Aileen Wuornos’ Adoptive Mother: Arlene Pralle and Their Relationship

Key Takeaways

• Arlene Pralle, a born-again Christian, adopted serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 1991 while Aileen was incarcerated.
• Arlene believed she was divinely guided by Jesus to reach out to Aileen and provide her with a loving family.
• Arlene and her husband, Robert, aimed to give Aileen a sense of belonging and support during her legal troubles.
• Arlene frequently visited Aileen in jail, maintained nightly phone calls, and spent a substantial amount on phone bills.
• Arlene and Robert lived on a horse farm and were animal lovers.
• Arlene has appeared in multiple documentaries about Aileen’s life, reflecting her involvement and perspective on the case.

Aileen Wuornos, the subject of the Netflix documentary "Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers," led a turbulent life culminating in her conviction for the murders of several men in Florida. A lesser-known aspect of her story is her adoption at the age of 35 by Arlene and Robert Pralle, a couple who felt compelled to offer her a loving home despite her circumstances. This decision, driven by Arlene’s strong Christian faith, saw the couple welcome Aileen into their lives in 1991 while Aileen was in prison.

Arlene Pralle, a born-again Christian, felt a divine calling to reach out to Aileen after learning about her arrest. According to Arlene, Jesus instructed her to contact Aileen, and she wrote to the incarcerated woman explaining her purpose. In the 1992 documentary "Aileen: The Selling of a Serial Killer," Arlene revealed that Aileen had asked God to send a Christian woman into her life for support. This connection sparked a relationship that led to the Pralles adopting Aileen as their daughter.

Arlene and Robert’s motivation stemmed from a desire to provide Aileen with the sense of family she had never experienced. They wanted her to know what it felt like to have people who genuinely cared about her and weren’t going to hurt her. Arlene frequently visited Aileen in jail and spoke to her on the phone every night. They chose to call Aileen "Lee". She amassed a significant amount in phone bills, all to support her. Arlene focused on building a personal connection and maintained that Aileen was not a serial killer in her heart.

Before her involvement with Aileen, Arlene had become a born-again Christian in 1981. She had had two suicide attempts before then. Arlene herself was adopted. Before Aileen came into their lives, the couple had no children of their own. The Pralles owned and operated a horse farm. They had been breeding Tennessee walking horses since 1990. Arlene has an active Instagram account where she shares pictures of her cats.

According to the 2003 documentary, "Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer," Arlene and Aileen had initially planned to run a horse ranch together. However, Aileen was charged with first-degree murder in 1992 and sentenced to death. She was executed by lethal injection on October 9, 2002.

Arlene and Robert still reside in Florida and have been married for over 50 years. Arlene has often expressed her affection and gratitude for her husband, highlighting his patience and support. She has appeared in other documentaries about Aileen including, "Aileen: The Selling of a Serial Killer".

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