On the 9th of October 1986, Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows returned home from school, running through the front doors of their respective homes, eager to get changed and play outside. Around 5 pm, the girls played with friends outside a neighbor's house. Shortly after this, the girls headed to Wild Park; despite knowing they were not allowed there, Nicola was told by her parents that the “boogeyman” lived there, hoping to scare her away from ever entering. Sadly, for unknown reasons, the girls entered the park that afternoon. The girls were spotted around 5:15 pm by a park policeman, playing on some trees, who warned them that they would hurt themselves. As the afternoon turned into evening, both families began to worry. 8 pm was their bedtime, and they both knew to be home by then, but there was no sign of either of them.
Join Jen and Cam on the 5th Annual Our True Crime Podcast’s 12 Nightmares Before Christmas Day 2: Babe in the Woods
Listener Discretion by @octoberpodVHS
All music is courtesy of our Executive Producer @wetalkofdreams
Written and researched by Kira Ackling
Sources:
SOURCES -
“Russell Bishop (murderer)” - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Bishop_(murderer)
“Babes in the Woods murders (Wild Park) - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babes_in_the_Wood_murders_(Wild_Park)
“'I didn't top the girls': How brazen Russell Bishop greeted victim's father after police bailed him over Babes in the Wood murders... 32 years before he was eventually convicted” - Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6859693/Father-tells-32-years-scapegoat-Babes-Wood-murders.html#v-4228966068257666593
“FACE OF A MONSTER Chilling pics shows Babes in the Wood killer Russell Bishop joining search for schoolgirls he brutally murdered” - The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7946214/cctv-footage-babes-wood-killer-joined-search-murdered-girls/
“'HE'S A MONSTER' Babes in the Wood murder victims’ mums blast ‘coward’ killer as he’s FINALLY convicted 32 years on” - The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7942926/wicked-paedo-russell-bishop-finally-found-guilty-of-babes-in-the-woods-murders-32-years-on/
“The Babes in the Wood murders and the killer who searched for his own victims” - Sussex Live https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/news/sussex-news/babes-wood-murders-killer-who-4511903
“Russell Bishop jailed for 1986 Babes in the Wood murders” - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-46528206
“Babes in the Wood murders: How killer paedophile Russell Bishop was caught by DNA, and tried to accuse victim's father” - Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/babes-wood-murders-russell-bishop-guilty-dna-father-barrie-karen-hadaway-nicola-fellows-cruel-defence-a8630076.html
“Paedophile denies murdering nine-year-olds - but admits sexually assaulting seven-year-old then lying about it” - Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/russell-bishop-karen-hadaway-nicola-fellows-police-murder-killing-sussex-1986-a8648546.html
“'I didn't top the girls': How brazen Russell Bishop greeted victim's father after police bailed him over Babes in the Wood murders... 32 years before he was eventually convicted” - Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6859693/Father-tells-32-years-scapegoat-Babes-Wood-murders.html
“Babes In The Wood victim's mum says 'angel' is now at peace after killer jailed” - The Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/babes-wood-victims-mum-says-20540807
“Martin Bashir 'may have lost' clothing of Babes in the Wood victim” - The Argus https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19324553.martin-bashir-may-lost-clothing-babes-wood-victim/
“Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway” - True Crime Library https://www.truecrimelibrary.com/crimearticle/nicola-fellows-and-karen-hadaway/
“Man found guilty of 1986 Brighton 'babes in the wood' murders” - The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/10/man-found-guilty-of-1986-brighton-babes-in-the-wood-murders-karen-hadaway-nicola-fellows
“BBC Two - The Prosecutors, The Babes in the Woods murders” - BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0by3pfh
“Crimewatch UK October 1986” - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0He7hgcZBXI
“Russell Bishop trial: Father 'watched sex tape of daughter'” - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-46362901
“Russell Bishop trial: Girl's bodies 'seemed thrown together'” - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-46063376
“Russell Bishop trial: Dead girl 'not assaulted months earlier'” - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-46101093
“'Cowardly monster' Russell Bishop who killed girls in Babes in the Wood murders jailed” - The Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-russell-bishop-cowardly-monster-13717156
“Ellesmere Port dad condemns Babes in the Woods killer over murder accusations” - Cheshire Live https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ellesmere-port-dad-condemns-babes-15537218
‘Babes in the wood’ killer Russell Bishop dies of cancer
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/21/babes-in-the-wood-killer-russell-bishop-dies
https://www.studenthandouts.com/00/201602/babes-in-the-wood-long-story-poem.pdf
https://globalnews.ca/news/8621234/cold-case-babes-in-the-woods-identity-stanley-park-murder/#:~:text=Police%20said%20the%20children%20were%20brothers%20Derek%20and%20David%20D'Alton.&text=In%201953%2C%20their%20skeletal%20remains,Beaver%20Lake%20in%20Stanley%20Park.
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