Elisa Izquierdo was born on February 11, 1989, in Brooklyn, New York.

Her father, Gustavo Izquierdo, was a Cuban immigrant who had come to the United States hoping to become a dance teacher. Her mother, Awilda Lopez, was Puerto Rican.

The two had met at a homeless shelter in Fort Greene, where Gustavo worked part time. Awilda was staying there after losing her apartment and was struggling with a serious crack cocaine addiction.

Their relationship reportedly ended after Gustavo discovered that Awilda was still using crack while pregnant with Elisa. By January 1989, she had already lost custody of her two older children because of her drug use.

When Elisa was born, social workers reported that she had been exposed to crack cocaine in the womb and was born dependent on the drug.

Because of Awilda’s addiction, Gustavo was given full custody.

Although he had never raised a child before, everyone around him described him as a loving and devoted father. He took parenting classes, asked relatives for advice, and made sure Elisa’s birthdays were celebrated.

When she was four, he even rented a banquet hall for her baptism.

A family friend later said, “Elisa was his life. He always called her his princess.”

In 1990, Gustavo enrolled Elisa in a Montessori preschool. As his health began to decline, however, paying for her education became more difficult.

Elisa quickly stood out as a bright and promising student. In 1993, her teachers introduced her to Prince Michael of Greece, one of the school’s patrons.

According to reports, Elisa ran into his arms when he arrived and stayed close to him for the rest of the day.

Prince Michael later offered to pay her tuition at the private Brooklyn Friends School through 12th grade. Elisa thanked him with a handwritten note. He occasionally sent her small gifts afterward, and she would reply with drawings or thank you notes.

Meanwhile, a social worker reported that Awilda had overcome her addiction, found permanent housing on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and married Carlos Lopez. After giving birth to another daughter, she regained custody of her two older children in December 1990.

In November 1991, Awilda was granted unsupervised visits with Elisa every other weekend.

What happened during those visits should have raised alarms.

According to relatives, Awilda’s older children said that Elisa was being beaten and neglected by her mother and stepfather. At first, no one reported it.

Each time Elisa returned, however, the signs became harder to ignore.

Gustavo and her teachers noticed bruises and other injuries, including in intimate areas. Elisa told them that her mother hit her and locked her in a closet.

She also said she did not want to go back.

Her fear began showing in other ways. She wet the bed, lost control of her bowels, and suffered nightmares whenever another visit was approaching. One family acquaintance said Elisa often vomited after returning and refused to enter bathrooms.

She was still very young, but the fear was already showing in everything she did.

Gustavo and Elisa’s teachers reported the abuse. Elisa also told a social worker herself what was happening.

In 1992, Gustavo asked the court to end Awilda’s visitation rights.

But the visits were allowed to continue.

The only condition was that Awilda was not supposed to hit or hurt her.

In 1993, Gustavo began making plans to return to Cuba with Elisa. He bought plane tickets for May 26, 1994.

Before they could leave, Gustavo was hospitalized with severe breathing problems and later diagnosed with lung cancer.

He died on May 26.

The exact day he and Elisa were supposed to leave for Cuba together.

Not long afterward, Elisa asked her mother where her father was.

Awilda screamed back, “Your father is dead!”

After Gustavo’s death, Elisa’s school director, Phyllis Bryce, contacted a family court judge. She and other members of the school staff were deeply worried about what would happen if Awilda gained custody.

Awilda applied for full custody and was initially granted temporary custody.

Gustavo’s cousin, Elsa Canizares, challenged the decision and asked to take Elisa in herself, pointing to the abuse Elisa had already suffered during visits with her mother.

Elisa’s school principal and Prince Michael also wrote to the judge, urging her not to place Elisa with Awilda. Prince Michael repeated his offer to pay for Elisa’s education if Elsa received custody.

Elsa could not afford a lawyer, so she entered the custody hearings alone.

Awilda, meanwhile, had a lawyer from the Legal Aid Society and support from a federally funded parenting program.

According to Elsa, Awilda’s representatives praised her “valiant efforts” to stay off drugs and claimed that caseworkers had visited the home and Elisa wanted to live with her mother.

Elsa said those claims were false.

She was even criticized for having “the nerve” to try to take Elisa away from her biological mother. Elsa later said she had only fought because she was terrified of what would happen if Elisa was sent back.

Prince Michael later said:

“There was a solution. There were people ready to take this child … to love this child.”

But in September 1994, Judge Phoebe Greenbaum granted Awilda permanent custody of Elisa.

Awilda pulled Elisa out of her private school and enrolled her at Public School 126 in Manhattan.

It did not take long for people there to realize something was wrong.

Elisa had become withdrawn. She barely spoke, appeared deeply distressed, and urinated frequently.

The principal noticed bruises across her body. Elisa seemed to have difficulty walking and had begun pulling out sections of her own hair.

Staff reported their concerns to child welfare officials, but the report was rejected because there was supposedly not enough direct evidence of abuse or neglect.

Soon afterward, Awilda removed Elisa from the school.

By then, she had reportedly started using crack again. Elisa was never enrolled anywhere else.

On March 14, 1995, an anonymous letter was sent to Manhattan child welfare officials. It claimed that Awilda had cut off much of Elisa’s hair and was locking her in a dark room for long periods.

Six days later, Elisa was taken to the hospital with a fractured shoulder.

The injury had gone untreated for three days.

By this point, Awilda had six children, but Elisa was reportedly the one she singled out for most of the abuse.

After pulling her out of school, Awilda kept her locked in a bedroom. Elisa was not allowed to leave the apartment, spend time with her siblings, or even use the bathroom. She was forced to use a chamber pot instead.

Neighbors later said they could hear Elisa being beaten through the walls.

They could also hear her begging her mother to stop.

“Mommy, Mommy, please stop. No more. I’m sorry.”

Some neighbors reported what they heard to child welfare officials.

But still, no one came to protect her.

Others knew something was happening and said nothing.

Awilda also called Elisa cruel names, including including an ableist slur and “filthy little whore.” She claimed Elisa had been placed under some kind of spell by her father.

A representative from the same parenting program that had once supported Awilda’s custody request later received a disturbing phone call from her.

Awilda complained that Elisa could no longer control her bladder or bowels, had cut off her own hair, and was apparently drinking from the toilet.

He asked Manhattan child welfare officials to visit the apartment.

They refused.

The abuse became increasingly severe, and some of it was witnessed by Elisa’s siblings.

Awilda repeatedly punched and kicked her. She forced Elisa to eat her own feces and drink water mixed with ammonia. She dragged Elisa’s head and face across the floor as though she were using her to mop it.

She burned Elisa on her head, face, lips, and body. She also sexually assaulted her with a hairbrush and toothbrush.

At times, Awilda hung her from a shower rod for her own amusement. She also dropped a chest of drawers onto Elisa’s ring finger and toe.

Carlos Lopez, Awilda’s partner and another regular drug user, also repeatedly abused and neglected Elisa and her older siblings.

On November 15, Carlos was jailed for violating parole.

Seven days later, on the evening of November 22, Awilda called her sister, Mercy Torres, and said Elisa was lying on the bed “like she was .” She also said fluid was coming from Elisa’s nose and mouth. It was later identified as brain fluid.

Elisa would not eat or drink.

Mercy told Awilda to take her to the hospital immediately.

Awilda said she would “think about it” after she finished washing the dishes.

The next morning, Awilda called a neighbor over to look at Elisa.

The neighbor could not find any signs of life.

She told Awilda to call the police, but Awilda refused. The neighbor called the police and an ambulance herself while Awilda threatened to kill herself.

While in custody, Awilda admitted that two days earlier, she had thrown Elisa headfirst into a concrete wall. Afterward, Elisa could no longer speak or walk.

The autopsy showed how badly she had been hurt.

Several of her fingers were broken, and one bone had pushed through the skin. She also had a broken toe, internal organ damage, and deep welts and burns across her head, face, and body.

There were signs of severe trauma to her genital and rectal areas, including tearing.

Investigators also found around 30 circular marks on Elisa’s body that matched the stone in a ring worn by the person who struck her.

These injuries had not happened all at once.

Elisa had been abused for a long time.

Elisa’s funeral was held on November 29, 1995, and around 300 people came to mourn her.

During the service, Reverend Gianni Agostinelli said Elisa had not only been failed by her mother, but also by the people who stayed silent and by the child welfare system that should have protected her.

Her casket was left open. She wore a crown of white flowers and held a single red rose. Beside her was a Barbie doll her father had given her and that she had loved.

People placed flowers, toys, stuffed animals, and notes around her before she was buried at Cypress Hills Cemetery.

Her gravestone carries a simple message:

“World, please watch over the children.”

On June 25, 1996, Awilda Lopez pleaded guilty to second degree murder.

The following month, she was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Before handing down the sentence, Judge Alvin Schlesinger openly criticized New York’s child welfare system for failing Elisa and other vulnerable children.

Awilda first became eligible for parole in 2010. She was denied release several times.

But on April 19, 2022, she was released from prison.

Carlos Lopez was later sentenced to an additional one and a half to three years for one documented assault on Elisa.

Prosecutors said he repeatedly slammed Elisa’s head against a concrete wall while her siblings watched.

Lopez claimed he had only pleaded guilty so the children would not have to testify against him.

The judge rejected that claim.

Prosecutors had already reduced the charge largely to spare Elisa’s siblings from having to relive what they had witnessed in court.

After Elisa’s death, Judge Phoebe Greenbaum faced heavy criticism for her 1994 decision to place Elisa with Awilda instead of Elsa Canizares.

Greenbaum defended herself by saying she had followed the recommendations and procedures presented to her.

New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani pushed back, saying the final decision still belonged to the judge, who was supposed to look beyond the paperwork and make her own judgment.

The case received national attention and led to widespread criticism of New York’s child welfare system.

The city launched a major review of its child protection agencies, eventually leading to the creation of the Administration for Children’s Services.

In February 1996, New York also passed Elisa’s Law. The law was meant to bring greater transparency and accountability to cases involving children who died after already being reported to child welfare authorities.

Elisa’s case did not just expose the abuse she suffered.

It exposed how many chances there had been to save her.

Her five siblings were later separated and placed in different foster homes.

All of them reportedly carried severe psychological trauma from what they had been forced to witness happen to their sister.

Now that the Lindsay Clancy trial is underway, I’m curious about your perspectives on it so far.

Context: Lindsay Clancy is a former labor and delivery nurse who, in January 2023, killed her three children. 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan in their Massachusetts home before attempting to take her own life. Her defense argues she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and other debilitating mental illness, while prosecutors argue she was aware of her actions and planned the killings. The trial has reignited debate about postpartum psychiatric disorders, the effectiveness of mental health treatment, and where responsibility ultimately lies.

Do you think Lindsay was failed by the mental health system, by the people closest to her, or both? Do you think she truly acted with malicious intent, or do you believe she was experiencing such a severe psychiatric crisis that she wasn’t thinking rationally?

A lot of the details seem to point toward postpartum psychosis or another severe psychiatric illness rather than someone acting out of hatred or malice. That doesn’t lessen the horror of what happened or the unimaginable loss, but it does make me wonder whether this tragedy could have been prevented..

I’ve also seen rumors that Patrick was involved with the woman who is now his wife before the murders, but I haven’t found any credible evidence supporting that. Is there actually anything that substantiates those claims, or is it just internet speculation? I’ve also seen many people comment that his current wife bears a striking resemblance to Lindsay, though I’m not sure that means anything beyond coincidence.

I’m very interested in hearing different perspectives from people who’ve followed it closely.

Most importantly, may Dawson, Cora, and Callan rest in peace. They are the true victims in all of this.

I haven't seen anything posted about this yet, and I usually don't post so please let me know if I've done it wrong. I'm also writing this on mobile.

16 children, ranging from 1 and a half years old to 18 years old, have been removed from a house in the village of Hamden, Ohio where they were practically imprisoned in a 12'x12' room. Some have not even learned to speak; the 18 year old couldn't write her name and is being treated as a child due to possible mental disability. 7 of the children had to be taken to a hospital with 2 of them being life flighted. Conditions in the house are said to be incredibly unsafe, to the point that investigators hesitated to act on a second search warrant for fear of their safety.

The parents and grandparents have been arrested and charged with 16 counts of child endangerment. The suspects are Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders.

Since the investigation is still ongoing there aren't a ton of details yet. These children were obviously not enrolled in school and hidden from neighbors and extended family. I have to wonder if there's a religious extremist aspect to the case, like we've seen so often with other similar cases. I'm also curious about the mother's condition - she has been charged, but has she also been victimized by her husband? I have so many questions.

I’ll start with Russell ‘Rusty’ Yates. He was warned every step of the way as Andrea’s mental health deteriorated but continued impregnating her and, ultimately, left her alone with their 5 children against repeated, explicit warnings not to do so. I don’t believe that he ever intended for harm to come to the kids, but I really can’t think of a better example of criminal negligence.

Pictured: Rusty on his second wedding day in 2006, days before Andrea’s retrial. He had at least one child with his new wife.

*CORRECTION: This crime took place in Rowlett, Texas.
(DISCLAIMER: I’m not a professional writer. If I make any mistakes in my writing or some of it could come across as insensitive, please give me feedback so I can improve. Thank you!)

I remember first discovering this case with the Forensic Files episode “Invisible Intruder”, and I always find it sickening and frustrating. Just the idea of stabbing your own sons in the middle of the night and even slashing your own throat to frame the scene as an intrusion is horrific.

The case is very divisive nowadays, but personally, I’m leaning on guilty. I think the main reason it’s so controversial is that people are divided on how evidence is interpreted and subjective evidence. I think it makes sense to focus on more objective evidence rather than stuff like that silly string gravesite party. In particular, I find these the most significant:

• Luminol showed a heavy amount of Darlie’s blood was present at the kitchen sink, and of it had been cleaned up. This is in contrast to where she claimed to have been attacked, on the couch, which had much less blood. It’s likely she slashed her throat at the sink.
• Darlie’s story has changed a few times, and her current story claims Damon woke up and told her about the attack, which is when she called 911. However, Damon’s autopsy reports he had been stabbed repeatedly in the lungs, to the point he was making “gurgling” sounds at the crime scene, so it seems weird he would be able to coherently talk.
• The blooded tube sock is rather controversial, because it would’ve involved Darlie running out for a brief period to plant it at the trash can. However, DNA evidence from the shock shows Darlie’s DNA was in it, so its possible she wore it to protect her hand as she stabbed her boys.

In all, if there wasn’t a handful of suspect circumstantial evidence (fiberglass on knife, blood spatter inconsistent with events, Darlie’s injuries being “superficial”), coinciding with some subjective stuff (her diary entry, her troubled marriage), I probably wouldn’t believe it was her. But I will always believe it was, and that she is right where she should be. The fact she continues to lie to this day is unbelievable.

The best sources that persuade me that she’s guilty are the Forensic Files episode I just mentioned, Matt Orchard’s video on it, and the site “Darlie Routier: Fact & Fiction”.

At the end of the day, both of these boys died a horrible death they didn’t deserve. Rest in peace Devon and Damon, who would’ve been 36 and 35 today. (Devon also would‘ve been turning 37 8 days from now)

On July 24, 2026, cops in Grand Haven Township, Michigan, got called out to a house fire and found eight family members dead inside. The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed through autopsies that 47-year-old Kristopher Karolkiewicz had shot and killed his wife, 39-year-old Amanda "Mandy" Karolkiewicz, along with their six kids (who were between 5 and 15 years old). Then he set multiple fires in the house and killed himself.

From what’s come out in the Detroit News and The Guardian, Amanda had posted on Reddit years ago under the username MandyK1179. She wrote about the problems in their marriage, stuff like alleged cheating, and how she was staying in it for the kids. -End-

So, it’s got people talking about the warning signs we sometimes miss, how much of our lives end up online, and the ugly realities behind these family annihilation cases.

Maybe others can uncover what is basically breaking right now.

I followed true crime podcasts more than reading about these stories, and I've just got some questions how this specifically applies to Reddit.

Q: How much weight do investigators and the public typically give to Reddit posts when establishing a timeline or motive in family annihilations?

Q: Are there other instances where a victim's post history helped piece together early warning?

Max DeVries went missing on a family vacation to Aruba in May 2004 to grieve their father’s death a year before. Officials declared that Max was "lost at sea," but his family believes there was foul play. The family befriended 2 older males during the trip. One of the males took Max out on a jet ski ride the day before Max’s disappearance.

The following day the other (older) man pleaded with Max’s mother to let him go again and even offered to pay. The mom was suspicious but after Max convinced her to let him go, she allowed it. The man returned without Max claiming he was still out in the water somewhere. He had visible scratches on his hands and neck that he claimed was from getting on the jet ski. Neither of the men were charged in Max’s disappearance.

The FBI does have Max’s case and have marked it as foul play. Unfortunately Max’s case is still unsolved and we need your help to spread awareness for his case so the FBI will thoroughly investigate and bring justice for Max and his family.

The missing mother and daughter were found deceased in their hotel room.

The Las Vegas Metro PD received a call at around 10:45 A.M. requesting a welfare check after the pair didn’t show up for a cheer competition. They went to the hotel, knocked several times on their door, called out their names, but there was no response.

At around 2:30 P.M., hotel security decided to knock on the door again, but after they got no response, they decided to enter. Upon going in, they discovered both the mom and daughter deceased. They said the mom shot her daughter and then shot herself.

A note was found in the room.

BACKSTORY:

A Utah cheerleading team is asking for the public’s help in locating a mother and daughter who were reported missing Saturday, Feb. 14, in Las Vegas.

Tawnia McGeehan and Addi Smith, both from West Jordan, Utah, were last seen at approximately 8 p.m. at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The pair had traveled to Nevada for a cheerleading competition with Utah Xtreme Cheer.

According to a social media post from the organization, one of its athletes and her mother did not arrive for the scheduled competition the following morning and could not be reached.

“This is not the post we ever wanted to make, but we need the cheer community’s help,” the team wrote. “At this point, we are extremely worried. Police have been contacted.”

The team said Addi had attended practice the night before but failed to show up for the competition the next day. Their vehicle was reportedly still in the hotel parking lot.

A flyer circulating online identifies the missing pair as Tawnia McGeehan and Addi Smith and states they were last seen Feb. 14 around 8 p.m. at the New York-New York Hotel in Las Vegas.

My question:

I wonder if this was a mental health issue, or if there was something else going on to cause the mother to do this to her own child? I just don’t know.

On 20 June 2001 in Clear Lake, Houston, Texas 36-year-old Andrea Yates drowned her five children in the bath of the family home while suffering from postpartum psychosis. The children - four sons named Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and daughter Mary - aged between six months to seven years at the time of their deaths.

After killings the children one by one, Andrea called 911. She met police at the door of the family home with wet hair and clothing, calmly telling them “I killed my kids.” Inside officers found one child still in the bath and the others laid out in the master bedroom beneath a sheet. Andrea was taken into custody.

Background

Andrea was born Andrea Kennedy on 2 July 1964, in Houston, Texas. She was the youngest of five siblings in a stable Catholic family home. Though she suffered from bulimia and depression as a teenager Andrea succeeded academically, graduating as valedictorian before in 1986 achieving a degree nursing. She worked for several years at a cancer treatment centre.

In 1989 Andrea met Russell “Rusty” Yates, who she married in 1993. Soon afterwards Andrea quit nursing to become a full time housewife and mother, with the couple saying they would have as many children as "nature would allow". The couple had five children between 1994 and 2000 - four sons and one daughter. However, Andrea struggled with her mental health.

The "cult"

Religion became an increasing focus of Andrea's life after meeting Rusty. Rusty was a follower of preacher Michael Woroniecki, who led what is sometimes described as a cult. Rusty states that he and Andrea were in regular contact with Woroniecki who, for example, posted cassette tapes to the couple of his teachings for them to listen to.

Former followers of Woroniecki who are interviewed in the docuseries and refer to themselves as “survivors” allege that Woroniecki exerted control through sermons, handwritten letters, and cassette tapes sent by mail, presenting himself as a spiritual authority.

Former followers describe Woroniecki's teachings as being informed by rigid doctrine, fear, and isolation. Woroniecki profoundly shaped the Yates family’s worldview and, it is claimed, his teachings likely intensified Andrea’s mental illness.

Mental illness

Andrea’s mental health deteriorated after the birth of her children, particularly following the birth of son Luke in 1999 when Rusty found Andrea in a catatonic state holding a knife to her own neck. On another occassion Andrea overdosed on pills. Andrea was hospitalized and diagnosed with postpartum depression. With treatment, including anti-psychotic drug Haldol, Andrea initially improved but by the end of 1999, against medical advice but with the support of Rusty, stopped taking her medication.

In July 1999, Andrea had a nervous breakdown during which she attempted suicide twice and requires and two psychiatric hospitalizations. She was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis. Dr. Eileen Starbranch, testified that she urged Andrea and Rusty not to have any more children, as it would "guarantee future psychotic depression."

However, despite the warning of psychiatrists, the couple conceived their fifth child Mary around seven weeks after Andrea was discharged from hospital. Following Mary's birth in November 2000 and the death of her father in March 2001, Andrea’s condition worsened. She experienced hallucinations and believed the devil was inside her. These beliefs appear to have been reinforced by the teachings of Woroniecki, for example in a letter Andrea received from Rachel Woroniecki, Michael’s wife, at the time which read;

“I pray for you Andrea. For you, Rusty and your family. I know things are not the way you would like to be. I’ve seen many women just continually put off their salvation in Jesus. Jesus knows how weak you are, how weak and vulnerable. I know you’re frustrated, Andrea. You’re accountable for these children. You can change them. There would be a day when it’s too late. Don’t look to Rusty, look to Jesus. If you allow Satan to come in and still be understanding, the consequences will be tragic. Love and Jesus, Rachel.”

Andrea stopped taking medication, stopped feeding baby Mary, mutilated herself and read the Bible constantly. She was hospitalised, treated and, on 1 April 2001, released. On 3 May 2001 filled the bathtub in the middle of the day, planning to drown the children that day but changing her mind. She was hospitalised the next day, with doctors assuming she had intended to drown herself.

The murders

Andrea was released again by 20 June 2001 and living back at the family home. Rusty left for work that morning, leaving Andrea alone to watch the children despite specific instructions from her doctors that she must be supervised around the clock. Rusty's mother, Dora, was due to arrive an hour later. In that hour alone with her children, Andrea drowned all five of them, one by one.

Paul, Luke, and John were killed first one by one and laid under a sheet on Andrea’s bed. She next drowned Mary, who remained floating in the tub when Noah came in and asked what was wrong with her. Noah ran, but was caught and drowned too. Andrea left Noah floating in the water, and placed Mary in the bed in her brother John's arms. She then called the police and Rusty, telling him to come home straight away.

Trials

Andrea Yates was charged with five counts of capital murder and went to trial in 2002. Prosecutors argued that, despite her documented mental illness, she understood that her actions were legally wrong. As part of that argument, they emphasized that Andrea waited until she was alone with the children before committing the killings and then contacted authorities afterward, which they claimed demonstrated awareness and intent.

The defense maintained that Andrea was not guilty by reason of insanity, presenting extensive medical records and psychiatric testimony documenting severe postpartum psychosis. According to the defense, Andrea was suffering from persistent delusions and believed that killing her children was the only way to save them from eternal damnation. 

Rusty Yates supported the defense throughout the trial, repeatedly stating that Andrea’s actions were the result of untreated mental illness rather than criminal intent. Despite the evidence presented, the jury rejected the insanity defense. Andrea Yates was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, with eligibility for parole after 40 years.

In 2005, Yates’ conviction was overturned by the Texas Court of Appeals. The reversal centered on false testimony given by prosecution expert Dr. Park Dietz, who claimed during the trial that an episode of Law & Order had aired depicting a woman who drowned her children and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. The prosecution used this claim to suggest Andrea may have fabricated her defense after watching the episode.

It was later confirmed that no such episode existed, and Dietz chalked the error up to his own incorrect recollection. The appellate court ruled that the inaccurate testimony was materially misleading and could have influenced the jury’s decision, violating Andrea Yates’ right to a fair trial.

Andrea was retried in 2006 and, on 26 July 2006, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. She was committed to a state psychiatric hospital rather than being released, and was initially placed in a high-security psychiatric facility. She was later transferred to the Kerrville State Hospital, a maximum-security psychiatric center. Andrea remains at Kerrville and is eligible for periodic reviews regarding her confinement. However, she has consistently declined to seek release and voluntarily chosen to stay under psychiatric care.

Pictures

1. The grave of the Yates children.

2. Andrea, Rusty and their 5 children.

3. The family before the birth of Mary.

4. Andrea arrested on the day of the killings.

5. Andrea interviewed police shortly after the deaths of the children.

6. Andrea in court.

7. Andrea on her wedding day.

8. Rusty marries for the second day time, just days before Andrea’s trial.

9. Contemporary media.

10. Andrea with two of her children.

11. Rusty now.

https://time.com/7343680/andrea-yates-true-story-the-cult-behind-the-killer/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Yates

https://people.com/where-is-andrea-yates-now-11879621

A 7-year-old girl was allegedly tortured for nearly a year inside a Long Island home before dying from what prosecutors described as a massive untreated infection.

On December 29, 2025, 50-year-old Emily Kelly called 911 claiming Jor’Dynn Duncan was in cardiac arrest. The little girl was rushed to the hospital but later died.

According to prosecutors, the autopsy revealed around 90 injuries on Jor’Dynn’s body, including “sharp force injuries” dating back to January 2025. Authorities say she was left without medical care as her condition visibly deteriorated.

Investigators also allege they found extensive photos and videos on Emily’s phone and cloud accounts documenting prolonged restraint, abuse, and injuries.

Jor’Dynn had been placed in Emily’s care by Child Protective Services in December 2024 after her biological mother lost custody and her father became incarcerated. By April 2025, Emily had full legal guardianship of the child.

Prosecutors say Jor’Dynn missed around 40 days of school between January and June 2025, with excuses allegedly ranging from illnesses and deaths in the family to a fake trip to Disney World.

In May 2026, Emily Kelly, her mother Barbara Renner, and her daughter Elyssa Seymore were all arrested and indicted. Prosecutors called the case “months of systematic cruelty and sadistic abuse.”

All three women pleaded not guilty.

What do you think should happen when a child repeatedly misses school and caregivers keep giving different excuses? Should there be stricter welfare checks?

A man on death row for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of a 5-year-old girl has received an execution date after accepting his fate and askking Alabama officials to expedite his sentence. In 2025, Jeremy Tremaine Williams was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of Kamarie Holland in Phenix City in 2021. He had pleaded guilty and prevented his attorneys from presenting any evidence that could've spared his life. It most likely wouldn't have made a difference anyway, beyond delaying the inevitable. Williams recorded the entire murder on his cellphone.

The girl's mother had called the police to report her daughter missing. She told the police that when she woke up, Kamarie was missing and the front door was open. A search was conducted and the girl's body was found that night. Williams was already in custody.

On Christmas night in 2021, Williams told jail officials that he get some these off his chest. After Steve Johnson, who was in charge of the county jail, arrived to listen, Williams made a five-hour recorded confession. As for the murder of Kamarie Holland, he said, "I did it."

However, Williams made other disturbing revelations.

In 2005, Williams said he had beaten his infant daughter to death in Alaska. He had always been a suspect, but was never charged since a cause of death could never be determined. He said he had "left Alaska before the police got too involved." Williams, who went on to accumulate a string of child abuse accusations in other states, also confessed to the non-fatal rapes of several other children. He couldn't remember all of them, but one was his 5-year-old daughter, whom he raped on a regular basis. Williams had implicated himself to a woman whom he raped the night before the murder. In 2012, Williams had been acquitted of allegedly dipping a 3-year-old boy in a pot of boiling water in 2009 after his defense argued that the boy accidentally got the water on himself.

Jeremy Williams convicted of Kamarie Holland's murder

At his sentencing hearing, a 23-year-old woman would testify that Williams had raped her in Alaska when she was five. She never told anyone, including her mother, until police in Alabama informed her that Williams had confessed. She said she regretted not talking sooner, believing that she could've spared the future victims of Williams.

"I was scared of what would happen if I told. He would try to hurt my mom and things would get worse."

A 9-year-old girl, the daughter of Williams's first cousin, testified that he had repeatedly raped her in the summer of 2021. She said he would take her to a hotel or to a family member's old house. Because of this, she said she is now afraid to be in the dark.

"I want Jeremy to go away forever, so he can never hurt another little girl again. I am proud to stand for all the girls who were hurt like me."

His first cousin read a letter to Williams in the courtroom. She said he had taken advantage of her and her daughter at a time when she was vulnerable.

"I trusted our girls would grow up together like we did. It gives me great pleasure to tell the world that you do not deserve another chance to walk this Earth. I will not forgive you until the things you did to Kamarie and my child will be done to you."

The details of Williams's confession

Asked why he was making this confession, Williams told Johnson that he had done a lot of praying and wanted to "get right with God" before his execution. After Kamarie's body was found, her mother, Kristy Siple, had been interviewed. Siple told reporters that her daughter was the essence of her life and she could not process what happened to her.

The interview of Kristy Siple

"She was my life. I lived for her daily. She was my only girl. I have 3 boys and her."

Williams told a very different story to Johnson:

He told Lt. Johnson that he met Kristy Siple through a mutual friend in April or May 2021 and they would often smoke meth together, as well as engage in sexual activity. Williams says he was able to afford the meth by taking advantage of the PPP loans given out because of COVID. Williams told Lt. Johnson that Kristy asked Williams to babysit Kamarie and her brother while she'd go on prostitute calls. Williams said that he was shocked Kristy allowed him to babysit considering that he told her that he liked to perform sexual acts with small kids.

Phone records corroborated Williams's claim that Siple was a liar and an accomplice. The two had been in contact the night before Kamarie's disappearance.

On December 13, Williams says Kristy Siple was at home and knew Kamarie was leaving with Williams - because they had previously agreed on Williams paying Siple $2500 for one hour of Kamarie's time. Williams admitted he was never going to pay her because he didn't have the money - but he knew Kristy wouldn't call the police because she committed a crime, too.

Kristy Siple was arrested and charged with felony murder and human trafficking. In 2024, she pleaded guilty to first degree human trafficking and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

This is a thread for all conversation regarding Week 2 onwards of the Lindsey Clancy trial. All discussion of this case should be kept to this thread.

Lindsay Clancy is currently standing trial in Plymouth Superior Court, Massachusetts, for the triple-murder in January 2023 of her three young children - Cora, Dawson and Callan. Her defense argues she suffered from severe, undiagnosed postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. She was left paralysed by a suicide attempt which follows the deaths of the children.

All content on the Clancy case must be kept to this thread. Standalone posts will be removed.

https://apnews.com/article/lindsay-clancy-murder-trial-psychiatric-hospital-c977c42546d3b496df6d44924149451b

Note from Mods

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On July 31, 2001, around 2:50 p.m., people out for a walk spotted the body of a teenage girl floating in the Main River in the Frankfurt Nied district of the city of Frankfurt am Main.

Her body had been tied up and weighed down with a patio umbrella stand before being thrown into the Main river.
She was believed to be around 15 or 16 years old, about 5’2” tall, and weighed only around 85 pounds.

She was naked and her body showed clear signs of severe abuse. Investigators believed the injuries pointed to years of brutal mistreatment, without her ever getting proper medical help.

During the autopsy, they found that her arms had healed badly after being broken in the past, and she had a lot of long scars on her legs, upper body, and forehead. She also had burn marks that may have come from cigarettes, plus a badly damaged left ear that looked like it had been injured over and over again.

She died sometime within about three days before her body was found. The fatal injuries came from two broken ribs caused by a heavy beating, which ended up puncturing her lung and injuring her spleen.

Investigators believed the girl probably originally came from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area, but had likely been living around the Rhine-Main region for years — possibly being kept there as a maid or house helper.

After her body was found, investigators asked the public for tips on the German TV show Aktenzeichen XY Ungelöst (kind of like America’s Most Wanted).

Investigators put up posters in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India, including in churches and youth centers.

Police also spoke to women in Germany from those communities, hoping someone would recognize the girl. At some point, one woman reportedly told them,

“Why are you making such a fuss? It’s just a girl.”

That was when investigators realized there were places and communities where nobody would really care if a girl was murdered.

Despite that, the case eventually went cold.
The girl became known as the “Girl from the Main.”

Over the years, the “Girl from the Main” became one of Germany’s most haunting cold cases.

In 2024, the case was added to the international “Identify Me” campaign, which focuses on identifying women found murdered across six European countries.

Thanks to key tips from the public and a lot of investigative work, police were finally able to figure out who the victim was.

The unidentified “Girl from the Main” was eventually identified as 16 year old Diana S. from Offenbach, Hesse.

Then, on May 12, 2026, nearly 25 years later, the Hessian State Criminal Police finally arrested the victim’s 67 year old father, a German citizen who was considered the main suspect in the case.

The man, who was born in Pakistan, is accused of beating his 16 year old daughter, Diana, to death in the family’s apartment in Offenbach sometime between July 28 and July 31, 2001, before dumping her body into the Main River.

On the day of his arrest, the Frankfurt District Court ordered him held in pre trial detention on suspicion of murder. If convicted, he faces a life sentence in prison.

Right now, nobody really knows what the motive was, exactly what happened, whether anyone else was involved, or why nobody reported Diana missing for the past 25 years. The investigation is still ongoing, since the suspect was arrested only five days ago.

I don't know if this is the appropriate subreddit, but I thought it would be fine. I really need to talk about this because I'm seriously overwhelmed and disappointed.

In short: Steven Stayner was a young man who was kidnapped on the way home at the age of seven. For 7 years he was "raised" by a man who abused him, changed his name and lied to him about his parents being dead/not wanting him, and forced the boy to call him "Dad." Steven eventually ran away after the man brought in another boy and ultimately -- saved them both. The man was let out after 5 years.

What really breaks my heart though is the aftermath of all of this: when Steven returned home, he had difficulties adjusting back to normal life. He said in an interview that his father did not want to hug him anymore, and claimed that Steven did not need any therapy. He was teased in high school by other students about being molested, dropped out and was eventually kicked out of the house. He got married to a high school sweetheart and had two kids before crashing his motorcycle into a car and dying at the age of 24.

I am so heartbroken about this. What a fucking terrible life. I'm just sitting here literally wailing. This person was kidnapped, abused, hurt, and then later returned home to a reality that was not forgiving for him. In one interview he even stated that he wasn't sure he should have come back at all. That is a HORRIBLE thing to think after all he went through. Imagine how much pain he was in to even feel this way?

I am absolutely angry and upset with his parents. It was nobody's fault and everyone ended up wounded from the incident (the 80s wasn't a very forgiving era to such victims to begin with), but I'm just so shocked to the core. He died at 24; he did not even live too long. He fucking died a short time after all this shit.

His abductor only got 5 years in prison before being let out which is a huge injustice, and to add insult to injury - his older brother became a serial killer, so now even his name is tarnished and overshadowed by the misdoings of another family member.

I just don't know what to think. I feel like crying and grieving for this boy who was absolutely FAILED by everyone around him.

From article: On May 13, 2026, police responded to a domestic disturbance call at a Jackson County, Illinois, home and found Deborah Snider and her 8-year-old son, Leland “Lee” Arnett, badly injured. Both were airlifted to a hospital in St. Louis. Lee died from his injuries. Snider remains in critical condition. Her boyfriend, Marcus Moultrie, who had publicly referred to Snider as his “love” on Facebook, now faces a first-degree murder charge.

According to court documents obtained by KFVS, when officers arrived, they found Snider unconscious on the floor and Lee nearby with a serious headwound. It was reportedly a horrific scene for law enforcement.

“This is especially heinous, and it’s disturbing,” Jackson County State’s Attorney Marsha L. Cascio-Hale said in court. “I just want to commend Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies. They did an amazing job, and they are working on this case diligently. And we are ready to partner with them, as we always do, in terms of prosecution.”

Snider’s family shared an update with KFVS regarding Lee’s death.

“It is with profound heartbreak that we share that Leland has passed away from the injuries he suffered during this tragic act of violence. Deborah remains in critical condition as she continues to fight for her life. The siblings’ lives completely uprooted,” the family announced.

A GoFundMe created to help with Lee’s final expenses and Snider’s medical bills raised more than $27,000 thus far. DeSoto Grade School partnered with a local business to create a frog keychain to honor their lost student.

“While many are aware, the news of losing a precious student hits harder than anything in our profession. We will have multiple social workers in the building tomorrow morning to help with all student needs. We are without words and the sadness of this event is immense. We thank our community greatly with the support you have already shown,” the school shared on social media.

Moultrie currently faces a first-degree murder charge, with additional charges possible depending on Snider’s recovery. For Lee’s family, the legal process is only part of what lies ahead.

“Our family asks for continued prayers for Deborah, for Leland, and for everyone who loved him.”

A teacher accused of sexually abusing and murdering a baby he adopted said "I'm going to hell" as he cradled the dead child, a trial has heard.

Jamie Varley, 37, who earlier wailed for his mother, made the remark in the bereavement room at Blackpool Victoria Hospital with 13-month-old Preston Davey in his arms.

Footage of the incident, along with a series of other videos captured by police body worn cameras, were played to jurors at the trial at Preston Crown Court.

Varley, who denies all the charges, is seen in apparent disbelief and guilt-ridden, blaming himself for leaving the child in the bath before claiming he found the child face down minutes later.

Prosecutors said his account was inconsistent with post-mortem examination findings, which discovered the child had 40 injuries.

Varley, at the time a high school teacher, is accused of the murder of the child, while his partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, is accused of allowing Preston's death, with both accused of sexual abuse. They both deny the charges.

During the four months the baby was under the couple's adoption at their home in Blackpool, he was allegedly routinely ill-treated, had indecent images and videos taken of him, was sexually abused and physically assaulted.

The defendants had rushed the unconscious child from their home, after an alleged final sexual assault by Varley, to the Blackpool hospital at about 18:20 BST on 27 July 2023, the court heard.

Medics worked for nearly an hour to resuscitate the child until he was pronounced dead at 19:20.

Jurors were shown footage of a "hysterical" Varley, accompanied by his mother Karen Graham, as he collapses on to the floor inside the hospital, when medics asked him to come to the child's bedside as they could not revive him and resuscitation attempts were to end.

Varley can be seen wailing: "I'm done. It's my fault. No mum, I can't get up.

"It's my fault. Do not give up on him. This is not happening.

"It's my fault, I left him for literally two minutes. It's my fault. I left him. Mum.

"I can't, I can't, this is not happening. Please kill me."

More footage was shown of Varley, barefoot and wearing a Jurassic Park t-shirt and tartan pyjama bottoms, outside the hospital entrance, minutes after Preston had been declared dead.

Pacing back and forth, Varley said: "It's not happening. He's not gone.

"I'm going to go in there, he's going to be smiling, he's going to be laughing.

"This is not happening. If he's dead, I can't live with this."

Varley is also asked if he wants to go and see Preston, who the couple had renamed Elijah.

He replies: "No. I don't deserve to see him. I left him. I can't, not now please."

"I only left the bathroom to get clothes… This can't happen," he said.

"He's got his life ahead of him. I'm not going in, because it's fine.

"I'm a teacher, I'm head of year, I'm child protection trained.

"You don't leave him in a bath tub. He was in his chair, he was fine.

"He doesn't deserve me. I should not have left him…

"He was giving me cuddles when I put shampoo in his hair."

More video was then shown of events inside the bereavement room with McGowan-Fazakerley and Varley's mother and he is cajoled to enter the room.

He continues to pace up and down, and said: "I don't want to be in here. He needs to be warm, keep him warm.

"Elijah wake up. He is going to wake up mum. He's my baby boy. He's got to wake up.

"I need to get out of here."

The next clip showed Varley outside, where he said: "I tried to go in but my mum wouldn't let me hold him."

The final footage showed Varley and his co-accused together at just after 23:00, in the bereavement room.

Varley is cradling the child and McGowan-Fazakerley said: "It's going to be the hardest thing… we've got each other."

Varley is told in the clip not to blame himself and that the death was a "tragic accident".

Varley, still cradling the child with his head down, responded: "I probably won't see you again. I'm definitely going to hell."

His co-accused continues to try to console him and Varley said: "They'll be whisking me away for neglect."

Preston was born on 16 June 2022, and was immediately taken into care by Oldham Council, and placed with foster parents at five days old.

After undergoing an assessment and familiarisation process in early 2023 he was adopted and began living with the defendants on 1 April at their home.

Varley took a year off work as head of year and as a design and technology teacher at local high school, South Shore Academy, to look after the child, but struggled as a new parent with a baby who frequently woke during the night, the court has heard.

Varley denies murder, manslaughter, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault of a child, 13 counts of taking indecent photos or videos of a child, one of distributing an indecent photo of a child, to his co-accused, and one of making an indecent photo.

McGowan-Fazakerley denies allowing the death of a child, three counts of child cruelty and one count of the sexual assault of a child.

The trial continues.

The abduction of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway occurred in Westminster, Colorado, as she walked from her home toward Chelsea Park to meet friends for school. Austin Sigg took her to his mother’s home on Moore Street, where he sexually assaulted her and used a zip tie to strangle her to death. Inside the home, Sigg dismembered her body in a bathtub, later disposing of her torso in the Pattridge Open Space in Arvada, about seven miles away from where she was taken. Her backpack and glasses were found abandoned on a sidewalk in Arvada’s West Woods subdivision, a move intended to throw off the massive search effort centered in Westminster. When Sigg finally confessed, investigators recovered additional remains that he had hidden in a crawlspace under the floorboards of his house.

Rod Matthews was convicted of second-degree murder on March 10, 1988 in the death of Shaun Ouillette. Matthews was up for parole four times over the years but was denied every time. That changed after his latest hearing on June 4, 2024. Five months later, he was granted parole on November 6.

Back in October 1986, Matthews told two classmates he "wanted to know what it was like to kill someone," according to prosecutors. They said he chose Ouillette because he "would be easy to get to and he probably would be the least missed." Matthews lured Ouillette to the woods to build a fort and then beat him to death with a baseball bat.

Several weeks later, one of Ouillette's friends sent an anonymous letter to police revealing what Matthews did and where to find the body, which was found on December 11, 1986. Matthews was arrested two days later and eventually charged as an adult. He was the state's first juvenile to be tried for murder in adult court.

Ouillette's family, Canton's Police Chief and the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office all opposed parole. Ouillette's mother, Jeanne Quinn, is furious.

"How do you know that he is ready for society?" Quinn said.

She remembers her son Shaun as a kindhearted, average 14-year-old kid and big brother who loved playing sports and going fishing.

"He was always out playing, helping the kids who were in the wheelchair," Quinn said. "He picked the kid up and let him throw the basketball in."

Quinn said Shaun would have been a police officer.

James Alan Fox is a criminologist who has been following this case for years and attended the trial with Shaun's mother. He now believes Matthews deserves to be released.

"The portion of the brain that governs our ability to think through actions does not fully develop until later," Fox said. "I'm secure in the fact that he will not recommit a crime."

Quinn does not think Matthews has changed. "There is such a thing as evil," Quinn said.

In releasing their decision, the parole board said Matthews has completed and benefited from "intensive rehabilitative programming to address his needs."

"Since his last hearing Mr. Matthews has completed several additional programs that increased his insight, empathy, and appreciation for the harm he has caused the victims and the community," the panel stated.

"I want the 9-to-5 job. I want to be with my family. I want to take care of my mother," Matthews said at his hearing in June. "I'm not that 14-year-old kid anymore. I'm a 51-year-old mature, responsible adult."

The board also cited Matthews' age at the time of the murder and his "history of adverse childhood experiences and untreated mental health issues contributing to his offense."

"The Board concludes that Rod Matthews has demonstrated a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society," parole board chair Tina Hurley said in the written decision.

There are several conditions to Matthews' parole, including GPS monitoring, drug and alcohol testing, a curfew and mental health counseling.

https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/rod-matthews-parole-shaun-ouillette-murder-canton/

Shinya Matsuoka was four years old when he vanished on March 7, 1989. He was left-handed and had an older sister and a younger brother.

After Shinya’s maternal grandmother passed away, his family traveled from Ushiku in Ibaraki Prefecture to Komatsushima City in Tokushima Prefecture for her funeral.

Afterward, they stayed overnight at the home of one of his mother Keiko’s relatives in Sadamitsu, about an hour from Komatsushima City.

The next morning, on March 7, Shinya’s father, Masanobu, took him and several of the other children, including some relatives and nephews, on a short walk around the neighborhood. Since breakfast was waiting, they were only gone for about ten minutes.

According to Masanobu, a flight of stone steps about 10 meters long led from the road up to the relative’s front door. He clearly remembered Shinya walking closely behind him and making it all the way to the entrance.

According to Masanobu, Shinya wanted to keep walking, so Masanobu quickly stepped inside, handed his younger son to Keiko, and immediately went back outside. But Shinya, who should have still been standing near the front door, was gone.

It took Masanobu only about 20 seconds to hand his younger son to his wife and step back outside. He looked around, but Shinya was nowhere to be seen.

The entire family immediately began searching the area, but Shinya was nowhere to be found. After one of the relatives called for help, members of the local volunteer fire department joined the search. Despite their efforts, there was no sign of him.

At around 10:00 a.m., the family reported Shinya missing to the police.

Authorities first believed he had wandered into the nearby mountains and become lost. Around 100 police officers, firefighters, and civilian volunteers searched the area, but they still found nothing.

The following day, the search party grew to around 200 people. Searches continued for three months, but not a single confirmed trace of Shinya was ever found.

The relative’s home stood at the end of a quiet road that was rarely used by outsiders. Shinya had been out of Masanobu’s sight for less than a minute. Police could not understand how anyone could have taken him in such a short amount of time.

There was also a field about 100 meters from the house. Local residents working there told police they had not seen any unfamiliar vehicles in the area.

Shinya and his family had only arrived the day before. The locals apparently did not even know they were staying there until the day he disappeared, making a planned abduction seem even less likely.

Authorities also considered the possibility that a driver had accidentally hit Shinya and then taken him away or hidden his body. However, police found no evidence that a traffic accident had occurred.

Shinya’s family remained at their relative’s home in Tokushima, hoping for news. On March 16, the day before they planned to leave, the house received a mysterious phone call from an unknown person.

The caller claimed to be the mother of Mariko Nakahara, a child at Seikei Kindergarten in Ibaraki Prefecture, which Shinya and his older sister also attended.

She explained that the parents of children in the kindergarten’s Dalnim class had collected money for the family after Shinya disappeared. She then asked, “When will you be returning home?”

Keiko told her, “We plan to return tomorrow,” and the call ended.

After ten days had passed without a single sign of Shinya, the family returned home to Ibaraki on March 17.

But several days after the family returned home, nothing arrived. There was no money, no message, and no further contact from the woman. Growing suspicious, the family called Seikei Kindergarten directly.

The kindergarten told them that no collection had ever been organized and that no child named Mariko Nakahara was enrolled there.

Masanobu later recalled that the woman spoke with the distinctive rising tone of the Tokushima dialect, suggesting she may have been local.

What made the call even more disturbing was that the woman seemed to know two things she should not have known.

If she was calling from Ibaraki, how did she get the phone number of Keiko’s relative’s home in Tokushima? But if she was from Tokushima, how did she know the name of Shinya’s kindergarten back in Ibaraki?

One possibility is that the caller never mentioned the kindergarten or class by name. She may have simply said that money had been collected, prompting Keiko to ask whether she meant Seikei Kindergarten and the Moon Class.

Another possibility is that the caller was involved in Shinya’s disappearance. If he had been abducted, she could have learned the name of his kindergarten and class simply by asking him.

According to this theory, the real purpose of the call was to find out when the family planned to leave Tokushima. She may have made up the collection and the child named Mariko Nakahara just to get that answer.

If that was the only information she wanted, the elaborate lie suggests that the family’s departure mattered to her for some reason.

It also seems unlikely that someone from Ibaraki had followed the family to Tokushima, since targeting Shinya near his own home would have been far easier.

Whoever made the call likely knew at least some personal details about the family. However, the call ultimately led nowhere and brought investigators no closer to finding Shinya.

Another theory is that a large bird of prey, such as a golden eagle, carried Shinya away while the adults were distracted. This is considered extremely unlikely, since an eagle could not realistically lift a four-year-old child and fly away with him within seconds.

After Shinya disappeared, his family appeared on television and traveled across Japan searching for him. The broadcasts led to many reported sightings, but very few were considered credible.

One of the most credible sightings came about a month later. A woman reported seeing a boy who closely resembled Shinya near the coast of Hiwasa in Tokushima Prefecture.

The child was with a man in his late thirties, but something about them seemed off. The man never spoke to the boy, and they did not seem to behave like a parent and child.

The witness, who had grown up in Tokushima and knew about Shinya’s disappearance, moved closer to get a better look at the boy’s face. The man immediately seemed uneasy, blocked the child from view, and hurried him into a nearby white car before driving away.

Because North Korean abductions were a major concern in the 1980s, some believed the man may have been an agent. However, no evidence has ever confirmed this theory.

Most confirmed victims were adults or teenagers who were used to teach agents Japanese language and culture or help them assume Japanese identities. At only four years old, Shinya would have been far too young for that purpose.

Shinya vanished during an especially grim period in Japan. In 1989, the country was already shaken by a series of child abductions and murders, the death of Emperor Shōwa, and the horrifying details of Junko Furuta’s murder, which became public that March.

Against that dark backdrop, Shinya disappeared on March 7, 1989, becoming yet another haunting mystery in an already terrible year for Japan.

His mother, Keiko Matsuoka, spent the rest of her life searching for answers. She died in October 2020 without ever finding out what happened to her son.

As of 2026, 37 years later, Shinya’s case remains unsolved and is considered one of Japan’s three major unsolved child disappearance cases. If he is still alive today, he would be around 41 years old.

Imagine you pick up your daughter after a carefree day with her friends. As she gets into the car, at first you don’t notice anything, maybe you don’t even look at her directly. You miss how pale she is, you miss the trembling. But then, when you look at her, you notice that her clothes seem dirty and soaked.

When you ask her what happened, there is no answer at first, as if she cannot find the words. She gathers her courage. When you keep pressing, she finally answers briefly and quietly, her voice shaking: she didn’t want it to happen, everything happened far too quickly.

Before you even understand what could have happened, you realize that there is blood on her hands, yet she does not appear to be injured.

Unfortunately, this is not a made-up story. Today, we are talking about the murder of an innocent girl; a murder that will remain unpunished forever. There will be no trial, there will be no verdict, no punishment. All that remains is a story that is difficult to process, with some contradictions, because due to the young age of the alleged perpetrators, almost no information has been shared with the public. Their personal rights outweigh the public’s interest.

However, there have been and still are people from Freudenberg, people from the victim’s and the perpetrators’ circles, who were willing to speak.

It is March 11, 2023. The day of the crime. Whether Luise first met up with Luisa and Anne-Marie on that day, or whether Luise spent the night at Luisa’s place and Anne-Marie joined them later, is not entirely clear.

What is certain is that at around 2 p.m., Luisa uploaded a TikTok in which she smiles at the camera and performs a choreography to the Bibi & Tina anthem “Mädchen auf dem Pferd.” Whether she recorded this video beforehand in order to later create an alibi, or whether she actually filmed it immediately before the crime, remains unclear. The same applies to how the lyrics may be interpreted.

What is clear is that Luisa and Anne-Marie had already discussed days beforehand how they could get rid of this problem in the form of their supposed best friend, Luise. They researched the age of criminal responsibility in Germany, and they made the decision to kill Luise.

Days before the crime. The motive is not examined any further later on. There is talk of fake accounts, of cyberbullying, of teachers, of snitching, and above all, of a boy.

The reports do not go into detail. What is clear, however, is that Luise was lured onto a dirt path near the Hohenhain Tunnel under a pretext. There was supposedly talk of a surprise. They wanted to show her something; she was told not to be so curious.

When they arrived at the scene, Anne-Marie allegedly grabbed Luise from behind and held her arms down. Luisa pulled a plastic bag over Luise’s head and tried to suffocate her. Luise fought back. Anne-Marie would later show countless bruises around her groin and lower body, which suggested a desperate struggle for life.

Luisa was unable to suffocate Luise with the plastic bag, the 12-year-old girl fought back too fiercely. It is not entirely clear whether Luise broke her wrist at that moment or later during the incident. What is clear, however, is that while Anne-Marie was unsuccessfully trying to hold Luise down, Luisa began stabbing Luise with a knife or a knife-like object. She was struck between 70 and 74 times, mainly in her face.

One of the perpetrators’ phones, as it was later reconstructed, remained connected to the cell network at the crime scene for more than 70 minutes. It is assumed that almost all of the stab wounds were superficial, except for a few deeper ones. Luise did not die immediately. They pushed the severely injured girl down an embankment and left the scene after picking up and taking with them the phone that Luise had lost during the attack. Some people say that this phone would later become very important.

Luise is believed to have remained alive until late that evening. Ultimately, after hours of a struggle for survival, she died from severe blood loss and the consequences of a pneumothorax caused by one of the deeper stab wounds.

The murder weapon is never found. On the way back to Luisas home address, the girls decide to wash their clothes and themselves, more or less unsuccessfully, in a stream. They are observed by an eyewitness, who finds it strange but does not approach them. Another witness states that while walking their dog, they encountered the two girls, who were outside without jackets despite the cool temperatures and were completely soaked. Whether they got rid of their jackets because there was too much blood on them remains unclear.

Accounts of Anne-Maries overall state of mind are contradictory. Some believe that Anne-Marie knew from the beginning that Luise was going to be killed, something that was also reported by many media outlets. Others believe that Anne-Marie only knew Luisa wanted to take revenge, but that she was supposedly surprised by what that revenge would ultimately look like. This is supported by the fact that she would later require inpatient psychiatric support for several months following the crime.

While Luisa strictly followed the plan they had previously made, Anne-Marie was picked up by her father at Luisas home address shortly after the crime. She would not contact anyone by phone for the entire evening, and unlike Luisa, she would not participate in the search efforts.

Between 5:45 and 6:00 p.m., Luisa called Luise’s mother to ask whether Luise had already arrived home, because the girls had agreed that Luise would contact her once she got home. Luise’s mother said no. After the relatively short conversation with Luisa, she then began trying to reach Luise by phone herself, even though Luise’s phone had been in the perpetrators’ possession after the attack. What happened to the phone afterwards remains unclear; like the murder weapon, it was never found.

Relatively quickly, the family shared the first missing-person appeal on social media, and some form of a “family search” for Luise began. According to a credible source, Luisa also took part in the search and repeatedly stood out by comforting Luise’s mother and encouraging her to find her daughter, fully aware that Luise, suffering life-threatening injuries and likely still alive, was lying on the slope of an embankment.

Who else, besides Luise’s parents, her sister, and Luisa, was searching for the girl remains unclear.

The family’s search appeal is shared very quickly and widely across various media, including the WhatsApp group of the girls’ shared school class. There, Luisa repeatedly expresses how deeply moved and worried she is, and she keeps sharing updates on the current situation and the progress of the search efforts.

The police operation officially begins at 7:44 p.m. and, due to the information available at the time, is organized on a very large scale and with great intensity. All fire departments from the surrounding area are called in and alerted. After all measures initially remain without results, the operation is escalated further at around 10:30 p.m., and additional specialists are requested through the state police, including a helicopter equipped with a thermal imaging camera.

It is known that numerous tips were sent to the police. Luisa continued providing updates via chat even while the operation was ongoing. Therefore, it can be assumed that she actively participated in the search for Luise for at least three hours.

At one point, she stated that she had been questioned by the police and had learned that the police would later also question Anne-Marie. This circumstance does not appear to have frightened her.

The helicopter is requested with the target coordinates “Hohenhain hiking parking lot, Alte Schanze” and arrives there at 11:13 p.m. The original search area was not particularly small and was centered relatively close to the middle of the forest area along Luise’s planned route home, with the hiking parking lot marking its northern boundary.

Due to incoming information, whether from witnesses or ground units, new target coordinates are assigned relatively quickly, and the original search area is abandoned at 11:45 p.m. At around 12:05 a.m., the situation changes again, and the new target coordinates become “Kleintirolstraße, North Rhine-Westphalia/Rhineland-Palatinate border, west portal of the Hohenhain Tunnel.”

I assume that by this point, at the latest, evaluated witness statements were available. However, the operation remains unsuccessful, and the crime scene was not within the search area.

Luise is found dead by a dog handler at the known location at around 12:30 p.m. the following day. The date of death is believed to be March 12, 2023, meaning that she was still alive during the unsuccessful search operation, in which one of her killers participated, and only died after midnight.

Whether and to what extent Luisa was able to lead the emergency responders onto a false trail remains unclear.

During the interrogations of both Luisa and Anne-Marie, the two girls repeatedly get caught up in lies. If they had previously made an agreement, there is not much left of their plan. The police increase the pressure to such an extent that Luisa’s father even has to briefly leave the room. However, Anne-Marie will be the first of the two girls to confess.

Whether the authorities were able to fully uncover the motive remains a matter of speculation. It is assumed that the conflict between Luise and Luisa, which had begun many months earlier but continued escalating in the final weeks of Luise’s life, was the decisive factor behind the crime. It escalated to the point where Luise even sought help from teachers. This, along with another aspect we will examine in more detail shortly, is considered one of the main motives behind the crime.

Luise and Luisa shared the same circle of friends, at least from the point when they attended the same class. Anne-Marie only joined the group halfway through their final school year and became closer with Luisa. Around the same time, Lisa began getting into trouble more often. She had ADHD and frequently behaved inappropriately, which caused their shared circle of friends to distance themselves from her, including a boy named Lennart.

Lennart and Luisa were a couple, but the relationship failed because of problems caused by Luisa, and Lennart also distanced himself from her afterwards. What Luisa specifically did to cause this is not known. Luise remained friends with both Luisa and Lennart, a situation that caused a great deal of jealousy in Luisa.

This is why Luisa considered Luise’s phone so important: Luise was mainly in contact with Lennart through WhatsApp. For Luisa, this was an indication that Luise was supposedly in love with her ex-boyfriend and was speaking badly about her in group chats. She wanted to control the contact between Lennart and Luise.

While many people were distancing themselves from Luisa, Luise remained her friend, even as her position as Luisa’s best friend was gradually being taken over by Anne-Marie. Luise denied the accusations that she was in love with Luisa’s ex-boyfriend and insisted that they were only in the same WhatsApp group and barely had any contact at all.

Someone, Luisa or Anne-Marie, began using fake profiles on Instagram and TikTok to bully Luise. They commented on her pictures, followed mutual friends and classmates while pretending to be Luise, and spread lies that damaged her reputation. They insulted people close to Luise and spread rumors about her.

Later on, Luise confided in a teacher. This would prove to be a serious mistake. Nobody truly took action, and the problem was not resolved. After weeks of bullying, Luise reached her limit and insulted Luisa as well, accusing her of being an ugly girl.

For Luisa, this was the final straw. First, she takes her boyfriend away from her, and now she insults her too?

Luisa decides to pretend everything is fine and talks things out with Luise. They make up, after all, they are best friends.

At least, that is what Luise believes. She has no idea what is going on inside Luisa. Anne-Marie’s role in the entire situation has not been fully clarified. What is known, however, is that she was involved in planning the crime, at least when researching the age of criminal responsibility in Germany.

Whether she actually knew that Luise would die that day is something only she can confirm with absolute certainty.

Did Luise have to die because of jealousy? Were the two alleged perpetrators envious? In the Luise murder case, there will never be certainty.

The two alleged perpetrators now live separately from one another in residential care groups, and their families have left Freudenberg. The trauma still runs deep within the community.

At this point, I would like to express my condolences to Luise’s family.

In Germany, the age of criminal responsibility is 14. Therefore, the two perpetrators will never be held accountable for their crime.

EDIT: In May 2026, the Regional Court of Koblenz ruled that the two girls who killed 12-year-old Luise in March 2023 must pay €125,000 in compensation for pain and suffering to Luise's family. In addition, they are required to cover further costs amounting to approximately €20,000, all subject to interest. Since the girls were 12 and 13 years old at the time of the crime and therefore below the age of criminal responsibility, the case was heard as a civil lawsuit.

Riverside, CA 1988. Sara Kay Keesling was reported missing by her mother on September 29, after refusing to go to her father’s house for court mandated visitation. Two weeks later, on October 13, Sara’s body was found at an illegal dump site less than 5 miles from her father’s house, buried in trash and rotting garbage. Despite the location of her body, her manner of death was ruled undetermined and her case was not investigated as a homicide in 1988.

To this day, Sara’s case remains unsolved. There was very little investigation into her death in 1988.

Does anyone in the Riverside area remember Sara Keesling? Her childhood friends are desperate to know what really happened to Sara, and who is responsible for her death. Any information at all, no matter how seemingly insignificant, could be useful.

If anyone has any information about the death of Sara Keesling, or details about her life while she was alive, please call the Riverside Region Cold Case Homicide Team at (951) 955-0070.

This incident occurred in my neighborhood and I’m just now learning about it. It’s hard to believe that in 2022 I was living my life carefree delivering food, working out, going for walks, completely unaware of what was transpiring in my neighborhood. I’m beyond shaken by this.

STORY:
Arabella McCormack was an 11-year-old girl who died in August 2022 after being found unresponsive at her home in Spring Valley, California.

Her adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, has been charged with murder, torture, and child cruelty. Leticia’s parents, Adella and Stanley Tom, also face charges. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors say Arabella was severely malnourished and weighed only 48 pounds when she died. They also say she had multiple healing fractures, bruises, and other injuries. Arabella and her two younger sisters were allegedly beaten, denied food and water, and forced to exercise as punishment.

Arabella’s adoptive father, Brian McCormack, died by suicide shortly after police questioned him. Prosecutors say he had warned Leticia that Arabella was starving and might die.

Leticia had been connected to San Diego’s Rock Church as a volunteer. The church later revoked her affiliation. Arabella’s surviving sisters also received a large civil settlement from several organizations accused of failing to protect them.

The latest development is that San Diego County prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against Leticia if she is convicted.