It is Mother's Day in the UK and with it comes another themed post from yours truly! I did a similar post on Valentines Day and that post was quite popular! So since I loved researching and writing that one I wanted to do another. 

I don't know about you but I love my parents and cannot imagine my life without them. They have always supported me and I wouldn't be who I am today without them. However, this is not the case for everyone. Some children do not see eye to eye with their parents and in the heat of the moment, they can turn to murder. 

In today's post, I will be sharing 3 shocking cases where children have murdered their own mothers.

Attention! The content of this article or section may seem obscene or offensive to some readers.

Roberto Martinez-Marinero

Roberto was arrested for stabbing and beating his mother to death with a baseball bat in 2015. He killed his mother over an ongoing dispute over money and said he did it because he was angry. His girlfriend Gabriela Guevara helped him move his mother's body and dispose of it.

He didn't want any witnesses to his crime, so he took his 4-year-old and 11-month-old brothers. He dumped the 11-month-old boy in a dumpster wearing only a nappy, and luckily he was found a few hours later. However, he then took his 4-year-old brother to a bridge and threw him off to his death. His body was not found until a few days later.

Roberto pleaded guilty to 2 counts of first-degree murder and was given life in prison. As for his girlfriend, she was given 3 - 7 years for her part in the murders.

Sarah Johnson

Sarah's parents were killed in their own home in 2003. Her mother had been shot in the head, and her father had been shot twice in the chest. There was only one survivor of this attack, and that was their 16-year-old daughter Sarah.

The relationship between Sarah and her parents was strained, and the reason for this was her older boyfriend Bruno Santos. They didn't approve of him at all as he was 19 years old and was involved with gangs and drugs. 

As this was her first real boyfriend she thought she was in love and that they would get married. Sarah killed her parents when she found out her father threatened Bruno with reporting him for statutory rape. She was scared he would be deported if reported to the police.

Even though she claimed she was innocent the police did not believe her, and with forensic evidence found at the home, she was arrested. When Sarah was put on trial Bruno testified against her to save himself, and she was found guilty of the murders. Sarah was given a life sentence for the murders of her parents. 

Esmie Tseng

Esmie was a 16-year-old honour student when she killed her mother in 2005. She was a talented pianist, did very well in school, and took part in several clubs including debate and athletics. 

Even though Esmie was a bright student her parents were overbearing and they always pushed her to do better. They would threaten to sell her piano if she didn't win competitions, they would ground her if she didn't get perfect exam scores, and make her stand naked in a corner if they were disappointed.

One day the pressure became overwhelming and she snapped. Esmie stabbed her mother to death with a butchers knife in an attack that took place in several rooms of the house. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in prison. 

⭐ Bonus: Robert and Nattie Coombes

Robert was 13 and Nattie was 10 at the time of their mothers' murder in 1895. The children were described as "sullen and morose", but their parents were pleasant and cheerful people. 

Their father left for work away and the children stayed at home with their mother. After a few days, the neighbours noticed they hadn't seen their mother at all, but when they asked the boys about her they said she was away visiting their father.

After 10 days their aunt became suspicious and when she finally got access to the house she found her sister in law dead in her bed. The two boys had been sharing the house with the body for 10 days, and they were eating out and living the life of Riley with the money their father left them while he worked away.

Robert admitted to stabbing his mother to death and the knife was found at the foot of the bed. When the police arrived they found the body with a pillow covering the face. When they removed the pillow they said her face was very disfigured due to the number of maggots, and there were 2 gaping stab wounds in her chest.

Robert said he stabbed his mother because she beat Nattie for stealing food and he knew he was next. He also told them that Nattie initially wanted to stab her, but because he knew he wouldn't Robert did it instead. The police said that he was cold and callous when talking about the murder of his own mother.

Nattie was called as a witness during the trial and said he had no idea his brother was going to kill their mother. He told them that Robert woke him up to tell him what he had done, but he was not involved.

As they gathered evidence they found out that Robert had scarring on the side of his head from the equipment used during his birth, and this is believed to have caused the headaches he had suffered from all his life. Robert later explained that he heard voices and they told him to kill his mother.

Robert was found guilty of his mothers' murder and spent 17 years in Broadmoor hospital, or Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum as it was known as in the 19th century. When he was released from Broadmoor he moved to Australia.

Final Thoughts

When I was looking into these cases I was utterly shocked. I honestly find it hard to believe that these children murdered their own mothers because I can't imagine my life without mine. What are your thoughts on these cases? Do you know of any other cases like these? Please let me know in the comments!

Image credit: Glen Bowman

A Brief History of Chillingham Castle

Chillingham Castle is located in Chillingham, Northumberland and was originally a monastery in the 12th century. The castle was in a very good place strategically, located between Scotland and England. Because of its location, it was used by King Edward I during his war against William Wallace and the Scottish military. 

Then in 1344, the castle was fortified and it is reported that some of the walls were made 10ft thick in places. In its long history the castle has been used as a stronghold, a royal residence, and during the second world war, it was even used as an army barracks. 

It has since been restored and some areas have been opened up to the public. Since the public has been able to visit there have been many reports of paranormal activity and ghost sightings. In this post, we are going to go over the most popular ghosts that have been seen at Chillingham Castle and their stories.

The White Lady

The White lady haunts the pantry area within the castle. The most documented sighting is from a footman that was guarding the silver in the pantry. He recalled being approached by a frail woman in white asking for a drink of water. As he turned to do so he remembered that the pantry was locked and nobody could possibly get inside. When he turned around again she had disappeared. 

It has been suggested that the reason why the white lady was seeking water was that she had been poisoned.

The Blue Boy

The Blue Boy is also known by the name The Radiant Boy, and he is the ghost that haunts the pink room in the castle. People have reported hearing a young child crying in fear at the stroke of midnight. Some say that he is a little boy dressed in blue surrounded by blue light, and others describe seeing a blue orb. 

It is thought that the manifestation is connected to the remains of a child found walled up inside the castle. The body was found while renovations were taking place, and the link was made because there were pieces of blue fabric found with the bones.

After the remains were found they were given a proper burial, and it appeared to have stopped the manifestations for a while. However, there have been new reports made by visitors saying they have seen a blue orb.

John Sage AKA John Dragfoot

Image credit: Derek Voller

The next ghost I am covering has the most gruesome story and he was called John Sage. John is described as a sadistic ex-soldier that became a torturer at the castle. He was also known as Dragfoot because of an injury he got when he took a spear to the leg. Even though his story is quite horrible there are no records that show John existed at all. Nonetheless, visitors have reported hearing Sage dragging his foot around the castle.

As mentioned above John became a torturer and he loved his work. He would take great pleasure in causing pain to others, and he would always try to find ways to improve his technique. His favourite way to torture prisoners was to put them into a cage and hang them over a fire.

Image credit: Glen Bowman

When the war of the Scots ended John gathered all of the adults and older children together and burnt them in the courtyard. He then gathered all of the young children together and hacked them with an axe.

John's downfall began when he accidentally strangled his girlfriend to death while they made love. When her father found out he threatened to gather an army to attack the castle, and he demanded that John is punished for what he did.

As a result, John was put to death and hung from a tree along the Devils Mile in front of a large crowd. His death was particularly gruesome, which you could say is fitting looking at his occupation. While he hung from the tree onlookers from the crowd started to cut off his toes, fingers, and even his testicles to keep as souvenirs (while he was still alive). 

Lady Mary Berkeley

Lady Mary Berkeley is a ghost that has been reported numerous times. Mary was married to Lord Grey of Wark and Chillingham, and sadly her husband ran off with her sister. When he left she was alone at the castle with their very young child. She waited there wandering the castle, hoping that he would return.

Visitors to the castle have reported hearing the rustle of her dress followed by a cold chill. People believe that this is Mary and that she still wanders the castle waiting for her husband to return to her.

Final Thoughts

I was both intrigued and saddened by these stories, especially when I read about The Blue Boy and Lady Mary Berkeley. Knowing that a little boy was found within the walls of the castle is sad enough, but reading the reports of a child crying really breaks my heart. It was the same when I read about Mary and the possibility that she is still waiting for her husband to return to her even in death.

The story of John Sage is very interesting and violent, and even though there is no proof he actually existed it is still fascinating to think a man like that could be haunting the castle grounds.

Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever experienced anything you couldn't explain? Please share your stories below! 😊I would also love to hear suggestions, so please tell me what you'd like to read about!

Blogger Recognition Award

I have been nominated by chloenicoleblogs! 😊Thank you so much for nominating me for this award.

Rules For The Blogger Recognition Award

1. Thank the blogger for nominating you and give the link to their blog 
2. Write a blog post on your website showing the award
3. Describe the story of why you started your blog
4. Write two pieces of advice you have for new bloggers
5. Nominate 15 more bloggers
6. Notify each of your nominees that you have nominated them

Why I Choose To Be A Blogger

I choose to blog because it's fun. I enjoy researching and writing my content, and it doesn't feel like a chore to me. If I wasn't a blogger I would spend my time reading about true crime and the paranormal anyway. This gives me a place to share it with like-minded people, as I am aware my content isn't everyone's cup of tea.

I have tried a few times to start a blog and I have been unsuccessful, but this time I am committed to sharing my interests with you all. 😃

2 Pieces Of Advice For New Bloggers

1. Don't let nerves stop you. Write about what you enjoy and what you find interesting. Don't try to be someone else to fit what is popular at the time or what most people want to read. I've done this before and I lost interest in it very quickly. Be yourself and do not try to be someone else. 

2. Don't force yourself to post if you don't feel motivated. I have had my off days and needed to rest up and recuperate. Sometimes it's good to have some time for yourself. Don't panic about your blog, relax, and get back on it when you feel better!

My Nominations 

All the links will be left below so you can check them out:

1. Writing Raven
2. Writing the Blues Away
3. EmilyGabriella
4. Midlife Crisis Before 30
5. Offhermocha
6. Anaïs N
7. somekindof50
8. Wellbean Blog
9. You Me and Benny
10. Millenial Mascot
11. Lellalee
12. lauraslife
13. heartsandhouseshoes
14. SugiSays
15. zikannismusings

Image credit: Wikipedia

Sharon Marie Tate was born on January 24th, 1943 in Dallas, Texas. She was the eldest of three daughters to Colonel Paul James Tate and Doris Tate. When she was young she moved several times due to her fathers' job in the military and had lived in 6 different cities by the time she turned 16.

It wouldn't be until the start of the 60's that she started her acting career, and she was only 26 years old when her life was cut short.

Attention! The content of this article or section may seem obscene or offensive to some readers.

The Staircase

This Netflix show follows the author Michael Peterson as he was put on trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen. Even though Micheal insists she fell down the stairs and reported the accident himself, he becomes their number one suspect. 

We then follow him as he goes through his trial, and you see the impact it had on both him and his family. It was an emotional rollercoaster for me. I was so angry, disappointed, and I even cried. A lot. It was hard to watch sometimes, especially when his wife's sisters started to attack him for his sexuality and even using his fictional work against him. 

I don't want to ruin anything for anyone because I know some may not have watched it yet, but I highly recommend it if you enjoy this kind of thing. I for one enjoyed seeing the trial and the evidence being presented. It was upsetting to watch at times, but I think it's a normal reaction considering his circumstances.

Abducted in Plain Sight

This was absolutely unbelievable to watch. I put this on randomly and I had no idea what to expect. It's another show I would highly recommend because it gives you a real insight into the lengths some people will go to when they want something or someone. 

This show is about a family that is manipulated by a neighbour they think is their friend. What is the reason for this manipulation you might ask? Their daughter Jan. The neighbour was called Robert Berchtold and he took a liking to Jan when she was a young girl. His manipulation wasn't limited to Jan, as he would also sink his claws into her parents to get closer to her.

This has to be one of the craziest shows I have watched. It involves not one but two abductions, a mission to save an alien planet, threats, and affairs. It's crazy to watch and you won't believe what you are hearing. Trust me when I say this is shocking.

Murder Mountain

I watched this one with Ryan and we both enjoyed it. Ryan doesn't like watching anything about crime or murder, but he is interested in documentaries about the war on drugs. So, you could say this was a mix of the two and a good compromise. We really struggle to find things we'd both like to watch.

The show starts by telling you about Humboldt County, the marijuana industry, and the numerous missing person cases in the area. Throughout the series, they focus on the missing person case of Garret Rodriquez and how the investigation unraveled. You see interviews with his family, the 'outlaws' that live on Murder Mountain, Humboldt police, and the farmers that grow marijuana legally or illegally.

Again this show was frustrating because of the police and their negligence when it came to following leads for Garret's case. If you have seen it you know what I mean, but I'd recommend you check it out if you haven't yet!

Final Thoughts

I am thrilled that more and more true crime shows are becoming available on Netflix. It's great for someone like me that can't get enough of it! 

Have you watched any of these yourself? If so, what did you think? Or have you watched something recently that you thought was great? Let me know in the comments! 😊

Image credit: Wikipedia

The History of Borley Rectory

Borley Rectory was located in a small village called Borley in Essex. The rectory stood for less than 80 years and was built in 1862 opposite Borley Church. It was built for Reverend Henry Bull, his wife, and their 14 children when he became rector of the parish. It had 23 rooms and was said to have been built on the site of a 13th-century monastery.

The new rectory was built as the previous rectory was destroyed by a fire in 1841, and locals warned them that the site was haunted.

There is a story told about a nun and a monk that fell in love with each other and planned to elope. Unfortunately, their plan was unsuccessful and they were apprehended. They were both punished, the nun was walled up in the convent and the monk was beheaded. Locals say that this is the reason why their spirits haunt the area.

Hey guys! Today I have a post that is a bit different. It is a new thing for me, and because I like these kinds of questions I figured why not. We've all sat with friends and played the Would You Rather game. Sometimes it can get pretty strange, but this should be fun nonetheless! 

This first post will be about cats because as you may know, I have two of the little monsters myself! So without further ado, let us start this Would You Rather post.

Would you rather have one giant cat that you can ride like a horse or lots of regular sized cats?

This is a difficult one because I love the idea of riding a giant cat around! However, I remembered that a giant cat would probably have gigantic poos too. I don't know about you, but picking up the poo of 2 regular sized cats is bad enough! 😅That being said I don't think this is enough to sway me from having a giant cat. I guess it would be like mucking a horse out? Maybe? 😂

Would you rather speak to cats but humans will never understand you, or speak to humans but cats will never respond to you?

Hands down I would choose to speak to cats. Our cats are so different personality-wise, and I’d love to know what they have to say. I like to think Willow is bitchy, constantly judging us, but loves us deep deep deep down. On the other hand, I think Enzo would be like Joey from Friends because he’s bloody handsome but can be so dumb sometimes. 😍

Also, the fact I don’t like most people made it an easy decision. 

Would you rather have cat hair on all your belongings but never your clothes, or have it all over your clothing and nothing else?

Errrrrrrm. This is just life for me now, but I think that I'd rather have cat fur on all of my belongings. If I had cat fur all over my clothes it would drive me insane! I think it's because I wouldn't like hair on my clothes for work or on special occasions. Just having a bit of fur on my clothing irritates me, but I do wear a lot of black clothing so it is super obvious when it's there. 

Would you rather have a dog with a cat’s personality or a cat with a dog’s personality?

Cat with a dogs personality! To be honest I think our cat Enzo is like this anyway. He's very cuddly, always follows you around for love, and he really enjoys playing with balls (as in toys 😂). Willow is a lot more cat-like as she's more independent. She only wants attention when she wants it, and if she doesn't you'll know about it. They have very different personalities but I love them equally.

I may do more of these posts in the future, but I will try to give them themes if I can! 

Do you enjoy Would You Rather questions? Do you have any suggestions? 😊Let me know in the comments!

How did I feel on the day?

The day was finally here and I was freaking out. I was also tired because we had been at a party the night before, but back to the point... As I didn't know what the pain would be like I decided it was best to cover my eyebrows in numbing cream and hope that it worked! 

I had a mini panic attack while we were on the way there because I thought I was going to be late. I hate being late for stuff, and I didn't want to lose my appointment. However, my panicking was uncalled for as we got there just on time.

When I got there she wiped my makeup off, drew the shape I asked her for and then checked I was happy with the shape. She also told me that I had one eyebrow lower than the other! Which was a surprise to me! I knew one was thinner but I didn't know I was uneven. 😅After we got the shape down and we were happy, I laid on the bed and it was time to begin the procedure.

What did it feel like?

When she started I didn't feel it at all and was able to lay there without any pain. The one thing I noticed was the sound, and I heard that scraping sound every time she dragged the needles across my eyebrow. Honestly, it was awful at first but I got used to it eventually.

Between each step she would apply more numbing cream to make sure I was comfortable, but I have to admit it started to get raw. It was still bearable but when she went over one area 5-6 times I started to feel it. 

There were points when she was doing the inside of my brows that I wanted to sneeze, and that was because it was so close to my nose. I felt like I spent most of my time fighting them back!

Before and after shot! Ignore the lack of makeup and redness haha.

The aftercare information was given to me on an A4 sheet of paper, and it gave me in-depth instructions on how to care for them. I was also given an ointment to use daily to help the healing process. It has been awkward avoiding water in the shower and I haven't been able to exercise as sweating on them would affect the healing too.

How has the healing process been?

Day 1-3: The first few days were okay but they were very red. My eyebrows were a bit sore but it was manageable. They looked dark and exactly how they did when they were just done. I expected them to look dark, but that isn't a problem for me because I like that look a lot.

Day 3-7: One word: Itchy! For the whole 4 days, it was a constant battle to resist the urge to give them a good scratch. They also started to scab a fair bit and they became patchy as the scabs started to fall off naturally. They looked a lot lighter where the scab had come away, but I was reassured they do go darker when it heals further. (It still made me worry they were going to be too light.)

Day 7 -14: More of the scabs started to fall away after day 7 and the itching subsided. They started to get a bit darker where they faded before. I had to fight the urge to pluck them, as she told me not to do that while they healed. I guess I am so used to plucking I can't help myself, but that's what got me here in the first place! 😅

What happens next?

I have my touch up booked in April and I am kind of excited about it! I may go a bit darker this time because I like the way they look that way. I'm happy with the result so far and would recommend it to anyone that overplucked like me.

The next post I write about this will be after my touch up and about the final results! I hope you enjoyed this post, and if you have any questions let me know in the comments. 😊

You can find part one of this series here. Thank you for reading!