Today is Thursday, January 14th, 2021.

On this day in 1946, serial killer Harold Shipman was born in the United Kingdom.

He's believed to have killed over 250 people over the course of decades while practicing medicine.

Welcome to Today in True Crime, a Spotify original from Parcast.

Today we're discussing the birth of the notorious doctor and serial killer, Harold

Shipman, on January 14, 1946. Now let's go back to that afternoon in Bestwood, a suburb of the

English town, Nottingham. Harold Shipman came into the world as most do, surrounded by loving family.

Born into a working-class household, he didn't have an opulent life.

His father was a truck driver and spent many days away from his children.

Harold had two other siblings, but he was closest to his mother. She acted as his guiding

light, shepherding him on through the difficult times. Though she could be overbearing,

his mother always pushed her son to do his best.

By the time he was in elementary school, Harold was showing flashes of brilliance.

When taking a placement test for the next step of his public education, he was placed

into the equivalent of a magnet school.

With this single achievement, he seemingly set himself on track for a white-collar life.

His mother couldn't have been more proud.

However, this is where his good fortunes ended.

By the age of 17, Harold's mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Though she was committed to fighting the disease, the odds weren't good. Over the next several months, he watched, helpless, as his mother's

condition worsened. She was in constant pain, lacking the energy to do the things that had once

brought her so much joy. To make life

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