On this episode we take the Escape Pod across the pond and back in time to England in the 1800s, when being an unwed mother was frowned upon, but women in this situation had limited options to give their babies a better life. “Baby farmers” were like early versions of adoption agencies, but one such “farmer” was both greedy and mentally disturbed – a dangerous combination for the children entrusted to her care. 

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussion of crimes against children. 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1   3:35 Escaping projectile vomit 

• Topic #2 13:25 Introduction to Amelia Dyer 

• Topic #3 22:30 Amelia’s true crime revealed 

• Topic #4 37:12 The co-hosts escape, stock show-style! 

Resources & Links 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Dyer 

• https://www.serialkillercalendar.com/Amelia%20Elizabeth%20DYER.php 

• https://the-line-up.com/amelia-dyer-baby-farmer 

• https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/serial-killers/amelia-dyer/ 

• https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/amelia-dyer-34349.php 

• https://www.historynaked.com/amelia-dyer/  

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In June 2003, police in the UK respond to a report of a stabbing in an alleyway. The victim is a 14-year-old boy, the reporting person is his 16-year-old friend, and the perpetrator is described as a man in a hoodie, but video evidence later proves no such man exists. 

The events leading up to this true crime are more bizarre than most soap opera story lines – with tales from a teen chatroom that include love, spies, secret codes, kidnapping, murder, and much more. Did anyone escape alive? Find out on this edition of The Escape Pod! 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1   1:33 Escaping a fast ... and slow traffic 

• Topic #2   9:37 Introduction to a “bonkers” of a story  

• Topic #3 19:22 Introduction to best friend “Mark” 

• Topic #4 26:30 Red Flag #1: A person claiming to be a spy joins the chatroom 

• Topic #5 36:02 Mark gets his first big “assignment,” and it’s a doozy! 

• Topic #6 52:26 Escapism, co-host-style 

Resources & Links 

• https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2005/02/bachrach200502  

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/3758209.stm  

• https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/boy-planned-own-murder-on-internet-1110229  

• Casefile Presents 12/22/2018. Case 104: “Mark and John” https://podscripts.co/podcasts/casefile-true-crime/case-104-mark-john  

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Kids say the darnedest things? So do people coming out of crisis mode! Back by popular demand, podcast guest and OneHeart Transformation Director Chad Ratigan returns to the Escape Pod to share several true – and truly hilarious – comments he and his team have heard that came right out of left field.

DISCLAIMER: Content and language in this episode intended for a mature audience only. Also, these stories and comments are not shared to demean anyone, but – rather – to find a little “funny” in the extremely challenging work that is the human services field.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

• Topic #1 2:13                   Escaping heavy traffic, hurricanes, and “bugs”

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• General mail: [email protected]

In 2023, 92% of people responding to a survey on road rage said they had witnessed at least one act of road rage during the previous year. Some of these incidents end without consequence; others have fatal results. 

On this episode of The Escape Pod, co-hosts Charity and Julie try to keep their cool as they take on a topic that gets almost every driver revved up at one point in time or another! 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1   9:23 Scary road rage stats 

• Topic #2 11:32 June 2017: A man jockeying for position on a Pennsylvania highway fires a gun at a teen driver  

• Topic #3 17:52 Co-hosts become “mama bears” when dealing with dangerous drivers 

• Topic #4 25:39 A woman waiting to make a left turn honks at the person in front of her and gets an unusual – but pretty hilarious – response 

• Topic #5 37:35 Road “rouge” explained! 

Resources & Links 

• Vince Lattanzio. 12/13/2018. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/man-killed-teen-road-rage-shooting-sentenced/206687/  

• Ron Shaffer. 04/02/2000. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2000/04/03/a-strange-case-of-road-rage-with-a-lesson-learned/cc408818-59c8-4841-904b-ea64999a9dda/  

• https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/road-rage-statistics/  

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A child plays dead to escape his mother’s abusive grip; a woman plays dead and likely escapes a serial killer; a student plays dead to escape a gunman in her classroom. Conscious decision or simply the body’s primitive response to danger? On this episode of The Escape Pod, the co-hosts discuss true stories of people who “played possum” - pretending to be dead – to escape horrific situations and how, in these cases, that response was likely their key to survival. 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1   6:08 Co-hosts shares story of “freezing” in traumatic situation 

• Topic #2 16:53 10-year-old boy plays dead to escape his mom’s abuse 

• Topic #3 21:12 Shop owner plays dead to escape gunman 

• Topic #4 31:11 11-year-old plays dead to escape school shooter 

• Topic #5 37:55 Escapism, co-host-style! 

Resources & Links 

• https://lawandcrime.com/crime/10-year-old-boy-decided-to-play-dead-after-mom-allegedly-doused-him-with-bleach-and-tried-to-drown-him-in-bathtub-cops/  

• https://people.com/boy-played-dead-survive-alleged-drowning-attempt-mother-police-say-8639764 

• https://www.waaytv.com/news/sheffield-woman-indicted-on-aggravated-child-abuse-charge/article_18a8e744-117a-11ef-8ee2-b7485c7176c7.html  

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-70_killer  

• https://nypost.com/2023/07/16/i-70-serial-killers-lone-survivor-played-dead-to-save-her-life/ 

• https://www.firstalert4.com/2022/02/28/news-4-exclusive-possible-lone-survivor-i-70-serial-killer-speaks-up-after-30-years/  

• https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/27/us/robb-shooting-survivor-miah-cerrillo/index.html  

• https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/uvalde-school-shooting-survivors-miah-cerrillo-khloie-torres-awarded-for-courage/  

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Want to ask a question, tell us a story or just general feedback? We would love to hear from you! 

• General mail: [email protected]  

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A teenager confesses to shooting a man outside a nightclub. A woman confesses to stabbing her elderly landlord to death. A man confesses to killing his father, even though he can’t remember doing it. Different situations, different cities, different years – all with one thing in common: in every case, the confession was coerced. Call it “crisis brain” in full force! 

So ... how did these suspects escape their own false confessions? And how long did it take for the truth to come out? Find out in this episode of The Escape Pod! 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1  00:54 

• Escaping weird tics and terrifying drivers! 

• Topic #2 12:20  

• Wisconsin, 2018: An 18-year-old becomes a shooting suspect 

• Topic #3 18:15  

• New York, 1995: A tenant and would-be informant becomes the suspect in her landlord’s fatal stabbing 

• Topic #4 28:19  

• California, 2018: Man’s father goes for a walk but doesn’t return 

• Topic #5 38:01  

• Co-hosts' final thoughts on coerced confessions 

Resources & Links 

• Tony Saavedra. May 23, 2024. https://www.sbsun.com/2024/05/23/fontana-pays-nearly-900000-for-psychological-torture-inflicted-by-police-to-get-false-confession/  

• KC Baker. May, 28, 2024.  https://people.com/man-coerced-confessing-murdering-father-father-was-alive-8654832  

• https://www.birdsall-law.com/false-confessions-the-eddie-gill-case 

• https://www.forensicmag.com/609996-Coerced-Confession-Evidence-Withholding-Renay-Lynch-is-Exonerated-26-Years-Later/  

• https://innocenceproject.org/renay-lynch-is-exonerated-after-nearly-26-years-of-wrongful-conviction-in-buffalo-new-york/  

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Roughly 30 years ago, escape artist Teri and her husband were thrilled to become the new owners of a “really cute” house in central California when they successfully bid on a foreclosed property. Little did they know they already had house guests – the unwelcome kind known in legal terms as “squatters.” 

In this episode of The Escape Pod, Teri offers up a hilarious account of their escape from the squatters. But first, co-host Charity explains the difference between squatting and trespassing and highlights a separate, more recent case in California – with much more serious consequences. 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1  2:30 While one co-host escapes a drunk driver, the other barely escapes a wave of Powerade rushing through her car. 

• Topic #2 15:20 Squatting vs. Trespassing 

• Topic #3 19:51 California, October 2021: A 71-year-old man is reported missing by a concerned neighbor; authorities start to investigate the woman living in his home. 

• Topic #4 39:44 Teri’s escape from squatters 

• Topic #5 58:50 Escapism, co-host-style! 

Resources & Links

Story Sources: 

• Brittny Mejia. March 18, 2024. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-18/she-sold-his-encino-home-out-from-under-him-for-1-5-million-then-he-killed-himself  

• Yaron Steinbuch. March 25, 2024. https://nypost.com/2024/03/25/us-news/squatter-left-dead-mans-body-in-luxury-la-home-in-elaborate-scheme-to-take-over-property/ 

• March 18, 2024. https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/west-hills-woman-who-disposed-one-victims-body-sentenced-20-years-federal-prison  

• https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/66735202/united-states-v-herrling/  

Squatter Information:  

• Gemma Smith. November 21, 2023. https://www.azibo.com/blog/creative-ways-to-get-rid-of-squatters#:~:text=Property%20owners%20and%20property%20managers,if%20they%20refuse%20to%20leave  

• https://www.steadily.com/blog/south-dakota-squatters-rights-laws#:~:text=What%20duration%20of%20occupancy%20is,10%2Dyear%20duration%20is%20required 

• Giulia Carbanero. March 26, 2024. https://www.newsweek.com/how-squatters-rights-compare-different-states-1883480 

• Vivian Tejada. March 8, 2024. https://www.azibo.com/blog/squatters-rights 
  

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A 12-year-old escape artist knocks on a neighbor’s door and politely requests that the man take him to a police station. Soon, the boy’s mom and her friend/therapist/business partner are arrested and charged with multiple counts of felony child abuse. But just a few years prior, this same mom was gaining notoriety (and 2.5 MILLION followers) on YouTube, in part, for her parenting style. 

What happened?! How many steps are there between “disciplinarian” and straight-up “abuser”? Was the influencer being influenced in all the wrong ways? There’s plenty to discuss about this relatively recent true crime tragedy, so jump into the Escape Pod with co-hosts Julie and Charity, and – spoiler alert! - don’t bail early because this episode does, in fact, end on a funny note that ensures we keep the “comedy” in “traumedy.” 

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains content about severe physical and emotional abuse committed against children. 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1      2:40 Co-host offers update on parental drama of her own 

• Topic #2    13:13 Introduction to “NOT Mother of the Year” Ruby Franke 

• Topic #3    21:50 A child’s escape leads to two women’s arrests 

• Topic #4    35:10 In custody, Ruby admits to many of her abusive acts 

• Topic #5    52:30 Where’s the kids’ dad? 

• Topic #6 1:03:35 Gigglefest 2024: Co-hosts react to one hubby’s hilarious reply to the question, “How much over par are you?” 

Resources & Links 

• https://www.thecut.com/article/ruby-franke-utah-mommy-vlogger-pleads-guilty-to-child-abuse.html 

• https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/ruby-franke-sentence-child-abuse-mommy-vlogger-rcna139627 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Franke#:~:text=5%20References,Career,and%20amassed%201%20billion%20views  

• https://apnews.com/article/ruby-franke-youtube-child-abuse-sentencing-4f4985c1cab9243d4eaf8b6a58f087ed  

• Law and Crime Sidebar with Jesse Weber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmO78ryTM1g and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ier97z_WRcM  

• https://wegotthiscovered.com/youtube/what-are-the-ages-of-ruby-frankes-kids/  

• https://www.google.com/search?q=ruby+franke&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS858US858&oq=ruby+fr&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDQgAEAAY4wIYsQMYgAQyDQgAEAAY4wIYsQMYgAQyCggBEC4YsQMYgAQyBggCEEUYOTINCAMQABiDARixAxiABDINCAQQABiDARixAxiABDINCAUQABiDARixAxiABDIGCAYQABgDMgYIBxBFGDyoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c2a5b6a0,vid:OoBAUOrtUds,st:0  

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGcpOhlKL_w  

• https://jodihildebrandt.com/reviews/  

• https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/niece-jodi-hildebrandt-ruby-frankes-business-partner-speaks/story?id=103751750  

• https://pagesix.com/2023/09/12/niece-of-jodi-hildebrandt-claims-they-were-duct-taped-by-terrifying-aunt/  

• https://lawandcrime.com/sidebar-podcast/it-was-torture-niece-of-ruby-franke-supporter-jodi-hildebrandt-opens-up-about-alleged-child-abuse/  

• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ruby-franke-jodi-hildebrandt-sentenced-child-abuse-youtube-eight-passengers/  

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• General mail: [email protected]  

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After many misdiagnoses, a teenage girl in Australia learns she has a rare type of cancerous tumor. She begins her search for anything that might help her escape it, including a regimented diet promoted by a social media influencer. The influencer, a beautiful young woman named Belle, says she beat cancer and numerous other ailments by detoxifying her body and strengthening her immune system, and her following grows quickly. 

But Belle’s “wellness brand” starts to take its toll, and many of her followers report their health conditions getting worse, not better. 

Have you escaped the influence of a deceptive social media influencer? Tell us about it at [email protected]! 

UPDATE: A co-worker briefly mentioned in this episode underwent surgery for brain tumors in late 2023, but – good news! - the tumors were NOT cancerous, and she continues to be an amazing co-worker today. Woohoo! 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1   1:03 Co-host escapes tornadoes in Tornado Alley! 

• Topic #2 11:52 Australia, 2013: 17yo is diagnosed with cancer  

• Topic #3 22:42 The truth about Belle is revealed, but why all the lies? 

• Topic #4 34:57 Belle’s victims respond 

• Topic #5 53:53 Escapism, co-host-style! 

Resources & Links 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Gibson  

• https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/belle-gibson-faked-cancer-wellness-influencer-b1102443.html  

• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9799359/Belle-Gibsons-victims-reveal-sucked-cancer-fakers-web-lies-toll.html  

• https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/21/cancer-con-woman-belle-gibsons-home-raided-to-try-to-recoup-unpaid-fines 

• https://7news.com.au/news/bella-was-desperate-and-dying-then-she-came-across-fraudster-belle-gibson-c-12709384  

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnUGxvwtjf4  

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IBh9JTXmf4  

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLuBeV_fhsc  

• https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/co-occurring-disorders/pathological-liar-signs/#:~:text=In%20some%20cases%2C%20pathological%20lying,love%20and%20reassurance%20they%20crave.  

• https://abcnews.go.com/Business/nightline-documentary-podcast-dropout-story-elizabeth-holmes-theranos/story?id=60365362
  

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Girl in the Picture. Suzanne Sevakis.

The mystery of a missing person spans 40 years, taking more twists and turns than even the Escape Pod cohosts can count! 

As a teenage girl in the mid-1980s, this wannabe escape artist was known as a smart girl and good friend with big dreams, but – time and time again – one person kept preventing her from reaching her full potential. In the end, he couldn’t escape the many investigators who pursued truth and justice for a woman whose true identity took decades to reveal. 

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes graphic content about kidnapping and violence against women and children. 

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 

• Topic #1 10:33 The first of several stories that, eventually, collide.  

• Topic #4 56:20 Escapism, cohost-style 

Resources & Links 

• https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/girl-in-the-picture-netflix-suzanne-sevakis-b2116243.html  

• “Girl in the Picture” Netflix documentary 

• https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/inside-the-true-crime-netflix-documentary-girl-in-the-picture/5FGD3MCIDBEIPOHHXZFJWSOVFM/  

• https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/cold-case-investigation  

• General mail: [email protected]