The Martyrdom of Aurore Gagnon
By: Heather Monroe
Tags: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Child Abuse, True Crime

The Martyrdom of Aurore Gagnon

In 1920, ten year old Aurore Gagnon, died after suffering from years of torture in the hands of her parents

Restoration of this photo, circa 1919, created by the author. For the first time in a century, we have an idea of what Aurore may have looked like in life.

Fortierville was a sparsely populated village in 1920, located just south of the St. Lawrence River, 60 miles from Quebec City. It was the type of place where everyone knew everybody. Though neighbors minded their own business, there were no secrets. The citizens were French-speaking Roman Catholics, and the Gagnon family was no exception.

Marie-Aurore-Lucienne Gagnon was the second child of farmer Télesphore Gagnon and his first wife, Marie-Anne Evelyn Caron. Those who knew the girl called her Aurore. Aurore was born May 31, 1909, in Sainte-Philomène-de-Fortierville, Quebec, Canada. Her sister, Marie-Jeanne, was just a year older. Télesphore made his living as a logger, farmer, and blacksmith.

A new baby arrived every few years in the Gagnon home. After Aurore’s arrival, three children followed; little Marie-Lucina in 1910, Georges-Étienne in 1911, and Joseph-Télesphore in 1915.

For a moment, life was almost idyllic for the family. The cemeteries were full of babies who succumbed to various diseases, and people had little or no access to health care. But the Gagnon children were healthy and robust. Télesphore and Marie-Anne had every reason to place all of their hope and happiness on their lively children.

A family reunion at the Gagnon home in Fortierville, 1915, public domain image

Bereavement

Shortly after baby Joseph’s birth, Marie-Anne Caron developed a terrible cough. Eventually, a doctor told Télesphore that his young wife had tuberculosis and would not survive. She needed a level of care that only a hospital could provide, so Marie-Anne Caron reluctantly left her children for Beauport Asylum in Quebec City.

In addition to his wife’s illness, Télesphore lost a close family member. On January 20, 1915, Télesphore’s cousin, Napoleon Gagnon, died suddenly. Napoleon left behind a widow named Marie-Anne Houde and two children, Gerard, Aurore’s age, and Georges, born in 1912. Napoleon and his wife previously buried two infant daughters. His death left Marie-Anne Houde alone with two young sons.

Télesphore found himself unable to tend to his small children and ailing wife. He sent the girls to live in a convent, but they soon joined their brothers at their maternal grandparents’ home. Télesphore continued to work hard and send money to support his children, and Marie-Anne Houde moved in to nurse Mrs. Gagnon and keep the house. With the assurance of her help, Télesphore welcomed his children home.

Marie-Anne Caron with Télesphore Gagnon, public domain image

Tragedy

After Marie-Anne Houde moved in, a series of tragedies befell the family. First, two-year-old Joseph smothered in his sleep beneath a mattress. The coroner ruled his death accidental. Next, Five-year-old Lucina — who lived with her grandparents — also died. Sadly, Marie-Anne Caron lost her battle with tuberculosis on January 23, 1918. She was only 32. The death of her siblings and mother was only the start of Aurore’s suffering.

Stepmother

Télesphore and Marie-Anne Houde wasted no time. They married on February 1, just over one week after his first wife’s death. The people of Fortierville thought the hasty marriage was in poor taste. However, it was no crime, and Télesphore did need help with the children since he worked well into the evening. Still, the union caused neighbors to pay closer attention to the Gagnon household. The attention was by no measure enough to save Aurore’s life.

During 1918, the Gagnon and Houde families settled in and tried to create a new state of normal. The blended family attended mass at Sainte-Philomène church and fulfilled their obligations as parishioners.

In May of that year, the Gagnon children attended school for just ten days. Aurore’s teacher, Yvonne St. Onge, described Aurore as quiet, intelligent, and obedient — a sentiment not shared by Marie-Anne Houde.

Marie-Anne Houde, ca 1920, public domain image

Rumors

After the wedding, Aurore began acquiring injuries. These injuries increased in severity and frequency. Initially, no one knew that Aurore’s new stepmother beat her mercilessly, but that truth would soon reveal itself.

Ultimately, Marie-Anne decided to keep her stepdaughter inside. She did not fear criminal punishment, but gossip; she and Télesphore often spoke about beating the girl until she “gushed blood” or her legs collapsed beneath her. In such rants, they blamed Aurore.

Marie-Anne convinced her husband that Aurore deserved the beatings. Télesphore believed Marie-Anne acted out of love and in his daughter’s best interest. The children’s day-to-day discipline was the responsibility of his wife, and his sympathies lay with her.

“The child does her business in her clothing while I work my fingers to the bone!” Marie-Anne complained. She also accused her very young, innocent stepdaughter of seductive behavior toward her sons and convinced them that Aurore was dirty and sinful. To conceal her responsibility for Aurore’s many wounds, she sometimes asked the children to lie.

Such was the case in July of 1919, when Aurore’s caretakers brought her to the home of Oreus Mailhot, Fortierville’s grocer and Justice of the Peace. Marie-Anne and Télesphore were upfront about beating Aurore that day and blamed it on the 10-year-old’s “vicious character.” But they weren’t there to discuss their manner of discipline. Aurore had ulcerated, infected wounds on her feet. The couple insisted neighborhood boys caused the lacerations by smashing her feet with rocks.

“Come,” Oreus said as he gently ushered Aurore away from her parents, “tell me about it.” Aurore could hardly walk but followed the man to a little room just out of earshot. As Aurore limped away, Marie-Anne offered the girl a stern warning. “Be careful what you say!”

Suspicious and concerned, Oreus asked Aurore to be honest and tell him what happened. Before he finished the sentence, Aurore fervently insisted that a group of boys threw rocks at her feet and legs and stabbed her side with a stick. Oreus tried again to let her know she was safe to tell him the truth, but Aurore continued to repeat the above narrative. Not knowing what to do, Oreus brought the child back to her waiting parents.

Still, Oreus couldn’t shake the feeling that Marie-Anne and Télesphore caused the injuries. Like other witnesses, he didn’t feel it wasn’t his place to interfere. Oreus advised the couple to seek medical help for Aurore and consult the parish priest, Father Ferdinand Massé. He also took his concerns to police in Quebec City, who wouldn’t do a thing unless Oreus filed a personal complaint against the Gagnons, which he was unwilling to do.