Failed by DHS: Jeanette Maples By Emily G. Thompson Children are among the most vulnerable within our communities. There are systems in place whose sole purpose it is to protect these children. One would expect that when child abuse is reported to these systems, it is thoroughly investigated, even more so if multiple similar reports come in. In Eugene, Oregon, the Department of Human Services received numerous reports about a girl being abused in her home. Time and time again, they failed to do their jobs and as a result, the abuse victim paid the ultimate price Jun 2, 2023 • 19 min read
Teghan Skiba: Alone in the Barn By Emily G. Thompson Teghan Skiba was a four-year-old girl living in Smithfield, North Carolina, with her mother, Helen Reyes, and Helen’s boyfriend, Jonathan Richardson. They lived in a barn on Richardson’s grandparents’ property, which lacked basic amenities such as running water and a bathroom. The only bedding available was a solitary air mattress on the floor. Despite the […] May 4, 2023 • 9 min read
The Tragic Death of Nathaniel Craver By Emily G. Thompson In 2003, Nathaniel Craver was adopted from a Russian orphanage by an American couple. Six years later, he would be rushed to hospital suffering from catastrophic injures. Sep 8, 2022 • 8 min read
Morbidology the Podcast – 156: Melissa Stoddard By Emily G. Thompson It was around 10PM 12th of December, 2012, when paramedics in Sarasota, Florida, were called to a home where it was reported that a young girl had stopped breathing. When they arrived, it quickly became apparent that the case was much more complex than the caller had portrayed. Not only was the young girl not […] Jun 13, 2022 • 6 min read
The American Horror Story Death of Scott McMillan By Emily G. Thompson In 2014, 3-year-old Scott McMillan was found unresponsive in the home he shared with his family. It quickly became apparent that Scott had been the victim of prolonged abuse and neglect. Apr 21, 2022 • 7 min read
Morbidology the Podcast – 141: Grace Packer By Emily G. Thompson Abington Township is a safe, close-knit community located in the first-ring suburb of Pennsylvania. There’s around 55,000 residents, mostly drawn to the area due to its accessibility, affordability and diversity. In 2016, a teenage girl was reported missing in Abington Township. The investigation would be hampered by her adoptive mother’s reluctance to assist investigators. This only begged the question: did she know more than she was letting on? Feb 28, 2022 • 8 min read
Morbidology the Podcast – 137: Jacob Ind By Emily G. Thompson Woodland Park is a city located just a 20 minute drive up the Ute Pass from the picturesque Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. The convenient mountain enclave is known as The City Above the Clouds and is the perfect location for those who love to be in the great outdoors. In 1992, the city would be rocked by a shocking double murder, a double murder that would be discovered when a teenage boy came into school to confess to his role. Jan 31, 2022 • 6 min read
Morbidology the Podcast – 131: Sabrina Ray By Emily G. Thompson In 2017, police in Perry, Iowa, received an anonymous phone call reporting an unresponsive teenager inside a home. When they arrived at the scene, it quickly became apparent that this was far more complex than they first of all realised and in fact, the teenage girl was the victim of prolonged abuse and neglect. Dec 20, 2021 • 6 min read
The Live Streamed Death of Katelyn Nicole Davis By Emily G. Thompson On the 30th of December, 2016, 12-year-old Katelyn Nicole Davis from Cedartown, Georgia, hanged herself in her garden. The tormented young girl live streamed the heart-breaking event. After the footage went viral, police were powerless to take it down. Oct 14, 2021 • 3 min read
The Tragedy of the Bowman Sisters By Emily G. Thompson On 26 September, 2008, the police of Lusby, Maryland, received multiple phone-calls from worried citizens that reported seeing a young girl running down the street. She was semi-naked and appeared to be covered in faeces and blood. The little girl, who was 7-years-old, was taken to a local hospital where an examination revealed that she had been the victim of violent abuse and neglect. Sep 5, 2021 • 4 min read
Morbidology the Podcast – 114: AJ Freund By Emily G. Thompson In April of 2019, police in the Chicago Suburb of Crystal Lake were informed of a missing five-year-old boy. According to his parents, he had vanished at some point in the middle of the night. However, it quickly became apparent that the family were well-known to child protective services and for many years, police had been trying to get them to take action and remove the children from the home. Their pleas had always fallen on deaf ears and child protective services had refused to intervene. The disappearance and outcome of the disappearance would lead to the community questioning: How... Aug 23, 2021 • 7 min read
The Cruel Life & Death of Grace Packer By Emily G. Thompson Grace Packer suffered unimaginable abuse throughout her short life. After her parents lost custody of her due to abuse, she was adopted by an extremely sadistic couple who would make her life living hell. Aug 5, 2021 • 6 min read
