In 1940s Rhode Island, accusations of witchcraft weren’t confined to the distant past—they were used as evidence in modern courtrooms. This episode uncovers the true story of Concetta DeSanto, a woman whose poverty, immigrant background, and belief in curses collided with state power and psychiatric authority. Drawing from rare archival records and forgotten case files, we explore how folk beliefs, social judgment, and generational poverty shaped one family’s fate—and how the shadow of the Salem witch trials lingered long after the last colonial execution.

Music: “Endless Nightmare” by Oliver Garcia, licensed via Motion Array.