Ready for your jaw to hit the floor? We're diving deep into the mind-boggling case of Janet Mello—aka "The Gucci Goddess"—who pulled off one of the largest frauds in U.S. Army history while working as a modest civilian financial manager.

Picture this: a government employee making $130,000 annually somehow manages to divert $109 million meant for military children's programs into her own pockets over seven years. Her secret? Creating a fake organization called Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development (CHYLD) that existed as nothing more than a UPS store mailbox and a bank account. While military families lost valuable support programs, Janet was busy building an empire of excess—31 properties across five states, 82 luxury vehicles including Maseratis and Ferraris, and jewelry shopping sprees topping $900,000 in a single day.

The most shocking part isn't just the astronomical sum she stole, but how easily she got away with it for so long. With near-complete control over the grant process and a reputation as a "subject matter expert," Janet exploited catastrophic oversight failures within Army financial systems. Nobody questioned why millions were flowing to her shell organization until the IRS finally noticed her tax returns didn't match her Kardashian-level spending habits. By then, delivery drivers were already nicknaming her "The Gucci Goddess" for her endless designer purchases.

We explore the psychology behind Janet's extraordinary fraud, the failures that allowed it to continue, and what happened when her empire came crashing down. After her arrest, she managed to retire with full benefits before a judge ruled 95% of her pension must go toward restitution, leaving her with just $224 monthly for prison commissary. Now serving 15 years behind bars, Janet's story raises disturbing questions about government accountability and financial controls. Join us for this wild ride through greed, glamour, and the audacity of someone who thought they'd never get caught.

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

Four words will haunt the parents of Brownsburg, Indiana for years to come: "We handled it ourselves." Those words, spoken by daycare administrators who chose their reputation over children's safety, allowed Gabriel Garner to continue working with kids despite multiple red flags and disturbing allegations.

The horror began unfolding when a concerned teacher finally contacted authorities in April 2025, revealing that several incidents involving Garner had been swept under the rug by Main Street University for Kids owner Nancy Minton and director Jennifer Lingbeck. What emerged was a pattern of systematic abuse spanning years - children being inappropriately touched, a perpetrator who asked young girls for kisses, and text messages about three-year-olds with "foot fetishes."

Most disturbing wasn't just what Garner did, but how the daycare responded when parents raised concerns. When a mother reported her five-year-old daughter had been forced to touch Garner's genitals, administrators allegedly showed selective surveillance footage and convinced the family nothing had happened. They conducted their own "investigations" rather than contacting police or DCS as legally required. One parent described feeling "gaslit" into doubting her own child's disclosure.

The consequences of this institutional failure became devastatingly clear when police examined Garner's phone - approximately 125,000 pornographic images, many involving children from the daycare. The horror of what had been allowed to continue through negligence and willful blindness left the community reeling. Now Garner faces 43 felony charges including child molesting, child exploitation, and possession of child pornography, while serious questions remain about why those tasked with protecting children failed so completely.

This case forces us all to examine how well we're protecting society's most vulnerable members. What systems failed these children? How many warning signs were ignored? And what must change to prevent another Gabriel Garner from exploiting positions of trust? Whether you're a parent, educator, or concerned citizen, this story demands we do better. Follow our ongoing coverage of this developing case as we seek answers and accountability for those who couldn't protect themselves.

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Ad for 69 South Tees

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

Oaklee Snow's tragic death in 2023 could have been prevented if the justice system hadn't failed her through a lenient plea deal given to her killer years earlier. We investigate how Rowan Waters went from facing decades in prison to walking free in just four years, only to allegedly murder little Oakley by February 2023.

• Roan Waters' 2017 arrest for armed burglary with multiple felonies that should have kept him behind bars until 2037
• How a lenient plea deal reduced his sentence from a potential 42.5 years to just 5 years, with release after only 4
• The Oklahoma domestic violence and child abuse charges that sent Waters on the run with Madison Marshall and her children
• Detailed timeline of February 9, 2023—the day Oaklee was killed in Indianapolis
• The disturbing discovery of Oaklee's body in a dresser drawer at an abandoned Morgantown property
• Madison's plea deal and upcoming testimony against Waters in his June 2025 trial
• The systemic failures that let a violent offender free to allegedly commit murder

Join our Patreon at patreon.com/69South for early access to episodes, behind-the-scenes content on how we research cases, exclusive bonus episodes, and special shoutouts.

OVNIPdrS68gPs38de5iC

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Ad for 69 South Tees

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

The dark underbelly of small-town America surfaces in this gripping episode as we examine the disturbing case of Nathan Bailey, a 59-year-old Martinsville man now facing one count of child exploitation and 33 charges of possession of child pornography.

When vigilante groups "Bikers Against Predators" and "Predator Poachers" discovered connections between Bailey and another predator they'd investigated in Michigan, they drove straight to Morgan County to confront him. What followed was a community showdown that ultimately led to Bailey's arrest and the shocking discovery of dozens of videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of infants and young children.

We break down the probable cause affidavit in meticulous detail, revealing Bailey's attempts to position himself near children by falsely claiming to be a youth pastor and daycare worker at New Life Christian Church in Paragon. Though the church confirms he was never employed there, community members share troubling accounts of his volunteer activities and presence around children in various settings.

The investigation uncovered Bailey's sophisticated understanding of how to acquire and distribute child pornography using platforms like Telegram, even purchasing gift cards to pay for content while attempting to hide his digital footprints. His claim of having "the mental capacity of a 10-year-old" falls apart under scrutiny as investigators note his calculated responses and awareness of legal consequences—he'd even researched the penalties for his crimes.

This episode serves as both a warning about predators hiding in plain sight and a testament to how vigilant community action can bring them to justice. Bailey remains in custody on a substantial bond with strict conditions should he be released. We'll continue monitoring this developing case as forensic investigations proceed and additional charges may be forthcoming.

Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive content and join us in our mission to expose predators and protect our communities.

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

The horrific torture and murder of Sylvia Likens stands as one of America's most disturbing cases of child abuse—a stark reminder of what happens when an entire community turns a blind eye to suffering.

Summer 1965 in Indianapolis was a time of Beatles records and drive-in movies, but behind the doors of a rundown house on East New York Street, 16-year-old Sylvia was experiencing unimaginable cruelty. After being left with Gertrude Baniszewski while her carnival-worker parents traveled, Sylvia became the target of escalating abuse that transformed from slaps and verbal humiliation into systematic torture over three devastating months.

What makes this case particularly haunting is how Gertrude manipulated not just her own seven children but neighborhood teenagers into participating in the abuse. Sylvia was beaten with paddles, burned with cigarettes, starved, and eventually confined to the basement where she lived on a filthy mattress. The words "I'm a prostitute and proud of it" were carved into her stomach with a heated needle. All while nurses, social workers, and neighbors saw signs but did nothing—assuming it was simply "family business" in an era when child welfare wasn't yet taken seriously.

We explore the psychological dynamics that allowed this horror show to unfold, examining how Gertrude—a 37-year-old single mother struggling with illness and poverty—created a hierarchy where hurting Sylvia became a way to gain approval. The justice system's failure is equally disturbing, with Gertrude receiving life imprisonment but walking free after just 20 years, while teenage participants served minimal sentences.

Sylvia's legacy lives on through the child protection reforms her case helped inspire. But as we honor her memory, we must ask ourselves: have we truly learned to recognize and intervene when children are at risk, or could a similar tragedy happen today? Join us for this powerful, heartbreaking discussion that will change how you think about community responsibility.

Share your thoughts on child protection in your community, and remember the Child Help National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453. Let's ensure no child slips through the cracks again.

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Ad for 69 South Tees

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

A seemingly ordinary day in an apartment shared by Catherine Schwartz, Tyler Mertlow, and their three children ended in unspeakable tragedy when a fire claimed the life of their three-month-old son. The devastating case unravels like a noir mystery, revealing layers of neglect, substance abuse, and domestic turmoil that created perfect conditions for disaster.

The investigation reveals a household in absolute disarray. Dog waste covered children's mattresses, forcing the family to crowd into a single bedroom where a lit candle sat precariously near the infant's crib. Empty Bacardi bottles and trash littered the apartment, creating a tinderbox waiting for a spark. When Katie stepped out to visit a vape shop, Tyler—with a blood alcohol content later measured at a staggering 0.262—was left in charge of three young children.

"The candle just blew up the house," one of the surviving children would later tell investigators, adding the heartbreaking detail that when she asked her father for help, he was drunk and "did nothing." The timeline reconstructed by detectives shows that within just 13 minutes of Katie's departure, the fire had already begun.

What makes this case particularly troubling is that the Department of Child Services had removed the children just 16 months earlier due to domestic violence concerns, returning them only five months before the fatal fire. The infant who perished was born just weeks after the older children came home, raising serious questions about whether proper safety assessments had been conducted.

Digital forensic evidence uncovered during the investigation painted an even more disturbing picture—videos and photos showing the parents engaging in explicit sexual acts in the presence of their young children in the months leading up to the tragedy. Even more shockingly, jail calls recorded after the infant's death and Tyler's arrest revealed the couple continuing their inappropriate behavior, showing a profound lack of remorse or accountability.

This case forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about parental responsibility, the effectiveness of child protective services, and how quickly neglect can turn deadly. The legal proceedings continue with both parents facing multiple felony charges, including neglect resulting in death.

Have you witnessed warning signs of child neglect in your community? Understanding when and how to report concerns could save a life. Share your thoughts with us or reach out if you need resources on recognizing and reporting suspected child abuse or neglect.

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Ad for 69 South Tees

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Ad for 69 South Tees

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

Four young lives cut short in the dead of night. A masked intruder stalking through a college house while survivors froze in fear. A criminology PhD student who may have been studying his own crime.

The November 2022 murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle rocked the small town of Moscow, Idaho and captivated the nation's attention. What should have been an ordinary Saturday night for these University of Idaho students ended in unimaginable tragedy when they were stabbed to death in their beds between 4:00-4:25 AM.

What makes this case particularly haunting isn't just the brutality of the attack, but the eight-hour delay before anyone called 911—despite two roommates surviving in the house, one of whom even saw the masked killer. The psychological impact of fear, the developmental neuroscience of young adult decision-making, and the surreal nature of encountering violence in what should be a safe space all contributed to a paralysis that may have cost precious time.

When authorities finally arrested 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger, the evidence was compelling: DNA on a knife sheath left at the scene, cell phone pings near the victims' house, surveillance footage of his car circling the neighborhood, and Amazon records showing he purchased a Ka-Bar style knife months earlier. Yet the most chilling aspect remains the lack of a clear motive—was it a thrill kill by someone studying criminal behavior? A rejected romantic advance? A calculated experiment?

As the case heads to trial in August 2025, the prosecution seeks the death penalty while defense attorneys challenge evidence collection methods and search warrant validity. Meanwhile, four families continue seeking justice and answers about why their beloved children were taken so senselessly.

What would you do if you came face-to-face with a masked intruder in your home? The psychology of fear and fight-or-flight responses plays out in this true crime case that feels more like a nightmare than reality.

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Scented Jewels
We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscentedjewels.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!

Trust shattered in an instant. A disturbing case unfolds in Martinsville, Indiana, where Adam Anderson, owner of Anderson Video Security and Alarm LLC, stands accused of serious crimes hiding behind his professional facade. What began with a cybertip about child pornography images uploaded from his IP address quickly evolved into something even more invasive.

The digital trail was damning. Authorities tracked the IP address to Anderson's home, where they discovered he had been secretly recording his security clients in intimate moments through the very cameras he installed to protect them. We dive deep into the investigation that revealed how Anderson allegedly used his position of trust to capture footage of unsuspecting women in various states of undress, including footage of clients naked in their hot tub and walking through private areas of their homes wearing only underwear.

Perhaps most disturbing was the discovery of child pornography on Anderson's devices. Investigators found five images of young girls, which Anderson had photographed directly from his computer screen using his iPhone—the metadata capturing the exact location of these photos at his residence. When confronted, Anderson initially claimed concern about "questionable" material online before requesting a lawyer.

This episode pulls back the curtain on digital forensics, examines the legal ramifications of voyeurism in Indiana, and raises critical questions about who we allow into our homes. With Anderson facing multiple felony counts and a jury trial scheduled for 2025, we explore the potential consequences, including sex offender registration requirements. Have you vetted who's installing your security cameras? Subscribe now for more true crime coverage and follow us for updates on this case as it develops.

Do you want to advertise with 69 SOUTH?

Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana. 

Support the show

Disclaimer: All defendants are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. All facts are alleged until a conviction!