Frances Glessner Lee

Frances Glessner Lee
Born(1878-03-25)March 25, 1878
Chicago, Illinois
DiedJanuary 27, 1962(1962-01-27) (aged 83)
Bethlehem, New Hampshire
NationalityAmerican
Known for"Mother of forensic science"
Notable workNutshell Studies of Unexplained Death
SpouseBlewett Harrison Lee

Frances Glessner Lee (March 25, 1878 – January 27, 1962) was an American forensic scientist. She was influential in developing the science of forensics in the United States.[1] To this end, she created the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, twenty true crime scene dioramas recreated in minute detail at dollhouse scale, used for training homicide investigators. Eighteen of the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death are still in use for teaching purposes by the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the dioramas are also now considered works of art.[2] Glessner Lee also helped to establish the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard University, and endowed the Magrath Library of Legal Medicine there.[3] She became the first female police captain in the United States, and is known as the "mother of forensic science".[4][5]

  1. ^ Goldfarb, Bruce (2020). 18 tiny deaths : the untold story of Frances Glessner Lee and the invention of modern forensics. Naperville, Illinois. ISBN 978-1-4926-8047-5. OCLC 1096529139.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Hamilton, William L. (2018). "Heiress Plotted 19 Grisly Crimes. Investigation Underway". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  3. ^ "Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body: Biographies: Frances Glessner Lee (1878–1962)". United States National Library of Medicine. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  4. ^ "Murder Is Her Hobby: Frances Glessner Lee and The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  5. ^ Main, Douglas (June 10, 2014). "The 'Mother Of Forensic Science' Built Dollhouse Crime Scenes". Popular Science. Retrieved February 4, 2018.