The Downward Spiral of Mary Ann

The downward trajectory of Mary Ann began when Thomas Riley, a parish official, sought her nursing skills for a smallpox-stricken woman. However, Mary Ann saw an obstacle in undertaking the task due to Charles Edward, Frederick Cotton’s last living son, being in her care at the time.

In an attempt to resolve this, Mary Ann proposed placing the boy in a workhouse for Riley. When Riley explained that she’d need to accompany the young boy due to his age, her unsettling response was: ‘I won’t be troubled long. He’ll go like all the rest of the Cottons,’ hinting at a grim resolution.