Society loves to celebrate child prodigies, holding them up as examples of what’s possible. We often believe a gifted childhood guarantees a successful and virtuous adulthood. However, sometimes the very individuals who once showed so much promise end up embodying the worst aspects of society. Here are ten child prodigies who, for various reasons, grew into adults that shocked the world.
Julian Edgren
Julian Edgren excelled as a child, displaying impressive piano skills at the Westminster Conservatory and earning excellent grades in school. This led to his acceptance into Princeton University, where he played with the university’s pianist ensemble. However, his life took a dark turn when he got involved with drugs. Edgren became a drug dealer, supplying students at Princeton, the same institution where he was once a celebrated pianist. His downfall was significant, as he abused the same environment that lifted him up.
After authorities intercepted a package containing controlled substances addressed to him, a search of his apartment revealed even more drugs. Edgren was convicted on one count of drug distribution and possession, resulting in a 5-year prison sentence. Although he was released after only a year, he never returned to Princeton, marking a sad end to his promising start.
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer became the youngest chess grandmaster at age 15, achieving worldwide fame. His victory against Soviet player Boris Spassky in 1972, during the height of the Cold War, was seen as a triumph of democracy over communism. However, after forfeiting his title, Fischer’s behavior became increasingly erratic. He began expressing anti-Semitic views and involving himself in controversial religious movements, which was particularly shocking given his own Jewish heritage.
In 1991, Fischer violated U.S. sanctions by playing a chess rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia. He went on the run to avoid charges, and celebrated the World Trade Center attacks during a radio broadcast. He was later arrested in Japan for using an invalid passport and spent months in jail before Iceland granted him citizenship. Fischer died in Iceland in 2005, never disavowing his controversial views.
Brock Turner
Brock Turner was a talented athlete, winning two State Swimming championships and aiming for the Olympics. His swimming skills earned him a scholarship to Stanford University. However, his status as a university athlete fostered a sense of entitlement, leading to several minor offenses with little to no consequences. This culminated in a severe crime that would change his life forever.
On January 18, 2015, Turner was caught sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman behind a dumpster on Stanford’s campus. Despite both being heavily intoxicated and claiming to have little memory of the incident, witness statements made it clear that Turner had sexually assaulted the unconscious woman. He was convicted of sexual assault and attempted rape but received a lenient six-month prison sentence, of which he served only three due to good behavior. This controversial decision amplified the perception that Turner felt he was above the law.
Jack Kevorkian
From a young age, Jack Kevorkian was inquisitive, knowledgeable, and eager to share what he knew. This thirst for knowledge made him an excellent student, teaching himself German and Japanese and entering high school after sixth grade. He graduated from high school at 17 and became a doctor in 1952.
Kevorkian became a strong advocate for euthanasia, believing that terminally ill patients should have the right to end their lives. His views were not shared by the mainstream medical community. But Kevorkian began euthanizing patients while it was still illegal, with some cases suggesting the patients didn’t want to die. In 1999, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. After serving eight years, he was released in 2007 and remained an outspoken proponent of euthanasia until his death in 2011.
Jennifer Pan
Jennifer Pan, the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, faced immense pressure to succeed. She excelled in academics, piano, dance, and figure skating, even being considered for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics until a torn ligament ended her hopes. As she grew older, she struggled to meet her parents’ expectations. Later in high school, she forged report cards to keep them happy and began an on-again, off-again relationship with a drug dealer named Daniel Wong, which her parents strongly opposed.
Unable to openly see Wong and facing strict restrictions at home, she conspired with Wong to have her parents killed, with the intention to gain her freedom and a share of their estate. She left the door unlocked for assailants to enter her parent’s home. Her parents were shot, and her mother died. However, her father survived. The murder plot was revealed when Pan gave inconsistent statements to the police. Pan, Wong, and their accomplices were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.
Dinh Bowman
When 42-year-old Yancy Noll was shot in his car in Seattle, the city was gripped by fear. Noll was known as a gentle person, so police had no leads. Witnesses reported that the shooter drove a silver BMW coupe with a broken passenger window. Eventually, police received a tip that Dinh Bowman was their suspect.
Bowman was the son of a Boeing engineer and a Vietnamese refugee. He entered university at 12 and specialized in robotics. In addition to possessing a recently painted BMW coupe with a new passenger window, Bowman’s computer contained videos of him shooting guns and instructions on how to shoot through a window. There were also thousands of documents about murder and how to cover it up. Bowman was convicted of first-degree murder in 2014 and sentenced to 29 years in prison.
Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez was a football star from an early age, excelling throughout middle and high school. After playing at the University of Florida, Hernandez was drafted into the NFL, playing tight end for the New England Patriots. He helped his team reach Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, but the Patriots lost to the New York Giants.
Hernandez’s career ended in 2013 when he was arrested for the murder of Odin Lloyd, an acquaintance and the boyfriend of his fiancé’s sister. Investigations linked Hernandez to a previously unsolved drive-by shooting that killed two men. The Patriots distanced themselves from Hernandez, and he was convicted of first-degree murder in Lloyd’s death in 2015, receiving a life sentence. He was acquitted of the other murders in 2017. Five days later, Hernandez committed suicide in prison.
Russell Williams
Russell Williams seemed like a normal child until his teens. He attended the prestigious Upper Canada College and was a Prefect in his senior year. As an adult, Williams joined the Canadian Forces in 1987, rising to the rank of Colonel and commander of Canadian Forces Base Trenton. He was a pilot for the Prime Minister, Governor-General, and the Queen of England.
However, Williams led a double life as a killer who terrorized his Ontario community, murdering two young women. In addition to the murders, Williams was a serial burglar who stole women’s underwear. He was arrested after his car was seen at one of the crime scenes, and tire treads matched those found at the scene. Wearing the same shoes he had worn during the crime to the police station, Williams was arrested. In 2010, he was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 25 years after pleading guilty to 88 charges, including murder, sexual assault, and breaking and entering.
Dellen Millard
Born into a prominent aviation family, Dellen Millard set a world record at 14 as the youngest person to fly both a helicopter and an airplane on the same day. However, he would later make headlines for far darker reasons. In 2013, Tim Bosma disappeared after going on a test drive with two men interested in buying his truck. Millard became the prime suspect, and police soon charged him and his friend Mark Smich with first-degree murder. Further investigation revealed their involvement in the death of Laura Babcock, Millard’s ex-girlfriend.
At trial, it was revealed that Bosma was shot in his truck, and his body was burned in an animal incinerator. Laura Babcock suffered the same fate. Millard was also charged with the murder of his father, which had previously been ruled a suicide. Millard was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and received a life sentence with no possibility of parole for 75 years, the longest prison sentence in Ontario history.
Ted Kaczynski
Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, was a gifted child, excelling in mathematics. He skipped grades and entered Harvard University at age 16, completing his undergraduate degree by 20. He earned a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Michigan and became an assistant professor at UC Berkeley. Frustrated with modern society and technology, he left Berkeley in 1969 and lived a solitary life.
Kaczynski began his bombing campaign in 1978, targeting universities, airlines, and individuals linked to technology. He sent bombs through the mail for 18 years. He offered to end his campaign if a major newspaper published his manifesto, which demanded major changes to society. The Washington Post published his manifesto, leading his brother to recognize his views. Kaczynski was arrested, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Reflecting on Prodigies Gone Astray
The stories of these child prodigies serve as cautionary tales. They remind us that talent alone does not guarantee a positive outcome. Factors such as mental health, environment, and personal choices play crucial roles in shaping an individual’s life. Ultimately, these stories challenge us to consider the pressures placed on young talent and the importance of holistic development.
