A young woman from Alabama, Hannah Pettey, faced a life-threatening health crisis only to discover that her husband, Brian Mann, had been poisoning her over several months. This shocking revelation came after she was rushed to the hospital on January 18, 2022, where doctors informed her family that she had just hours to live.
For six months, Hannah battled severe health issues, spending much of the week leading up to her hospital visit bedridden. Concerned for her daughter, Nicole Pettey transported her to the doctor, where initial assessments failed to identify the cause of her deteriorating condition. Hannah insisted she would not survive if sent home, prompting further examination. After suffering a seizure, she fell unconscious for two days.
Doctors placed Hannah in an induced coma to conduct critical tests. According to CBS News, Nicole received the devastating news that her daughter was “skin and bones” and was “starving to death” due to an excessive amount of lead in her system. After eight days of medical intervention, the diagnosis revealed an alarming concentration of lead, which doctors believed could not have been ingested accidentally.
Authorities were promptly notified to investigate the situation. Their inquiry led to the shocking discovery that Brian Mann had been administering vitamins to Hannah that had likely been tampered with. Hannah recounted how her husband had insisted she take the vitamins despite her persistent nausea and pain.
Initially, Hannah considered returning home and delaying a divorce from Mann. However, discussions with law enforcement changed her perspective, leading her to support the investigation against him. It was uncovered that Mann had taken out life insurance policies on Hannah totaling approximately £3 million—some of which were acquired while she was hospitalized.
Further investigation revealed that Mann had commissioned contractor Danny Hill to build an X-ray machine for his practice using lead, and had insisted on disposing of the excess lead himself. This raised significant concerns regarding his involvement in Hannah’s condition.
In August 2025, Mann was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Despite the evidence against him, he maintains his innocence and accuses Nicole of poisoning her daughter. Both Hannah and Nicole have categorically denied these allegations.
Hannah’s harrowing experience underscores the dangers of domestic abuse and deceit. As she continues to recover, her focus remains on raising awareness about her situation, hoping to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
