Suffer the Little Children

Latest Episodes:

Episode 28: Lauren McConniel (Part 2) Sep 01, 2020

Show notes

Last week, I told you about the early life and brutal death of five-year-old Lauren Michele McConniel. When Lauren was admitted to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis on March 3, 2010, she weighed a scant 28 pounds and had absolutely no fat reserves. She was covered in injuries, had a deadly level of salt in her blood, and had been displaying increasingly disturbing behavior while living in Indiana with her father, stepmother, and three adult members of her family, behavior that many believe was caused by sexual abuse at the hands of her step-grandfather. All the while, Lauren's mother, who lived in Tennessee, had been exhausting every method possible to find her, but by the time someone told her where her daughter was, it was too late. Lauren died in the hospital on March 9, 2010. Three months later, the first of five adults would be arrested in connection with Lauren’s death.
This is the conclusion of the story of Lauren McConniel.
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.
Lauren’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 27: Lauren McConniel (Part 1) Aug 25, 2020

Show notes

Five-year-old Lauren Michele McConniel was a happy, healthy, vibrant child until she was unjustly torn away from her loving mother in Tennessee. In Indiana, Lauren’s father and stepmother refused to allow her mother to see her, and, along with three members of her stepmother’s family, spent several months physically and sexually abusing Lauren until she ultimately starved to death in March of 2010. Five people were convicted in connection with Lauren’s death, and three of them remain behind bars to this day.
This is the disturbing story of Lauren McConniel.
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.
Lauren’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 26: James Biel Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

Illinois mother Kara Witkowski, who joins me on today’s episode, spent months trying to protect her two young children from harm while in the care of their father. Thomas Biel had confessed to raping and abusing Kara and was under investigation for possessing child pornography. His father, Jerry Biel, was being investigated for allegedly molesting Kara’s 3-year-old daughter. Despite months of warnings from Kara, meticulous documentation backing up her claims, and the repeated hospitalization of her toddler son for a prolapsed rectum so severe that even surgery didn’t correct it, a family court judge granted full custody to Thomas Biel. Soon afterward, Kara’s 2-year-old son, James, died under suspicious circumstances while in the care of his father’s family, but police announced after less than 24 hours, even before an autopsy was performed, that there had been no foul play. Even though an independent second autopsy proved that spinal trauma caused James’s death, there has still been no investigation.
This is a story of corruption and injustice in Kane County, Illinois.
This is the infuriating story of James Biel.
Please sign and share the petition to reopen the investigation into the death of James Ryker Biel.
Please like and share the Justice for James Facebook page.
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, ranging from a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
James’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 25: Alissa Guernsey Revisited Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

Exclusive interview with former prosecutor Jeff Wible!
In episode 8 of this podcast, I covered the tragic story of Alissa Guernsey, a 16-month-old girl who died in Topeka, Indiana in 2009 while in the care of her foster mother, Christy Shaffer. Christy was only charged with a single count of neglect of a dependent resulting in injury, and after only 77 days in jail, the judge in the case modified her sentence and released her on the spot. For years, the outcome of Alissa’s case has been surrounded by controversy, and most of the public’s outrage has been directed at two men: prosecutor Jeff Wible and Judge Scott Vanderbeck.
Jeff Wible recently granted me an unprecedented telephone interview, during which he clears up some misconceptions and provides answers to a lot of questions that have swirled around Alissa’s case in the eleven years since she died. On today’s episode, you’ll hear my recent conversation with the former LaGrange County prosecutor, whose side of this story has never been fully presented.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram (see photo album for Episode 8: Alissa Guernsey). 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 depending on your pledge tier!
This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Laine.
Alissa’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 24: Josias Marquez Aug 04, 2020

Show notes

In January of this year, two young children showed up on a neighbor’s doorstep, saying their mommy had been gone overnight and they didn’t know where she was. By the time police arrived, the mother had returned, but the closure of one mystery opened a much larger one: where was the woman’s third child? 26-year-old Sagal Hussein of Howard, Wisconsin insisted her 5-year-old son, Josias Marquez, who had severe health issues and was described as “high needs,” had gone out of state to stay with his father, but that story quickly fell apart. Two months later, after authorities were unable to locate Josias, they arrested Sagal on neglect charges and searched her vehicle, where they were horrified to find the partially mummified body of 5-year-old Josias in a duffel bag in the trunk.
This is the unimaginable story of Josias Marquez.
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 show merch!
This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Laine.
Josias’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 23: Remi Cowan Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

On June 6, 2019, every parent’s worst nightmare became reality for Ashley and Matt Cowan of Williamsport, Pennsylvania when they received a frantic phone call from their babysitter saying their infant daughter wasn’t breathing. The next day, 16-week-old Remi Joan Cowan was removed from life support. Despite the suspicious circumstances surrounding Remi’s death, the babysitter was only questioned once and never further investigated, leaving many area residents furious that justice was not served.
Remi’s mother, Ashley Cowan, joins me on this episode to tell her candid and agonizing account of losing her precious baby girl, why she feels her daughter deserves justice, and how she’s keeping Remi’s memory alive.
This is the shocking, painful story of Remi Cowan.
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 show merch!
This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Laine.
Remi’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 22: AJ Freund: Revisited Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

*Note: The original version of episode 1 has been replaced with Episode 123: AJ Freund (Mega-Episode).
On April 18, 2019, JoAnn Cunningham and Drew Freund of Crystal Lake, Illinois reported their 5-year-old son, AJ, missing. Days later, police discovered AJ’s bludgeoned body in a shallow grave. JoAnn and Drew were arrested and charged in their son’s murder.
Last week, JoAnn Cunningham, who pleaded guilty in her son’s death, was sentenced to a paltry 35 years in prison despite mountains of evidence that she scapegoated, tortured, berated, and abused little AJ right up till the night he died, when she beat him so viciously with a shower head that the swelling of his brain caused his vital functions to cease. In this episode, you will hear riveting testimony, shocking revelations, and audio presented at the sentencing hearing.
This is the tragic case of AJ Freund, revisited.
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 show merch!
This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Laine.
AJ’s story was originally featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode was created by Laine using sounds 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 21: Sereniti Sutley Jul 17, 2020

Show notes

On October 7, 2017, 22-year-old Kelsie Blankenship burst out of her Conneaut, Ohio apartment, carrying the limp body of her almost-13-month-old daughter, Sereniti, and screaming for help. It was too late, however, and Sereniti was pronounced dead at the hospital. After both Kelsie and her live-in boyfriend, 37-year-old Joshua Gurto, were questioned, Joshua went on the run, resulting in a 3-week manhunt that culminated with his capture in Franklin Park, Pennsylvania. He was charged with the rape and murder of his girlfriend’s baby girl. A full year later, Kelsie Blankenship was apparently blindsided when she, too, was arrested in connection with her daughter’s death.
This is the horrific story of Sereniti Sutley.
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 show merch! (Patreon.com/STLCpod)
This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Laine.
To read other stories like Sereniti’s, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode was created by Laine using sounds 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 20: Treyanna Summerville Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

In the early morning hours of Monday, June 22, 2020, a 911 call summoned police to 135 Rowley Street in Gouverneur, New York, where 38-year-old Lashanna Charlton lived with her two daughters, aged 18 and 13. When police arrived, they found 18-year-old Treyanna Summerville dead. According to family members, neighbors, and classmates, Treyanna had endured years of manipulation, controlling behavior, and physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her mother, Lashanna. By the end of the day on June 22, one suspect was in custody, but it wasn’t Treyanna’s mother; it was her 13 year-old sister.
This is the baffling, ongoing story of Treyanna Summerville.
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 https://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 show merch!
This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Laine.
Treyanna’s story was also featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode was created by Laine using sounds 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 19: Frankie Gonzales Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

On June 1, 2020, Laura Villalon Sanchez called police in Waco, Texas, reporting that her 2-year-old son, Frankie Gonzales, had disappeared while she and her three young children visited a local park. Police and various other agencies mobilized a massive search involving land, water, and air, but no sign of Frankie could be found. The next morning, Laura led police to her little boy’s body, which she had hidden in a dumpster located on the property of a church.
This is a story of bad behavior, chronic CPS involvement, drug addiction, and very poor decisions.
This is the story of Frankie Gonzales.
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 show merch!
This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Laine.
Frankie’s story was also featured on Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode was created by Laine using sounds 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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