MacabreDaily's Kill of the Month: Nurse Karen Bailey - HALLOWEEN II
Dr. Sam Loomis said it best. “Death has come to your little town.” And on that fateful Halloween night in 1978, death came knocking. So, pack your bags, dear readers. We’re off to Haddonfield, specifically to visit Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, to pay our respects to the nightshift nurse, Karen Bailey.
NAME: Karen Ann Bailey
KNOWN AS: Nurse Karen
BORN: June 26th, 1952
DIED: October 31st, 1978
KNOW RELATIVES: Unknown
POLICE REPORT
The deceased was found naked in the hydrotherapy room, body lying next to a bubbling pool. The face was horribly blistered, skin peeling off. It was deduced that she had suffered third-degree burns to her face and upper torso. Unfortunately, that’s not what killed her. According to the coroner, Ms. Bailey died by drowning. Water was discovered in her lungs.
Forensic officers scoured the room and reached the conclusion that she was drowned in the hydrotherapy pool. The water was turned up to boiling point, which accounts for the burns.
Her death would have been excruciating. Coroner estimates that she was alive for a few minutes before succumbing to drowning.
WHY IS THIS DEATH IS MEMORABLE?
Whenever I discuss Halloween II with anyone, I immediately conjure up an image of Karen being held under the scolding water by Michael Myers. Her screams echoing down the corridors of the hospital are chilling. But it’s the gradual demise that really sticks with you. Michael almost toys with her. Karen screams, Michael pushes her head down under the surface of the water. He pulls her back up, checking out her face before shoving her head back down. He repeats this process until she finally passes away.
When it comes to Halloween kills, this certainly ranks in many top ten lists for its brutality. While the kill was rather simplistic in comparison to others from the franchise, the sheer terror of being forced head-first into a scalding hot pool is second to none. Feeling your skin burn and peel away, flesh dangling from your cheeks would be excruciating. Having someone’s hands gripping your hair and shoulders as they restrict your movement also adds to both the pain and fear. But being forced into scolding hot water? Imagine that perforating your throat as you struggle underwater. It truly is the stuff of nightmares.
Nurse Karen was portrayed by Pamela Susan Shoop. Prior to her appearance in Halloween II, Pamela had a decent career, guest starring on many beloved television shows, something that she continued to do after Halloween II. She hasn’t had a television or film role since 1996, but reportedly still frequents the theatre. Halloween II remains to be her best-known film role.
Having your head boiled like a lobster certainly isn’t something you’d find on a bucket list, but sadly, these sorts of things happen in Haddonfield. And for Nurse Karen Bailey, it happened on that fateful Halloween night in 1978.
The night HE came home…
