Laura Faye McCollum, 61, moved out of the McNeil Island Special Commitment Center on Tuesday (Picture: AP)

A diagnosed sexual sadist who said she molested 15 children was released from a facility that only houses violent sexual predators – where she was the only woman.

Laura Faye McCollum, 61, walked free from the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island in Tacoma, Washington on Tuesday, according to state officials.

She was released after a a psychologist reported that she had progressed in her treatment and ‘no longer met the criteria for civil commitment,’ which is a process where offenders are sent indefinitely to tightly controlled treatment programs.

McCollum was jailed after she repeatedly raped an 18-month-old girl before trying to suffocate her with a pillow.




She later admitted to sexually assaulting 15 children – many between the ages of two and three.

McCollum was the only woman being housed at the McNeil Island Special Commitment Center (Picture: KOMO)

In a 1997 interview, Mcollum said: ‘I think the youngest victim I had was 15 months old, a girl. I used my apartment in Tacoma.’

‘Females are my preference – normal, small, blonde girls with blue eyes who are non-verbal other than saying “Mommy” and “Daddy” – but I’ve (molested) four boys, too.’

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She said she knew she did not want to be committed, but realized she needed help and begged to be civilly committed – and even allegedly exaggerated her crimes to sway the decision.

McCollum was a mother of four daughters. When her youngest was just days-old she gave her to her sister because she could not stop shaking the girl.

‘She was four days old when I had to give her to my sister. I was shaking her real hard. I knew I couldn’t keep her’

McCollum was found guilty of raping a young girl and was diagnosed with pedophilia and sexual sadism (Picture: Sex Offender Registry)

McCollum spoke of her time growing up in foster care in a 2004 interview, claiming she was sexually and physically assaulted multiple times by her foster parents.

She said she first molested a girl as a 9-year-old foster child, saying: ‘My first one was a 4-year-old girl. I never talked about it, but to me it was normal.’

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While locked up, she given compulsive-disorder medication to mitigate her sexual obsession with children. She was also given a beta blocker to stop the flow of adrenalin to control anger.

Upon her release, McCollum was required to register as a sex offender and was ordered to participate in treatment.

The state was ordered by a judge to pay some of McCollum’s expenses, including her rent and a living stipend.

A 20-page report that recommended her release said: ‘McCollum’s release be carefully planned and supported.’