(Today would be Cali's 12th birthday, so I'm re-releasing this episode in her honor.) On May 15, 2018, police responded to a self-storage facility in Sacramento, California, where, in one of the storage units, sat a box containing a blue plastic barrel, inside which was a duffel bag. In that bag were the remains of a small child who appeared to have been dead for at least two weeks. Police tracked down the couple who left the box in the storage unit, Tyler and Averyauna Anderson of Reno, Nevada, and arrested them for the murder of Tyler’s five-year-old daughter, Cali. This is the story of a ..read more

When Vayda Vasquez was a month away from turning two, her custodial maternal grandma trusted her overnight with a long-time family friend, Kellie Barthel. The following morning, after several 911 calls from Kellie’s residence in Stanton, Michigan, police responded and found little Vayda unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene. This is the story of a sweet, happy little girl who loved dancing, “Baby Shark,” and listening to her mommy sing. It’s also the story of a woman who valued her meth and alcohol cravings over the life of a joyful, much-loved toddler.  Also in this episod ..read more

On the evening of May 5, 1993, three eight-year-old boys—Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers—went missing in West Memphis, Arkansas. The next day, in a nearby wooded area, the boys were found brutally murdered, bound, and submerged in a drainage ditch. The horrific nature of the crime shocked the community, and police quickly arrested three local teenagers—Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley—based on a coerced false confession, no solid evidence, and Satanic panic. This is the story of three innocent children whose lives were stolen in an unspeakable act of vio ..read more

Over the past two episodes, I told you the story of non-verbal, autistic 13-year-old Jonathan Carey, who was smothered to death in 2007. His killer was a care worker from a facility for people with developmental disabilities. How could something like this happen? In this episode, you’ll hear my conversation with Jonathan’s father, Michael Carey, who has spent the last 17 years pushing for a massive overhaul of New York State’s mental health system as well as legislature to help protect others with developmental disabilities.  This is part three of the mind-boggling story of Jonathan Car ..read more

In the last episode, I told you the story of Jonathan Carey, a non-verbal, autistic boy whose parents had no choice but to send him to a second residential program after he suffered abuse and torture at the first one he attended. At age 13, Jonathan was restrained and suffocated to death by Developmental Aide Edwin Tirado. In this episode, I’ll continue Jonathan’s story where I left off, and I’ll tell you about the Careys’ continued fight to change the system that tragically took their son from them. This is the story of how a boy’s horrific, preventable death has triggered some—but not enoug ..read more

(Laine here! This is part 2/2 of a collab I participated in. I hope you'll give it a listen!) Welcome to Hot Pursuit, a summer true-crime collaboration, where we dive deep into the world of true crime. We’ve gathered many incredible true-crime podcasters to bring you a multi-part series that’s all about the heat of the chase. We'll explore cases where justice was relentlessly pursued, delve into crimes that occurred during the scorching summer months, and highlight cold cases that desperately need some heating up. From heart-pounding pursuits to stories of perseverance and determination, this ..read more

(Laine here! This is a collab I participated in. I hope you'll give it a listen!) Welcome to Hot Pursuit, a summer true-crime collaboration, where we dive deep into the world of true crime. We’ve gathered many incredible true-crime podcasters to bring you a multi-part series that’s all about the heat of the chase. We'll explore cases where justice was relentlessly pursued, delve into crimes that occurred during the scorching summer months, and highlight cold cases that desperately need some heating up. From heart-pounding pursuits to stories of perseverance and determination, this collaborati ..read more

In 2003, an East Texas couple adopted three young Russian children. Over the years, there were countless red flags for child abuse, especially against the oldest child, Alexey, who began running away when he was 12. He ended up on the doorstep of the Roosevelt House, an emergency shelter, assessment center, and residential care facility for children removed from abusive situations, usually by CPS. The home’s founder, Diane Black, had no idea that her battle to save Alexey and his sisters, Anastasia and Svetlana, would upend life as she knew it. Diane detailed the story of Alexey, his sisters ..read more

For this episode, I had the privilege of talking to forensic psychologists Dr. Shiloh and Dr. Scott, the hosts of the L.A. Not So Confidential podcast. With years of expertise under their belts, the doctors had plenty of insight for us into the topic of child abuse, why it happens, and much more.  This is Episode 175: The Psychology of Child Abuse (with L.A. Not So Confidential). Center cover photo by luis arias on Unsplash. Doctors’ photos from L.A.Not So Confidential podcast website. Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittle ..read more

Last week, I told you the story of two-year-old Macy Grace Ditty, who arrived at the hospital in Fayetteville, North Carolina on December 2, 2015, covered in bruises. Macy’s mother, Jeanie Ditty, went to trial for murder, but that ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury, and now, over eight years after Macy’s death, justice still hasn’t been served. In this episode, you’ll hear my conversation with Michelle Smith, Macy Grace’s great-aunt, who runs the Justice for Macy Facebook page and dedicates herself to keeping her precious niece’s memory alive.  This is part two of the mind-boggling ..read more