American Nightmares

Boston Child Sex Scandal: The Tragic Death of Starr Faithfull

A victim of a paedophile politician, Starr Faithfull seemingly committed suicide. But some believe she was murdered.

It may seem like sex abuse by the rich and powerful is a new phenomenon, something that has only become regular news after the crimes of people like Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew, R-Kelly, and Bill Cosby were exposed. The prevalence of these crimes can make it appear that powerful and well-connected men can almost groom and exploit children at will, and the list of those who have remained in significant positions despite such crimes is endless. Yet, this is nothing unique to our era, and these abominable crimes have always been there; they were just hidden away.

In 1931, this underbelly of paedophilia by the rich and famous would be publicly exposed when the body of Starr Faithfull was found on a Long Island beach. Raped since the age of 11, her abuser was a former mayor of Boston and a member of the House of Representatives. Many thought he’d had her killed; others blamed the mob. Few wished to look at a society that allowed these vile crimes to be swept under the rug and for a young woman to spiral completely out of control.