Hampstead hoax supporter Maria MacMahon dead

We have learned that Maria MacMahon, a long-time supporter of the Hampstead “Satanic ritual abuse” hoax, died of cancer on 1 November. Maria was a partner, mother, and grandmother; we offer her family our condolences.

It’s difficult to know how to respond appropriately to Maria’s death, as many of our readers will remember that in February 2016 she and several Facebook friends advocated kidnapping RD’s children in order to “save” them from the imaginary cult, in which Maria believed implicitly. As well, in July of that year, she and friend Stephanie Mansell discussed purchasing a “black market piece” in order to stage a vigilante attack against those they were convinced were abusing children in the non-existent cult.

These discussions created a great deal of fear and consternation amongst the families of Hampstead, who worried that once again, they would have to defend their children against deluded hoax believers. We can never condone Maria’s behaviour in this regard, whatever her beliefs.

However, we think it’s important to remember that like any of us, Maria had many facets.

Earlier this autumn, while she was suffering from Stage IV cancer, she found time to commend one of the nurses who was caring for her:

A cancer patient has thanked their nurse for the ‘beautiful kindness’ they’ve shown. Maria MacMahon, who was diagnosed with stage four cancer recently, is under the care of Senior Staff Nurse Jayne Goodwin. Maria wrote to the hospital’s chief executive to say thank you for the outstanding care she had received from the whole team, but particularly praised Jayne, who is taking care of her on the oncology ward at Royal Stoke.

Maria said: “I’m not sure how it is even possible for someone to inspire such trust in me at this very difficult time. Somehow, I’ve been able to ignore the panic of my diagnoses, which was very sudden, and listen to Jayne’s voice, which has become a guiding light for me. I feel such faith and confidence in her care, and it’s not just the beautiful kindness in her eyes and face. It’s the confidence she inspires because of her abilities and capabilities. 

“I just know that any worries anyone may have would be entirely misplaced. I would love as many people as possible to be cared for under her wings. I hope others in my position are as incredibly fortunate as I have been to be sheltered and cared for by her. I’d like to say thank you to the NHS from the bottom of my heart for gifting me the care of Jayne Goodwin, a legend.”

Maria has given Jayne the UHNM Hero award in acknowledgement of the exceptional care she has given.

Jayne said: “It’s so lovely to hear Maria’s words. Really, I just view it as doing my job, but it’s a very nice surprise to receive the recogniton, especially from one of my patients, and to know that you’ve made a difference.”

During the last days of her illness, Maria expressed her fear and dread of what lay ahead of her, but also reached out to friends and family:

This seems like a very different Maria from the one we knew. Reading her last posts, and the loving and supportive responses she received from her friends and family, we’re reminded that we’re more united than divided in our humanity. To allow ourselves to wave off a death, even of a person whose behaviour created fear and distress amongst innocent people, is to allow ourselves to slide into the abyss of rigid, unyielding self-justification. That is the place where we risk forgetting who we are and what we stand for; and if we forget that, what are we fighting for?

In the end, all we can wish for Maria is that she has found peace at the end of the road.