In the early 20th century, the Ideal Maternity Home in Nova Scotia—operated by chiropractor William P. Young and midwife Lila G. Young under the guise of medical care—became a cover for one of Canada's darkest scandals. The unlicensed facility charged desperate unmarried mothers exorbitant fees for secretive births, then sold healthy infants on the black market for up to $10,000 while neglecting or actively starving those deemed unadoptable. Many of the deceased babies were buried in wooden “butter boxes,” giving rise to the haunting moniker Butterbox Babies. Despite mounting evidence and growing public outrage, the Youngs exploited legal loopholes and public sympathy, continuing operations until the mid-1940s before finally being prosecuted on charges ranging from fraud to regulatory violations.