#355: Man Kept A 9-Year-Old Girl In His Room For 10 Years Without His Mom Noticing

Media are rife with haunting stories of true crime, but some accounts are more chilling than others—particularly those that involve torture and murder. In If You Tell, Gregg Olsen recounts the story of notorious abuser and murderer Shelly Knotek, who, along with her husband Dave, abused and tortured their daughters, nephew, and two boarders—resulting in three deaths. Olsen is a best-selling true crime author and novelist who was asked to write this story by the Knotek daughters themselves.

In our guide, we'll discuss the ways in which Shelly abused her victims along with Dave’s help. We’ll also look specifically at how she lured two friends to become boarders at her home and then killed them, and we’ll look at the events leading up to Shelly and Dave’s arrests and convictions. Additionally, we’ll add information about the psychology of abuse and psychopathy, compare it to similar stories of child abuse, and add context about the legal system and its responsibilities in cases like these.

All the alarming statistics about child abuse and neglect—millions of cases reported each year, killing nearly five children each day—don’t begin to illustrate how victims experience abuse. In A Child Called 'It', author Dave Pelzer provides a rare and grisly glimpse into his experience of severe physical and psychological abuse at his mother’s hands.

In one of the worst child abuse cases reported in California’s history at the time, Pelzer was starved, burned on the stove, regularly locked in the bathroom with a noxious mixture of ammonia and Clorox, and forbidden from speaking to or looking at any of his family members. Through it all, Pelzer maintained an indomitable will to survive that’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit even under the bleakest circumstances.

Media are rife with haunting stories of true crime, but some accounts are more chilling than others—particularly those that involve torture and murder. In If You Tell, Gregg Olsen recounts the story of notorious abuser and murderer Shelly Knotek, who, along with her husband Dave, abused and tortured their daughters, nephew, and two boarders—resulting in three deaths. Olsen is a best-selling true crime author and novelist who was asked to write this story by the Knotek daughters themselves.

In our guide, we'll discuss the ways in which Shelly abused her victims along with Dave’s help. We’ll also look specifically at how she lured two friends to become boarders at her home and then killed them, and we’ll look at the events leading up to Shelly and Dave’s arrests and convictions. Additionally, we’ll add information about the psychology of abuse and psychopathy, compare it to similar stories of child abuse, and add context about the legal system and its responsibilities in cases like these.

Stephanie Soo delves into a harrowing incident on "Rotten Mango" that gripped China and the world—the vicious assault on four women at a Tangshan barbecue restaurant. When a night out turned into a nightmare of premeditated violence that left the victims severely injured, the brutal attack exposed grave societal and systemic flaws. A video capturing the ordeal quickly went viral, sparking outrage and a nationwide conversation on women's safety and bystander accountability. Through a painstaking recounting of the event, Stephanie lays bare the chilling indifference exhibited by onlookers and the distressing instances of victim-blaming that permeate cultural narratives about gender-based violence.

In an episode that serves as a poignant critique of the media, authority responses, and the historical context of gang dominance, Stephanie investigates the disturbing details and broader implications of the Tangshan assault. Exploring the alarming media trivialization, the possibility of police corruption, and the government's attempts to control the narrative, "Rotten Mango" raises questions about the failures of legal mechanisms to protect against organized crime. As Stephanie calls for reflection on shared responsibilities and societal transformation, her probing discussion goes beyond seeking justice for the victims to advocate for a fundamental change in attitudes towards gender violence—challenging listeners to not only recognize but also actively engage in ensuring women's safety and dignity.

In an episode that seeps into the darkest corners of the human psyche, "Rotten Mango" hosted by Stephanie Soo along with her co-host, dives deep into a narrative that shocked South Korea. An unimaginable scheme carried out by eight middle-school children culminated in the fatal strike of Econ, an innocent delivery man — revealing a side of youth delinquency that crosses into cold-blooded crime. Throughout this episode, Stephanie stitches together the harrowing reality behind the tragic loss and the shockwaves it sent through the community, inciting debates on juvenile justice and societal norms that many have taken for granted.

The case unraveled by "Rotten Mango" shines an unforgiving light on the shortcomings of South Korea's juvenile justice system. Stephanie Soo's gripping storytelling not only portrays the brazen attitudes of the young perpetrators and their chilling displays of indifference but also underscores the emotional toll on the victim's family. Amid the societal uproar and demand for reform, Soo compels listeners to confront the grim implications of a legal loophole that has left the country's youth seemingly above the law, and questions the responsibility of a society that too often looks the other way. With calls for legal reform growing louder, this episode is a poignant reminder of the importance of vigilance and the collective push for change.

Media are rife with haunting stories of true crime, but some accounts are more chilling than others—particularly those that involve torture and murder. In If You Tell, Gregg Olsen recounts the story of notorious abuser and murderer Shelly Knotek, who, along with her husband Dave, abused and tortured their daughters, nephew, and two boarders—resulting in three deaths. Olsen is a best-selling true crime author and novelist who was asked to write this story by the Knotek daughters themselves.

In our guide, we'll discuss the ways in which Shelly abused her victims along with Dave’s help. We’ll also look specifically at how she lured two friends to become boarders at her home and then killed them, and we’ll look at the events leading up to Shelly and Dave’s arrests and convictions. Additionally, we’ll add information about the psychology of abuse and psychopathy, compare it to similar stories of child abuse, and add context about the legal system and its responsibilities in cases like these.

Trauma can stem from abuse to a severe car accident to wartime combat—and cause a lifetime of flashbacks, nightmares, isolation, insomnia, hypervigilance, and rage. In The Body Keeps the Score, the author explores how diagnosing and treating trauma has evolved as new technologies, research, and fields of science emerged.

Trauma’s impact is not only mental, emotional, and neurological, but also physiological: Trauma rewires the brain to put people in a constant state of stress or numbness, leading to a host of physical problems.

In this summary, you’ll learn:

• Why trauma survivors feel like their trauma is never-ending
• How flashbacks make parts of the brain shut down and others to go into overdrive
• Why some trauma survivors can’t recognize themselves in the mirror
• How activities like choral singing, yoga, and theater can be therapeutic

In an emotionally charged episode of "Rotten Mango," Stephanie Soo and her co-host take listeners through the heart-wrenching details of the Sewol ferry disaster, where over 300 people, mostly high school students, tragically lost their lives on a trip to Jeju Island. The podcast examines the chronological events that lead to the ship's sinking, the failure of cargo securement due to overloading, and the consequent tipping point that set the stage for disaster. They discuss the immediate reactions, heroic acts of bravery, and the chilling farewell messages from students to their loved ones, painting a vivid and heartbreaking picture of the tragedy.

Beyond the recounting of that ill-fated day, "Rotten Mango" explores the depths of human error and systemic failures responsible for the calamity. The episode dissects the negligence of companies prioritizing profit over safety, the inadequate crisis response from authorities, and the incidents of regulatory lapses that contributed to the chaos amidst the crisis. With a focus on the psychological toll on survivors and the national mourning that followed, the podcast offers a profound reflection on accountability and the resilience of the human spirit. As they discuss the aftermath and the cultural response to the disaster, Stephanie Soo and her co-host challenge listeners to contemplate the societal behavior and leadership actions that can either hinder or help in moments of dire need.