Suffer the Little Children

Latest Episodes:

Episode 39: Zahra Baker (Part 2) Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

Last week, I started telling you the story of 10-year-old Zahra Baker, who kept her brilliant smile and sunshiney outlook despite surviving two bouts of cancer, the amputation of one leg, the loss of her hearing, and growing up without her mother. When her father brought a new woman into her life, Zahra was excited to have a stepmother, but as soon as the family moved from Australia to the stepmother’s native state of North Carolina, Zahra began showing up at school with bruises when she showed up at all.
In October of 2010, Adam and Elisa Baker reported Zahra missing, but within days, Elisa started talking and leading investigators to multiple locations where parts of Zahra’s little body had been dumped.
This is the conclusion of the unbelievable story of Zahra Baker.
Promo in today's episode: A Little Bit Grim
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
For more stories like Zahra’s, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from www.AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 38: Zahra Baker (Part 1) Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

By the time she was eight years old, Zahra Baker beat cancer not once but twice, losing a leg and most of her hearing in the process. Because her father had been single for most of Zahra’s life, she was thrilled when he finally married, but her excitement was short-lived. Almost immediately after Zahra and her dad moved from their native Australia to her stepmother’s home state of North Carolina, neighbors and school officials began seeing signs that Zahra was being abused by her stepmother, Elisa Baker.
When Zahra was reported missing on October 9, 2010, it didn’t take long for Elisa’s story of a kidnapping to unravel and her sordid, stranger-than-fiction past to surface. Still, all of us watching breathlessly from around the world held onto the hope that Zahra might be found alive… that was, until law enforcement started finding body parts scattered around western North Carolina.
This is the unbelievable story of Zahra Baker.
Promo in today's episode: Reverie True Crime
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
For more stories like Zahra’s, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from www.AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Minisode 1: Interview with Hayley Kelly Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

A few weeks back, in episode 33, I covered the tragic story of 10-year-old Nakota Kelly, who was allegedly murdered in July of this year by his father, Anthony Dibiah. Nakota was failed by both DCS and the family court system. His mom, Hayley Kelly, tried for years to get the unsupervised visits with his father to stop, reporting abuse multiple times, but to no avail. Now, thanks to their failure to listen to Hayley’s well-documented concerns, her son is dead, and his body has yet to be found.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Hayley in October after I released my episode about Nakota, so on this, my first ever minisode, I’m sharing that conversation with you.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
Nakota’s story was originally featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from www.AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 37: Scotty McMillan Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

On November 4, 2014, police responded to a trailer home in West Caln Township, Pennsylvania, where they found 3-year-old Scotty McMillan dead on a deflated air mattress, covered with cuts, bruises, and puncture wounds. Scotty’s mother and her boyfriend confessed to spending the days leading up to Scotty’s murder torturing the little boy, beating him with various homemade weapons, tying him up with electric tape, and even hanging him from his feet to beat him, ultimately to death. The trigger for this prolonged, cold-blooded attack was the tiny, defenseless child refusing to eat a piece of toast.
Worse yet, Scotty’s 6-year-old brother, who also lived in the home, was not only abused himself, but had also witnessed and been forced to participate in the torture of his little brother. Three adults were ultimately charged with various offenses related to Scotty’s death.
This is the shocking story of Scotty McMillan.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
For more stories like Scotty’s, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from www.AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 34: The Ugliest Word Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

The World Health Organization or WHO calls childhood incest a “silent epidemic,” but a very important question is: why does it have to be silent? Why are we afraid to talk about a crime that happens every day to countless children? It could be happening in your neighbor’s house right now. It could be happening in a family member’s house. It could be happening in your own home without your knowledge. Talking about intrafamilial child sexual abuse can help us recognize the signs of abuse in children and allow us to intervene to help them, and it also helps survivors of incest overcome the shame they feel over something that is in no way their fault. It’s a very difficult topic to cover, and it will undoubtedly be triggering for some, but it’s also an essential topic of discussion for those of us who truly care about children and want to help those who are vulnerable to any type of child abuse.
Annie Margis is an award-winning author, certified ghostwriter, screenwriter, and activist operating out of Long Beach, California. For this episode, I was privileged to speak with Annie about her recently released book, The Ugliest Word, which is a quick read but a gripping story that will stick with you long after you’ve read the last page.
Click here to buy The Ugliest Word in either Kindle or paperback format.
Click here to sign Annie’s petition to end the taboo of talking about childhood incest.
Click here for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s excellent handout titled “Coping with the Shock of Intrafamilial Sexual Abuse.”
Click here to visit the website for a 12-step, self-help recovery program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Click here to visit The Ugliest Word movie website.
Click here for Annie’s fact sheet that includes signs of abuse in children.
Annie can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
You can also email Annie Margis (annie@theugliestword.com) to let her know you loved the book!
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
Many of my podcast subjects have been featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 33: Nakota Kelly Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

Upon hearing from his mother that he was to spend the upcoming weekend in his father’s custody, ten-year-old Nakota Kelly told her, “My father is going to kill me.” Due to a very specific custody agreement, his mom had no choice but to take him on Friday to spend the weekend with his father, Anthony Dibiah. On Saturday evening, Anthony called a cousin in Texas, screaming, “I killed my son!” In Anthony’s Indianapolis apartment the next day, police discovered a crime scene straight out of a horror movie. Several hours later, Anthony, a convicted criminal who was in the United States illegally, was arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
This is a story of a boy failed by DCS and the family court system, and a mother and teenage sister left devastated.
This is the horrific story of Nakota Kelly.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up to assist Nakota’s mom, Hayley, with burial expenses if and when his remains are found. You can donate to the campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/nakota-kelly-memorial-fund
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
Nakota’s story was originally featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 32: Maxwell Schollenberger Oct 06, 2020

Show notes

On May 26, 2020, police entered a Pennsylvania home and found the emaciated body of a 12-year-old boy in a bedroom with no light, only a bed for furniture, and every surface caked with feces. After a three-month investigation, Scott Schollenberger and Kimberly Maurer were arrested on murder charges, both accused of holding Scott’s son, Maxwell, in captivity for years with no light, no medical care, no schooling, and little access to food or water.
Many have wondered: why wasn’t Max’s biological mother involved in his life, and why hasn’t she spoken publicly about the years her son suffered in his father’s custody?
Max’s mother herself will answer those questions in this episode. She talked to me at length about what Max was like as a little boy, her experiences during and after her relationship with Scott, the myriad factors that caused her to become separated from her beloved son, and how she plans to keep Max's memory alive.
This is the heartbreaking story of Maxwell Schollenberger.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram. You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
Max’s story was originally featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 31: Kerrigan Rutherford Sep 29, 2020

Show notes

When six-year-old Kerrigan Rutherford was found dead of unknown causes in her family’s rented home in Montgomery, Illinois on July 2, 2020, neighbors spoke up about the abuse and neglect they had witnessed taking place within the family. As it turned out, several people had made reports to police and to DCFS about the way Courtny and James Davidson treated Kerrigan and her younger sister. After an autopsy and toxicology tests revealed Kerrigan’s death was caused by an overdose of her mother’s antipsychotic medication, the girl’s mother and stepfather were arrested.
This is the tragic story of Kerrigan Rutherford.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
Kerrigan’s story was originally featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 30: Keaton Boggs Sep 15, 2020

Show notes

A little West Virginia boy endured the death of his father and was subsequently sent to live with his paternal grandmother, aunt, uncle, and three cousins. Nine months later, five-year-old Keaton Boggs was brought to the emergency room, suffering from a catastrophic head injury and obvious signs of abuse. After two days, Keaton died in the hospital, and his grandmother, aunt, and uncle were arrested in his death and accused of inflicting months of unimaginable abuse and neglect on the helpless little boy.
This is the heartbreaking story of Keaton Boggs.
Stanford Medicine’s page listing some signs and symptoms of child abuse: https://childabuse.stanford.edu/screening/signs.html
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
Keaton’s story was originally featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Episode 29: Brinley & Conner Snyder Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

On September 23, 2019, 36-year-old Lisa Snyder of Albany Township, Pennsylvania called 911 and reported her two children were unresponsive. When EMTs arrived, they found a scene straight out of a horror movie or any mother’s nightmare; in the basement of the modest brick home, 8-year-old Conner and 4-year-old Brinley were hanging by their necks from either end of a wire dog lead wrapped around a support beam in the ceiling. Lisa’s story pushing the theory of a murder suicide perpetuated by 8-year-old Conner, who she said had been bullied in school, quickly fell apart, and a few months later, investigators had enough evidence to charge Lisa with not only the murder of her two children, but other baffling and frankly disgusting crimes, as well.
This is the unimaginable story of Conner and Brinley Snyder.
To contribute to the GoFundMe benefiting Conner and Brinley’s older brother, Owen, click here.
If you (or someone you know) are having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (in the US) at (800) 273-8255 or visit the website.
Within the US, you can also text the word HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Text Line counselor. You are not alone.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
Brinley and Conner’s story was originally featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.
If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

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