Home / Crime and Justice / Wife Poisoned With Lead Recovers, Husband Convicted
Wife Poisoned With Lead Recovers, Husband Convicted
6 Sep
Summary
- Husband sentenced to life for poisoning wife with lead.
- Victim recovered after near-fatal lead poisoning in 2022.
- Contractor's tip led to crucial evidence against husband.
In January 2022, Hannah Pettey was hospitalized with severe symptoms, later discovered to be caused by extensive lead poisoning. Doctors determined the lead was ingested, and the case was investigated as an attempted murder. Her husband, Brian Mann, was identified as the primary suspect.
Following her admission to UAB Hospital, Hannah experienced a seizure and fell into a coma. She underwent intensive medical treatment, including being placed in a medically induced coma and paralyzed to manage fluid buildup in her brain. Her condition was critical, with doctors initially giving her only hours to live.
Investigators initially suspected both Hannah's mother and husband. However, evidence later pointed towards Brian Mann, particularly after a contractor revealed how lead could be prepared for capsules. Brian Mann was arrested in September 2022 and subsequently convicted of attempted murder in June 2025.
Hannah Pettey made a remarkable recovery, defying initial prognoses of severe cognitive impairment. She was able to testify against her husband. Despite the ordeal, she has rebuilt her life, graduating from college with a teaching degree and focusing on her children. Brian Mann was sentenced to life in prison in August 2025.
