In brief
Annette Dionne, the last of five identical sisters born during the Great Depression, has passed away at the age of 91. The Dionne quintuplets were the first known quintuplets to survive past infancy and captured the world's attention during their childhood. Annette's legacy included a strong advocacy for children's rights, and she was involved in efforts to preserve the history of the Dionne sisters. The quintuplets faced a controversial upbringing, being taken from their parents by the Ontario government and displayed in a tourist attraction known as Quintland.
Annette Dionne, the last surviving sister of the Canadian quintuplets, has died at 91, the Dionne Quints Home Museum has announced.
The five identical sisters, born in Ontario at the height of the Great Depression in 1934, were the first known quintuplets to survive past infancy.
They quickly became a global sensation during their childhood - starring in feature films, appearing on the covers of magazines, and endorsing products from toothpaste to syrup.
Much beloved, Annette had championed children's rights, the museum said in a statement announcing her death.
The museum seeks to preserve their legacy and educate the public on the quintuplets' controversial upbringing. She believed it was important to maintain the Dionne Quints Museum and the history it provides for the future of all children, the museum added.
The quintuplets - Annette, Yvonne, Cécile, Émilie, and Marie - were taken away from their parents by the Ontario government when they were infants.
For several years, the authorities displayed the children in a compound dubbed Quintland, which became a popular tourist attraction. The children were constantly examined and observed, and had limited contact with their parents and siblings. Their parents later regained custody of the quintuplets.
As adults Annette, Cécile, and Yvonne sued the Ontario government for compensation over the circumstances of their childhood, and they received a settlement totaling nearly C$3m in 1998.
Annette was the last surviving sibling out of the 14 Dionne children, as the Dionne Quints Home Museum stated. Prior to Annette and Cécile's deaths this year, Émilie died in 1954, Marie died in 1970, and Yvonne died in 2001.
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