THE CRACK MOTHER

Aug. 24, 1989

THEN: Nita Nichols made the cover of WW in 1989 as the quintessential crack mother. Tall and slender with deep brown eyes, she moved with a grace that belied her addiction. But her life was a vicious cycle of maternity wards, drug-rehab centers and crack cocaine. She lost custody of all four of her children, yet never seemed to lose hope that someday they would be reunited. She was 22 years old.

NOW: After the WW article, the cycle continued. Nita gave birth to three more children over the next few years. In December 2002, Nita was struck by a cab while crossing a dimly lit section of Northeast Killingsworth Street. A second vehicle dragged her body 30 blocks before she was finally hit by a third car. She died of head and neck injuries. She was 35 years old and left behind seven children.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Intro | Tonya's Mob: Tonya Harding, Jeff Gillooly & Shawn Eckardt | The Crusader: Gordon Shadburne | The Meteor: Billy Ray Bates | Satan's Pilgrim: Rex Diabolos Church | The Firebrand: Ron Herndon | The Bad Boy: Frank Peters | The Broken Halo: Michael Stoops | The Crack Mother: Anita Nichols | The Veejay: Kennedy | The Girl from Electra: Treva Throneberry | The Perfect Victim: Azalea Cooley | The Grappler: Dutch Savage | Wonder Boy: Pat Gillis | The Ex-Files: Marcia & Steve Moskowitz | The Witness: Dave Mazzella | The Prankster: Igor Vamos | The Intern: Monica Lewinsky | The Runaways: Diane Walden & Peter | Top Cop: Mark Kroeker | Sprawl Kitten: Kate Schiele | Authority Figure: Rocky Balada | The Hulk: Dry Dock 4 | The Candidate: Gail Shibley | The Super: Ben Canada | The Organ Grinder: Dr. William J. Brady | Pillars of the Community: The Lovejoy Columns | The Survivor: Giles Thompson | The Contender: Andy Minsker | Space Invader: The Phantom Dialer | The Red Menace: Ma Anand Sheela