The Girl in the Elevator: Elisa Lam, Mental Storms & Mexican Hot Chocolate
Now available with Spotify Transcript
This episode of Trauma, Tacos & True Crime is not about ghosts, conspiracies, or internet theories... it’s about a real young woman whose story was turned into entertainment instead of compassion.
Elisa Lam was 21 years old, traveling alone, and living with bipolar disorder. After she went missing in Los Angeles, the world became obsessed with an elevator video — pausing it, slowing it down, and projecting fear onto behavior that many mental health professionals recognize as crisis.
In this episode I talk about what we don’t like to talk about: mental illness, medication interruptions, loneliness, and how easily we dehumanize people when we don’t understand what we’re seeing.
To ground the heaviness, I bring it back to comfort — Mexican hot chocolate, the kind you make when your thoughts are loud and you need something warm to hold onto.
This is not a spooky story.
It’s a human one.
Listener discretion advised for discussions of mental health and death.
Sources & The Actual Facts (Because Respect Matters)
This episode is based on verified reporting and official findings related to the death of Elisa Lam. No speculation, no paranormal theories, no TikTok nonsense.
Where the information comes from Porque aqui, no mentimos:
Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner–Coroner– Official ruling: Accidental drowning, with bipolar disorder listed as a contributing condition
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
Public statements regarding the investigation, timeline, and elevator footage release
Los Angeles Times
Reporting on the Cecil Hotel, the investigation, and coroner conclusions
CBC News (Canada)
Coverage of Elisa’s background, her family, and conversations around mental health
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Information on bipolar disorder, crisis symptoms, and medication interruption
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Educational resources on mood disorders and mental health emergencies
Important clarifications, because they matter:
No evidence of homicide or third-party involvement was found
No credible evidence supports paranormal or conspiracy explanations
Elisa’s behavior in the elevator video is consistent with documented symptoms of acute mental health crisis
A note from ME:
True Crime should never come at the cost of someone's humanity. This episode was made CON CORAZON for Elisa, for her family, and for anyone who's ever felt overwhelmed in their own mind.
