Linda Hazzard | |
|---|---|
 Hazzard, 1912 | |
| Born | Lynda Laura Burfield December 18, 1867 Carver, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | June 24, 1938 (aged 70) |
| Cause of death | Starvation due to fasting |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Linda Burfield Hazzard "Starvation Doctor" |
| Occupation(s) | Confidence trickster, alternative medicine practitioner |
| Known for | Health fraud through promotion of fasting treatments |
| Criminal status | Imprisonment (1913–1915) Parole (1915) Pardon (1916) |
| Spouse | Samuel Chrisman Hazzard |
| Parent(s) | Montgomery and Susanna Neil (Wakefield) Burfield |
| Motive | Financial gain |
| Criminal charge | Manslaughter, forgery |
| Penalty | 2 to 20 years in prison |
| Imprisoned at | Washington State Penitentiary, Walla Walla, Washington |
Linda Laura Hazzard (née Burfield; December 18, 1867 – June 24, 1938), nicknamed the "Starvation Doctor",[1] was an American quack, swindler and convicted serial killer noted for her promotion of fasting, pummeling and hours-long enemas as treatments. In 1911, Hazzard was found guilty of manslaughter in the state of Washington and was sentenced to 2 to 20 years of hard labor for killing at least 15 people for financial gain at a sanitarium she operated near Seattle in the early 20th century. She was released on parole after only serving two years and later, on the condition that she move to New Zealand, received a full pardon from Governor Ernest Lister in 1916. Hazzard died at 70 after subjecting herself to her treatment methods.
- ^ Perper, Joshua A.; Cina, Stephen J. (2010). When Doctors Kill: Who, Why, and How. Copernicus Books. pp. 33-35. ISBN 978-1-4419-1368-5