EPIDODE 60: Sarah Haley Foxwell

A cozy holiday hang—warming up vocals, trading birthday plans, laughing about sweaters—becomes a stark lesson in vigilance when we turn to the kidnapping and murder of 11-year-old Sarah Haley Foxwell. That tonal whiplash is intentional: joy is what we’re protecting, and Sarah’s story shows how quickly comfort can fracture when a predator knows the spare key and the routines inside a home.

We trace the human threads first. Jen’s earlier loss of an infant, the pressure to “move on,” the strain of working as a traveling nurse, and family friction—all of it shapes why her children were staying with relatives. Those realities don’t assign blame, but they do expose where risk can hide: a back door near a kids’ room, a dog that stays quiet for a familiar visitor, and a green toothbrush that later anchors the case. When Emma, just six, whispers that “Mr. Tommy” came in the night, the investigation focuses on a repeat offender with a history in Maryland and Delaware—someone who, despite prior convictions, kept returning to the street.

We work through the details with care: the evidence, the timeline, and a defense strategy that tried to discredit a child. The sentencing lands, the death penalty doesn’t, and we confront the uncomfortable truth about protective custody for those who hurt kids. There’s a hard conversation about forgiveness as a tool for survival—not absolution—and about the difference between justice that is legal and justice that feels like accountability. Out of tragedy, Sarah’s Law strengthens sentencing and tightens the sex offender registry in Maryland, a fix that should be national, not state by state.

Along the way, we swap practical steps that matter: rethink how you hide keys, control who knows access points, run background checks, and trust your gut even when a partner’s story sounds “misunderstood.” Community action—like the yellow ribbons that covered mailboxes during the search—proves how much people can do when they’re informed and engaged. Stay for the music and warmth at the end; it’s how we exhale after heavy truths. If this story moves you, share it with one person who needs the reminder. And if our work helps you stay alert without losing heart, follow the show, leave a review, and tell us what case you want us to tackle next.

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