90 years after Dion Ivar’s birth, what child abuse case shocked the world?

A dramatic and fascinating story of birth Dione quintessence, set within a humble Canadian family, a story marked by medical obfuscation, media exploitation and government helplessness. From the day they were born, they became a phenomenon of global interest, caught in a whirlwind of legal and commercial conflicts that defined their existence.

That night May 28, 1934Doctor Alan Roy Dafoe He came home Oliva and Elsire Dion In the suburbs Callender, Ontario. The couple already had five children and were expecting a sixth child. Elsireof 25 years, I thought they might be twins. However, the birth was brought forward Two months and Dafoe Attended and showed. With the help of two nurses, she delivered the quintuplets, who were seven months old and weighed more than six kilograms. They were invited Yvonne, Annette, Cecil, Emily and Mary.

They used a wicker basket and stove to maintain the warmth to keep the newborns alive, and they survived the first critical hours. It was the only case recorded at the time in which all babies were born alive in one in five deliveries. The news spread quickly and became a celebrity, a combination of medical craze and public interest.

The large Dion family, already financially strapped major depression, She was stunned by the sudden popularity of the pentagram. Oliva, the father, initially signed a contract to exhibit them in the circus Chicago World’s Fair In exchange for thousands of dollars, but the deal was canceled. Redcross society Non-profit intervention by providing financial and medical care.

However, funds did not help enough and the pressure increased. He March 15, 1935He Parliament of Ontario The government passed a law detaining the girls until their return 18 years, It argued that it did so to ensure protection against commercial exploitation. Parents can visit them only under a restrictive regime. However, the pentagrams A “The Human Zoo” Financing Dr. Dafoe and the StateKnown as QuintlandAudiences paid to see them.

Allan Roy Dafoe, a country doctor in the calendar of Ontario, was unknown until the birth of the pentagram. Her expert assistance during childbirth brought her sudden fame. Dafoe capitalized on his fameBy offering paid talks Canada and the United States And was welcomed by former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is proposed Nobel Prize in MedicineAlthough he didn’t win.

Dafoe became a controversial figure by handling the custody of the Five and controlling all business deals under the state’s defense structure. He was in constant conflict with the father, Oliva Dionne, over custody and the monetary benefits generated by the girls. Dafoe died in 1943. and amassed a significant estate through involvement in the lives of the Dion sisters.

The quintet lived in isolation, under constant supervision Exhibited as an attraction until 1943. After a long legal battle, the parents regained custody and moved into the 19-room home. Family life was difficult and the sisters later reported suffering physical abuse and psychological harassment from their father.

EmilyEntered a convent, died of a seizure 20 years. Mary He also briefly entered the religious life, but died 26 years Under mysterious circumstances. Yvonne and Cecily They also left the family to study nursing. Annette, Cecil and Mary had children, although Mary died young. Three survivors They successfully sued the Canadian government in the 1990s. and received financial compensation for years of exploitation.

Yvonne died in 2001therefore, Annette and Cecil They are the only survivors. Currently, they share a modest house in the suburbs MontrealThey live far away from the media frenzy that marked their childhood.