Family: Meme Cullen, Florence Cullen

Serial killer Charles Cullen was born in West Orange, New Jersey, to his parents, Florence Cullen and Meme Cullen. The Good Nurse, a new medical thriller on Netflix, is now based on the true events of Charles Cullen, a former nurse and convicted serial killer who is accused of killing at least 29 victims.

Authorities suspect that the true figure is far higher; according to some sources, it may even reach 400. Everyone who watched the series became curious about his family history.

Cullen, who was born and nurtured by his parents, spoke poorly of his upbringing. At the age of nine, he made his first attempt at suicide by ingesting chemicals from a laboratory setting.

This was the first of 20 similar attempts he would make during his life. Later, while working as a nurse, Cullen had fantasies about robbing the hospital where he worked of its medications and using them to end his life. 

Meet Meme Cullen And Florence Cullen 

Charles was the youngest of eight children born into a devoutly Catholic household in West Orange, New Jersey. His mother raised her children at home while his father worked as a bus driver.

When Cullen was a baby, his father passed away. He lost two of his siblings as adults as well. He was abused during his childhood by his father, Meme Cullen. Cullen said his upbringing was horrible.

At the age of nine, he made his first attempt at suicide by ingesting chemicals from a laboratory setting. When Charles was seven months old, on September 17, 1960, his bus driver's father passed away.

Florence Cullen (née Ward), Cullen's mother, was born in England and immigrated to the United States following World War II.

When Cullen was a senior in high school, on December 6, 1977, she was killed in an automobile accident at 55.

Cullen described his mother's demise as "devastating" and expressed disappointment that the hospital did not notify him promptly and burned his mother's body rather than returning it.

Charles Cullen Described His Childhood As "Miserable"

Charles Cullen dropped out of high school and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1978 following the passing of his parents. He served on the ballistic missile sub USS Woodrow Wilson while assigned to the submarine corps.

As a member of the crew that controlled the ship's Poseidon missiles, Cullen advanced to the rank of petty officer third class.

Cullen was already displaying signs of mental instability.

He once worked a shift while wearing a surgical mask, green scrubs, and latex gloves that were taken from the ship's medicine cabinet.

He was moved to the USS Canopus, a supply ship. Over the following few years, Cullen made multiple attempts to end his life. His final attempt resulted in his Navy discharge in March 1984.

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