Not much is known about the early years of Baptistine Philip (née Baptistine Favet)—no solid record of her birth date, upbringing, or family background. What we do know paints the image of a middle-aged woman residing in the Provence region of France, employed as a domestic servant in Aix (Aix-en-Provence).

By February 1871, Philip had taken a job as a maid for a wealthy older widow named Madame Martin. She had only been in the household for under a month when Martin suddenly fell gravely ill, vomiting and convulsing until she died. At the time, medical professionals concluded it was cholera.

Baptistine Philip started her murderous spree in February 1871 while working as a maid for an elderly wealthy woman named Madame Martin in Aix, France. Within a month of her employment, Martin was poisoned with arsenic—collapsing into convulsions and vomiting before dying. At the time, doctors mistakenly attributed her death to cholera. Philip seized the opportunity, declaring herself the sole heiress, inheriting most of Martin’s fortune, and even looting her home for cash and jewelry. Despite relatives’ suspicions, no report was made—and Philip flaunted her newfound wealth openly.

A few years later, in 1876, Philip set her sights on family wealth. She convinced her husband’s widower uncle, Lorenzo Philip, to move in. She tended to him, administering meals and "medicine," and on 30 June 1876, he too succumbed to poisoning-like symptoms—fever, chills, unrelenting vomiting—before dying. Lorenzo's assets passed to Philip’s husband, stirring neighborhood gossip—but still, no police involvement.

The final strike came on 21 November 1878, when Philip’s husband, Bartholomew Philip, fell sick and died in agony. She had persuaded him to sign a will favoring her. This time, concerned neighbors reported her to authorities. Bartholomew's body was exhumed and tested—revealing high levels of arsenic. Investigators then exhumed her previous victims and found the same deadly substance in both bodies. 

Her trial began in 1879 and quickly became sensational. Baptistine denied all allegations, claiming she didn’t even know how to obtain poison. A judge challenged her, especially since she had been the only caretaker present during each victim’s illness. During testimony, she bizarrely claimed her first employer paid a washerwoman a large sum—only for the washerwoman to deny it, prompting a judge’s reprimand after Philip insulted her. Medical experts testified they'd never seen such clear evidence of arsenic poisoning, and forensic samples were dramatically displayed in glass jars for the jury. Philip again protested, saying her innocence was all she knew. The jury ultimately convicted her—but with “extenuating circumstances”—and she was sentenced to life hard labor.