A young girl goes missing in South Carolina in 1985.  Soon after, her kidnapper would begin calling her family - but not to make demands for her safe return, but only to cruelly taunt them.  This is the first chapter in the series "Taunting Terrors".  Resources: Book: Murder in the Midlands: Larry Gene Bell and the 28 Days of Terror that Shook South Carolina by Rita Y. Shuler Articles:  South Carolina serial killer forced girl to write a farewell note and tormented his victims' families after sick spree in mid-80s by Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, November 15, 2014 Left Behind: Survivors of Capital Crimes Don't want the Victims to be Forgotten by Becky Beane for PFM.org Court Records:  United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. Larry Gene Bell v. Parker Evatt, Commissioner, South Carolina Department of Corrections, T. Travis Medlock, Attorney General, State of South Carolina, December 18, 1995 Social Media:  Twitter - @uponacrime Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime  Facebook and Instagram @onceuponacrimepod

A horror film franchise is seemingly cursed when it experiences tragedies including hauntings, serious accidents, fatal illness and murder.   Resources:  https://www.ranker.com/list/victims-of-the-poltergeist-curse/melissa-brinks  https://www.grunge.com/35883/bizarre-things-happened-set-poltergeist/  http://www.the13thfloor.tv/2015/12/22/the-shocking-history-of-the-poltergeist-curse/ http://www.iconsoffright.com/IV_Oliver.htm   https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/24/nyregion/crash-at-la-guardia-survivors-of-mangled-plane-recall-fire-water-terror.html http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/143731%7C0/Heather-O-Rourke/ https://www.statesman.com/article/20110202/NEWS/302029646

From 1922 to the 1940s over 40 child actors would be cast in a popular series of short films and many of them would later fall victim to strange accidents, illnesses, drug addiction, financial hardship, murder and suicide.  This is The Curse of The Little Rascals. Resources: Television Episode: E! True Hollywood Story: Curse of the Little Rascals Alfalfa's Mysterious Death - www.tvparty.com Convicted killer of "Little Rascal" dies - AP, The Monitor, McAllen, Texas, July 19, 2014

Every manifestation of the Man of Steel - comic books, television shows and films - has been marked by bad blood, shattered careers, tragic accidents and even murder.  This is the Curse of Superman.  Resources: George Reeves Revealed: An Inside Look at the Life and Tragic Death of Television's First Superman by Ed Gross for CloserWeekly.com, Feb. 27, 2019 Who Killed Superman? TheGuardian.com, Nov. 17, 2006

Three child actors become stars after being cast in the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes in 1978.  But, all three would go on to live troubled adult lives including drug addiction, legal troubles and untimely death.  These are the stories of Todd Bridges, Dana Plato and Gary Coleman.  Resources: The Tragic Stars of Different Strokes, People Magazine, March 25, 1991 Gary Coleman dies at 42; child star of hit sitcom Diff'rent Strokes by Dennis McClellan for The Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2010.   The Overdose Death of Dana Plato by Frank Wilkins for ReelReviews.com.  Todd Bridges book: Killing Wills: From Diff'rent Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I Always Wanted, Simon and Schuster, 2010.

Susan Polk enters into a relationship with her therapist when she is a young girl. Years later, after 20 years of marriage, she will claim she has been abused by her husband for decades.  After he is found dead in their guest house the question would be, was this a case of self-defense or a cold-blooded murder?  Resources: Court record: The People, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Susan Mae Polk, Defendant and Applellant, Contra Costa County Super. Ct. No. 031668-7, December 13, 2010 Articles: A California Murder Raises Troubling Issues by Carol Pogash for The New York Times, September 18, 2005 Obituary of Dr. F. Felix Polk, SFGate.com, November 5, 2002.  Slaying rips apart a family in Orinda by Jason Dearen for Bay Area News Group, October 10, 2005.  Convicted Orinda killer Susan Polk denied parole, kicked out of hearing midway through by Nate Gartrell for Bay Area News Group, July 17, 2019.

A mother seeks help for her special needs child, but a church prayer service ends tragically.  

Several resources were used in the research for this episode including:

Book:

True Stories of Law and Order by Kevin Dwyer and Jure Fiorillo 

Articles: 

Death by Exorcism by David Krajicek for the New York Daily News, October 8, 2006

Sponsor: 

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In the second chapter of the series "Deadly Therapy" a young girl who grows up in an unstable home is placed up for adoption.  Her adoptive mother finds her behavior problematic and has her undergo a new and controversial therapy - with tragic results.    Resources" Her Name was Candace by Carla Crowder and Peggy Lowe for Denver Rocky Mountain News, Oct. 29, 2000     https://culteducation.com/group/1115-rebirthing/17893-her-name-was-candace.html Seeking Child’s Love, A Child’s Life is Lost by Barry Siegel for the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 2001   https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-feb-04-mn-21072-story.html Links from this episode:  www.singleparentadvocate.org www.doorofhope.us www.adoptuskids.org www.togetherwerise.org https://store.23skidoovintage.com https://www.facebook.com/events/493288214744272/

In this month's series, "Deadly Therapy", I’ll detail cases of people who sought help from experts, but rather than receiving healing and transformation, their journeys came to an abrupt and deadly end.  In this first chapter, you’ll hear how James, Arthur Ray, a self-described success coach and guru required his followers to perform increasingly more extreme mental and physical challenges all in the pursuit of “enlightenment” with deadly results.  Resources: Articles:  The Death Dealer by Matt Stroud in The Verge.  Arizona Sweat Lodge: The Inside Story of James Ray's Fatal Retreat by Miguel Sancho and Kimberley Brown for ABC News.  Blogs:   https://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/james-rays-first-victim-colleen-conaway/ Films: Enlighten Us: The Rise and Fall of James Arthur Ray (2016)

Identical twin sisters, Sunny and Gina Han were lifelong rivals.  One sister's jealousy would lead her to plot her twin's murder.  Resources: Court Transcripts: People v. Han, Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division 3, California, Feb. 25, 2000 Opposition of Parole letter from Orange County District Attorney's Office to Office of Governor Jerry Brown, November 20, 2017.  Articles: 'Evil Twin' Granted Parole Despite DA's Objections by Nathan Solis for Courthousenews.com, June 21, 2018.  Links: www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime www.truecrimepodcast.com