Christiana Edmunds (3 October 1828 – 19 September 1907) was an English murderer, popularly known as the "Chocolate Cream Killer", who carried out a series of poisonings in Brighton during the early 1870s.
Edmunds purchased confectionery from a local shop and laced the sweets with strychnine before returning them to be sold to unsuspecting members of the public.
Dr Beard said later that he suspected Edmunds had poisoned his wife at that time, but did not act on his suspicion due to a lack of proof and a concern over the taint of scandal.
Initially Edmunds obtained the strychnine from a local chemist, Isaac Garrett, on the pretence that she needed it to poison stray cats.
However, in June 1871, 4-year-old Sidney Albert Barker, on holiday with his family, died as a result of eating chocolates from Maynard's shop.
The Great Chocolate Murders, by John Fletcher, is a drama based on the events of the case, first broadcast by the BBC on Saturday 4 March 2006.