Margaret Waters (1835–1870), also known as Willis, was an Englishwoman from Brixton who became notorious for her involvement in "baby farming." This practice involved taking in the infants of other women in exchange for payment. Rather than caring for the children, Waters systematically drugged and starved them, leading to widespread infanticide. She is believed to have been responsible for the deaths of at least 19 children under her supervision.
Waters's crimes eventually came to light, resulting in her arrest and prosecution. She faced five counts of wilful murder, alongside charges of neglect and conspiracy. Ultimately, she was convicted specifically for the murder of an infant named John Walter Cowen. Her sister, Sarah Ellis, was also implicated in the broader scheme and was convicted of obtaining money under false pretences, receiving a sentence of eighteen months of hard labour.
Following her conviction, Waters was sentenced to death. She was executed by hanging on 11 October 1870 at Horsemonger Lane Gaol (also known as Surrey County Gaol) in London, with William Calcraft serving as the executioner. Her case drew significant attention to the dangers and abuses inherent in the unregulated baby-farming industry of Victorian England.
