Home / Crime and Justice / Aileen Wuornos' Adoptive Mother Embraces Her "Heart of Gold" Despite Murders
Aileen Wuornos' Adoptive Mother Embraces Her "Heart of Gold" Despite Murders
6 Nov
Summary
- Aileen Wuornos adopted by Arlene and Robert Pralle in 1991 while in prison
- Arlene believed Aileen was not a serial killer and "has a heart of gold"
- Arlene paid weekly visits and spoke to Aileen on the phone daily
In November 2025, a new Netflix documentary titled "Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers" has reignited interest in the life of Aileen Wuornos, the notorious female serial killer who murdered seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. However, the documentary fails to explore one intriguing aspect of Wuornos' story - her adoption by a born-again Christian couple, Arlene and Robert Pralle, in 1991 while she was incarcerated.
Arlene Pralle, who was 44 years old at the time, felt "completely prompted by God" to reach out to Wuornos after her arrest. Despite the public backlash, Arlene and her husband Robert adopted the 35-year-old Wuornos, whom they affectionately called "Lee." Arlene believed Wuornos was not a serial killer and had "a heart of gold," even after all she had been through. The Pralles paid weekly visits to Wuornos in jail and spoke to her on the phone every night, racking up $4,000 in phone bills.
In the years leading up to her execution in 2002, Wuornos and the Pralles had planned to "run a horse ranch and raise she-wolves" together. Arlene, who was also adopted, remained steadfast in her support for Wuornos, stating, "It makes no difference to myself or my husband whether she's guilty or innocent. She is still a human being and deserves to have a friend."
