several feet behind the small black one this one was ornate and six feet tall
a handmade wrought iron plaque was affixed to the wall by The house's entrance spelled out in white letters was the
property's address 25 Cromwell Street the home of the West family [Music] [Music]
at first glance the wests appeared to be a model family neighbors viewed patriarch Fred as a
good man who was modest and kind he was always willing to help out with odd jobs around the neighborhood
soft-spoken he never raised his voice or showed a temper he rarely drank and didn't do drugs
one neighbor said if you asked anybody in the street you couldn't wish for a better fellow
another remarked you would have invited Fred West into your home with open arms he was so nice
perhaps the worst anyone could say about Fred West was that he was territorial it was in a casual unassuming way but he
seemingly knew everything about everyone who lived on Cromwell Street yet he was
fiercely protective of his own home life whenever he had visitors he'd follow them around his house and into his back
patio Garden never permitting them to wander about on their own it gave them the feeling that they were
always being watched as his family's Breadwinner Fred worked hard although he bounced between jobs he was
never unemployed and often worked on construction sites in the local area his wife Rose stayed at home running the
household and caring for their children on the rare occasions that she ventured out she was described as presentable and
attractive by August of 1992 the wests had lived on Cromwell Street for over 20 years
during that time Fred and Rose had grown their family to include eight children the oldest was Anna Marie who was the
daughter of Fred and his former wife Reina Fred and Rose's first child together was
Heather their daughter May was born within months of the West's moving to Cromwell
Street the couple's long-awaited first son Stephen came the following year over the next decade Rose bore five more
children Tara Louise Barry Rosemary Jr and Luciana given how many children lived there 25
Cromwell Street was known to be surprisingly quiet the wests weren't entirely unknown to
police over the years officers had visited the home to inquire with Fred West about
stolen goods additionally some lodges who lived upstairs had been reported to police for
cannabis possession 25 Cromwell Street had been raided by police in search of illicit drugs on at
least three occasions the wests remained composed during the raids and nothing incriminating was ever
found as for Rose West her criminal record was almost entirely clean she had a single conviction from 1973
that she shared with her husband it was for the indecent assault causing actual bodily harm of their former
live-in nanny Caroline Owens when police arrived at 25 Cromwell Street to investigate the allegations
that Fred West had raped one of his daughters he had just left for work his wife Rose answered the door
she was informed that detectives had a warrant to search their premises for pornographic material following a
serious allegation of child abuse Rose immediately lashed out she began kicking and screaming and had
to be physically restrained as it was the summer holidays the five youngest West children were all at home
their ages ranged from 9 to 16. still in their pajamas the children sat in front of a television in the living
room they watched as their mother was placed under arrest for aiding and abetting
rape and for obstructing the police as Rose was led from her house she yelled to her children
don't you dare say anything Fred was arrested on a building site later that day unlike his wife Fred didn't resist
he told onlookers nothing you need to worry about he was placed in a police car and
informed of the reason for his arrest absolute rubbish Fred scoffed lies all lies I never touched her
Fred West was interrogated by police for hours he talked a Non-Stop in a manner that
was described as a verbal diarrhea he didn't seem at all concerned about the situation he found himself in
instead he chatted casually presenting himself with charm confidence and humor he had no internal filter and spoke
openly to detectives about his private life saying quote me and my wife lead an active sex life
we make love every night I mean perhaps twice it just depends on what happens you'll find harnesses you'll find bloody
God knows what in my home that we make up and things that we do you'll find tapes where we've been
making love and we're not frightened to show it we enjoy our sex life but not with our children
Fred said that he and Rose had everything so they didn't need to mess with their kids
he accused his children of ganging up on him and making the accusations up saying
there ain't one blade of Truth in it as far as I'm concerned Fred remained in custody overnight
by the end of Friday his demeanor had changed his eldest son 19 year old Stephen West
paid him a visit Fred looked as though he was scared to death he had worked himself up into tears
making it the first time Stephen had ever seen his father cry Fred admitted to his son that he had
done some stupid things at night when everyone was in bed then in the same breath he swore he
hadn't done anything and claimed the police were setting him up they're going to have me for it he told
Steven Fred begged his son to take the blame by saying it was actually Stephen who
carried out the abuse Stephen refused Fred's face hardened he made a comment that implied to
Stephen you either do it or I'll kill you reluctantly Steven did as he was told but investigators immediately knew that
Stephen was lying to protect his father they charged Fred with three offenses of
rape and one of buggery and he was reminded in custody Rose West was interviewed and held
overnight but released the next day 28 year old Anna Marie West no longer lived on Cromwell Street
on the morning of Friday August 7 her phone and a doorbell rang simultaneously as the phone was closest Anna Marie
answered that first it was her stepmother Rose West the very sound of her voice sent a chill
through Anna Marie Rose wasted no time with Greetings or preamble she demanded if you think anything of me or your dad
especially your dad you'll say nothing and keep your mouth shut she then slammed it down the phone
Anna Marie gathered her thoughts and went to answer the door there was a woman in plain clothes
standing before her her name was Hazel Savage and she was a detective Constable for gloucestershire
police described as one of the most tenacious female police officers in Gloucester
Constable Savage was a veteran of numerous major inquiries many involving women and children
when Fred West was accused of abusing one of his daughters Constable Savage was assigned to the case
her principal job was to interview members of the West family Constable Savage had a history with the
family that dated all the way back to the mid-1960s her first encounter with the wests was
through Fred's first wife Rina at the peak of the couple's tumultuous marriage at the time Fred had custody of their
two daughters Charmaine and Anna Marie Reina worried about them all the time and constantly battled Fred over the
matter Constable Savage was a sympathetic listener and Reina soon divulged that Fred West was violent sexually depraved
and quote probably quite mad [Music] she explained that her husband was pursuing a relationship with a teenager
named Anna mcfaul two weeks later Constable Savage met Fred West for the first time
she thought he was rather strange looking with a face she didn't never forget Constable Savage had no further
interactions with Rena or Charmaine West yet she came to know Fred quite well when he moved into Cromwell Street with
his second wife Rose this was due to his proclivity for theft and for the minor offenses carried out
by The Lodgers who lived in his home Constable Savage also knew Anna Marie West she had come to the attention of police
in her mid-teens for being uncontrollable she'd run away from home become involved
with gangs and was known to carry a knife but Anna Marie's life had settled since
her time at Cromwell Street she had moved to the White City estate in southern Gloucester where she was
raising two young daughters as a single mother Constable Savage asked Anna Marie if she
knew of anything in proper happening at 25 Cromwell Street Anna Marie was sickened at the thought
that someone else could be suffering the same way she had it was a fear she'd carried for many
years but she'd reasoned that by enduring the abuse she'd prevented others from being harmed
now faced with the prospect that one of her younger sisters was forced to live the same nightmare Anna Marie was
determined to put a stop to it after nearly two decades Anna Marie finally opened up about her experience
of being raised by Fred and Rose West it was the first time she'd made these admissions to anyone
as she spoke she was so overcome with shame that she struggled to make eye contact with Constable Savage
one summer's day during their first year at Cromwell Street Fred and Rose LED eight-year-old Anna Marie down into the
cellar it was a dingy damp and sparsely lit space that had been split into three
interconnecting rooms in the Central Area was the staircase the front room served as a play area for
the children while Fred's Workshop was at the rear Anna Marie noticed several items had
been laid out on the floor including a mattress some adhesive tape and a sex toy
Anna Marie wasn't overly concerned she didn't know what the sex toy was or what the collective items signified
she asked what the objects were for Fred and Rose just died each other Rose had a strange smirk on her face
which looked to Anna Marie as though quote she was really going to enjoy herself but wasn't going to say why
the couple locked the Cellar Door behind them Fred explained that what he was about to
do was his duty as a father just do as you're told he said as Anna Marie was ordered to remove her clothes
when she didn't move fast enough Rose violently tore Anna Marie's dress off and threw it aside
Fred and Rose then pinned Anna Marie onto the mattress where she was restrained and gagged
as Anna Marie later described in her book out of the Shadows I was absolutely terrified
I was eight years old and had no understanding of what was about to happen to me but I knew it was something
awful and that it was going to hurt my father said very little but Rose was encouraging him to get on with it
she had this evil look in her eye there was no emotion at all just that all-consuming look of Pure Evil
Rose sat on her stepdaughter's head to stifle her cries she laughed as Fred proceeded to rape
Anna Marie Fred told his daughter it is going to help you later in life he said it would prepare her for her
future husband and having children when the attack was finally over Fred and Rose left Anna Marie alone in the
cellar restrained and naked her screams and sobs attracted no attention Fred had soundproofed the
space in preparation later Fred and Rose reappeared and resumed the assault afterwards they sent Anna Marie to the
bathroom to clean up it was obvious that she was in pain Rose simply laughed acting as though
Anna Marie was making a huge fuss about nothing Rose told her everybody does it to every girl it's a
father's job don't worry and don't say anything to anybody it's something everybody does
but nobody talks about after this Fred and Rose sexually abused humiliated and tormented Anna Marie on
countless occasions Fred made sexual remarks about all of his daughters he told them that they needed a good man
to sort them out and that he'd do the job himself he'd single one of his girls out and say
it will be your turn next despite these comments Anna Marie believed she was the only one of her
sisters who was being sexually abused by Fred and Rose it continued on a near daily basis
throughout her childhood and dwell into her teenage years Fred would say I made you you are my flesh and blood I
am entitled to touch you if Anna Marie complained she was severely beaten and the torture only
increased over time the abuse became more depraved Fred was obsessed with the idea of
producing the perfect child which he viewed to be dark-skinned he began saving the used condoms from
Rosa's Liaisons with black men tying off the condoms to secure their contents he then forced Anna Marie to
store them inside herself to keep them in quote Optimum condition once ready Fred combined to the semen
from different men and injected the liquid into rows using a homemade device Rose ultimately bore four children that
weren't biologically Fred's Tara Louise Rosemary Jr and Luciana much to Fred's Delight three of them
were mixed rice he referred to them as his love children [Music] Fred and Rose constantly assured Anna
Marie that what she was enduring was normal she didn't tell others about the abuse
partly due to shame and partly because she was under strict orders not to reflecting on her childhood Anna Marie
West said I used to look out the window at children playing in the street laughing
and running around and wonder how they could look so happy when they must be suffering as I was
I could only think that they were stronger characters and that my stepmother was right I had a difficult
wimpish nature and I was inclined to whinge these other kids obviously just got on
with life so I should try and do the same when Anna Marie was 12 years old she was
initiated into Rose's room the bedroom inside 25 Cromwell Street where Rose carried out sex work
Anna Marie was forced into the trade sometimes Fred watched from the doorway while Rose was always in the room as
though making sure Anna Marie wouldn't seek Hope from the male clients Anna Marie did what was expected of her
too scared to disobey she later explained fear was enough to keep me under Rose and Fred's control
life inside the West home was like a prison all the internal and external doors were
kept locked as was the tall Iron Gate that led out onto the street Rose wore the keys on a necklace or a
big ring clipped around her waist no one was allowed to visit without her or Fred's permission
the West children were confined to The Back Garden or the cellar and were forbidden from playing in the street
they were permitted to go to school provided they had no visible injuries and came home immediately after
if they were late they received a beating the children were only taken to see relatives if Fred and Rose went too
Fred told his children we don't want to have anything to do with people outside we don't need them
there are people out there who will hurt you you're with people who will protect you
one day at school a teacher noticed a bruising on Anna Marie's legs she asked Anna Marie to roll down her
socks and hitch up her skirt for a closer look the teacher gasped in horror at the
extent of the injuries the teacher asked Anna Marie did you have an accident or did someone
do it to you Anna Marie desperately wanted to reveal that her stepmother had caused to the
injuries she opened her mouth in preparation for the truth but her fear of Rose was too
great instead Anna Marie lowered her head and said I fell over Miss I just fell over
privately the teacher contacted the welfare department later that day a social worker arrived
at 25 Cromwell Street to investigate the matter Rose answered the door and was informed
that there were concerns about Anna Marie Rose remained cool-headed and invited the social worker inside
she told the woman a story about Anna Marie falling down the stairs Anna Marie overheard the social worker
reply oh well that's fine Mrs West then she left never to return again once she was gone Anna Marie received
one of the worst beatings of her life all of the West children experienced abuse to some extent but Anna Marie was
singled out for the cruelest of treatment she explained that Rose inflicted pain
with either a detached indifference or a calculated and controlled excitement Anna Marie suspected Rose resented her
for being the only child in the household who wasn't biologically hers there was a competitive element too as
Anna Marie was Fred's favorite in contrast to the sadistic domineering and cruel way that Rose treated Anna
Marie Fred was affectionate he'd force himself onto her then say he loved her Anna Marie felt that her father saw her
more as a girlfriend than a daughter yet Fred witnessed to the abuse from Rose firsthand and never stepped in to
defend Anna Marie on the contrary he chuckled at what his wife was doing whenever Anna Marie told her father how
Rose treated her he'd reply your mom is doing that because she loves you it's for your own good
Fred eventually developed a violent streak of his own his eyes would roll to the back of his
head and he'd start hitting kicking and throttling Rose and his children all the
while spitting out death threats he once left Anna Marie bloody after kicking her in the face with
still-capped boots Rose just laughed and said you [ __ ] ride in the summer of 1979 Rose took 15 year
old Anna Marie to see a doctor Anna Marie was visibly nervous and gave quiet answers to the doctor's personal
questions the doctor then told her to lie on an examination table where he began poking
and prodding her stomach his expression was Stern as he engaged in a private conversation with rose
Anna Marie was pregnant the pregnancy was ectopic meaning the fertilized egg had implanted outside of
the uterus ectopic pregnancies can't proceed normally so Anna Marie was taken to
hospital for a termination despite being underage none of the hospital staff reported Anna Marie's
situation to authorities she suspected they viewed her as a quote fifteen-year-old [ __ ] who had got what
she had been asking for and didn't deserve any sympathy [Music] the truth was the man who had
impregnated Anna Marie was her own father Fred West he had a saying that he'd repeat to his
daughters your first baby should be your dad's days after the termination Rose made
Anna Marie perform housework despite her still being in recovery and bearing stitches from her surgery
Anna Marie kept her head down like always avoiding anything that might ignite Rose's Wrath
yet as she dusted polished and vacuumed she could sense tension Rising Anna Marie explained
something had upset Rose nothing I did would be right suddenly Rosa's eyes filled with her age
behind them was the familiar strange dead look she pushed Anna Marie to the floor and
kicked her in the stomach right in the stitches in immense pain Anna Marie fled to her
room when her father returned home later that day he told her you shouldn't provoke and upset your mum
like that night Anna Marie wept quietly into her pillow [Music] she had reached her limit
one night shortly after this Anna Marie put a long considered plan into action she took one last look at her sparsely
furnished room then grabbed a bag of belongings and made her way to the front door
her bag hit a chair and the floor creaked in her haste but Anna Marie managed to slip through the house
without waking her parents she got past the locked Gates and ran along Cromwell Street
she hadn't put much thought into what to do next she had a little money nowhere to go and was terrified that her father
would come looking for her she was also regretting leaving her siblings behind none of whom knew about
her plan to flee but Anna Marie focused on the fact that she was free telling herself quote
I would never go back no one could abuse me again no matter what happened from now on it
couldn't be any worse than my life so far [Music] Anna Marie's harrowing statement added
validity to the accusations that Fred and Rose West had a history of child sexual abuse and incest
Rose was charged for causing or encouraging the commission of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and
cruelty to a child she was granted bail under the condition that she not communicate with her
younger children the night she returned home Rose was rushed to Gloucester Royal hospital to
have her stomach pumped she had taken 48 painkiller pills washed down with alcohol
the underage West children Tara Louise Barry Rosemary Jr and Luciana were put under emergency protection orders
Fred and Rose were forbidden from contacting them and weren't told where they were being held
the couple were eventually allowed to see their children but only if the child themselves requested the meeting and a
social worker was present Fred and Rose refused to see their children unless they could see them
alone in the lead-up to the couple's trial Fred West was sent to a bail hostel in
Birmingham 60 miles north of Gloucester Rose visited him two or three times a week sometimes with their older children
may or Stephen during visits Fred and Rose wandered the grounds and had sex in view of
passers-by and their own children Rose wrote Fred a letter during his time away it was adorned with their names and a
drawing of a large love heart with an arrow through it remember I will always love you she
wrote and everything will be all right in custody Fred's Behavior was described as exemplary
he was consequently transferred to another bail hostel with even more relaxed conditions
staff only checked on him every three days which gave Fred time to go to Gloucester and back without anyone
knowing he had gone the younger West children began sneaking out of their foster homes and meeting
Fred at Gloucester Park he eventually coaxed them back to Cromwell Street Fred worked to convince his children
that the authorities were wrong and Evil he warned them to keep their mouths shut
otherwise the police would take them away from those who loved and protected them
when Fred and Rose went to trial in early June 1993 the West children had been prepared to give evidence against
them but when asked if they were ready the children all declined to proceed it was a complicated case from the
outset the West adored her at the center of the allegations denied that her father would
ever do any of the things he was accused of furthermore Anna Marie West retracted
the statement she'd made to detective Constable Hazel Savage making this statement had brought up a
lot of repressed trauma for Anna Marie and she was left shaken and anguished she was still terrified of rose and
feared what would happen once Rose saw her statement Anna Marie sought police protection but
they couldn't understand why she thought it was necessary to Anna Marie had felt like everyone
thought she was making a fuss over nothing she thought about Rose's temper all those years of vicious beatings abuse
and the men she was forced to have sex with wanting to forget it all Anna Marie claimed the whole story was a figment of
Her Imagination because she didn't like Fred or Rose when Constable Savage learned about this
she confronted Anna Marie and said tell me to my face this isn't true unable to meet the Constable's gaze Anna
Marie responded it's not true I made it all up Constable Savage wasn't convinced
she warned Anna Marie that she could be charged for wasting police time and making a false statement
but Anna Marie remained steadfast with her younger siblings now safe from Fred and Rose in foster care Anna Marie
had the safety of her own children to think about the only piece of physical evidence that
could help secure a conviction now was the videotape that allegedly contained footage of Fred raping his daughter
police had caused thousands of pounds worth of damage tearing 25 Cromwell straight apart trying to find it
it had been no easy feat given that the inside of the property resembled a building site
tools wood sand cement electrical cables water mains Lino copper pipes carpet and
paint tins were piled throughout the police broke Furniture sifted through vacuum cleaner bags and searched
behind skirting boards and under floorboards they uncovered a large amount of sex
paraphernalia some of which was crudely handmade with scrap wood and metal police also uncovered a large collection
of hardcore pornography magazines sex toys bondage gear whips chains buckles straps and flails as well as rubber
suits and masks there were dozens of photographs that Rose and Fred had taken of other
people's genitals in total police uncovered 99 pornographic videos both homemade and
Commercial the homemade footage was captured on eight millimeter film by Fred West
it depicted Rose performing explicit sexual acts with quote just about anything she could get her hands on from
domestic implements to fruit the footage also captured Rose having sex with multiple people
sometimes it was consensual amateur pornography other times it was filmed via a peephole as though in secret
there was footage of Rose urinating on her bed her sofa and the kitchen table she was captured getting dressed in
preparation to meet other men for sex then later showing off her stained underwear
Fred also recorded himself performing gynecological examinations on his wife with many gratuitous close-ups
but none of the videos contained the alleged child abuse with no physical evidence or
corroborating Witnesses the judge made the decision not to proceed with the trial
as a result Fred and Rose West officially received a verdicts of not guilty the couple hugged each other in the dark
and for the second time in their marriage they walked free from Court together case File will be back shortly thank you
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month that's better h-e-l-p.com slash case File [Music] for detective Constable Hazel Savage the
West Case wasn't over during her investigations into the family she had managed to track down
each of Fred and Rose's older children except for one all leads to locate the Now 23 year old
Heather West had resulted in dead ends one of the last confirmed sightings of Heather occurred on Wednesday June 17
1987 when she was four months shy of turning 17. Witnesses recalled the exact debate as
it was the day that Anna Marie West had hosted a birthday party for her three-year-old daughter
the party was held at Anna Marie's home in the White City estate it had been a pleasant summer day and
the house was abuzz with children Anna Marie was surprised when her typically anti-social father and
stepmother showed up she was even more shocked to see that they'd brought all the younger West
children with them as family outings were incredibly rare Heather West had always been quiet but
partygoers noticed she was particularly distant that day she spent most of the afternoon alone in
the back Garden looking sad and lethargic if anyone approached her Fred or Rose would be by her side in an instant
Rose explained to the other guests that there had been problems with Heather before they left for the party
Fred bullied Heather throughout the event saying don't [ __ ] stand there like a lemon a
derogatory word he used for lesbian Heather retorted angrily why don't you just [ __ ] off and leave me
a [ __ ] loan Anna Marie tried to find out what was going on but Heather was tight-lipped
she actively avoided being in any photos or videos taken during the day one photo captured her in the garden as
she was mid-turned trying to avoid the camera standing nearby was Fred with a big
smile [Music] at the time Heather was making arrangements to move to Torquay a Seaside Town 130 miles from Gloucester
she had applied for a job as a cleaner for a Holiday Camp there the prospect excited her
then the night after Anna Marie's daughter's birthday party Heather received a phone call
the woman on the other line apologized saying that Heather's job application hadn't been successful
Heather was devastated she kept her siblings up all night with her sobbing the following day of Friday June 19 the
West children returned home from school to find that Heather wasn't there Fred and Rose explained that Heather had
received some good news the job in Torquay was back on she'd packed a bag and got a lift with a
friend leaving 25 Cromwell Street for good Fred was calm as he spoke about Heather's abrupt departure
then he approached his son Stephen and asked for help digging a hole in the back Garden
Fred explained he wanted to install a fish pond Stephen did as he was told but a couple
of days later he noticed that the hole had been filled in no one heard from Heather West again
over the years Fred and Rose gave conflicting stories as to her whereabouts to some they said that Heather had run
away or left to start a new job they told others that she'd become a drug dealer was involved in credit card
fraud or had fallen in with the wrong crowd Rose mentioned having a quote hell of a
rare with Heather before she left over Heather being a lesbian the couple constantly provoked Heather
about being gay even though there was no indication that she was and Rose herself
had numerous affairs with women it didn't matter anyway as Fred later told others that Heather had run off
with a boyfriend at one stage Anna Marie West traveled to Torquay in search of Heather but no one
she spoke to had ever seen or heard of her half-sister Stephen and Mae West also made various
attempts to locate Heather including reaching out to television shows that specialized in finding missing people
at one stage the siblings told Fred they were going to report Heather missing Fred talked them out of it
he said that Heather was involved in some illegal business and if they alerted police they'd be snitching
Rose said that if Heather wanted to contact them she would every so often Fred claimed to have both
seen and spoken to Heather at one stage he said she was working for a community center in Gloucester
Anna Marie looked into this claim but to no result Fred conceded that Heather must have
quit and moved on whenever Fred told any story pertaining to seeing Heather Rose would warn him to
shut up whatever the explanation Fred and Rose were adamant that Heather was fine
they told others that they'd filed a missing person report but this wasn't true Fred would say
Heather's left us she's disappeared and that's it closed I don't want to hear any more about it
we won't mention it again I don't want you coming round in future if you do mention Heather
prior to Heather's disappearance a male guest was spending the night at 25 Cromwell Street
in the early hours of the morning he woke up to the sound of something rustling around the house
a young woman cried out no no please this continued on and off for the next 20 minutes
in the morning Rose West informed the man that it was her daughter Heather who suffered from nightmares
the man had noticed that Heather seemed a bit shy and down in the dumps the night before
Rose explained to that Heather was just quote backwards and didn't talk much on a separate occasion a female lodger
at 25 Cromwell Street heard screams coming from the cellar a girl helplessly shouted stop it Daddy
the lodger didn't investigate or report the matter but she believed the voice might have been Heather West's
other visitors recalled that Heather would stand in the corner of a room or in the doorway wearily watching her
father she bit her fingernails until they bled and rocked herself back and forth for
hours unable to sit still Heather had a very close friend at school called Denise Harrison
shortly before Heather went missing Denise noticed Heather was more morose than usual
one day Denise was walking near Cromwell Street when she spotted an upset looking
Heather sitting on a wall Denise asked what was wrong and Heather started to cry
Heather confided into Denise that she had been sexually abused her father would come into her room at
night and force himself on her he also beat her Denise asked haven't you told your mum
Heather explained that Rose refused to do anything about it Rose thought Heather was a quote little
[ __ ] who deserved the beatings Heather said she hadn't told anyone else because she was too frightened
Denise didn't doubt Heather for a second Heather refused to shower at school and
wore long slave to blouses with her socks pulled up to her knees but Denise had once caught a glimpse of
Heather's bare arms into legs they were covered in severe bruising Denise's mother knew Fred West and when
Denise told her about Heather's secret her mother refused to believe that Fred was capable of such horrible things
three weeks later Heather finished her last term of school Denise Harrison never heard from her
again by 1992 Heather West had been missing for five years detective Constable Hazel Savage
believed that Heather could provide further insight into the allegations that Fred and Rose West abused to their
children she worked diligently to track Heather down but by the time Fred and Rose faced
trial the following year Constable Savage had failed to find a single trace of her
but her suspicions were growing she had been informed of a West Family joke that the younger children had
repeated to their foster parents whenever they were naughty their father would tell them to behave or quote
end up under the patio like Heather Thursday February 24 1994 marked almost a year after Fred and Rose West's not
guilty verdict that morning Constable Savage arrived at 25 Cromwell Street accompanied by four
other officers 40-year-old Rose West answered the door she was informed that an inquiry had
been launched into The Disappearance of Heather West and was handed a search warrant
Rose immediately started screaming profanities and calling the officers offensive names
at that moment Stephen West arrived home he read the warrant it specified that the police's purpose
was to dig up the back Garden to search for the body of Heather West Stephen asked the officers to wait until
his father returned home they told him there was no time the officers marched into the house
armed with tools and Spades Steven called his father on his mobile phone and informed him what was going on
52-year-old Fred West was at a job site only 30 minutes away but it was almost three and a half hours before he arrived
home he never explained why it took him so long at home Fred maintained his composure
while Rose wept the couple spoke quietly in the kitchen before retreating upstairs to talk in
private shortly after Fred went to Gloucester Central police station Rose remained at home to take part in a
recorded interview she was belligerent throughout giving short sharp and evasive answers
she said she couldn't remember much about the circumstances of Heather's disappearance telling the interviewing
officer if you had any brains at all you could find her it can't be that Bloody difficult
when asked if she used to punish Heather when she misbehaved Rose explained I just sent her to bed
as for whether she thought Heather was alive Rose replied well why not unless something horrible has happened
to her the police informed Rose they were aware of the family joke about Heather being
buried under the patio in the rear Garden of 25 Cromwell Street consequently they were going to dig up
the entire area to look for her Rose responded there's nothing you will stop at is
there look the house is yours have it do what you're going to do at Gloucester Central police station
Fred West a voluntarily participated in an interview with Detective Constable Hazel Savage
and given the situation he seemed unusually calm and affable unprompted he announced that he had not
murdered his daughter Fred claimed that Heather was alive and that he'd recently seen her in
Birmingham a city 60 miles Northeast of Gloucester he said her hair was expensively styled
and she looked more ladylike Fred claimed that he and Heather were very close and that any of his family
members would attest to that but for reasons he didn't understand Heather had something against Rose and
was prone to insulting her Fred maintained that neither he nor Rose reported Heather missing because they
didn't want to get her in trouble he implied that Heather was involved in illegal sex work and changed her name
frequently as a result Constable Savage asked the outright where is Heather Fred
replied you find her and I'll be happy that's all I can say the garden at the rear of 25 Cromwell
Street was less than 30 feet long and 20 feet wide Fred had done extensive Renovations that
impacted the space over the years neighbors had heard him banging scraping and digging long into the night earning
him a reputation as the man who couldn't stop working he had demolished a garage and replaced
it with a ground floor extension that consisted of more rooms and a new kitchen in the back Garden he tore out the fruit
trees into chicken coop leaving just a row of tall thin Leyland pine trees that blocked his neighbor's View
he then completely paved Over the Garden with heavy stone slabs to form a patio searching the small area required great
effort and cost just as the sun began to set it started to rain the search was called off until the
following morning with a uniformed Constable standing guard in the patio overnight
that night Fred and Rose went for a walk in a nearby park which was completely out of character
when they returned Fred showered and sat down to watch the news it was the only thing he ever watched on
television never missing the one six nine ten o'clock or midnight broadcasts his need to watch it and know what was
happening bordered on obsession the following day a small excavator and mechanical Digger were brought to 25
Cromwell Street a team of 15 men in boiler suits crammed into the small patio and started digging
by machine and hand rain drizzled on and off throughout the afternoon as a small shed and a homemade
barbecue were dismantled the stone slabs were then lifted up and stacked to one side
under the slabs was across the layer of solid ground and gravel about a foot down was thick dark mud
that reeked of sewage underneath the sludge was dense in pervious gray clay officers dug six feet down and made a
discovery small bones and Bone fragments it was quickly concluded that they were
from dead animals the further they dug the more liquefied the mud became a pump was brought in but as soon as the
sludge was pumped out Moore seeped back in and flooded the hole the larger the hull became the worse the
liquid smelt it developed a thin custard-like consistency a detective standing on a wooden plank
that framed the edge of the dig site identified the unmistakable loader it was the stench of decomposition
Rose West was becoming increasingly rattled by the police work Fred settled her upstairs and then
approached detective Constable Hazel Savage can we go to the police station he asked
as soon as he was in the police car Fred said I killed her it had all happened on Friday June 19
1987. Heather West was 16 years old and had just found out that the job in Torquay
had fallen through given her Agonist to leave home Heather was crushed Fred said they'd talked it over for most
of the night before Heather retired to bed in tears the following morning Rose told Fred
let her go I will go draw out 600 pounds and give it to her and to let her go Fred replied
all right then don't hurry back give me a chance to talk to Heather he hoped he could persuade her to stay
Rose left for the shops the younger West children were already at school Heather's School turn had just finished
she had packed her bags and left them by the front door Fred called out to her Heather appeared looking smug with her
hands tucked in her pockets Fred asked what's this about you leaving home he told Heather she was too young and
that being a lesbian meant she would catch AIDS he told Heather I'm not going to let you go
she responded arrogantly if you don't [ __ ] let me go I'll give all the kids acid and they'll all jump
off the church roof and be dead on the floor Fred lost his temper he went to slap Heather's face but
quickly stopped himself he had once slapped Rose during an argument and subsequently dislocated her
jaw instead he grabbed Heather by the throat and tightened his grip I just wanted to shake her Fred told
detective Constable Hazel Savage I wanted to take that smirk off her face as Fred throttled Heather she began
turning blue he quickly Let Her Go she fell back against the washing machine then slid down to the floor
when Fred realized that Heather was no longer breathing he tried to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest
compressions but he'd only ever seen it performed on television and didn't actually know what
to do Heather's body turned cold and Fred noticed she had wet herself he thought to himself
what the hell's gone wrong I never intended this he dragged Heather to the bathroom
stripped her naked and placed her into the tub he then doused her in cold water in an
attempt to Rouse her Fred West recalled I can remember standing there and thinking how do you know when someone's
dead he took Heather's body out of the tub and dried it off he intended to dismember her but didn't
want her to quote suddenly come alive during the process so he tied a pair of tights around her
neck he also closed her eyes as he didn't want her looking up at him while he worked
Fred then cut Heather's neck with a serrated saw used for cutting ice blocks and frozen meat
he twisted off Heather's head he did the same thing to remove her legs he then stuffed Heather's body parts
into a bin liner and he hid them behind the patio shad it was Bin day so he collected Heather's
possessions and took them to an area where people disposed of rubbish confident that they'd be taken away
Rose came home an hour or so later she asked didn't you persuade Heather to stay
Fred said no that Heather decided she wanted to leave and that night under the cover of
Darkness Fred buried Heather's body in the back Garden about four feet under the Leyland Pines
not long after he extended the patio to cover the burial site with stone slabs by the time Fred told police this story
in just over six and a half years had passed he appeared calm and disassociated as
though he'd completely detached himself from the incident [Music] he maintained that it was an accident
that he didn't intend to kill Heather but his version of events was full of contradictions
he kept backtracking and revising his statements it was clear to the police that he
wasn't being entirely truthful as Anna Marie West once explained with my dad it's a case of you to listen
to what he'd say and then if you cut it in half and then half again you were somewhere near the truth
asked if there was a sexual motive for the killing Fred said no nothing like that
did anyone else know Heather was under the patio Fred said nobody that's a secret I've kept to
myself for years and never told anybody Fred was taken back to 25 Cromwell Street in handcuffs to point out exactly
where he had buried Heather by this point the excavation of the patio was well underway
Fred mocked the search team's efforts saying they were going to damage the roots of his Leyland Pines
but as he was led closer to the Deep wreaking pit his cold indifference faded away
he became dazed and unsteady he kept sliding in the mud and slipped on one of the wooden planks
Fred told the officers my head hurts and I keep saying Stars they gave Fred a seat and some water
Fred announced Heather is not in the garden Heather's alive and well she's possibly at this moment in the
Middle East she works for a drug cartel she's got no identification that's why you can't find her
there looked after like Queens I have no idea what her name is because I will not let her tell me
she contacts me whenever she's in this country now whether you believe it or not is
entirely up to you as far as I'm concerned I'd like to see them all still over there digging my
garden they can dig there forevermore nobody or nothing's under my patio [Music]
later that afternoon her Digger was searching directly below the bathroom window of the single story extension
that Fred West had installed at the back of his house it was a significant distance from the
main search site near the Leyland Pines as he dug he noticed something sticking out of the ground just below the surface
it was another bone but unlike the smaller animal bones found previously this one was large
dirty and old looking the bone was placed in a brown paper exhibit bag and taken to pathologist
Professor Bernard Knight for examination within seconds of viewing the bone Knight confirmed it was a human femur
he estimated that it hadn't been in the ground for long its curvature and length indicated it
came from a young woman between the ages of 15 and 25. as the dig at 25 Cromwell Street
progressed the pit became structurally unstable the sides kept crumbling resulting in
cave-ins the stench had become unbearable yet the shifting Earth exposed more bones near the Leyland Pines compelling
the diggers to persevere at 7 pm Professor Bernard Knight arrived on site and crouched down by the pit
he noticed traces of soapy off-white liquid in the dark mud another Telltale sign of decomposition
he observed the freshly Unearthed bones and immediately confirmed that they too were human
Professor Naya worked by touch inserting his hands into the slimy Earth and feeling around until he felt a bone
he slowly and methodically removed H1 before wiping the mark off to identify what part of the body it originated from
several leg bones were recovered first they had been removed from a torso which was found next
the victim's decapitated head was then pulled from the sludge the unique conditions in the ground had
worked to preserve the victim's remains her thick dark hair was still intact the body belonged to Heather West
her burial site was almost directly opposite Fred's Barbecue this meant he had corked and entertained
for his family and guests knowing his daughter was buried just a few feet away a black polythene bin liner was under
Heather's torso along with two long pieces of rope orange green and brown fibers were stuck
to it which matched tufted carpet from inside 25 Cromwell Street although Fred hadn't mentioned the robe
during his confession its presence suggested that Heather had been restrained prior to her death
the carpet fragments indicated that she'd likely been held against the floor in the process
during his excavation work Professor Knight pulled a second broken femur from the muck completing the pair with the
other that had been found earlier that day Professor Knight then noticed another
bone as he pulled it out he realized it was yet another femur well he announced to the detectives
gathered around either we have found the world's first three-legged woman or there's another
victim around here somewhere case File will be back shortly thank you for supporting us by listening to this
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you support casefile to continue to deliver quality content after being informed that human bones
had been Unearthed in his back Garden Fred West was taken in for a second police interview
detective Constable Hazel Savage got straight to the point she asked if anyone else had been buried
in any other part of Fred's Garden he sat in silence for a long moment before responding
that's a peculiar question to ask isn't it backtracking from his story about Heather working for a middle eastern
drug cartel Fred admitted Heather is in there and there ain't no more there's nothing else
Constable Savage informed Fred that three human thigh bones had been found again she asked if anyone else was
buried in his garden only Heather Fred maintained Constable Savage pressed on you've never said to us that you
scattered Heather all over the garden and Heather didn't have three legs the room fell silent
Fred was asked have you any knowledge of where this other bone might have come from
Fred pondered for a moment then answered Softly yes surely surely who Constable Savage asked
Robinson Fred elaborated the girl who caused the problem Fred West spotted Shirley Robinson in
Gloucester in 1977. the thin undernourished teenager was in the care of Social Services and
performed sex work to get by described by a social worker has extremely withdrawn and Sullen Shirley
was also lonely she had few friends and was known to latch onto people for companionship
so when Fred offered Shirley a place to stay at his home on Cromwell Street she gratefully accepted
however Fred waited until Shirley turned 17 and was no longer supervised by Social Services before the move took
place Shirley was settled in a small room towards the back of the first floor in time a three-way relationship began
with Fred and Rose West it wasn't a secret affair Fred introduced Shirley to guests as his
lover he was openly affectionate towards her playfully announcing that she was going
to be the next Mrs West within a year of her stay at Cromwell Street Shirley became pregnant with
Fred's baby Rose was excited about the pregnancy she'd cheerfully point at Shirley's
growing belly and tell Neighbors it's Fred's Shirley organized to have a professional
photo taken with Fred during her pregnancy he dressed for the occasion in a suit
and tie the pair held hands while smiling at the camera despite the age Gap they looked like a
loving couple Shirley sent the picture to her father with a letter that read this is the man I'm going to marry what
do you think of him dad I have never been so happy in my life the West children loved Shirley Robinson
she was silly and carefree which was a welcome change to their violent and abusive mother
but as Shirley's due date approached her demeanor changed she became emotional and nervous and no
longer wanted to live at 25 Cromwell Street tensions had risen in the west home Rose became jealous and increasingly
antagonistic and Fred seemed to enjoy provoking her on one occasion Rose lashed out
violently chasing Fred through the house with a carving knife he rushed into a room and slammed the
door shut behind him just as Rose brought the Knife Down the blade sunk deep into the door and
almost took several fingers off Rosa's right hand leaving them hanging by the tendons
rose wrapped her wounded hand up in a towel and simply told Fred right fella you've got to take me down
to the hospital the resulting damage prevented her from ever fully closing her right hand
she was told to return to the doctors to have the stitches removed but Rose just
plucked them out herself while Fred enjoyed watching Rose fight for him he felt that Shirley Robinson
was coming between them he told a friend Shirley once Rose out so she can take over and take her place I'm not having
that she's got to [ __ ] go [Music] surely grew fearful of the couple in an effort to wheeze the hostilities
Shirley spent some nights sleeping on a friend's couch by the start of May 1978 the now 18 year
old Shirley was eight months pregnant she attended a prenatal appointment as she readied herself for the birth
on Tuesday May 9 Shirley met a friend at a cafe for a cup of tea her friend noticed that she seemed
fatigued and depressed after that Shirley was never seen again Fred and Rose told others that Shirley
had gone to live with her father in Germany and probably wasn't coming back Fred indicated that Shirley had bailed
without paying rent and implied that he didn't care about their baby Rose was seen rummaging through the
clothes Shirley had left behind keeping the pieces she liked and tossing out the
rest nobody reported Shirley missing or went looking for her after all the conflict that had Arisen
during Shirley's time at 25 Cromwell Street Fred and Rose were noticeably happy in her absence
[Music] thirteen years later upon the discovery of a second set of human remains in the
West's backyard Fred admitted to police that the bones belonged to Shirley Robinson
he claimed that Shirley had been supplying drugs to his children so while Rose was away he strangled surely to
death in the hallway of his home he then dismembered her and buried her in the back Garden
Fred was taken back to 25 Cromwell Street and Led Out to the patio he paused looked around and then pointed
to the ground directly in front of the back door it was a small area wedged between the
doorstep and the wall of the neighboring Chapel this was where he'd buried a Shirley
Robinson police had been walking back and forth over this very area since the search
began a dig revealed that the ground wasn't as liquefied here as other areas of the
garden Professor Bernard Knight squatted by the edge of the hole and identified the back
of a human skull [Music] Professor Knight retrieved some vertebrae followed by some leg bones
they feature distinct to deep marks indicating that Shirley's body had been violently hacked with a heavy Cleaver
hor ax as Professor Knight uncovered other larger bones he also removed several Matchstick sized ones
they were the skeletal remains of a nearly full-turned fetus when Fred West was asked what he did
with the Shirley's unborn baby he responded frankly without a hint of remorse quote
I packed her up I didn't have much room to put it in so it had to be packed just
pushed her in with a spade the discovery of Shirley Robinson's remains raised more questions
Heather West was found by the Leyland Pines Shirley was buried by the back door the third unidentified FEMA that led to
Fred confessing about Shirley was found in a different area entirely under the bathroom window
Fred didn't hesitate to clear up the confusion he pointed to the bathroom window and
told police this is where they'd find Shirley's quote mate Fred acted as though he couldn't
remember the name of the third victim he just kept referring to them as Shirley's
mate or her lesbian lover all he knew was that she came from Bristol Fred claimed that the woman had shown up
at Cromwell Street looking for Shirley once he informed her that Shirley no longer lived there the woman left only
to return a few weeks later this time she accused Fred of killing Shirley and threatened to go to the
police Fred persuaded her not to and offered her a lift back to Bristol as they drove out of Gloucester Fred
stopped in a lay-by on the side of the road he proceeded to strangle the woman with
his bare hands afterwards he took her body back to his home dismembered it then buried the
remains in the back Garden in a bid to identify the victim investigators scoured records of young
women who had been reported missing around the time that Shirley's mate crossed paths with Fred West
one name in particular kept cropping up Jordan's brook house was a Gloucester institution that housed the vulnerable
adolescents who had been removed from other forms of care and who typically had severely unstable and abusive
childhoods Jordan's Brook aimed to rehabilitate the troubled youths by providing stability
and training that would help them find employment it was a strict institution and
therefore it wasn't unusual for residents to abscond and to later be brought back by police
it became common knowledge among Jordan's broker girls that Sanctuary could be found with a local couple named
Fred and Rose West the pair offered a girl's lifts and would sometimes invite them to their
home on Cromwell Street for juice and biscuits Fred and Rose were considered to be fun
and lovely Rose established a rapport with the girls her she had spent a part of her
youth in care and could relate to their experiences she listened sympathetically and with
understanding to their stories word spread among Jordan's Brook residents that 25 Cromwell Street was a
safe place sixteen-year-old Alison Chambers had been placed into Jordan's brook house
after her divorced parents were unable to care for her a known Daydreamer with an active
imagination Alison escaped the difficulties of her Daily Life by composing romantic poetry into drawing
pictures although the home had helped her secure a trainee position at a solicitor's
office Alison wasn't happy at Jordan's Brook as she was often mocked by her peers
Alison began retreating to Cromwell Street where she would talk to Rose over squash and biscuits
over time she began spending the night [Music] Ellison soon began telling others that
she'd fallen in love with an older man he'd given her various gifts including a gold necklace with her name on it
he'd also promised to take her to his farm in the countryside where she could lay in the grass and write poetry
Allison even had a picture of the farm which he stared at longingly it was clear to others that the image
had been cut from a real estate brochure they thought the older man was a figment
of Alison's imagination created as a coping mechanism however they also noticed that Alison
had been given her very own key to 25 Cromwell Street on Sunday August 5 1979 Alison Chambers
packed up her things and absconded from Jordan's brook house it was the eighth time in nine months
but this time she didn't come back Alison was reported missing and because she was underage and had been in care
police were obligated to search for her however she turned 17 two weeks after she went missing meaning she was
automatically released from care and was no longer considered vulnerable even though her whereabouts were still
unknown police were no longer required to actively search for her two months after Alison went missing her
mother received a letter in it Allison explained that she was living with a very homely family whom
she was helping by providing child care and housework she apologized for causing any concern
and told her mother that she would write again soon but she never did despite this police took the letter as
evidence that Alison was alive and well and no further inquiries were made Fourteen and a half years later the
third femur bone found under the bathroom window at 25 Cromwell Street was identified as belonging to Alison
Chambers foreign the garden space was respectfully quiet as Professor Bernard Knight began the
process of uncovering the rest of Allison's remains the burial site was too small for the
pump to be used so black slime continuously seeped back in as Professor Knight trolled Through The Mark with
handheld tools the tip of Alison's head became visible her hair still attached as Professor Knight worked to excavate
it he noticed something was wound under Alison's chin he realized that it was also wound
around the top of Alison's head and gently Professor Knight scraped the mark away with his fingers until he
revealed the item to be a wide belt although Fred hadn't mentioned a restraining or gagging Alison at any
point the way the belt was positioned meant it had been used to prevent Alison from opening her mouth
by the time Professor Knight had retrieved Alison's remains he was paddling around in two feet of filthy
water despite Fred indicating that Alison Chambers was Shirley Robinson's mate and
a lover no connection between the pair was established it was clear to police that Fred West
was a compulsive liar they had to treat any information he offered with a high degree of caution
obtaining information from Fred was an arduous and time-consuming task he kept Meandering and telling
meaningless along-winded stories many of which were obviously fantasies as the hours slipped by interviewing
officers became increasingly impatient Fred West was a masterful manipulator and it became obvious that he was
controlling the interview a smug grin often spreading across his face so far Fred had confessed to killing
three young women Shirley Robinson in 1978 Alison Chambers in 1979 and his own daughter Heather
West in 1987. while the level of detail he offered about each incident varied he was
adamant about one thing Fred told investigators the thing I'd like to stress Rose knew nothing at all she hasn't done
anything [Music] Rose West was in the words of her husband the perfect mother [Music]
to be continued next week on a chilly night in 1991 a group of teenagers gathered in their usual
hangout a Barren stretch of desert next to a busy highway near Bakersfield California a dismal spot littered with
trash and shell casings by Nightfall it turned into a sort of Lover's Lane where
high school kids drank and smoked when two boys left their group and headed into the darkness They Came Upon
a horrific scene the body of a young woman murdered just hours before she had no enemies besides girls at school
teenage stuff not any kind of trouble that someone would murder her this 1991 murder made news headlines for years as
it shocked and divided a quiet working class community of course I knew about Maria's case everyone in Bakersfield
knows about Maria's case people were just they were glued to their TV sets and read the paper every day there was a
lot of speculation in Alaska that maybe he was not the all-around athlete that people thought he might be
when he lied about being her boyfriend I feel like he had something to do with it
justice took its course in a twisted and controversial case that captivated many
but what if the real killer were yet to be discovered because he warned me that he told me that after detected that he
was here when he wasn't really here if you ask the sheriff's department and if you ask the prosecutor's office they
would say yeah we solved it it's just unfortunate how things ended up in this series we will hear brand new
Clues interview people that have never spoken publicly before and discover family secrets that shed light on who
may have killed Maria Rodriguez and why I kind of want all of our families hidden secrets and all of the dark past
I want it to come out to light I'm Octavia McHenry for case File presents and this is in the shadows the story of
Maria Rodriguez

Case 235: House of Horrors (Part 2)

*** Warning: This case involves child victims *** [Part 2 of 3] By 1992, Fred and Rose West were raising their children at their Cromwell Street home. At first glance, the Wests appeared to be a model family. Neighbours viewed Fred as a modest, kind and soft-spoken man. Rose was a dedicated mother and housewife...

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Milly Raso Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

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RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-235-house-of-horrors-part-2 #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #casefilepodcast

Brief Summary

The episode details the horrific crimes of Fred and Rose West, including child abuse and murder, culminating in the discovery of their daughter's remains.

Key points

The West Family's Facade. The Wests appeared to be a model family, hiding dark secrets.
Anna Marie's Revelation. Anna Marie finally opened up about her traumatic childhood experiences.
Fred's Disturbing Justification. Fred rationalized his abuse as a duty of fatherhood.
The Cycle of Abuse. Anna Marie was forced into sex work at a young age.
The Horrific Truth Revealed. Anna Marie's pregnancy is discovered, revealing the shocking truth about her father.
Anna Marie's Escape. Anna Marie finally decides to flee her abusive home, vowing never to return.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Losing weight starts with your brain.

Psychology-based approach to weight loss.

0:46WatchFeb 11, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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