1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Do you know another parent or expecting parent. Are you 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: wondering what can I give them as a gift. Don't 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: give them another onesie. Don't give them a plastic toy 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,319 Speaker 1: or god forbid, a toy gun that's just going to 5 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: end up in the garage. Give them something that matters, 6 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: and what matters the most is protecting their child. What 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: do you love most in the world your children? What 8 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: will you do to protect them anything. I sat down 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: with these smartest people I know in the world on 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: matters of child's safety, finding missing children, fighting back against predators, 11 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: and what I learned is so important, powerful and information 12 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: so critical. I want you to have it. I want 13 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: them to have it. Go to crimestops here dot com 14 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: for a five part series with action information that you 15 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: can use to change your life and protect your child. 16 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: Give that as a gift, not another onesie. Find out 17 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: how to protect at your child when you're out at 18 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: the mall or the store, or the grocery, in the 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: parking lot at home. Find out about protection regarding babysitters, 20 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: in daycare, even online. I'd rather have that any day 21 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: of the week than a plastic toy or god forbid, 22 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: a toy gun. Join Justice Nation. Go to crime stops 23 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: here dot com. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Police are 24 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: investigating the death of a two month old baby in Wassau. 25 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: Police say they were called to North Third Avenue on 26 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: reports of an unresponsive child. They say the dermant the 27 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: baby died while in the care of the babysitter. Imagine 28 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: working all day long, then stopping off at your babysitter's 29 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: house to pick up your baby, and the little guy's 30 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: already asleep, just in a snowsuit and strapped into his carcia, 31 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: ready to go, his little hat pulled down over his 32 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: eyes to protect him against the snow outside. Mommy stops 33 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: by a laundry mat on her way home with her 34 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: other children in tow and when she takes the baby 35 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: to unpack him out of the car seat, his legs 36 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: won't bend. He's frozen hard as a rock. The baby 37 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:36,519 Speaker 1: is dead. I Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories. Thank 38 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: you for being with us. We want justice. A working 39 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: mom stops to pick up her baby, gets him all 40 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: the way to the laundry mat with the other children, 41 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: when she realizes he is rock hard. But how is it? 42 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: How could he have been alive just ten minutes before, 43 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: sleeping peacefully and then suddenly the baby is dead. Joining 44 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: me Karen Smith, forensics expert out off Florida. Ashley Wilcot, 45 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: judge lawyer. You can find her at Ashley Wilcot dot com. Psychologist, 46 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: doctor William July at doctor William July dot com, and 47 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: now joining me, syndicated talk show host Dave Matt Dave 48 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: what Happened Well actually mentioned Nancy. The mom dropped off 49 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: her two month old baby and an older son with 50 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: the babysitter. When the mom returns to pick up her 51 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: two month old baby son and her older son, the 52 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: baby is already in his car seat. He's already got 53 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: his winter parka on and a hat is pulled down 54 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: over his eyes, and the babysitter says he's asleep, So 55 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: mom puts the baby in the car and with her 56 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: sister heads to the laundromat. It's only after they get 57 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: to the laundromat when mom takes the baby out of 58 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: the car seat and realizes he's perfectly stiff. His legs 59 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: are bent in the shape of the car seat. She 60 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: immediately looks at him and finds that he's not breathing. 61 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: Their sister calls nine one one, and the mom immediately 62 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: begins CPR, but it's much too late. The baby's already 63 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: dead by the time rescue workers arrive, and they declare 64 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: him dead at the laundromat. When police arrive, the scene 65 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: is frantic. The mom has yanked the baby out of 66 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: the car seat, is trying her best to perform CPR. 67 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: She's stunned, she's crying. She doesn't understand it. How can 68 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: the baby obviously have rigor mortis set in? Karen Smith, 69 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: The mom couldn't believe that the baby had been fine 70 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes before and now his limbs were hard as 71 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: a rock. Explain what happened, Well, it's called rigor mortis, 72 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: and it's one of the pathological changes that happens after death. 73 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: And there's a timeline that can be worked backwards to 74 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: figure out how long that infant had been deceased. And 75 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: when you have stiffening of the limbs like that, generally 76 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: it sets in around two hours your death. Now, infants 77 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: have a smaller surface area to their body, so it's 78 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 1: a little It can be one hour up to three hours. 79 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: But regardless, this happened a long time prior to the 80 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: mother picking up the infant in that car seat, the 81 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: mom said the first thing that she noticed that she 82 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: thought was ah, but didn't think anything of it. Ashley 83 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: Wilcot not only judge, lawyer and anchor at Ashley Wilcot 84 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: dot Com, but also mom was that the baby's lips 85 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: seem to be sticking together. That's the first thing she noticed. 86 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: I'm horrified, Nancy. And the thing I have to say 87 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: to you as a mother to a mother, when I 88 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: pick up my child from anywhere, even at their current ages, 89 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: which is much much older, I still kind of do 90 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: a once over. I still look at them. I make 91 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: sure they're breathing. I make sure that everything's okay, they 92 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,919 Speaker 1: seem okay. I cannot imagine as a mother just putting 93 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: them in the car and thinking everything's okay, and then 94 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:04,799 Speaker 1: getting somewhere and realizing the child's lips are stuck together. 95 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:12,679 Speaker 1: I just remember. It's having flashbacks because I remember that 96 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: our washer broke and at the time we started using 97 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 1: a laundry mat, and I guess my parents couldn't get 98 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: a washer at that time. So we would go usually 99 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: on Sundays, we would drive to the laundry mat before 100 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: evening church services, put the laundry in, go back for 101 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: myf Methodist youth fellowship, and between youth fellowship in church, 102 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: my mom would speed over there, take the clothes out 103 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 1: of the washer, stick him in the dryer, come back 104 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: for church. Then after church would all go pick him up, 105 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: ring them back home and fill them up. And I 106 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: remember that coin operated laundry. I think it's actually still there, 107 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: and I'm just imagining the mom yanking the baby up 108 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: out of the chair, out of the little car seat, 109 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: taking off his snowsuit and trying to perform CPR. I 110 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: mean doctor William July psychologists joining me. You can find 111 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: him at doctor William July dot com. It's always been 112 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: an oddity to me that the things I remember out of, 113 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: for instance, my fiancee's murder, or all the murder cases 114 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: I've tried, are these obscure details. Just for instance, for instance, 115 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: I remember the first carjack murder case I ever tried, 116 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: and what sticks out to me in that case is 117 00:07:54,640 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: that the neighbor of the victim saw him get shot 118 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: and his car taken, and the neighbor ran out and 119 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: the victim, a teen boy, was dying or dead already, 120 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: and the neighbor, not knowing what to do, ran back 121 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: inside and got a pillow from his bed and put 122 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: it under the victim's head, the victim, who was already dead. 123 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: Just obscure details like that. In this case, I'm just 124 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,719 Speaker 1: imagining the mom in a coin operated laundry. She's got 125 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: her other child with her. What goes through your mind? 126 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: How do you ever ever get that scenario out of 127 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 1: your head? Yes, that's the true, Nancy. When we when 128 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: we are faced with situations that are traumatizing, what the 129 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: bio physical process that takes place in the brain. Anytime 130 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: there's a memory that's being encoded, let's say a memory 131 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: that's being stored into our from our short term memory 132 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: into our long term memory. All the brain would would 133 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: treat all memories the same, unless there's something unusual happening 134 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: that the brain wants you to remember. The brains just you, Nancy, 135 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: remember this horrible situation, So it releases a special stress hormone, 136 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: and that stress hormone is the reason that you are 137 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: recalling very specific details. And if you, as you were 138 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: to ask everybody on the panel of some trauma that 139 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: they were in that happened to them, they would do 140 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: the same thing. There's something to remember because your brain 141 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: releases a special hormone to encode that in, to burn 142 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: that in and say, hey, if this ever happens again, 143 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: this is terrible. I want you to remember this is horrible. 144 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: Otherwise all memories would be put into your brain the 145 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: same way. So the way that that is treated if 146 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: a person were, for example, in therapy, is what we 147 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: call exposure therapy, which is a method of exposing a 148 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: person under control circumstance exposure. I don't like something that 149 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 1: would happen in a castle with a dungeon, but it's 150 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: it's not. It's actually a very constructive way to help 151 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 1: a person to go back through trauma, and has to 152 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: be done with the person, not just any therapist, but 153 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: someone trained and can I ask a question, why do 154 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: you want to go back through trauma? No, you don't 155 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,319 Speaker 1: want to. You don't want to go you don't want 156 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: to if the trauma. That's a good question because there 157 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: was an old belief that people always have to go 158 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: back through You don't need to do that unless it 159 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 1: is re traumatizing you, so then it's bothering you. If 160 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: it's really actually traumatizing you at present. But like, for example, 161 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,719 Speaker 1: if you've compartmentalized that memory and it's not traumatic to you, 162 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: not affecting your functioning in a significant way, no, there's 163 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: no reason to go back through it at all. Leave it, 164 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: Leave it like it is the person has put it 165 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: into a place. But if it's a person who this 166 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: is affecting their functioning that you know, then you start 167 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 1: having substance abuse issues, or you start having inability to 168 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: to to do things that are normal daily funding or 169 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 1: high levels of the stress. Then you take the person 170 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: back through. You retrain the brain by doing relaxation techniques slowly, 171 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: but I mean very slowly. Sometimes they can take a 172 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: year or more to get them to where they can. 173 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: They may not get to where they never respond to it. 174 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: That wouldn't be human, but you get them to where 175 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: it's not debilitating. When we got to the laundrom I 176 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: started unpacking Benson and I'm like, why are his lips 177 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: like they were like stuck together like kind of you know, 178 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: like so I was like, oh my god, and I 179 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: zipped to snow Soon I took out and I'm like, 180 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: he's like hard, you know, they're like the two month old, 181 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: likely dead for at least two hours, according to court records. 182 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: So I was yelling at her to call nine one one, 183 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,559 Speaker 1: and I didn't know what to do. Lay them down 184 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 1: on the table, and then I was like telling me 185 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: how to CPR over the phone, and I'm like, I 186 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 1: can't do this. Please hope that was the last time 187 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: did a babysitter kill a tiny boy and then dress 188 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: him fully in a snowsuit, pack him into a car seat, 189 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: pull a cat down over his eyes, and let his 190 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:19,839 Speaker 1: mother pick the boy up disguised as if he were alive. 191 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: To Ashy Wilcott, judge lawyer Anchor, actually, that is a 192 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: lot of premeditation, and it's hard to take in that 193 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: someone could do all that because I know for a fact, 194 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: after her studying the case very carefully, that as soon 195 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: as the mom picked the baby up, the babysitter took off, 196 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: went out to McDonald's with her boyfriend and went swimming 197 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: at an indoor pool on a date. Yeah, it is premeditation, 198 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: completely premeditated, and no remorse, no compulsion, no anything to 199 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 1: be concerned about the fact she knew this child was dead. 200 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't see any other way around it. 201 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: Karen Smith, you're the forensics expert. There's no way around it. 202 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: Unless no, there's actually no way around I was trying 203 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: to think of a way to somehow exonerate Marissa Teetzert, 204 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: the babysitter in this case. But if you look at 205 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: the timeline, I mean, the police say when they arrived 206 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: at the scene, the baby was already rock hard. If 207 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: you look at even the babysitters analysis, the time mom 208 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: got off from work, the baby, based on what the 209 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 1: medical examiner said, had already been dead for at least 210 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: two hours. That's correct, So there's no way the mom 211 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,439 Speaker 1: could have done this. Now, explain, how would they know 212 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: the baby at the time of the police raised to 213 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: the scene, Had the laundry man had already been dead 214 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: for two hours? How do they know that? Well, we 215 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: talked about rigamortis a little earlier, and honestly that that 216 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: starts from the extremities and works inward toward the core 217 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: of the body. So it starts in the fingers, the eyes, 218 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: the mouth, as we talk about earlier, and honestly, I'm 219 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: trying to contain my anger as I talk about this. 220 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: You know, the child's legs were stiff and bent in 221 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,199 Speaker 1: the same manner as he was sitting in the car seat. 222 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: So that told the medical examiner that there was a 223 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: timeline two hours. That's the onset of rigor mortis. You 224 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 1: also have two other parts of the pathology, which is 225 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: alger mortis, the temperature the child was told to the touch. 226 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: That's another clue. You also have liver mortis, which is 227 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: the blood settling in the body, and it leaves distinct 228 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: patterns behind. I don't see any reports of the liver 229 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: mortis and what the patterns were. It also it can 230 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: tell us as forensic investigators if a body had been 231 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: moved after death, if the patterns don't match how that 232 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: body was found. So all of those are going to 233 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: tie together and give the medical examiner all of the 234 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: information that he or she needs. YEA. At this point, 235 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: they determined that that child had been dead at least 236 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: two hours, possibly even more. Rigor mortis is Latin. I'll 237 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: learned all this, you know, from prosecuting. I'm certainly not 238 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: a medical doctor, just a trial lawyer. Its Latin for 239 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:12,359 Speaker 1: stiffness is rigor mortis means death in Latin post mortem rigidity, 240 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: and that is the third stage of death and as 241 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 1: a sign of death. And it is caused by chemical 242 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: changes within your muscles post mortem after death. And what 243 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: that does is it means your limbs, your arms, and 244 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: your legs begin to stiffen. Now, this occurs as early 245 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: as an hour or so after death, usually around four 246 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: hours after death. But the degree of rigor will tell 247 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: you how long the person has been death. After death, 248 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: you stop breathing and that depletes your oxygen. Your oxygen 249 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: makes ATP and that's required to keep your muscles moving. So, 250 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: long story short, Once rigor mortis has set in, it's 251 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: very easy for a medical examiner to tell to determine 252 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: how long the baby has been dead. But I just 253 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: keep thinking about it. Ashley willcot to discover the baby 254 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: dead and then lay the baby down in the hallway 255 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: of the home, redress the baby in the snowsuit. The 256 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: baby's dead. Now, often I would argue to a jury, Ashley, 257 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: you know, we can spout these words off and they 258 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: just fly off the tip of our tongue. But let's 259 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: think about it. Let's follow through what we're saying. Think 260 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: about what we're saying. Taking a baby, lying the baby 261 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: down on the floor, getting the dead baby, wrestling it 262 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: into a snowsuit, zipping up the snowsuit, picking up the 263 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,199 Speaker 1: dead baby, putting the dead baby into a car seat, 264 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 1: arranging the baby as if it's alive. You know how 265 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: a car seat works. You've got plenty of kids like me. 266 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: And you put on the shoulder straps. You put the baby, 267 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: the dead baby, into the shoulder straps. Then you strip, 268 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:28,879 Speaker 1: click them together. Then take a height and put that 269 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: on the baby's head and pull it down over the 270 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 1: baby's eyes. Baby, even put a blanket over the dead baby, 271 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: and then let the dead baby sit at the door 272 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: waiting for mommy to show up. And then when mommy 273 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: shows up, you hand heard the dead baby and say 274 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:52,159 Speaker 1: he's sleeping. Then go out to eat dinner and go 275 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 1: swimming there. What do you think of that? Ash Nancy. 276 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: That's why you're a good prosecutor. You were a good 277 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: prosecutor because that's exactly what you do in building your 278 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: case to convince the jury. You show them every step 279 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 1: and think about everything you said was willful, was conscious, 280 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: was deliberate. All of that amounts to the premeditation. And 281 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: then after the fact goes to the fact, there's no 282 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: remorse Honestly, this person deserves the stiffest punishment a possible 283 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: because she will do it again. Take a listen to 284 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: what mom Heather Gardner tells Waow, he was a very 285 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: happy baby, love to smile. This is baby Benson was 286 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,919 Speaker 1: just starting to laugh and love, just love to be 287 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: held a two month old surrounded by family and love. 288 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: Grandma mostly watched them while I was at work, and 289 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: then she went to California. Heather Gardner, a working mom 290 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: of two in desperate need of someone to watch her kids, 291 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 1: finding Marissa teet Sort through a coworker. Well she's from 292 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 1: the town that I'm originally from. In just weeks after 293 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: trusting tet Sort with her children, Heather saying, she started 294 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: seeing red flax and I noticed that maybe he had 295 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: a scratch with something in his mouth as well. So 296 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: I had took him to the ear that Saturday, and 297 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: I told the doctors, you know, I don't know if 298 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: he's being abused to the babysitter, Heather says, doctors told 299 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: her not to worry, and she sent baby Benson back 300 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: to teeth Sort a decision. She'll always regret. You as 301 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: a parent know your child the most, So if you 302 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,199 Speaker 1: think that something's wrong. Nobody else is going to know 303 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: any better than you would, and if something doesn't seem right, 304 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: there's no harm in going to the doctor or calling 305 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 1: the police and having it be nothing rather than something serious. 306 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: Just a few days later, Heather would pick up her 307 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: baby from teeth Sort for the very last time. So 308 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: the mom, Heather Gardner, noticed a cut in the baby's 309 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: mouth and took him to the ear. That doctor said, 310 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:57,160 Speaker 1: don't worry about it. It's fine. You're overreacting now, Baby Benson, 311 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: he's dead. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Baby Benson was 312 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: just two months old when he passed away. Benson's mom 313 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: picked him up from the babysitter's apartment on North sixth 314 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: Street last Thursday and noticed he was unresponsive. After calling authorities, 315 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: they pronounced him dead. Whilst the police say they believe 316 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 1: this woman, Marissa teeth Sort, is to blame for his death, 317 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: investigating it is a homicide. Well, she hasn't been charged 318 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: in Baby Benson's death a yet, she has now been 319 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 1: charged with child abuse of another infant. Rewind to August, 320 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: parents of an eight month old called police when the 321 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: baby came home from Teeth Sorts with injuries on its face. 322 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: She claimed the child fell off the couch onto the carpet, 323 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: but doctors say that does seemed to be the case. 324 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: The injuries are far worse than just a simple faull in. 325 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,120 Speaker 1: Court records show. In June twenty seventeen, another family accused 326 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: her of abuse, saying their child suffered a skull fracture 327 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: in Teetzert's care. Once again, the story of what she 328 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: said happened not matching up with the injuries. No charges 329 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: were ever filed in that case. It's been heartbreak and 330 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 1: devastation for the parents of the children. They say they 331 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: just don't want any other parent to go through what 332 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: they've had to endure. We are talking about Marissa Teetzert, 333 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: a babysitter who, according to police, returns a dead infant 334 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: to his mother, disguised as living in a car seat, 335 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,679 Speaker 1: dressed in a snowsuit, hat pulled down over his eyes, 336 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: and the mom is none the wiser. When police speed 337 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: to a little coin laundromat they're in Wausau, Wisconsin, the 338 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: mom's nightmare is coming true, we learned. The cop gets 339 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 1: there and the mom, Heather Gardener, is working working on 340 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: the chest of her two month old baby boy, who 341 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: was now lying on one of those big tables they 342 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:18,360 Speaker 1: have for you to fold your laundry. The little boy 343 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 1: was motionless, His mouth was clenched shut. He was cold 344 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: to the touch. His legs were frozen into the position 345 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: they had been in a car seat just before the 346 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 1: mom realized her son wasn't breathing, but just minutes before 347 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: she had picked the baby up from babysitter Marissa, a 348 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: twenty eight year old mother of five then pregnant with 349 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: her sixth child, The baby was already snapped in a 350 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:57,239 Speaker 1: car seat asleep. What the mom, Heather Gardner, didn't know 351 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:02,119 Speaker 1: is that Marissa teits Her had already been charged in 352 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: other child related incidents and had had her own children 353 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 1: taken away to Dave Max and a kid A talk 354 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 1: show host. What do we know about Marissa Teetzer Nancy had? 355 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 1: Even if it can be worse, it is Teetzert actually 356 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: told police she knew the baby was dead, and it 357 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:25,919 Speaker 1: was when her boyfriend got home that they went to 358 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: McDonald's with the dead baby in the car. When they 359 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: got back and she gave the dead baby, telling the 360 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 1: mom the baby was asleep. That's when Teetzer and her 361 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 1: boyfriend and their son went to a swimming pool and 362 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: went swimming. Now we know that about two hours into 363 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: this day, this babysitting event, Teetzer sent a text to 364 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: Benson's mom saying, Hey, I was charged in an assault 365 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: on a child I was taking care of and it's 366 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 1: going to be in the public today. Please don't tell 367 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: anybody I'm watching your kids because I'm not allowed to 368 00:23:57,560 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: be talking. I'm not allowed to see kids right now. 369 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: It up, back, back, back it up, back it up. 370 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 1: So teacher texts Heather at work and says, Hey, don't 371 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: tell anybody I'm babysitting because I'm actually on a court 372 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:16,159 Speaker 1: order not to be around children. Exactly what, And of 373 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: course mommy gets right in her car and goes to 374 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: pick up the baby. So what can you tell me 375 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: about marissa criminal history? We know that we have the 376 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 1: charge from back in August where she's accused of assaulting 377 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:32,920 Speaker 1: an eleven month old child that was in her care. 378 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: We also know that she was charged in June of 379 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen in a similar incident where a child once 380 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 1: again was hurt in her care, and her story of 381 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: how the child was hurt didn't match the actual wounds, 382 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: so they're looking at additional charges there. But the charges 383 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: that are pinning on her right now date back to 384 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: the eleven month old in August and now the current 385 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: obvious complaint. What's amazing is she loads up the dead baby. 386 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 1: The boyfriend gets home before where the mom can get there. 387 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: She doesn't tell the boyfriend the baby is dead. She 388 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: loads the dead baby into the boyfriend's car. She has 389 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: two other children with her. They all go in McDonald's. 390 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 1: She's got the dead baby and they eat like nothing's wrong. 391 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: Then the mom gets the baby and the babysitter goes 392 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:28,399 Speaker 1: swimming in an indoor pool on a date. I mean, 393 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: I'm just trying to take it all in, Doctor Williams. July. 394 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: You gotta help me out on this. You know, the 395 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 1: things that strike me on the story, the state of 396 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:41,199 Speaker 1: mind that she had to be in to calm, to 397 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: go and eat. You know, there's certain humans functions that 398 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: you do, like eating these these this is something that 399 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: requires you to be in a state of a certain 400 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: state of mind, you know, to go out and spend 401 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: time with her boyfriend, it sounds like, and to eat 402 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: and then to take the baby. And they give this 403 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 1: this is. This is in the kids too, and you 404 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: swimming and swimming, you know these these these these I 405 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: mean think about it into the changing room and take 406 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 1: off her clothes and put on her swimsuit. All the 407 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: time she knows you just hand it off a dead baby. 408 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: So this is exactly, and this is not something you 409 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 1: do when you're in a panic state of mind or 410 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 1: in a in a in an altered state of mind. 411 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 1: So you know they're gonna have a very difficult time 412 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: with any kind of discussion about her not being a 413 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 1: right friend of mine. And I want to say this 414 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: to your listeners. Unfortunately we don't have a file, I 415 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: guess fortunately in our society, we don't have a file 416 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: on everybody and everything they've always done in their lives. 417 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: But I call it the assumption of normalness. Be careful 418 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: with the assumption of normalness when you're selecting babysitters or 419 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: people to come into your home to do repairs or whatever. 420 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:52,159 Speaker 1: Check these people out and see if there's anything you 421 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,400 Speaker 1: can find, and if you have any kind of question 422 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: in your mind, don't hire those those folks, because this 423 00:26:58,280 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: is the kind of thing that can happen. Hold On, 424 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 1: hold On, Ashley, Willcott, as I recall a coach mom 425 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: needed a babysitter, and the a co worker gave her 426 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: this name of Marissa Teacher. See that's my understanding as well. 427 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: And here's what I was talking about earlier. And it 428 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: makes me so angry I can barely see straight. This 429 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:22,400 Speaker 1: woman has been reported for other incidents, for other concerns 430 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: about she abused my child and guess what, no charges 431 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 1: were pressed. Had they been pressed, this could have been prevented. Well, 432 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 1: not only that, had there been other issues with the 433 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: cops regarding child abuse involving an eleven month old girl 434 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: who was in her care that was injured, she was 435 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:43,439 Speaker 1: already facing a felony child abuse charge. We also know 436 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 1: that she had her own children removed from her care 437 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:54,919 Speaker 1: for alleged child abuse and that yeah, officials were unaware 438 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,880 Speaker 1: she had given birth to a fifth child. She had 439 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: the four removed, okay, four children removed from her care. 440 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: They didn't know she had given birth to a fifth child, 441 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: and that at the time this baby died, she was 442 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: pregnant with a sixth child. So as she Wilcott, you're 443 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 1: the juvenile judge, You're intimately familiar with a defacts Department, 444 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 1: Family Children's Services, CPS, Child Protective Services. How Come they 445 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 1: don't keep tabs on her? How come they don't know 446 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: she's got another baby and pregnant with the sixth baby? 447 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: So they totally should What should have happened as they 448 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: should have a learned hospitals in the area to say, 449 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:38,479 Speaker 1: if this person comes in to have a baby, then 450 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 1: defects has to be called immediately. They can do that, 451 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 1: and they do that in these kinds of cases, so 452 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: that they're aware when a baby's born, so the baby's 453 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: not released to an unsafe situation or a risk that 454 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 1: could hurt the child. Why they didn't, I don't know, 455 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: but that's completely plausible that they should have. How were 456 00:28:55,360 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: Baby Benson's parents not aware? Because there are no law 457 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: or statute insisting that child care providers handover their criminal 458 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: histories or their private histories. No, you hire a babysitter, 459 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: It's basically like buying a used car. You buy it 460 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: as is, and unless you ask the questions or you 461 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: have reason to be suspicious, you never know. And remember 462 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: this mom, Heather Gardner had asked around. I've given people 463 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 1: plenty of names. Hey, here's a babysitter. Here's somebody I use. 464 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: She's awesome, blah blah, and they trust me. They take 465 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,479 Speaker 1: the name. That's what happened with Heather. A co worker 466 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: gave her the name. She needed a babysitter, and that 467 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: was that. Marissa Teetzort is being accused of child abuse 468 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: by three different families, and now one of those families 469 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: is speaking out. I had to use Marissa for two 470 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,640 Speaker 1: weeks as a babysitter. Megan and her fiance, Dylan new 471 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: Teetsort for a year before she became the babysitter. I 472 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 1: figured she would never arm my daughter, she would hurt 473 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: my family. Megan says she panicked when she picked up 474 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: her then eight month old daughter Riley from teeth Sorts apartment. 475 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: Bruises covered her face. She told me she was nappy, 476 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: and she rolled over and fell off the couch, and 477 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: when I went to go get her, I expected maybe 478 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: a bump on her head. You know, every baby falls 479 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: at some point, and it came to be that the 480 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:29,000 Speaker 1: bruises were already said in her face. She knew she 481 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: had to bring Riley straight to the hospital. Doctor said 482 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: the bruising was more extensive than would have been expected 483 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: from a simple fall. She has no remorse for it. 484 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: She has not once apologized. Megan says she now plans 485 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: to check any future babysitters on SEACAP. She's frustrated that 486 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: the process to charge teeth Sort took so long and 487 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: that she was caring for other kids even after what 488 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 1: happened to Riley. Most recently, a parent found her two 489 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: months son unresponsive at teeth Sorts. Police believe the baby 490 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,920 Speaker 1: died while in the care of Teetzer. That's our friend 491 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 1: at WAOW, Sarah McGrew. What's amazing to me is even 492 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 1: after all this, Teezer says, quote, I'm not a threat 493 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: to society. I'm a great mom. I'm a great mom. 494 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: Talk about denial. She said, all of her children taken 495 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 1: out of her care. She's charged with multiple counts of 496 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: child abuse, now murder, and it goes on and on. 497 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, let's just be clear on this. 498 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: To Dave Max, indicated talk show host joining us, this 499 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 1: is not a case of SID sudden infant death syndrome. 500 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: When I say she is charged with homicide, explain what 501 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: we learned about Heather Gardner's little taughts injuries. We know 502 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: that according to the autopsy, they were at least three 503 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 1: blunt force trauma injuries to this two month old baby's head, 504 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 1: and we also know that the force of the blow 505 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: was so forceful that the babies tell tailbone was broken 506 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 1: and separated. Take a listen to another mom, Megan roy 507 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 1: speaking to our friends at wsa W after she did 508 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 1: hurt her. I couldn't leave my house for about a 509 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: good two weeks because of the bruising on her face. 510 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: Megan Royce and Dylan Baum had previously known teeth Sort 511 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 1: for over a year before allowing her to watch their children. 512 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: I had used Marissa for two weeks as a babysitter, 513 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 1: and I never once thought to see kapp her or 514 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 1: look her up because she was a friend of a 515 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: friend and she had a baby as well, so I 516 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: figured it was safe. After she talked to police, Megan 517 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 1: roy started receiving threatening messages from other people who blamed 518 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: her for the attack. It was hard because I had 519 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: to tell people that my babysitter had done it. I've 520 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 1: been getting messages that people think I could have prevented 521 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 1: it when I was just trying to help my daughter's 522 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 1: case and make sure she did get put away. And 523 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: she did get charged for what she did. Even after 524 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: the charges, teeth Sort still hasn't admitted to anything, and 525 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: it's because she keeps lying about it and she's not 526 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: once told me the truth about what happened. Riley. The 527 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 1: message is that Megan and Dylan half for the parents. 528 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: Looking into babysitters. You can't be too careful about the 529 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: people that watch your children. Look them up, see if 530 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: anything pops up for kild abuse, kyld and ne Glack, 531 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:19,959 Speaker 1: anything like that, even if you've known them for over 532 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: a year like we did, Even if you've known them 533 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 1: for that long, there's still being left alone with your 534 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: child now. And I never would have thought to ever 535 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,720 Speaker 1: really do it before until now. You wouldn't think it. 536 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:37,760 Speaker 1: Three separate blunt force injuries to his head the tailbone. 537 00:33:37,840 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: The baby's tailbone had been completely broken off. Quote indicating 538 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:49,560 Speaker 1: a significant amount of forced force was used. That is 539 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:57,480 Speaker 1: in the medical examiner's report. Kiaren Smith, I'm incensed. You 540 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:02,719 Speaker 1: were talking about a minimum of four separate contentional acts. 541 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: Four separate blows to this baby, three to the head 542 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: minimum and the amount of force that it takes to 543 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:17,359 Speaker 1: break off someone's a baby's tailbone is enormous. You are 544 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 1: not talking about a cap, You're not talking about a fall. 545 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 1: This is an intentional slam onto an object or the floor, 546 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: and you're talking about three separate blunt force trauma injuries 547 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 1: to this baby's head. This was premeditated, This was intentional. 548 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:38,439 Speaker 1: This was disgusting, and I hope she gets stuff full 549 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,800 Speaker 1: on front of the criminal justice system, plus analyze. I 550 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: did a flow chart for this, Ashley Wilcott, you're the 551 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:47,840 Speaker 1: juvenile judge. You deal with defects every single day. Okay. 552 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:51,400 Speaker 1: First of all, there were weeks before baby Benson, the 553 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,839 Speaker 1: two months old in the current case we're discussing mom 554 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: Heather Gardner. Weeks before his death, teacher was babysitting the 555 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 1: eleven month old little Riley. Now teacher told that mom 556 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 1: Megan Riley, fell off a couch and injured her face. 557 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,800 Speaker 1: Doctors say those injuries could not have happened from a fall, 558 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you why. She says she fell off 559 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:17,719 Speaker 1: a sofa. But there were multiple bruises. One bruise from 560 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 1: falling off a sofa. I mean, how do you fall off? 561 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:21,439 Speaker 1: And then what fall off? Again and again and again 562 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 1: and again and again. To get all these multiple bruises. 563 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,200 Speaker 1: That's how they knew that it's not rocket science. So 564 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 1: felony charges were filed against teas hurt, the same charges 565 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,320 Speaker 1: that teacher was talking about when she called baby Benson's 566 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: mom to say, hey, don't tell anybody I'm taking care 567 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:39,880 Speaker 1: of your your baby because I caught some charges and 568 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:41,879 Speaker 1: I'm not supposed to be around children. Well, the mom 569 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,440 Speaker 1: of course nut it up and went straight over there 570 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:48,439 Speaker 1: to get the baby. A year before that, a year 571 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 1: before that, a three month old child teacher was babysitting 572 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 1: was also injured while with Teaser suffering a skull fracture. 573 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 1: No charges were ever brought. In two ten, her then boyfriend, 574 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:09,880 Speaker 1: he wisely took off, filed a t r O against 575 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 1: teacher for allegedly abusing their two sons. Now it was 576 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: reported social workers removed all of Teacher's four children. Then 577 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: that's when they were removed, So this goes all the 578 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: way back to twenty and ten. Her boyfriend then has 579 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: to go file a t r against her for abusing 580 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,719 Speaker 1: their two sons. He alleges at that time defects takes 581 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:36,800 Speaker 1: all four children away from the home. The state workers 582 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:40,160 Speaker 1: not doing their job, don't know she's had a fifth child, 583 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 1: or that at the time Baby Benson was killed, she 584 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 1: was pregnant with her six Then we have the three 585 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:49,440 Speaker 1: month old with the skull fracture, no charges. Then you 586 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:53,920 Speaker 1: have eleven month old Riley covered in bruises from quote falling. 587 00:36:54,719 --> 00:37:00,320 Speaker 1: Now i'm too Baby Benson Ashley. How how was she 588 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: still taking care of children? Where we're all the charges. 589 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,759 Speaker 1: So that's the problem, that's the system fail in this case. 590 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:10,000 Speaker 1: There should have been charges years ago. Now let me 591 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:13,200 Speaker 1: suggest this, and that is our child welfare system of 592 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 1: defacts is separate from law enforcement excuse me, system of 593 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 1: investigating and charging and then going to criminal court, and 594 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: so too frequently those two systems have two different goals 595 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 1: to different purposes. One is to protect children, the other 596 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:31,320 Speaker 1: is to prosecute. And too often people whose children have 597 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,840 Speaker 1: been taken away in the system work to protect those children. 598 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:38,759 Speaker 1: That doesn't line up with the legal criminal aspect of 599 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:41,480 Speaker 1: But they've heard a child, they need to be charged, 600 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:43,960 Speaker 1: and that's the system fail in this part. She should 601 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:46,120 Speaker 1: have been charged years ago. There's no excuse, there's no 602 00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: reason why not. That should have happened. These other crimes 603 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,799 Speaker 1: then would have been prevented. Listen the babies that are 604 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:56,320 Speaker 1: charged with first degree intentional homicide. She is a monster. 605 00:37:56,719 --> 00:38:01,440 Speaker 1: While police continue to investigate, we are confidence that we'll 606 00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:06,400 Speaker 1: get justice for Benson when that is concluded. Heather missing 607 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:10,840 Speaker 1: out on those cherished milestones. Here's first word, see us 608 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: first steps. We'll never get her baby Benson back. Push 609 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:18,239 Speaker 1: I could just hold them. For tips on how to 610 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 1: hire and locate a babysitter, go to crime online dot com. 611 00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: We wait as justice and folds. Nancy Grace Crime Story 612 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:31,799 Speaker 1: signing off, Goodbye, Fred