Today’s prompt is a bit sadder and more gruesome than most, but writers of horror and dark mystery or even dark fantasy might find some grist for their imagination’s mill. This is your warning.
Baby farms.
At best – which seems to be rare – baby farms or baby mills were places where unwed mothers could leave their children for daycare or to be adopted out. At worst – that is, most of the time – the babies were taken in but neglected – poorly fed, if at all, and left in a crib or bed without attention or medical care.
In the early 20th century, undercover reporters found multiple dirty, ill-clothed, malnourished, and sickly children hidden away at a baby farm apartment, sometimes 8 to a bed. Young unwed mothers were often ignorant of the treatment given their children and due to poverty and long work days, unable to do anything about it if they weren’t.
In the worst cases, children were subjected to physical abuse and many died. Those that could not be sold were given away to brothels. Very few of the baby mills were busted and even fewer guilty parties were put on trial.
A horrible circumstance, but rife with possibility for literary, crime, or horror fiction. Who were these people who took in babies to abuse? What circumstances did the mothers face? What happened to the children who survived? What happens next?
