Tag: Death

Episode 156 : Ryker Michaud-DaPonte (Part 2)

Last week, I told you the story of 20-month-old Ryker Michaud-DaPonte, who suffered second and third-degree burns over 25% of his body in May of 2014. Despite the severity of Ryker’s injuries, his mother, Amanda Dumont, and her boyfriend, Scott Bakker, refused to take him for medical treatment. 

When they found Ryker dead in his crib on May 21, 2014, their many excuses and lies finally came to light. Justice was frustrated when their first trial ended in a mistrial. In this episode, I’ll go through the details of Amanda and Scott’s second trial, at which both Amanda herself and her oldest daughter testified.

This is part two of the maddening story of Ryker Michaud-DaPonte.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/STLC, and get on your way to being your best self.

This episode is also sponsored by Factor. Head to https://factormeals.com/children50 and use code children50 to get 50% off. 

Photos related to today’s episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod

You can also follow the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

My Linktree is available here.

Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me on Patreon, you’ll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts. Pledges of $5 or more per month access ad-free versions of my regular Wednesday episodes (starting with episode #88). Pledges of $5 per month can listen to my weekly episodes ad free, while $10 or more per month access a small but growing collection of Patreon-exclusive bonus minisodes!

You can also support the podcast at Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

Merch is available at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com/shop.

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

For more stories like this one, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.

Music for this episode is from Audio Jungle.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast listening platform.

Episode 155: Ryker Michaud-DaPonte (Part 1)

During Canada’s Victoria Day long weekend in 2014, 20-month-old Ryker Michaud-DaPonte was scalded over 25% of his body by a hot cup of instant coffee. Over the next three days, Ryker’s mother, Amanda Dumont, and her boyfriend, Scott Bakker, carried on with their lives as if nothing was wrong. They not only refused to take Ryker for medical treatment, but they went so far as to lie to Amanda’s family members, telling them they had taken Ryker to a doctor for his severe burns. Only when they found Ryker dead in his crib on May 21, 2014 did the full extent of their lies – and Ryker’s injuries – come to light.

This is the story of a happy little boy whose three older sisters adored and doted on him and whose family called him “Ryker Roo.” It’s also the story of the two adults who were responsible for baby Ryker’s care but were too self-absorbed, lazy, and likely drug-addled to bother taking him for medical treatment that had a 95% chance of saving his life. 

This is part one of the maddening story of Ryker Michaud-DaPonte.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/STLC, and get on your way to being your best self.

Photos related to today’s episode can be viewed in this Facebook album.

You can also follow the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

My Linktree is available here.

Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me on Patreon, you’ll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts. Pledges of $5 or more per month access ad-free versions of my regular Wednesday episodes (starting with episode #88). Pledges of $5 per month can listen to my weekly episodes ad free, while $10 or more per month access a small but growing collection of Patreon-exclusive bonus minisodes!

You can also support the podcast at Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

Merch is available at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com/shop.

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

For more stories like this one, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.

Music for this episode is from Audio Jungle.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast listening platform.

Episode 154: Averylee Hobbs (Mega Episode)

In episodes 47 and 48, I told you the story of 4-year-old Averylee Hobbs. Avery was not even a month old when her mother, Britney Roll Mayes, fractured Avery’s skull and spent time in prison. After Britney was released, she was awarded visitation with Avery, who began returning to her paternal grandparents covered in bruises, burns, bite marks, and other inflicted injuries. Even though multiple family members reported the obvious abuse, Avery’s caseworker and guardian ad litem took Britney’s side and even convinced a judge to give Britney custody of her daughter. On July 29, 2016, Avery arrived at the hospital, unresponsive, and she died three days later.

In this mega episode, you’ll hear all of my previous coverage of Avery’s case, including episodes 47, 48, and a snippet from a case update special I released in December of 2021. Then, you’ll hear several more recent updates in Avery’s case, including her mother’s attempt to appeal, the ways her family has kept her memory alive, and the tireless advocacy Avery’s grandma, Tammy Risen, continues to pursue in the name of her little Cupcake.

This is the tragic, infuriating, preventable story of Averylee Hobbs.

Tammy’s petition: https://www.change.org/p/modernization-of-children-s-rights-under-the-care-of-child-protection-services

D.E.A.R. Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1159854537727295

Center for Judicial Excellence: https://centerforjudicialexcellence.org/

“That Old Table” by Tammy Risen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJVbsT76mTw&ab_channel=TammyRisen

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/STLC, and get on your way to being your best self.

Photos related to today’s episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod

You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

My Linktree is available here.

Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me on Patreon, you’ll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts. Pledges of $5 or more per month access ad-free versions of my regular Wednesday episodes (starting with episode #88). Pledges of $5 per month can listen to my weekly episodes ad free, while $10 or more per month access a small but growing collection of Patreon-exclusive bonus minisodes!

You can also support the podcast at Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

For more stories like this one, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.

Music for this episode is from Audio Jungle.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast listening platform.

Episode 153: Hot Car Deaths

Since 1990, well over 1,050 children in the United States have died after being left in hot cars. An untold number of additional kids have been left with permanent brain damage and other long-term injuries. The largest percentage of these kids were unknowingly left in a vehicle by a parent or caregiver. No one wants to believe their brain is capable of this kind of failure. Many place blame on these parents, accusing them of using drugs or alcohol or of being inattentive, neglectful, abusive, or even murderous. In reality, most kids who die in hot cars have loving, caring, sober, and even overprotective parents.

In this episode, I’ll attempt to reduce the stigma surrounding hot car deaths by digging into how these tragedies happen to people just like you and me You’ll hear my conversation with Dr. David Diamond, a renowned neuroscientist who has spent decades studying the neurobiology of memory and has testified at countless hot car death trials. You’ll also hear my conversation with Janette Fennell, the founder and president of Kids and Car Safety, a nonprofit agency dedicated to saving the lives of children in and around motor vehicles, whose work has led to legislation mandating multiple life-saving technologies in newly-manufactured vehicles.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/STLC, and get on your way to being your best self.

Sample letter to send your members of Congress for mandated technology to prevent hot car deaths: https://sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/hot-car-letter.pdf

Kids and Car Safety

Gene Weingarten’s Washington Post article, “Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a Crime?”

Susan Morgan Cooper’s Documentary, Fatal Distraction, on IMDB

Dr. David Diamond’s curriculum vitae

Cover photo by Anastasia Shuraeva.

Photos related to today’s episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod

You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

My Linktree is available here.

Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me on Patreon, you’ll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts. Pledges of $5 or more per month access ad-free versions of my regular Wednesday episodes (starting with episode #88). Pledges of $5 per month can listen to my weekly episodes ad free, while $10 or more per month access a small but growing collection of Patreon-exclusive bonus minisodes!

You can also support the podcast at Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

For more stories like this one, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.

Music for this episode is from Audio Jungle.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast listening platform.

Episode 152: Jazmine Robin

Baby Jazmine Robin weighed under three pounds when she was born 11 weeks premature, and she spent nine weeks in a Houston hospital’s NICU before being taken home on July 3, 2018 by her parents, Jason Robin Jr. and Kat White. Only 11 days later, Jasmine arrived at the emergency room, suffering from head trauma, brain bleeding, broken bones, and bruising. The following day, Jazmine was pronounced dead.

This is the story of a pair of drug users who were under CPS investigation for abuse of another child when they allegedly killed their premature newborn. It’s also the story of a sweet little girl who, despite fighting hard for her life, never had a chance. 

This is the infuriating story of Jazmine Robin. 

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/STLC, and get on your way to being your best self.

Listener shout-out: Military Memories and More! (https://www.militarymemoriesandmore.com/)

My Facebook post showing Lynn’s beautiful memory frames: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod/posts/pfbid0GwsEHrufa33xgdNS7gGrAMeTcwSqSLTeGvEttvy2d1FA9ZYtxzWaGkjyki3Dg4xRl

Photos related to today’s episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod

You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

My Linktree is available here.

Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me on Patreon, you’ll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts. Pledges of $5 or more per month access ad-free versions of my regular Wednesday episodes (starting with episode #88). Pledges of $10 or more per month access a small but growing collection of Patreon-exclusive bonus minisodes!

You can also support the podcast at Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

For more stories like this one, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.

Music for this episode is from Audio Jungle.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spreaker, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast listening platform.

Episode 151: The Kendzia Children Updates

Over the course of a seven-part miniseries that began last September called Groomed to Die: The Kendzia Children, I told you about the countless alleged crimes committed by Susan Lee, formerly known as Susan Stevenson, Susan Cook, and Susan Kendzia. I told you about Susan’s charges in the 1980s for the murders of her two adopted infant sons, Michael and Kevin, and her subsequent murder trial; the chronic, inexplicable illnesses suffered by Susan’s daughter, Shain, throughout her first 28 years; and Susan’s alleged abuse of her own children, her step-sons, the children she babysat, and the third infant she was somehow allowed to adopt even after the first two died under suspicious circumstances.

In this episode, I will provide multiple updates in this saga, including Susan’s sudden death in April of this year; the shocking results of her post-mortem tox screen; and the placement of a headstone for baby Kevin after 37 long years.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/STLC, and get on your way to being your best self.

Photos related to today’s episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod

You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

My Linktree is available here.

Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me on Patreon, you’ll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts. Pledges of $5 or more per month access ad-free versions of my regular Wednesday episodes (starting with episode #88). Pledges of $10 or more per month access a small but growing collection of Patreon-exclusive bonus minisodes!

You can also support the podcast at Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

For more stories like this one, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.

Music for this episode is from Audio Jungle.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spreaker, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast listening platform.