Bailey Sarian

Holiday shopping is a drag, so why not give gifts with a story—preferably one involving whale vomit, possessed dolls, or a Roman emperor's failed attempt to drown his mother? Bailey Sarian digs through her favorite Dark History stories to bring you the most bizarre, gruesome, and historically real presents. From baby cages to yogurt enemas, these gifts really send a message.

In January 2019, Bailey Sarian launched her iconic "Murder, Mystery & Makeup" series with a deep dive into the Chris Watts case[reference:0]. While applying her makeup, she dissected the 2,000-page discovery document released by the Weld County District Attorney's Office[reference:1][reference:2]. The files contained a chilling trove of evidence: police interviews, text messages, FBI interviews, and the killer's own disturbing Google searches[reference:3][reference:4]. Sarian's video went viral, earning over 8.5 million views and cementing her as a true crime icon[reference:5]. This is the case that changed true crime content forever.

In 1997, an Indian surgeon transplanted a pig's heart and lungs into a dying man—and was thrown in jail for it. Dr. Dhani Ram Baruah's historic xenotransplant kept patient Purno Saikia alive for seven days, but authorities arrested him for murder and fraud, his research institute was burned down, and his career was destroyed[reference:0][reference:1]. Meanwhile, American doctors who performed the same procedure in 2022 were celebrated as pioneers[reference:2]. This is the dark, untold story of the man who was punished for saving a life.

She was a cocktail waitress with red hair and a messy divorce. In 1965, her two young children vanished from their Queens apartment. One was found strangled that same day, the other discovered days later. The media painted her as a femme fatale, a woman who didn't fit the mold of a grieving mother. The prosecution had no weapon, no witnesses, and no physical evidence—only a contradiction in her story about what time the children ate dinner. Was Alice Crimmins a cold-blooded killer or a victim of a society that judged her for her lifestyle? This is one of America's most controversial murder cases.

Close your eyes and journey back to a time when punishment was a brutal art form. A story of pain, power, and the cruel ingenuity of ancient civilizations. The Brazen Bull of Ancient Greece, a hollow bronze statue where victims were roasted alive, their screams transformed into the bull's roar for the amusement of spectators[reference:0][reference:1]. Scaphism, a Persian method where victims were trapped between boats, smeared with honey, and devoured alive by insects over days[reference:2][reference:3][reference:4]. And the Judas Cradle, a pyramid-shaped device that slowly impaled victims as they were lowered onto it, their weight ripping through their pelvis[reference:5][reference:6]. These are the forgotten punishments of the past.

Mary Ann Cotton was a monster in human shape, a Victorian-era mother who poisoned at least 21 people—including her own children, husbands, and lovers—for profit and pleasure over nearly two decades[reference:0][reference:1]. She abused the trust of those closest to her, collecting life insurance payouts as her victims died agonizing deaths from "gastric fever"[reference:2]. Described as Britain's first female serial killer, she was hanged in 1873[reference:3]. Her crimes predate Jack the Ripper and surpass even the most notorious killers in body count[reference:4]. This is the dark story of a Victorian gangster mastermind who hid behind the mask of a grieving widow.

For centuries, childbirth was a female-dominated ritual shrouded in mystery and danger. Medieval practices included "child-breaking" and baptism in utero, while midwives were systematically excluded from Caesarean operations[reference:0][reference:1]. In the 19th century, maternal mortality rates were staggering, with puerperal sepsis causing over half of all deaths[reference:2]. The short-lived "twilight sleep" promised pain relief through morphine and scopolamine but often erased memory and increased risks[reference:3][reference:4]. Women's bodies were battlegrounds of medicine, superstition, and control, a dark history where giving birth was a gamble with life itself.

A dark history exploring the chilling intersection of fortune telling, mediumship, and murder—where those who claimed to speak to spirits were themselves killers, or became victims of their clients' twisted beliefs. From the 17th-century French fortune teller La Voisin, whose poison ring murdered hundreds, to the 18th-century Yorkshire "witch" Mary Bateman who used her healing practice to poison her victims. History is filled with mystics who traded their craft for blood. Modern cases include commune leader Daniel Perez, who murdered a woman to collect $2 million in life insurance, and Raita Fukusaku, convicted of killing a famous Japanese psychic. Britain's "last witch" Helen Duncan was imprisoned under the 1735 Witchcraft Act for holding séances during wartime. These stories prove that the line between healer, prophet, and killer is often written in blood.

Morrer no Brasil é um negócio bilionário e, muitas vezes, abusivo. O setor funerário movimenta cerca de R$ 7 bilhões por ano, um mercado imune a crises que lucra com a dor e a vulnerabilidade das famílias enlutadas[reference:0][reference:1]. Em São Paulo, após a privatização dos cemitérios, os preços dos funerais mais que triplicaram, com o pacote mais básico custando quase R$ 600 e o "luxo" ultrapassando R$ 5.700[reference:2]. Famílias de baixa renda, que por lei teriam direito à gratuidade, são coagidas a pagar por serviços que deveriam ser gratuitos, gerando mais de 200 denúncias por abuso de preço[reference:3][reference:4]. A indústria da morte transforma o luto em lucro, vendendo desde caixões até hologramas e música ao vivo para quem pode pagar[reference:5]. Enquanto isso, famílias endividadas lutam contra a burocracia para enterrar seus entes queridos com dignidade[reference:6].

Princesses. They're gorgeous, they're happy, they're all sparkles and rainbows and everything good. But what if I told you the stories behind some of our favorite princesses are dark? Like DARK dark[reference:0]. In today's episode, we look at some of our favorite fairy tales and their origin story. And to no one's surprise… Disney didn't exactly get it right[reference:1]. Join Bailey Sarian as she uncovers the disturbing history behind your favorite Disney films.