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The 2005 film is noteworthy for implying that the village priest, Ferdinand Massé (named
Antoine Leduc in the film), was complicit in Aurore's death, which is false. In the film, Leduc repeatedly claims that Aurore is a difficult child as well as a compulsive liar; he also dismisses other villagers'
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The Gagnon children went to live with their grandparents for a few months in
Leclercville, another neighbouring municipality. The children returned to their father's home in the summer of 1919; it was then that Aurore began to be abused. Houde did not abuse her stepdaughter only physically; several
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and sentenced to life in prison. The jury decided not to convict him of murder since they believed his wife had manipulated him into abusing his daughter. TĂ©lesphore was paroled in 1925, on the grounds of good behaviour. He also had a throat tumor, which doctors thought would kill him within a few
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Aurore died on 12 February 1920. Her autopsy was conducted in the church sacristy by Dr. Albert Marois, who noticed around 54 wounds all over her body. The wounds were a result of several blows administered over time. The most severe wound was located on the side of Aurore's skull. Her scalp was
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TĂ©lesphore spent most of the remainder of his life in obscurity. However, his name returned to the public spotlight because of an upcoming film about the case. TĂ©lesphore and his family unsuccessfully tried to stop the release of the film on the grounds that it would damage their reputation.
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The film was slated to be released in the fall of 1951, but TĂ©lesphore Gagnon tried to obtain an injunction to prevent this. The Court ruled in favour of the producers, citing, among other things, the fact that TĂ©lesphore had never objected to the release of the play in 1921.
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The case of Aurore Gagnon is well-documented in the historic literature of Quebec. Many still consider her case to be a turning point for children's rights in Quebec and even in all of Canada. Indeed, the case helped to spark public interest in the realities of
200:. Marie-Anne Houde, the widow of a cousin of TĂ©lesphore, soon moved into the Gagnon home, saying that she wanted to "take care of the house and children." She was a 30-something-year-old mother of two sons, GĂ©rard and Henri-Georges. She was born in
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months. However, TĂ©lesphore survived and returned to his hometown and previous life. He wrote several letters to Marie-Anne Houde, who was still in prison. After her death, TĂ©lesphore remarried. He died on 30 August 1961, at age 78.
193:, 100 kilometers southwest of Quebec City. The Gagnons' first child, Marie-Jeanne, was born in August 1907. Aurore's birth was quickly followed by that of Lucina, then Georges-Étienne in 1910 and Joseph in 1915.
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Houde was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Although the jury did not recommend mercy, her sentence was commuted to life in prison. Houde was paroled on health grounds on 3 July 1935. She died of
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played Télesphore Gagnon. Thérèse McKinnon, who had played Aurore on stage, ended up playing Marie-Anne Caron, Aurore's biological mother, in the film. The role of Aurore was played by
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Aurore Gagnon's funeral took place on 14 February 1920; the Mass was led by Fr. Ferdinand Massé. After the funeral, Télesphore and Houde were arrested and charged with killing Aurore.
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The trials attracted significant attention from the public, and dozens of people had to be turned away at every hearing. The press coverage of the case inspired two actors,
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family. She was the second of five children of farmer TĂ©lesphore Gagnon and his first wife Marie-Anne Caron, whom he had married in
September 1906. They lived in
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412:. It was sold out for the first few weeks of its release, which was a first for a Québécois film. The film would later be dubbed into eight languages.
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321:; it was a smash hit. After having performed the play at five other Montreal theatres, the cast and crew toured all of Quebec and also performed in
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218:. Since TĂ©lesphore could not take care of the farm and his children all by himself, he married Houde in a private ceremony the following week.
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with a severe leg infection that was caused by her stepmother branding her with a metal poker. Upon her release, the beatings resumed.
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caked in dried blood and pus, and her left thigh was swollen. The skin on her hands and wrists had been ripped off down to the bone.
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and the seaside provinces. In the span of 25 years, the play was performed over 6,000 times and was seen by about 180,000 people.
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from some 52 wounds inflicted by her stepmother, Marie-Anne Houde, and her father, TĂ©lesphore Gagnon. The story of
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On 6 November 1917, two-year-old Joseph was found dead in his bed; a coroner's inquest deemed it a natural death.
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as
Justice of the Peace Oréus Mailhot. Like the 1951 film, the 2005 film was a box office hit, making a total of
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during the first weekend of showings; at the time, this was a summer record for a Québécois film.
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eyewitnesses testified that she had once tried to poison Aurore by urging her to drink
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in northern
Montreal. Lucie Mitchell reprised her role as Marie-Anne Houde, whereas
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In
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In 1916, not long after Joseph's birth, Marie-Anne Caron was hospitalized for
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149:(31 May 1909 – 12 February 1920), was a Canadian girl who was a victim of
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169:) received great attention in the media and Aurore became an icon of
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The film was released on 8 July 2005. Acting alongside
Fortier were
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concerns for Aurore and even discourages them from intervening.
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The play premiered on 21 January 1921 at the Théâtre
Alcazar in
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On 23 January 1918, Marie-Anne Caron died of her illness at the
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The following actresses took turns playing Marie-Anne Houde:
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Dictionnaire
Biographique du Canada en ligne, GAGNON, AURORE
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about Aurore Gagnon was announced; it was produced by
424:, was performed in 1984. This remake was directed by
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515:recognized Aurore as a historical figure (French:
379:Filming took place during the summer of 1951 in
78:Sainte-Philomène-de-Fortierville, Quebec, Canada
834:– Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History
352:. The role of Aurore was most often played by
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609:Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française
584:Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique française
189:, a small village on the south shore of the
826:the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
800:Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec
671:"Aurore! The Mystery of the Martyred Child"
665:
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372:to make a film about Aurore Gagnon's life.
272:Aurore's older sister Marie-Jeanne died in
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832:Aurore! The Mystery of the Martyred Child
288:in Quebec, with almost mythical status.
60:Sainte-Philomène-de-Fortierville, Quebec
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655:La petite histoire du crime au Québec
642:La petite histoire du crime au Québec
460:, who was ten years old at the time.
420:A remake of the play, titled simply
370:Alliance cinématographique canadienne
181:Gagnon was born into and raised in a
7:
563:Aurore (Part 1 w/ English Subtitles)
408:, premiered on 25 April 1952 at the
922:Incidents of violence against girls
902:Infectious disease deaths in Quebec
405:La petite Aurore: l'enfant martyre
173:sociological and popular culture.
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771:(documentary, Radio-Canada, 2004)
204:, a neighbouring municipality of
511:On 7 December 2015, the town of
284:Aurore Gagnon remains a popular
132:Georges-Etienne Gagnon (brother)
723:, Stanké, 2001, p. 530-531
887:Child abuse resulting in death
605:"Généalogie Télesphore Gagnon"
580:"Généalogie Télesphore Gagnon"
383:, a small municipality on the
376:was hired to direct the film.
1:
757:L'affaire de la petite Aurore
745:L'affaire de la petite Aurore
733:L'affaire de la petite Aurore
479:as Father Antoine Leduc, and
912:People from Centre-du-Québec
872:20th-century Canadian people
260:TĂ©lesphore was convicted of
143:Marie-Aurore-Lucienne Gagnon
130:Marie-Jeanne Gagnon (sister)
46:Marie-Aurore-Lucienne Gagnon
877:20th-century Canadian women
257:on 12 May 1936, at age 46.
27:Canadian child abuse victim
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838:Genealogy of Aurore Gagnon
917:People murdered in Quebec
769:Aurore, la vraie histoire
304:, to write a play titled
675:www.canadianmysteries.ca
475:as Marie-Jeanne Gagnon,
469:Hélène Bourgeois-Leclerc
312:Aurore, the Child Martyr
307:Aurore, l'enfant martyre
202:Sainte-Sophie-de-LĂ©vrard
134:Joseph Gagnon (brother)
907:Child murder in Canada
882:1920 murders in Canada
653:Hélène-Andrée Bizier,
644:, Stanké, 1981, p. 182
640:Hélène-Andrée Bizier,
467:as TĂ©lesphore Gagnon,
165:(English translation:
136:Lucina Gagnon (sister)
897:Female murder victims
657:, Stanké, 1981, p. 16
517:personnage historique
473:Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse
471:as Marie-Anne Houde,
101:Fortierville Cemetery
721:La Mémoire du Québec
231:Hôtel-Dieu de Québec
206:Fortierville, Quebec
187:Fortierville, Quebec
708:Marie-Jeanne Gagnon
696:Marie-Jeanne Gagnon
436:as her stepmother.
410:Théâtre Saint-Denis
84:Cause of death
892:Deaths from sepsis
495:Other developments
346:Henriette Berthier
280:In popular culture
191:St. Lawrence River
145:, simply known as
109:Being a victim of
529:Cinderella effect
502:domestic violence
402:The film, titled
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120:TĂ©lesphore Gagnon
16:(Redirected from
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458:Marianne Fortier
452:and directed by
426:René Richard Cyr
389:Paul Desmarteaux
374:Jean-Yves Bigras
354:Thérèse McKinnon
338:Nana de Varennes
334:Germaine Germain
167:The Child Martyr
163:l'enfant martyre
122:Marie-Anne Caron
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71:12 February 1920
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847:Find a Grave
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534:Child murder
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477:Yves Jacques
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298:Henri Rollin
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262:manslaughter
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198:tuberculosis
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73:(1920-02-12)
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867:1920 deaths
862:1909 births
710:(biography)
698:(biography)
677:(in French)
506:child abuse
485:CA$ 972,582
481:RĂ©my Girard
151:child abuse
111:child abuse
56:31 May 1909
856:Categories
805:17 January
614:10 January
589:10 January
540:References
454:Luc Dionne
446:a new film
274:Shawinigan
155:exhaustion
52:1909-05-31
782:Le Soleil
444:In 2004,
440:2005 film
416:1984 play
385:ĂŽle JĂ©sus
360:1950 film
292:1921 play
276:in 1986.
224:detergent
127:Relatives
117:Parent(s)
681:6 August
631:, p. 304
523:See also
319:Montreal
62:, Canada
568:YouTube
323:Ontario
92:fatigue
629:Aurore
422:Aurore
348:, and
251:breast
171:Quebec
88:Sepsis
237:Death
807:2016
683:2022
616:2019
591:2019
504:and
366:1950
300:and
253:and
177:Life
157:and
90:and
68:Died
42:Born
845:at
566:on
519:).
364:In
314:).
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310:(
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