At first glance, Aileen Wuornos appeared to be an ordinary little girl—bright-eyed, blonde, and shy. But beneath that fragile surface lay a life marked by neglect, violence, and trauma that would one day make her one of America’s most infamous figures.

Born in 1956 in Michigan, Aileen’s early years were chaotic. Her 20-year-old mother abandoned her and her brother at age four, later calling it “the biggest mistake” of her life. Their father, imprisoned for assaulting a child, took his own life behind bars. The siblings went to live with their grandparents, but the home offered no safety.

Her grandmother battled alcoholism, while her grandfather was reportedly abusive. “We suffered a form of child abuse,” Aileen’s mother would later admit. “We were always told we were no good.”

At just 13, Aileen became pregnant after being assaulted. Rumors about the father circulated, but no one believed her, and no report was filed. She gave the baby up for adoption, hoping he’d have a better life. Soon after, her grandmother died, and her grandfather also took his life.

Aileen and her brother became wards of the state. By 11, she was trading sexual favors for food and cigarettes. She dropped out of school, drifted onto the streets, and survived through petty crime and prostitution. Arrests for theft and assault followed her into adulthood.

By her mid-20s, she had settled in Florida. In 1989, police discovered a man’s body near Daytona Beach—shot several times. Within weeks, Aileen confessed to killing several men, claiming she acted in self-defense against those who tried to assault her.