#375: Babysitter Returns Dead Baby Back To Mom - Then Can’t Stop Smiling During Interrogation

Marissa's past is marked by disturbing incidences of child abuse and negligence, culminating in the injury and abuse of multiple children in her care.

Marissa had a history of injuring children in her care, including a previous incident where an infant in her care sustained a skull fracture and brain bleed.

Authorities had previous encounters with Marissa, which assosciate her with severe child injuries. Detective Holtz received a report about an 11-month-old girl, under Marissa's supervision, who suffered a skull fracture and signs of a potential brain bleed. The doctor who examined the child was certain that the injuries seemed non-accidental, pointing towards neglect. Adam recalls an incident where a child under Marissa's care allegedly fell off the couch, suggesting a pattern of accidents occurring when children were left with her. Further unsettling this narrative, officers note that Marissa, pregnant and already stripped of parental rights to her four children due to similar incidents, continued to work as a babysitter. It is known that she is associated with causing brain bleeds and skull fractures, and this recent case marks the third infant injured under her care.

Detective Holtz, familiar with Marissa's past due to a preceding investigation into a child's severe head injury while under her care, delved further into the case. Previously, Marissa had denied being responsible for a child's skull fracture. However, when pressed, she admitted to being the caregiver at the time of the injury. This troubling history led to Marissa and her partner Adam's parental rights being terminated, underscoring the gravity of her alleged abuses, as the state generally is reluctant to sever such ties without serious considerations.

Despite her troubling past, Marissa continued to work as a babysitter and had access to children, including Heather's children.

Despite her alarming history, Marissa m ...

The death of baby Benson is shrouded in mystery, with the events of the day leading to his demise being unclear and the accounts from the caretakers, Marissa and her boyfriend Adam, being inconsistent and raising doubts about their credibility.

On the day of Benson's death, Marissa was alone with Benson and Heather's toddler, and the events leading up to Benson's demise are unclear.

Marissa’s account of the day Benson died lacks specific details. She had been home alone with Benson and Heather’s children, following a two-month period where an active investigation required Marissa not to be around any children. Although she was under this restriction, on the day of Benson's death, she was alone with her own child, Heather's toddler, and Heather's baby Benson after Adam had gone hunting.

Marissa claimed that she fed Benson once, and then he slept. She used a video monitor to keep an eye on him while he was in a pack and play but mentioned she didn't physically check on him. Later, after returning from McDonald’s with Adam, Marissa left Benson sleeping in his car seat. She expected Heather would arrive by 9 PM.

When she found Benson cold and unresponsive, she did not check on him immediately nor attempt to revive him. She admits to placing Benson on his belly to sleep and finding his face in a blanket. She did not attempt CPR or call for help immediately because she was scared of having her baby taken away.

Marissa and her boyfriend Adam provided conflicting accounts of the day's events, casting doubt on their credibility.

Marissa and Adam's portrayal of the children differ significantly; Marissa claimed the children were not frustrating, while Adam described the toddler and baby Benson as difficult, referring to them as "crybabies" in a text earlier in the day ...

Marissa's police interrogation revealed a series of claims and confessions, ultimately leading to the admission of her role in baby Benson's death.

During police interrogation, Marissa initially denied any wrongdoing and claimed Benson's death was an accident.

Initially, Marissa did not inquire about Benson's well-being and described him as fine when she was taking care of him. She told Detective Holtz that she had no idea what happened to Benson, insisting that he was fine last she checked and vehemently stating "I would not kill a baby." This denial of responsibility continued with Marissa suggesting through her comments that Benson's death was an accident. She specified that she was monitoring Benson using a baby monitor, further implying that there was no direct interaction that could have led to his death.

However, the autopsy revealed that Benson had sustained severe head injuries inconsistent with Marissa's version of events.

Contrary to Marissa's claims, the autopsy of baby Benson revealed multiple head injuries caused by blunt force trauma, inconsistent with Marissa's account of suffocation. No information from the provided podcast transcript elaborated on the specific inconsistencies between Marissa's initial explanations and the autopsy findings.

After being confronted with the evidence, Marissa eventually confessed to dropping Benson from shoulder height into the pack and play, causing his fatal injuries.

Marissa later admitted to being frustrated with Benson's fussiness and crying. In her final interrogation, she confessed to picking up Benson, walking over to the pack and play, and dropping him from shoulder height into it. Afterwards, she positioned Benson on his stomach, face down in the pack and play, and lef ...

Marissa and her boyfriend Adam have been scrutinized for their behavior and lack of remorse during the investigation of Benson's death.

Marissa and her boyfriend Adam exhibited concerning behavior and a lack of remorse following Benson's death.

Adam made numerous inappropriate and angry outbursts during the investigation, including using racial and homophobic slurs and threatening authorities.

Adam demonstrated a combative attitude towards the investigation from the outset. When police arrived at their door, Adam was more angry than confused and quickly became defensive. His frustration with social services was evident as he lashed out at the mother of the girl who reported the incident, questioning her motives. As the investigation into child abuse opened, Adam vehemently contested the idea of their son being taken away, since he was not present during the incident. Adam's aggressive behavior escalated to the point of screaming at detectives and authorities, displaying a clear lack of cooperation. He was particularly offensive during a confrontation in a hotel room, using "racist and homophobic slurs," and threatening to sue the jail over delayed mail.

Adam also made conflicting statements about his and Marissa's habits and expressed frustration towards their son, referring to him derogatively. This pattern of outbursts and threats, coupled with a strong resistance to authority, was a consistent part of Adam's reaction to the investigation.

Marissa continued to maintain an image of herself as a loving, maternal figure, even while in jail, and attempted to manipulate men into supporting her.

Marissa's letters from jail revealed a self-serving and callous attitude, with a focus on her own needs and a lack of genuine concern for the well-being of the children in her care.

Despite the serious nature of the case against her, Marissa's communications from jail did not reflect a person grappling with the gravity of her actions. In her letters to various individuals, she focused predominantly on her desires and needs. She expressed eagerness to have more children and a desire to leave town to pursue a typical family life, emphasizing her physical longing for her boyfriend and their anticipated reconnection.

Marissa advised her sister to befriend good people and asked for money while also instructing Adam to cut her sister off du ...