Charles Cullen was born on February 22, 1960, in New Jersey. He had a difficult childhood, as his mother was killed in a tragic car accident when he was a teenager. The accident occurred while his sister was driving the car, leaving Cullen to cope with the loss of his mother at a young age.
Cullen dropped out of high school and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, but his military career was short-lived. In 1984, he was medically discharged due to mental instability and multiple suicide attempts. Following his discharge, Cullen embarked on a career in nursing, working in various hospitals across the country.
It was during his time as a nurse that Cullen's dark side began to emerge. He moved from hospital to hospital, using his position to murder patients by injecting them with lethal doses of drugs. His killing spree went undetected for years, as hospitals failed to connect the suspicious deaths to Cullen.
It is estimated that Cullen may have been responsible for the deaths of around 400 people during his 16-year nursing career. His crimes shocked the nation and exposed a serious flaw in the healthcare system that allowed a serial killer to operate unchecked.
Not much is known about Cullen's personal life outside of his criminal activities. He remained secretive and reserved, rarely sharing details about his past or his motivations for his actions. His troubled childhood and experiences in the Navy likely played a significant role in shaping his dark persona.
The case of Charles Cullen remains one of the most infamous in American criminal history. His ability to evade detection for so long and the sheer number of victims he claimed have left a lasting impact on the healthcare industry. Hospitals have since implemented stricter protocols and procedures to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.