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The Escape Pod Traumedy

The Escape Pod Traumedy

Written by: Escape Pod
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About this listen

A traumedy about the trials and tribulations of people in their journeys of “escape”.
Escape what, you ask? ALL the things!
From trauma, crime, and unhealthy family cycles, to traffic and good deeds not going unpunished.
Like we said—all the things!

(Just tune in…you’ll understand.)

Co-hosted by Charity Doyle and Karabeth Borresen --The Escape Pod aims to connect, educate, entertain, and humanize through the lens of lived experience.

Copyright 2023 EscapePod-traumedy All rights reserved. Social Sciences True Crime
Episodes
  • Amber ALERT- Ep. 103

    Amber ALERT- Ep. 103
    Jan 14 2026
    Eight Minutes That Changed America: The Legacy of Amber Hagerman On January 13, 1996, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman left home on her pink bicycle for one more ride—and never returned. In just eight minutes, she vanished from an abandoned parking lot in Arlington, Texas, setting off one of the most heartbreaking child abduction cases in American history. Her story would transform grief into action, outrage into advocacy, and a single tragedy into a nationwide child-protection system that has saved over a thousand lives. In today’s episode, Charity walks you through the case that led to the creation of the AMBER Alert—how Amber’s abduction shattered her family, galvanized a community, and sparked a movement that would forever change the way this country responds when a child goes missing. This story is devastating. It’s infuriating. And it’s a reminder that even in the darkest moments, one mother's fight can ignite a legacy of life-saving change. Content Warning: Child abduction, sexual assault, murder, systemic failure, and traumatic details involving minors. Episode Highlights Amber’s last bike ride and the eight-minute window that changed everythingEyewitness Jim Kevil’s account of the abductionThe abandoned bicycle that launched a frantic searchHow the “Welfare to Work” documentary unintentionally made Amber’s face known nationwideThe devastating discovery of Amber’s body four days laterThe beginnings of a movement: Donna Whitson’s transformation from grieving mother to national advocateDiana Simone’s simple question that sparked the idea for AMBER AlertsThe creation of PASO and the push for tougher lawsHow Amber Hagerman’s case led to: The 1996 national sex offender registryThe first regional AMBER Alert systemThe 2003 PROTECT Act establishing AMBER Alerts nationwide The first child saved by AMBER Alert: a 2-month-old baby found in 34 minutesThe evolution from radio broadcasts to instant wireless emergency alertsThe staggering impact: more than 1,200 recovered childrenThe lesser-known tragedy: how accepting donations for her son caused Donna to lose her welfare benefitsArlington PD’s ongoing investigation — still active, still receiving tips, still searching for justiceDonna’s message to her daughter’s killer more than 25 years laterThe legacy Amber left behind, and the mothers, fathers, and children her story continues to protect Reflection Amber Hagerman’s story is one of unbearable loss—and unshakable legacy. Though her case remains unsolved, her name has become a lifeline for families across the world. Every alert that buzzes on a phone, every community that mobilizes in minutes, every child recovered because strangers refused to look away… all of it traces back to a little girl on a pink bike and a mother who refused to let her death be the end of her story. Amber didn’t just change the nation. She saved it—one child at a time. Resources & References The History of the AMBER Alert AMBER Alert: Frequently Asked Questions AMBER Alert AMBER Alert History The Case that Started It All How Were Amber Alerts Created? The Amber Hagerman Cold Case Reporter Recalls Painful, Public Journey of Amber Hagerman's Mom Pain Still Binds Those Touched by Amber Where Are Amber Hagerman's Parents Now? Crime Junkie Podcast: Precedent: Amber Hagerman New Peacock Doc 'Amber: The Girl Behind The Alert' Explores Cold Case Behind The Life-Saving Service Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more. https://www.escapepod.live Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts? General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live On Social Media  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos Subscribe and listen now- https://linktr.ee/escapepod57701
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    28 mins
  • A Mother’s Malice: The Atrocities of Theresa Knorr - Ep. 102

    A Mother’s Malice: The Atrocities of Theresa Knorr - Ep. 102
    Jan 7 2026
    In this harrowing episode, Charity uncovers the almost-unbelievable true story of Theresa Knorr — a mother whose escalating paranoia, rage, and brutality turned her own home into a prison, and her children into victims, witnesses, and unwilling accomplices. This case begins on a quiet stretch of California highway, where a passerby spots flames in the woods… and stumbles onto a burned body that would remain unidentified for nine long years. That Jane Doe would later be revealed as 18-year-old Susan Knorr — one of Theresa’s daughters. What unfolds next is a devastating deep dive into a home ruled by terror: extreme physical abuse, isolation, forced starvation, occult delusions, forced sex work, and years of psychological torture. The episode also examines how agencies failed these children at every turn—and how one surviving daughter, Terry, spent years trying to make the world believe her story. This is not a story of motherhood. It’s a story of control, cruelty, and two young women who paid the ultimate price. Content Warning: Child abuse, torture, filicide, sexual exploitation, physical violence, and psychological trauma. Episode Highlights The 1984 discovery of a burning body off Highway 89 near Lake Tahoe Jane Doe’s injuries: torture, puncture wounds, beatings, and being set on fire while still alive A nine-year struggle to identify her The unraveling of Theresa Knorr’s life: childhood instability, attention-seeking, and early violence Her first murder: shooting her husband Cliff Sanders at age 18 Growing paranoia, religious delusions, and obsession with control Total isolation of her six children in their Orangevale home Systematic abuse: beatings, starvation, sleep deprivation, cigarette burns, forced labor Theresa’s jealousy and fixation on her daughters’ looks and independence Forced sex work involving both Susan and Sheila Escalation after Susan reports the abuse to authorities — and investigators fail to protect her Susan’s two-year imprisonment under the table, beatings, and force-feedings A gunshot wound “treated” at home, with the bullet removed by her teenage brother Susan falling septic and being declared “possessed” by Theresa Susan’s murder: taped, hog-tied, driven to the woods, and burned alive Less than a year later: Sheila becomes the next target Sheila’s imprisonment in a closet until death Her body dumped in a box at a Lake Tahoe campsite, also becoming a Jane Doe The apartment fire staged by Theresa — and 16-year-old Terry forced to set it Terry’s desperate attempts over the years to report the murders, only to be dismissed The break in the case: Terry calls America’s Most Wanted Arrests, testimonies, and Theresa’s ultimate plea deal Where the surviving siblings are now Why this case still leaves a mark on investigators and mental health professionals Reflection This case forces a painful confrontation with the darkest edges of maternal abuse — where love is replaced by control, and children learn that survival means obedience, silence, or running. Susan and Sheila deserved futures, safety, and a mother who protected them. Instead, they were born into a home ruled by fear. Terry’s perseverance — after years of being ignored — is the reason this case was finally brought to light. Her voice mattered. Her sisters mattered. And their story deserves to be told. Resources & References   Theresa Knorr: The Mother Who Turned Her Children into Killers  L.A. Times: ‘Unbelievable’ Tale Reveals Grisly Crimes  Theresa Knorr: Mother Most Evil  Mother Knows Best: The Story of Theresa Jimmie Cross    Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.    https://www.escapepod.live    Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?   General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live   Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live    On Social Media   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos    Subscribe and listen now- https://linktr.ee/escapepod57701 
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    38 mins
  • The Murder of Timothy Coggins - Ep. 101

    The Murder of Timothy Coggins - Ep. 101
    Dec 31 2025
    In this devastating episode, Charity takes listeners back to 1983 Griffin, Georgia—where racism, silence, and unchecked hatred converged to steal the life of 23-year-old Timothy Coggins. A charismatic, funny, deeply loved young Black man, Timothy was brutally tortured and murdered in an act of racial violence so horrific that it stunned even seasoned investigators. For decades, the truth was buried—covered up by fear, intimidation, missing evidence, and a system poisoned by white supremacy. But time did not erase Timothy’s story. His family refused to forget. And more than 30 years later, a new generation of investigators reopened the case, determined to finally confront the evil that had been allowed to fester in their own community. This episode exposes the brutality of the crime, the deep failures of the initial investigation, the racial terrorism inflicted on the Coggins family, and the relentless work that finally brought Timothy’s killers to justice. This is the story of a life stolen by hate—and a family who never stopped fighting for truth. Content Warning: Racism, hate crimes, torture, and graphic violence. Episode Highlights Timothy’s life: a beloved, energetic 23-year-old from a tight-knit family known for kindness, loyalty, and communityThe discovery of his mutilated body in a field near the “Hanging Tree”Evidence showing Timothy had been chained to a truck and dragged, stabbed repeatedly, beaten, and left to dieHow even local authorities failed to recognize him due to the severity of the injuriesThe conversation earlier that night where Timothy mentioned he was dating a white woman—an act that enraged local racistsUnease at the club: white men waiting outside, warnings ignored, and the moment Timothy was last seenOfficer Jordan’s early investigation and how leads pointed to Frank Gebhardt and Bill MooreThe sudden shutdown of the case by superiors—later tied to deputies with KKK affiliationsDecades of terror directed at the Coggins family: threats, vandalism, intimidation, and violence33 years of silence… until the case was reopened in 2017Missing evidence from the original file, raising suspicions of deliberate obstructionWitnesses who finally came forward, sharing decades of confessions and racist bragging by GebhardtThe excavation of Gebhardt’s well using hydrovac technology—and the breakthrough discovery: Shoes matching what Timothy woreA bloodied, slashed shirtA broken knife believed to be the murder weapon Gebhardt’s long history of violence, racism, and bragging about Timothy’s murderProsecutor Marie Broder’s powerful, emotion-driven approach to the caseTestimonies from inmates, former neighbors, white supremacists, and even Gebhardt’s own circleThe defense’s disturbing strategy of dismissing witnesses as “trash”The jury’s ultimate decision: Frank Gebhardt — Guilty on all counts. Life in prison.Billy Moore — Pleaded guilty. 20-year sentence. Charges brought against others who obstructed justice, including law enforcementThe emotional interaction between Moore’s daughter and the Coggins family after the verdictTelisa Coggins’ powerful reflection on forgiveness and generational resilienceThe lasting impact of Timothy’s case on investigators, the prosecutor, and the community Reflection Timothy Coggins was murdered because of the color of his skin and the hateful lies that racism breeds. His case forces us to confront an ugly truth: justice delayed is not just justice denied—it’s trauma prolonged. But Timothy’s family held on to hope, and when a new generation of investigators finally listened, the truth could no longer be buried. This story is a reminder that confronting racism isn’t optional. It’s necessary. And justice, even late, still matters. Resources & References How the Lynching of Timothy Coggins Was Finally Solved After 34 Years | GQ How the racially-motivated cold case murder of young Black man was finally solved decades later - ABC News The Hate Crime Solved After 34 Years | HISTORY Here's How a Georgia Prosecutor Got Justice for a Man Murdered Before She Was Born - A&E True Crime Man convicted, sentenced to life in 1983 racially motivated killing in Georgia Gebhardt v. Georgia :: 2019 :: Supreme Court of Georgia Decisions :: Georgia Case Law :: Georgia Law :: US Law :: Justia Suspects Bragged About Dragging Black Man Behind Truck, Prosecutor Says Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more. https://www.escapepod.live Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts? General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live On Social Media  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/  YouTube: https://...
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    54 mins
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