Criminal: “The Quintuplets”

Podcast: Criminal (Vox Media Podcast Network)
Host: Phoebe Judge
Air Date: March 20, 2026

Overview

This poignant episode of Criminal dives deep into the extraordinary, tragic story of the Dionne quintuplets, the first known set of quintuplets to survive infancy. Host Phoebe Judge, along with author Sarah Miller, family members Bertrand and Brian Callahan, and archival content, unpacks the surreal transformation of five tiny girls from rural Ontario into an international sensation—detailing their exploitation, the consequences for their family, and how their legacy continues to resonate. “The Quintuplets” is a meditation on celebrity, parental rights, institutional greed, and the ethical perils of commodifying childhood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Fateful Birth (00:00–07:38)

• Birth and Miracle Survival

  • May 28, 1934: Elzire Dionne, already mother to five, gives birth to quintuplets (Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emilie, Marie) in a small Ontario farmhouse.
  • Babies were so tiny “all five together weighed under 14 pounds.” (Brian Callahan, 02:19)
  • Dr. Alan Roy Dafoe, who had prior experience with premature multiples, doubts their survival:

    “They’re not going to be alive come daylight. I’m going home.” (Bertrand Dionne, 02:46)

  • Makeshift medical care: The family uses an oven and hot water bottles as incubators.

• Media Frenzy

  • News of the quintuplets’ birth spreads globally within hours–the first such case in recorded medical history.
  • Early public skepticism and amazement at the babies’ survival.
  • First photos are telegrammed worldwide, sealing their celebrity.

The Onset of Exploitation & Custody Battle (07:51–13:10)

• Initial Challenges and Proposals

  • The Dionnes struggle to afford lifesaving care, and promoters capitalize on their desperation.
  • Pressure to display the babies at the Chicago World’s Fair; the lure of financial support versus moral qualms.

• Quote – Parental Shame and Press Relationship:

  “You talk like I should be put in jail.” (Reported as “I’m the type of fellow that should be put in jail.”) (Brian Callahan recounting Oliva Dionne’s response to the press, 08:00–08:37)

• Temporary Custody Transfer

  • Red Cross assumes guardianship to prevent the quintuplets’ display in Chicago.
  • Early, reluctant decisions by the Dionne parents—caught between poverty and the invasive powers of doctors, government, and media.

Quintland and the Institutionalization of Childhood (16:30–31:34)

• Construction of the Quintuplet Hospital

  • “Infant utopia” is built by donations from all over the continent (“People are literally sending nickels…” Brian Callahan, 17:00)
  • The Dionne parents are physically estranged from their children–Elzire is so distressed a window is cut through the wall so she can watch them sleep.

• Spectacle and Surveillance

  • Hospital visits are highly restricted; even family members are treated as outsiders.
  • Eventually, the government seizes legal custody (Dionne Quintuplet Guardianship Act, 21:09–21:45), making the girls wards of the Crown.
  • The hospital area becomes a tourist mecca, dubbed "Quintland." Up to 6,000 people daily come to view the girls behind glass, sometimes “displayed” on the porch.

  “They built an observatory, a horseshoe-shaped building… so you can look out into the playground at the children, but they can’t see you.” (Brian Callahan, 24:32)

• Commercialization & Profiteering

  • Merchandise, tourism, and licensing deals explode. Even the government benefits via inflated gas taxes for tourists.
  • The children’s images endorse products from Karo syrup to Colgate toothpaste, with profits managed by a state-appointed board.

The Toll on Family and Identity (31:34–42:55)

• Childhood Routine and Psychological Effects

  • Regimented, emotionally sterile rearing:

    “They’re never supposed to speak sharply… But they’re not supposed to hug and kiss them either… Lights out. No toys, no singing, no rocking chair.” (Brian Callahan, 31:03)

  • The quintuplets’ earliest experiences are as living exhibits, their “fiveness” both their identity and their prison.

• Growing Up and Gradual Return

  • As they age, the girls lose their public “cuteness” and become less commercially valuable.
  • Dr. Defoe’s influence wanes. Oliva Dionne sues over advertising profits.
  • At age 9, the quintuplets are abruptly returned to live with their family, initiating a tense, joyless reunion.

Adulthood, Loss, and Continuing Struggle (42:55–51:51)

• The Search for Normalcy and Autonomy

  • Attempts at education, convent life, and entrepreneurship often falter.
  • The tragic death of Emilie at age 20 (epilepsy) marks a psychic fracture, and cues the public’s disinterest as the “miracle” is broken.
  • Trust fund issues arise—much of their presumed fortune is squandered or siphoned by those charged with their care.

  “The account contained about $800,000 for the sisters… But there were rules about how and when they could use the money.” (Phoebe Judge, 43:39)

• Family Rift and Revelations

  • The surviving sisters reveal sexual abuse by their father, Oliva, sparking family denial, pain, and unresolved controversy.

    “We assert that we had good parents… and to our knowledge, our father was certainly not a sexual abuser.” (Brian Callahan quoting sister Therese, 50:11)

  • Trauma lingers; even the number five is regarded as unlucky.

Legacy, Museum, and Reflection (51:51–End)

• The Dionne Quints Museum

  • The quintuplets’ birth home in North Bay, Ontario, is a museum; former visitors return decades later to complete “pilgrimages.”
  • Over 3 million people once visited “Quintland” during the Depression for hope and curiosity.

  “You have to understand that it was in the depression era and it gave people a ray of hope, you know, something to brighten their day.” (Bertrand Dionne, 53:00)

• Warning Against Repetition

  • Annette Dionne:

    “I think the museum staying in North Bay will help them from making foolish choices like what they did to us. It should never be repeated again.” (53:22)

• Final Years

  • The last surviving quintuplets, Cecile and Annette, die in 2023 at 91.
  • The tragedy closes with the reminder of the enduring wounds and unresolved injustices.

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• “They're not going to be alive come daylight. I'm going home.” – Dr. Dafoe via Bertrand Dionne (02:46)
• “You talk like I should be put in jail.” – Oliva Dionne as recounted by Brian Callahan (08:00–08:37)
• “People are literally sending nickels to northern Ontario to help build the hospital.” – Brian Callahan (17:00)
• “There was no bonding…You had the five princesses. They were raised by the nursing staff. Everything was done for them.” – Bertrand Dionne (40:00)
• “The government, the government can't exploit these children and money equals exploitation, so there is no charge.” – Brian Callahan (23:26)
• “They must learn to be looked at, talked about and studied without losing their sense of proportion…” – Dr. Defoe (as summarized by Phoebe Judge, 30:00)
• “It was like being a bird.” – Annette and her sister describing their first taste of freedom (41:35)
• “I thought they were not as pretty.” – Former nurse assessing the girls at age 7 (33:22)
• “This was money that was set aside for us. Where is it?” – Brian Callahan on the sisters’ reaction to the trust fund’s mismanagement (48:26)
• “That was really a big fat nail in the coffin for him, saying that's proof that the government knew what these children were quote, unquote, worth to the province and that they were being used to make money.” – Brian Callahan (47:43)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–07:38 — Birth and infant survival; international news spreads
• 07:51–13:10 — Parental shame, first media mistakes, and custody transfer
• 16:30–19:21 — Hospital construction, parental separation, and first public viewing
• 21:09–22:29 — Dionne Quintuplet Guardianship Act and state seizure
• 22:44–28:58 — Creation of Quintland: Observation building, tourist attraction
• 30:00–31:34 — Daily regimentation, lack of emotional nurture
• 34:20–34:53 — Parents’ reunion with children; fairytale illusions
• 42:13–43:39 — Emily’s death and the breaking of the “miracle”
• 46:07–47:59 — Trust fund revelations and government profiteering
• 48:40–49:10 — Public press conference and settlement with Ontario
• 53:22–54:00 — Final reflections from Annette Dionne

Memorable Moments

• Oven Incubator: The family trying to keep the quintuplets alive in an oven basket for warmth.
• Window in the Wall: Elzire’s father-in-law cuts a hole to let her glimpse her children amid separation.
• Quintland’s Absurdity: The horseshoe-shaped observatory, five-pump gas station branded by the girls’ names, and tourists outnumbering those visiting Niagara Falls.
• Empty Gifts: Birthday presents were “all empty boxes…the cake was a big hole,” illuminating the emptiness behind spectacle (Cecile, 31:34).
• Press Conference Power: The sisters, after years of media exploitation, finally take control at their own press conference to demand restitution.
• Bittersweet Legacy: Elderly visitors to the museum reflect a lasting, unresolved fascination and sadness.

Overall Tone

The storytelling is measured, empathetic, and at times tinged with disbelief and quiet outrage. Phoebe Judge’s narration is calm and precise; the family members convey lingering pain and sometimes wry resignation. Experts and relatives alike articulate both the miracle and the tragedy of the quintuplets’ story—a lesson in how well-meaning interventions and fame can become a kind of enduring crime.

For further exploration:

• Listen to Sarah Miller’s interview and read The Miracle and Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets.
• Visit the Dionne Quintuplets Museum in North Bay, Ontario.
• See historic images on Criminal’s social channels.