Transcript
Peyton (0:00)
Hey everyone, it's Peyton. And if you're loving into the dark, you need to check out the new podcast Killer Minds. Hosted by licensed forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels and Crime House's Vanessa Richardson. Each episode of Killer Minds features a deep dive into the psychology of a notorious murderer, from infamous serial killers to ruthless cult leaders, deadly exes and terrifying spree killers. Along with Vanessa's immersive storytelling full of high stakes twists and turns, Dr. Engels will be providing expert analysis of the people involved, not just how they killed, but why. Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Griselda Blanco, AKA the Cocaine Godmother. These are just a few of the names they will be covering. It's about so much more than their crimes. It's about their minds. And now here's a sneak peek of Killer Minds.
Vanessa Richardson (1:00)
From the moment he was born on November 12, 1934, Charles Manson's life was driven by deception. His birth certificate listed Kathleen and William Manson as his parents, but for years, Charles had no idea that William wasn't his father. That honor most likely belonged to a con artist named Colonel Scott. Colonel was Scott's given first name, but if people assumed he was in the army, he didn't bother correcting them. That's how he caught Kathleen Maddox's attention at a dance club in Ironton, Ohio. He was 23. She was just 15. Kathleen was charmed by the older man she assumed was a military officer. So when she discovered she was pregnant sometime in the spring of 1934, Kathleen had no reason to doubt the colonel. When he said he was being called away on duty. He promised he'd be back as soon as he could, but she never heard from him again. After a few months, Kathleen finally realized she'd been duped and now she needed to find someone to help raise her soon to be newborn baby. That's when William Manson, who worked for a dry cleaning business, entered the picture. It's not really clear how the two of them met, but by the time Charles was born on November 12, 1934, Kathleen and William were married. However, it doesn't seem either of them was all that interested in parenting. William wasn't around much and neither was Kathleen. Most days she dropped Charles off with her mom so she could go out drinking with her brother.
Dr. Tristan Engels (2:50)
Let's discuss the impact of Charles's early childhood. Kathleen was a minor, so her judgment, reasoning, impulsiveness, decision making, even emotional regulation is impaired because she did not have a fully developed frontal lobe. This also affects her ability to cope appropriately with the demands of being A new mother, not to mention any postpartum effects she may have had. And given that Charles's father conned his mother, she may have some conscious or unconscious resentment that she projected onto Charles. As a result, her seemingly desperate and impulsive decision to marry William appears to be driven by more societal pressures on unwed mothers back then, not necessarily a marriage that was built on love. And Charles later learning that William is not his biological father will more likely than not affect his sense of self worth, his identity, and his trust. Kathleen abandoning Charles to go drinking indicates she may have an alcohol use disorder. And I also wonder if she drank while she was pregnant. Pregnant? That could have caused a prenatal injury and if so, would warrant further exploration to understand Charles's development. Then there's the layer of Kathleen and William's disinterest in being parents. The effects of emotionally absent parents on children is well documented. Those children tend to have more difficulty with trust, with self esteem, and forming healthy relationships. And when you compound that with the abandonment and that William wasn't his biological father, that is pretty profound. Nurturance is critical for a child's development. And if their immediate caregivers aren't providing that or reinforcing a healthy development, that child is at risk of exhibiting poor emotional regulation later on. They have an increase in academic struggles, behavioral deficits, and developmental delays.