LaVena Johnson: Suicide or Cover-Up?

Andrea Yates: Mental Illness, Religious Influence, and the Tragedy That Shocked America

In this solo episode of Crime Chats, Lisa takes a deep dive into one of the most heartbreaking and controversial true crime cases in modern history: the case of Andrea Yates. Most people know the headlines, but this case is far more complex than many realize. Lisa explores Andrea's history of severe mental health struggles, the events leading up to the deaths of her five children, the role of religious influences in her life, and the trials that followed. The episode also examines the influence of traveling minister Michael Woroniecki and the questions that continue to surround accountability, mental illness, and tragedy. This is a difficult case involving mental illness, family trauma, and the deaths of children. Listener discretion is advised. 🔎 In This Episode: * Andrea Yates' early life, background, and marriage to Rusty Yates * The progression of her postpartum depression and psychosis * Warnings from medical professionals * The influence of Michael Woroniecki's teachings * The events of June 20, 2001 * Andrea's first trial and conviction * The overturned conviction and second trial * Her Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity verdict * Where Andrea Yates is today ⚖️ Case Discussion Topics: * Postpartum psychosis * Severe mental illness and criminal responsibility * Religious extremism and influence * Family dynamics * The insanity defense 📚 Sources Denno, D. W. (2003). Who is Andrea Yates? A short story about insanity. Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy, 10(1), 1-10. Investigation Discovery. (n.d.). The cult behind the killer: The Andrea Yates story | Official trailer | ID [Video]. YouTube. Resnick, P. J. (2007). The Andrea Yates case: Insanity on trial. Cleveland State Law Review, 55(2), 147-156. Investigation Discovery. (2022, January 6). The cult behind the killer: The Andrea Yates story [Documentary]. Max. 💬 Join the Conversation Do you believe the legal system reached the right conclusion in the end? We'd love to hear your perspective in the comments. ☕ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Crime Chats and want to support more deep dives like this: * Share this episode with someone who would find it interesting * Follow/subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next * Check out our Crime Chats merch on Amazon! * https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip [https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip] * buymeacoffee.com/crimechats [http://buymeacoffee.com/crimechats]

The Dark Days are Upon Us: The Disturbing Case of April Short

In this episode of Crime Chats, we discuss the heartbreaking and disturbing case of April Short, a mother convicted of murdering her 11-month-old son while her two older children were still inside the home. April’s husband James, a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, reportedly received an alarming doomsday-style text message from his wife, prompting him to rush home to a horrifying scene. According to reports, the bedroom door had been barricaded, and their baby boy was later found dead in the bathroom in a pool of blood. ⚠️ Trigger Warning This episode discusses child murder, child abuse, graphic violence involving an infant, mental health concerns, and traumatic crime scene details. Please listen with care. 🔎 What We Cover * The timeline leading up to the tragedy * The alarming text messages sent before the incident * April's interrogation and interviews with the surviving children * Mental illness, criminal responsibility, and accountability * Our thoughts on how these cases are prosecuted 📚 Sources * Lambe, J. (2023, November 20). Mom slit infant’s throat, told other kids it was so he could “be with Jesus and God”: Police. Law & Crime. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/mom-slit-infants-throat-told-other-kids-it-was-so-victim-could-be-with-jesus-and-god-police/ [https://lawandcrime.com/crime/mom-slit-infants-throat-told-other-kids-it-was-so-victim-could-be-with-jesus-and-god-police/] * Rickabaugh, G., & McCord, S. (2023, November 18). Fort Eisenhower announces arrest of mother in baby’s death. The Augusta Press. https://theaugustapress.com/fort-eisenhower-announces-arrest-of-mother-in-babys-death/ [https://theaugustapress.com/fort-eisenhower-announces-arrest-of-mother-in-babys-death/] * United States v. April Short 1:23-mj-00063-BKE, (Southern district of Georgia November 16, 2023). * United States v. April Evalyn Short 1:23-cr-00070-JRH-BKE, (Southern district of Georgia July 5, 2024a). pp. 7-8, expert in forensic pathology. * United States v. April Evalyn Short 1:23-cr-00070-JRH-BKE, (Southern district of Georgia July 17, 2024b). pp. 3-11, expert witness in bloodstain pattern and analysis. * U.S. Army. (2019). U.S. Army ranks. Army.mil [http://Army.mil]. https://www.army.mil/ranks/ [https://www.army.mil/ranks/] * WRDW. (2025, March 25). Fort Eisenhower mom pleads guilty in infant’s death, awaits sentencing. Https://Www.wrdw.com [Https://Www.wrdw.com]; WRDW-TV/WAGT-TV. https://www.wrdw.com/2025/03/25/fort-eisenhower-mom-pleads-guilty-infants-death-awaits-sentencing/?.com [https://www.wrdw.com/2025/03/25/fort-eisenhower-mom-pleads-guilty-infants-death-awaits-sentencing/?.com] ☕ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Crime Chats and want to support more deep dives like this: * Share this episode with someone who would find it interesting * Follow/subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next * Check out our Crime Chats merch on Amazon! * https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip [https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip] * buymeacoffee.com/crimechats [http://buymeacoffee.com/crimechats]

Lisa McDaniel, Medical Child Abuse & the Questions Surrounding Collin McDaniel’s Death

This week on Crime Chats, we discuss the heartbreaking and disturbing story of Collin McDaniel, a young boy whose life was surrounded by hospitals, medications, medical procedures, and a devastating diagnosis that many now believe was never real. At the center of the case is his mother, Lisa McDaniel, who presented Collin as critically ill for years while gaining sympathy, attention, and support from those around her. As investigators and medical professionals began looking deeper into the case, troubling questions emerged: * Was Collin truly suffering from the diseases his mother claimed he had? * Were unnecessary medical treatments making him sicker? * Did the medical system fail to protect him? * And could this be a devastating case of Medical Child Abuse — also known as Munchausen by Proxy? ⚠️ Trigger Warning This episode discusses medical child abuse, severe mental health issues, and child death. Listener discretion is advised. This case is difficult, emotional, and deeply unsettling. It highlights how vulnerable children can become when the people meant to protect them are the ones causing harm. 🔍 What We Cover * The symptoms that first led Lisa McDaniel to bring her son to the hospital * Collin's Neuromyelitis Optica diagnosis * Treatments given to Collin in the hospital * Lisa McDaniel's advocacy and blogging about her son's illness * Collin's tragic death and the questions surrounding it 📚 Sources * Dunlop, A. (Host). (2025). Nobody Should Believe Me (Season 6) [Audio podcast season]. * Dunlop, A. (2025, July 7). Justice for Collin. Patreon. 🧠 Resources on Medical Child Abuse & Munchausen by Proxy * The Mother Next Door by Andrea Dunlop & Mike Weber A deep dive into three heartbreaking Munchausen by Proxy / Medical Child Abuse cases from the host of Nobody Should Believe Me. The book explores how these cases develop, how systems fail children, and the lasting impact on survivors and families. (https://amzn.to/4dbUeXX) [https://amzn.to/4dbUeXX] * Sickened: The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood by Julie Gregory A memoir written by a survivor of Munchausen by Proxy that gives a firsthand look at growing up under medical abuse. (https://amzn.to/48XUuHI) [https://amzn.to/48XUuHI] 💬 Join the Conversation Do you think, as we do, that the Guthy Jackson Foundation should have done more to vet Lisa McDaniel before giving her such an important job? Should Guthy Jackson being doing more today to right this enormous wrong? ☕ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Crime Chats and want to support more deep dives like this: * Share this episode with someone who would find it interesting * Follow/subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next * Check out our Crime Chats merch on Amazon! * https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip [https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip] * buymeacoffee.com/crimechats [http://buymeacoffee.com/crimechats]

LaVena Johnson: Suicide or Cover-Up?

In this episode of Crime Chats, we discuss the heartbreaking and highly controversial death of LaVena Johnson. LaVena was a 19-year-old soldier from Missouri serving in Iraq when the Army reported that she had died by suicide inside a contractor’s tent in 2005. But almost immediately, her family began noticing disturbing inconsistencies in the official story. From unexplained injuries and missing evidence to questions surrounding the crime scene itself, this case has left many people wondering what really happened to LaVena overseas. 🧩 What We Cover in This Episode * Who LaVena Johnson was as a person and as a soldier * How her body was found * Key evidence that clearly points toward a different conclusion than what was given to her family 🔎 Key Discussion Points * The glaring inconsistencies with the investigation * Details of LaVena's superior officer that suggest motive * The possible psychological aspects to the crime 📚 Sources * https://www.cid.army.mil/Portals/118/Documents/FOIA-Privacy-Act/CRC_Johnson-Lavena.pdf [https://www.cid.army.mil/Portals/118/Documents/FOIA-Privacy-Act/CRC_Johnson-Lavena.pdf] * University, S. (2020, August 5). LaVena Johnson. Say Their Names - Spotlight at Stanford. https://exhibits.stanford.edu/saytheirnames/feature/lavena-johnson [https://exhibits.stanford.edu/saytheirnames/feature/lavena-johnson] * Watkins, D. V. (2018, February 27). The murder of Pfc LaVena Johnson – part 3. Donaldwatkins. https://www.donaldwatkins.com/post/the-murder-of-pfc-lavena-johnson-part-3 [https://www.donaldwatkins.com/post/the-murder-of-pfc-lavena-johnson-part-3] 💬 Join the Conversation Let us know what you think in the comments! Was this a suicide or a cover-up? ☕ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Crime Chats and want to support more deep dives like this: * Share this episode with someone who would find it interesting * Follow/subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next * Check out our Crime Chats merch on Amazon! * https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip [https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip] * buymeacoffee.com/crimechats [http://buymeacoffee.com/crimechats]

Why Would Mommy Do This To Us? The Terrible Crimes of Diane Downs

This week, we’re diving into the case of Diane Downs. A story that continues to disturb and true crime listeners to this day decades later. What was reported as a horrific roadside attack on a mother and her three children quickly began to unravel as investigators examined the details more closely. From the timeline of events, to witness statements, to physical evidence that didn’t match the original story, the case took a very different direction than what was first presented. 🧩 What We Cover in This Episode * The night of the shooting and the original account given * Why ballistics evidence became a turning point in the investigation * Key inconsistencies that raised major questions for detectives * The testimony and statements that shaped the case in court * How one child’s hospital statement became a critical piece of evidence 📚 Sources Note: Some dialogue in this episode is paraphrased from court testimony, investigative records, and contemporaneous reporting for narrative clarity. * ABC News. (n.d.). Diane Downs case coverage. * ABC News. (Producer). (n.d.). 20/20: Diane Downs case [Television broadcast]. * Child killer denied parole for fourth time. (2025). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ie/blog/crime-she-writes/202512/child-killer-denied-parole-for-fourth-time?.com [https://www.psychologytoday.com/ie/blog/crime-she-writes/202512/child-killer-denied-parole-for-fourth-time?.com] * Downs v. Hoyt, 232 F.3d 1031 (9th Cir. 2000). * Oprah Winfrey Network. (2010, October 22). The daughter of Diane Downs. Oprah.com [http://Oprah.com]. https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/the-daughter-of-diane-downs?.com [https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/the-daughter-of-diane-downs?.com] * NBC News. (1983–1984). Archived coverage of the Diane Downs case. * Rule, A. (1987). Small sacrifices. New York, NY: Signet. * State v. Downs, 68 Or. App. 679, 685 P.2d 476 (Or. Ct. App. 1984). * Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Diane Downs. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 30, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Downs [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Downs] * Winfrey, O. (Host). (2010). The daughter of Diane Downs speaks out [Television episode]. 💬 Join the Conversation Let us know your thoughts! ☕ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Crime Chats and want to support more deep dives like this: * Share this episode with someone who would find it interesting * Follow/subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next * Buy some of our merch on Amazon! * https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip [https://streamelements.com/crime-chats/tip] * https://buymeacoffee.com/crimechats [https://buymeacoffee.com/crimechats]