Podcasts about Georgia Tann

In the early 20th century, a young woman named Georgia Tann begins her career in social work and becomes determined to change adoption in America—even if it means destroying lives and tearing families apart.Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-scandal/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For 20 years in Tennessee, Georgia Tann ran American's biggest black market for children, trafficking over 5,000 kids. We cover how she built her business, and how some children eventually found their families. TW: Kidnapping, child death, reference to sexual assault, reference to pedophilia Subscribe on ⁠Patreon ⁠for bonus content and to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society. Patrons have access to bonus content as well as other perks. And members of our High Council on Patreon have access to our after-show called Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt. Apple subscriptions are now live! Get access to bonus episodes and more when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Follow on ⁠Tik Tok ⁠and ⁠Instagram⁠ for a daily dose of horror. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 Kristy tells us about the dark history of black-market adoptions in the early-mid 1900's, focusing on one diabolical woman by the name of Georgia Tann, who stole over 5000 children in the span of 30 years In Memphis, Tennessee.References:https://nypost.com/2017/06/17/this-woman-stole-children-from-the-poor-to-give-to-the-rich/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-03-21-tv-13236-story.htmlhttps://repository.uclawsf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1428&context=hwlj Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateInfo on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScreamIN THIS EPISODE: We have all been guilty of wishing we had more money coming in. Some people go out and get a second job. Others look at what they have to sell online, or look at what skills they have to offer to the public that they could charge money for. Or you can go the route of Georgia Tann – her entrepreneurial spirit brought her millions of dollars. And it was a simple idea. Steal other people's children, and then sell them! (How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children) *** We'll look at some historic serial murderers and the strange and unusual ways they killed their victims. (Strange Predilections in Murder Methods) *** When it comes to planning the burial of someone, it's always best to to keep in mind that whomever is watching how you treat the deceased might be in charge of deciding what happens to you when you die. Sadly, one undertaker, Millard F. Rodgers, apparently forgot about the golden rule – and committed gruesome acts against families. (Six Children, One Grave) *** Residents in the town of Blakeney are reporting something horrifying prowling around the neighborhood and backyards… something they describe as a devil dog… a hell hound… a black shuck. (The Black Shuck of Blakeney)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Show Open00:02:37.449 = Strange Predilections in Murder Methods00:17:07.667 = How To Get Rich By Stealing And Selling Children00:32:57.699 = Six Children, One Grave00:39:06.735 = The Black Shuck of Blakeney00:45:47.713 = Show CloseSOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“Strange Predilections in Murder Methods” by Carissa Chesanek for Ranker's Unspeakable Times:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/zy3t5c5j“Six Children, One Grave” by Chris Woodyard for The Victorian Book of the Dead website: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/w62bu858“How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children” by Noelle Talmon for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jcenv8y5“The Black Shuck of Blakeney” by Stacia Briggs and Siofra Connor for Eastern Daily Press: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/24wtnfweWeird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = =Originally aired: April 21, 2021CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/UnusualMurderTechniques

Det här är ett avsnitt från Spöktimmens arkiv. Vi är tillbaka med nya avsnitt den 20:e augusti igen. Förutom det släpper vi varje månad ett nytt avsnitt på Patreon, se länken längre ned. Den här veckan så pratar vi återigen om den undre världen. Vi berättar om Georgia Tann, detta monster som väljer att kidnappa och sälja barn. Sen pratar vi om Uigurerna och det fruktansvärda brott som begås emot dem just nu i Kina.Fall: Georgia Tann & förtrycket mot Uigurer[REKLAM] Länk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/spoktimmen KontaktInstagram: @spoktimmen@linnkarolina@jennyborg91 Facebook: Spöktimmen Mail: spoktimmenpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.We welcome Tyrean Martinson this month! She discusses the first UFO sighting in the U.S. MB and I cover Georgia Tann's horrible "adoption" ring and the Tromp family's mysterious trip.Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.Free delivery on your first order over $35.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.Follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram Find us at our website: www.mysteriesmonstersmayhem.comEmail us at mysteriesmonstersmayhem@gmail.comSupport us at Buy Me A Coffee and get rewards!

Today's True Weird Stuff - Baby Broker   Georgia Tann was a social worker who ran a child kidnapping and adoption scheme starting in 1924. Georgia ran the Tennessee Children's Home Society, and for over 20 years she would take children from poor families and sell them to wealthy families for a hefty profit. She would even steal newborns from mothers in prisons and mental wards. Georgia Tann stole over 5,000 children during the course of her black-market baby ring.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 1920s, one woman created a massive child trafficking network where she kidnapped babies and sold them to wealthy parents. -- Episode edited by Lewis Poggie Written by Armaun Saheli -- Join our Discord server! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/deepcutsdiscord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Pick up some Deep Cuts T-Shirts and other merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/deepcutsmerch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Get the official Deep Cuts shoulder patch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/deepcuts_patch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Listen to our album, a 9 song rock opera about the rise and fall of Napster! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/album/63C5uu1tkzZ2FhfsrSSf5s?si=q4WItoNmRUeM159TxKLWew --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deepcutspod/message

Welcome to another episode of Hitting the Streets Podcast! Today, I have my special guest, Kim Byler, and we are going to talk about the evils of Georgia Tann. Please tune in!

Georgia Tann was a bad human. We feel safe in saying that because she kidnapped babies from poor families to sell to wealthy ones. Listen in if you can stomach it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuiamo ad esplorare la vita di Georgia Tann, forse la più brutta delle brutte persone di cui abbiamo mai parlato finora. Una delle donne che è riuscita a far rivalutare agli americani le loro idee sull'adozione, ma... A che prezzo? Voi che ne pensate? Fatecelo sapere nei commenti! ----- https://www.instagram.com/vitescomode.podcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In questa prima puntata dedicata a Georgia Tann, parliamo dell'infanzia, dell'adolescenza e dell'ascesa professionale di colei che diventerà nota come "l'agente sociale delle Star". Una donna che contribuirà positivamente a rivoluzionare la concezione dell'adozione, ma piena di lati oscuri e, in sostanza... Davvero una brutta persona. ----- https://www.instagram.com/vitescomode.podcast/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Adoptive parents, go do your own work. It's kind of a natural birthright to know who you are." - Louise Browne Adoptive parents and allies: Do you want to better understand and support your adoptive child's experiences? Our guests, adoptees Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Browne, will be sharing valuable insights and guidance on how to gain a deeper understanding and provide the support that adoptees need to thrive. By listening to their stories - and other adoptees' stories they share on their Adoption: The Making of Me podcast episodes - you can gain a deeper understanding and provide the necessary support for your adoptive child to flourish. Tune in to gain some new insights to support your adoptive child's journey. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the unique challenges of adoption experiences. Explore the impact of secrecy and shame in adoption. Gain insight into adoptees' alternate realities and perspectives. Get the inside scoop about Sarah and Louise's friendship and their podcast, Adoption: The Making of Me. My special guests are Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Brownee Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Browne are the dynamic duo behind the podcast Adoption: The Making of Me. As adoptees themselves, they bring their personal stories and insights in a candid and relatable manner on their own pod. Through their podcast, they aim to unravel the complexities of adoption, offering a blend of humor, empathy, and raw honesty. Sarah and Louise's journey of coming "out of the fog" in real-time adds authenticity and depth to their discussions, making their podcast an invaluable resource for adoptive parents and allies seeking to understand and support their children's experiences. Get ready to dive into their fascinating stories and gain a deeper understanding of adoption through their eyes. And find out more about their podcast's background and hopes for the future. ===============

We have all been guilty of wishing we had more money coming in. Some people go out and get a second job. Others look at what they have to sell online, or look at what skills they have to offer to the public that they could charge money for. Or you can go the route of Georgia Tann – her entrepreneurial spirit brought her millions of dollars. And it was a simple idea. Steal other people's children, and then sell them! (How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children) *** We'll look at some historic serial murderers and the strange and unusual ways they killed their victims. (Strange Predilections in Murder Methods) *** When it comes to planning the burial of someone, it's always best to to keep in mind that whomever is watching how you treat the deceased might be in charge of deciding what happens to you when you die. Sadly, one undertaker, Millard F. Rodgers, apparently forgot about the golden rule – and committed gruesome acts against families. (Six Children, One Grave) *** Residents in the town of Blakeney are reporting something horrifying prowling around the neighborhood and backyards… something they describe as a devil dog… a hell hound… a black shuck. (The Black Shuck of Blakeney) *** (Originally aired April 21, 2021)SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“Strange Predilections in Murder Methods” by Carissa Chesanek for Ranker's Unspeakable Times: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/zy3t5c5j“Six Children, One Grave” by Chris Woodyard for The Victorian Book of the Dead website: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/w62bu858“How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children” by Noelle Talmon for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jcenv8y5“The Black Shuck of Blakeney” by Stacia Briggs and Siofra Connor for Eastern Daily Press: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/24wtnfwe= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/how-to-get-rich-by-stealing-and-selling-children/

From 1920 to 1950, way before we ever heard of Epstein and child trafficking, there was Georgia Tann. Over 5000 children stolen, sold, and trafficked, with 500 + dead over 3 decades. Georgia's black market adoptions were nothing more than an evil moneymaking enterprise. She had everyone from child protection agents, doctors, preachers, teachers, judges, and attorneys on the payroll. Could she possibly have kidnapped the Lindbergh baby? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-west8/support

Mike Berman was conceived in Bay City, Michigan in November 1944 and was born onAugust 8, 1945 in Nashville, Tennessee to an 18 year old woman who surrenderedhim for adoption to the Tennessee Childrenʼs Home Society the day after his birth.Mike was adopted by a Jewish couple living in New York City and he was raisedthere. In February 1950 his Mom gave birth to her only natural child, Mikeʼsyounger brother. Mike never considered searching for his birth parents until hebegan to see the online ads for DNA testing and finally began his search in lateJune 2017. In addition to DNA testing Mike discovered that because of theappalling crimes committed by the TCHS under the direction of Georgia Tann hewould be able to acquire his complete adoption record from TN. Mike receivedthose records in late September 2017 and they proved to be a treasure trove ofinformation. In addition to his genealogical research Mike also began to readabout adoption and the psychological havoc it leaves in its wake. He has also readmany of the books written by other adoptees and has benefitted from the insightand understanding they have achieved, each from their unique experiences. Thatself-education continues and Mike expects it will go on for as long as he can keepat it. Mike is currently in happy reunion with an older half-brother and a youngerhalf-sister, all three being the only remaining children of their common birthmother, and all of them born on a Wednesday (refer to the childrenʼs rhymeMONDAYʼS CHILD). Mike and his sister have met three times in person, mostrecently earlier this month. His brother lives in Rhode Island and they havenʼt metbut they all keep in touch by phone and social media. Mike has been retired since2014 and lives in Central Texas. He has been married twice, divorced once and iscurrently separated from his second wife. Mike has two sons, one daughter, onegrandson, and one son-in-law who has the same first and middle name as hisadoptive brother. All of them live in the same town and get together regularly forholidays and birthdays and for the occasional random reason. Mike has a 5 yearold female cat, Clara, who graciously permits him to share her house in exchangefor full-time litter-box maintenance. Mike says, “Life is good.”To go directly to Mike's interview, skip ahead to  8:26.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser.Thank you to our sponsor S12F.Joe Soll & other adoptee resourcesFireside Adoptees Facebook GroupReckoning with the Primal Wound DocumentaryIf you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.Our Patrons:  Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed,  Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada, The Harpy, Kristan HigSupport the showTo support the show - Patreon.

Esta semana les cuento un caso totalmente escalofriante: el de Georgia, una mujer que, fingiendo dedicar su vida a las adopciones infantiles, se convirtió en la ladrona de bebés más grande en la historia de Estados Unidos.

For years, the Tennessee Children's Home Society had a sparkling reputation — a private adoption organization that went largely unregulated with the backing of wealthy and grateful adoptive parents, as well as Georgia Tann's relationships with high-ranking members of Memphis' political and societal landscape. But over time, people grew suspicious and began to pull back the curtains masking the Society's inner workings.The Society, once thought to be an upright adoption non-profit, was revealed to be a child trafficking organization. Tann took children — often through outright kidnapping or coercion of the parents — and charged adoptive parents high prices, effectively selling the children that were under her care. Thousands of families were broken apart; thousands of children were placed into new situations without adequate investigations into their new families; and hundreds of children died while in Tann's neglectful custody.After the truth of the Society was uncovered, laws were passed to further regulate adoptions in Tennessee. And today, many of those children — now grown, with their own generations of descendants — are reconnecting with their birth families.As always, we have a segment preceding the episode. Zoey covers a cryptid: the Smiling Man.Sources: https://hauntedhospitality.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/ep-119-the-lost-and-found-children-of-the-tennessee-childrens-home-societyVisit us on Social Media! Stay Spooky!

Barbara Raymond is the author of one of the most important books (In my opinion) because it kept Georgia Tann from fading into history. If Barbara hadn't stumbled across Georgia's story while working on an article she thought was going to be about an adoption reunion in the 1990s, Georgia could very well have faded into obscurity. Thanks to her diligence and excellent investigative skills, she uncovered the truth behind Georgia Tann and her crimes. Georgia Tann was born and raised in Hickory, Mississippi. Her father was a judge. She wanted to be a lawyer, they wanted her to become a concert pianist. She learned law, but her father forbade her from attempting to become a lawyer as that wasn't suitable for a woman at the time, so instead she became a social worker. Georgia ran the Memphis branch of the Tennessee Children's home society from the 1920s-1950 when she died from cancer. During that time, she ran a massive black market child trafficking business. She saw wealthy people as above poor people, and decided that if you were poor you could not raise your children properly. She began stealing babies and children from the poor, selling them to the wealthy and famous, and using them to manipulate law-makers. She popularized adoption by running ads for children in papers all across the country. Approximately 500 babies and children died while in her "care". Unfortunately she died before she would face justice. Georgia Tann is the mother of modern adoption in the United States. Buy a copy of "The Baby Thief" for yourself to learn more about the mother of modern adoption. The podcast Criminal is one of my favorite podcasts, and they did an excellent episode about Georgia Tann with Barbara called "The Baby Snatcher". If you are interested in being a guest on the Conversations About Adoption podcast, email me with a very brief overview of your story ⁠⁠⁠⁠info@conversationsaboutadoption.com⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/convosaboutadoption/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/convosaboutadoption/support

In nearly six years of podcasting, True Crimecast has never covered a case with a higher volume of victims than that of Georgia Tann. When we talk about human trafficking or child trafficking, we often think about men snatching kids from malls and throwing them in basements. Georgia Tann used the government and powerful people to pull this off in plain sight. How many people were sold by Georgia Tann, and was justice served for those kids?This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4106013/advertisement

How does one woman manage to steal an estimated 5,000 babies from their parents, then sell them to the rich? In this episode, Christine goes over the atrocities committed at the Tennessee Children's Home Society, an orphanage ran by a woman named Georgia Tann. Tann committed everything from fraud to abuse, and even murder.Learn how Tann got away with committing these crimes for over 20 years, and discover how adoption law (and adoption in general) was forever changed as a result.*As a warning, this episode does involve (minor and non-detailed) discussion surrounding child abuse and some mention of child loss*Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Wingate 2) https://www.insider.com/georgia-tann-tennessee-children-home-society-survivors-speak-out-2019-12 3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Tann 4) https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/daughter-origins-adoption-america/ 5) https://adoption.org/what-is-the-history-of-adoption 6) https://consideringadoption.com/adopted/search-and-reunion/how-to-open-adoption-records/ 7) https://lisawingate.com/ 8) https://nypost.com/2017/06/17/this-woman-stole-children-from-the-poor-to-give-to-the-rich/ 9) https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-36/chapter-1/part-1/36-1-127 

Hey Ghoulfriends we're back and better than ever! Here is the long-awaited Episode 47! Ever wonder if you were adopted? How about stolen from your family and sold to another? Grace's Case details the horrific business Created by Georgia Tann. Bigfoot, Sasquatch and Skunk Ape pretty much describes Trevor's Mystery. If you don't know any of those names, tune in for Trevor's Mystery. Follow us on IG: @wheremurdermeetsmystery Email us Questions at: wheremurdermeetsmystery@gmail.com Scarlett Scale Ratings: Grace's Case (7); Trevor's Mystery (3) Sources: ----------------------------------------------------------- Grace's Case: https://allthatsinteresting.com/georgia-tann https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Tann https://www.insider.com/georgia-tann-tennessee-children-home-society-survivors-speak-out-2019-12 Trevor's Mystery: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigfoot

In Part 2 of Georgia Tann, Julie Dixon Jackson, from CutOff Genes, Zelda, and Denise continue their conversation about the corrupt head of the Tennessee Children's Home in Memphis, Tennessee. They explore Georgia's family tree continuing with their conversation about Tann's mother Beulah Yates, learning about a murder in the family lines and what happened with her partner Ann and their children.For all information on sources for this episode, go to our website at MurderousRoots.com

In today's episode, we kick off the new year by digging into the history of the for-profit adoption industry in America. We touch on key players like the Orphan Trains, Georgia Tann, and Appalachia's own Dr. Thomas Hicks. But first! We have some exciting announcements that you don't want to miss, and I take my first swing at covering some current events taking place in West Virginia.This week's episode contains a TW for content related to child trafficking/abuse and issues related to adoption/reproduction/abortion/infertility.If you enjoy the content of this episode, you can support the show at: http://linktr.ee/rednecksrisingResources & References:1) Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate2) https://news4sanantonio.com/news/nation-world/deputy-is-on-leave-after-fatally-striking-13-year-old-with-his-police-cruiser?fbclid=IwAR0-TjItVgNadl1YwNYmn81Jg64v0v-IfJwAa1foNI9YjCNPoX_o7s8GRCE#3) https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/child-welfarechild-labor/orphan-trains/4) https://familytofamilysupport.org/2020/01/29/georgia-tann-legacy/5) https://iu.pressbooks.pub/perspectives4/chapter/the-black-market-behind-adoption-in-modern-america/6) https://www.chattanoogan.com/2020/3/8/404422/Jerry-Summers-Copperhill-McCaysville-s.aspx7) https://www.adoptionbirthmothers.com/adoption-truth/adoption-industry/8) https://shepherdexpress.com/news/features/exposing-the-for-profit-adoption-industry/9) https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/10/adopt-baby-cost-process-hard/620258/10) https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/07/when-abortion-was-illegal-adoption-was-a-cruel-industry-are-we-returning-to-those-days/11) https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Eugenics-and-Scientific-Racism12) https://ihpi.umich.edu/news/forced-sterilization-policies-us-targeted-minorities-and-those-disabilities-and-lasted-21st13) https://www.chsamerica.org/history

Welcome to Day 9 of the 12 Days of Crimelines! In the 1930s and 40s, one woman worked to change the stigma of adoption. What people didn't know was how she was lining her pockets along the way by scamming, grifting, and outright kidnapping children. Book rec: The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption by Barbara Bisantz Raymond This case is *unresolved* Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vDL4YoWPRkUdf3IpjNQMPoS4nidJIjtiG2sm6aW08ss/edit?usp=sharing For transcription/captions, please watch on the Crimelines YouTube channel. New episodes are posted there within 2 days of release: https://www.youtube.com/crimelinestruecrime If an exact transcript is needed, please request at crimelinespodcast@gmail.com   Support the show! https://www.patreon.com/crimelines https://www.basementfortproductions.com/support Licensing and credits: Editing and production assistance by We Talk of Dream https://wetalkofdreams.com/ Theme music by Scott Buckley https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/ Cover Art by Lars Hacking from Rusty Hinges Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For close to thirty years, Georgia Tann helped families adopt babies. But the truth was much darker. As the person in charge of the Tennessee Children's Home Society in Memphis, Tennessee, Georgia used her position to adopt out children to families outside of Tennessee. In doing so, she was able to “sell” the babies and line her pockets. Due to demand, she often stole babies from poor and struggling families.Adoptee rights advocate, Julie Dixon Jackson, from the podcast Cut Off Genes, joins us as we discuss the horrific deeds of Ms. Tann. Then we begin exploring her family tree starting with her father, a judge in charge of adoptions. We'll be back in two weeks with Part 2.All sources and information on this Episode can be found at our website, murderousroots.com

- Julie's concerning search for her own Marriage Certificate - More Somerton Man news - Trenches: Red Flags from a self professed Genealogist - Talking about Orphan Trains - Part 2 of Story Time with author/adoptee Lora K Joy   Subscribe, Rate and Review! For help with your search contact Julie at www.cutoffgenes.com  

Over the span of 20 years, over 5,000 families were effected by the sinister "adoption" practices of Georgia Tann. A tiny fraction of those families have been reunited while others died never knowing what really happened to their children.Join Us on Patreon!!!Book a Private ReadingClick to get to all things Social Media

Georgia Tann believed the rich were better than those without means. She also believed lower-income couples should not have children This is the story of how thousands of children were stolen and sold in the black market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Find Weird Darkness wherever you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/weirddarkness IN THIS EPISODE: We'll look at some historic serial murderers and the strange and unusual ways they killed their victims. (Strange Predilections in Murder Methods) *** When it comes to planning the burial of someone, it's always best to to keep in mind that whomever is watching how you treat the deceased might be in charge of deciding what happens to you when you die. Sadly, one undertaker, Millard F. Rodgers, apparently forgot about the golden rule – and committed gruesome acts against families. (Six Children, One Grave) *** Residents in the town of Blakeney are reporting something horrifying prowling around the neighborhood and backyards… something they describe as a devil dog… a hell hound… a black shuck. (The Black Shuck of Blakeney) *** We have all been guilty of wishing we had more money coming in. Some people go out and get a second job. Others look at what they have to sell online, or look at what skills they have to offer to the public that they could charge money for. Or you can go the route of Georgia Tann – her entrepreneurial spirit brought her millions of dollars. And it was a simple idea. Steal other people's children, and then sell them! (How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Strange Predilections in Murder Methods” by Carissa Chesanek for Ranker's Unspeakable Times: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/zy3t5c5j “Six Children, One Grave” by Chris Woodyard for The Victorian Book of the Dead website: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/w62bu858 “How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children” by Noelle Talmon for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jcenv8y5 “The Black Shuck of Blakeney” by Stacia Briggs and Siofra Connor for Eastern Daily Press: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/24wtnfwe = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ), Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46Trademark, Weird Darkness®, 2022. Copyright Weird Darkness©, 2022.

Between 1924 & 1950, Georgia Tann completely changed the game of adoption, placing thousands of children with families, even celebrities like Joan Crawford, June Allyson, & Rick Flair. However, the “Mother of Modern Adoption” used this reputation, along with the help of many powerful politicians, to kidnap over 5,000 children to be sold under the guise of adoption over the course of 26 years, though many didn't make it out of the orphanage alive. Listen to the full story of Georgia Tann & The Tennessee Children's Home Society Here. Check out our girls at True Crime New England here!

From the 1920s through the 1940s, one woman became the face of modern adoption. But the horrifying secrets living within the walls of the Memphis orphanage were too sinister for most to imagine. Join Olivia Cornu and John Conner as they dive deep into the dark to discuss Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Will this terrifying, true-crime case be enough to make you...Check the Locks? Follow Us: Instagram Twitter Join Our Facebook Group Visit our website Subscribe and Review on Apple Podcasts Post-production editing courtesy of Mat Halliday of Mat Halliday Audio Production Sources: Insider.com Article By Erika Celeste AdoptionLand.Org Living Magazine Ric Flair article by Alva Yaffe --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/checkthelocks/message

The most common profession in the 1920's for unwed women was to become a social worker. Adoptions started to become popular then and became a status symbol for the wealthy. But one women took it too far and began kidnapping children to sell them to those wealthy clients. The children were kept in the worst conditions you can imagine and her records have since been destroyed. Let's travel to Memphis, Tenneesee to uncover the story of Georgia Tann and her status and greed that led her to kidnap and even murder innocent children. And make sure to check out the featured podcast this week @cremedelacrimepod and on her link https://linktr.ee/cremedelacrimepodcast Instagram: @darktalesfromtheroad Facebook Group: Dark Tales from the Road Support the show: pateron.com/darktalesfromtheroad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Tann https://www.britannica.com/place/Tennessee/Tennessee-since-the-mid-20th-century https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Tennessee#Early_20th_century https://www.britannica.com/place/Memphis-Tennessee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Memphis,_Tennessee https://www.insider.com/georgia-tann-tennessee-children-home-society-survivors-speak-out-2019-12 https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/life/2019/11/07/georgia-tann-adoption-scandal-before-and-after-lisa-wingate-judy-christie/4165494002/ https://unearthedmemphis.com/2020/07/19/episode-one-georgia-tann-and-the-tennessee-childrens-home-society/ https://unearthedmemphis.com/2020/07/19/episode-one-georgia-tann-and-the-tennessee-childrens-home-society/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This Episode is sponsored by Better Help Get 10% off your first month with betterhelp.com/morningcup   SUMMER MERCH IS OUT NOW!  https://www.bonfire.com/store/morningcupofmurder/  Our New Website: https://morningcupofmurder.com/ July 18th: Georgia Tann Born (1891) When someone does something potentially good but has horrible intentions, it's hard to see the silver lining. On July 18th 1891 a woman was born who would go down in history as both the hero and the villain. A woman whose greed put hundreds of children in danger but, in some cases, placed them in the loving homes of their adoptive parents.  Join the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/morningcupofmurder Follow Morning Cup of Murder on Twitter: @cupofmurder Follow MCOM on Instagram: @morningcupofmurder Have a Murder or strange local true crime story you want to share, or you just want to say hi? Email the show here: morningcupofmurder@gmail.com Morning Cup of Murder is researched, written and performed by Korina Biemesderfer. Follow Korina on Instagram: @kbiemesderfer Morning Cup of Murder is Edited and Produced by Dillon Biemesderfer Follow Dillon on instagram: @dungeonsanddillons Information for this episode collected from: https://medium.com/@sydney.branch/georgia-tann-tennessees-baby-killer-7cd751ad02dc#:~:text=On%20September%2015%2C%201950%2C%20Georgia,at%20least%2019%20infant%20deaths.&text=Tann%20and%20her%20associates%20would,in%20New%20York%20or%20California., http://unknownmisandry.blogspot.com/2011/11/child-care-provider-kidnapper-serial.html#:~:text=Nobody%20knows%20just%20how%20many,%26%20Mrs., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Tann, http://www.bestoftruecrime.com/2019/09/i-was-stolen-as-baby-how-evil-legacy-of.html, https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/The_Children_of_Georgia_Tann, https://www.insider.com/georgia-tann-tennessee-children-home-society-survivors-speak-out-2019-12, https://www.criminalelement.com/georgia-tann-the-matron-of-evil/, https://reignmaker1911.com/2013/11/18/exposure-to-a-georgia-tann-is-deadly-for-children/  

In the 1920's, Georgia Tann re-invented adoption. At a time when children were often only taken in as hired help, Tann instead found permanent placements for abandoned children. Except most of these children were never willingly surrendered. Listen as Tann manipulates, steals, lies, and neglects innocent lives across generations for the purpose of money and power. Tea of the Day: Turmeric ActiveTheme Music by Brad FrankSources:Show: Unsolved Mysteries (Season 2, Episode 11)Book: Before and After by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate (2017)Book: The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption by Barbara Bisantz Raymond (2007)https://www.timesdaily.com/ap/state/elwood-to-honor-victims-of-tennessee-childrens-home-society/article_665c0a6c-7d6d-5aa4-bd23-5c87637b97e7.htmlhttps://www.highgroundnews.com/features/UnmarkedMemphisI.aspxhttps://www.insider.com/georgia-tann-tennessee-children-home-society-survivors-speak-out-2019-12https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-20-vw-882-story.htmlRecommend reading: Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate 

This week we're talking about sure-fire ways to screw up your kids! We've got the true meanings behind some popular Nursery Rhymes, the story of Georgia Tann, and some wild Tribal Rites of Passage! We're gearing up for our 50th episode/ 2 year Podversary, so head on over to www.drunktheorypodcast.com and leave us a voice message we can play on the show. PROMO: Ye Olde Crime Podcast - go find em. They're pretty cool.

Y'all thought we were only talking donor conception? Family trauma comes in all forms - Nicole's story checks a LOT of those boxes.Nicole, a former TV news reporter and Jeremy's close friend, shares with Ally and Jeremy about her father's black market adoption and untimely death, her mother's subsequent demons, growing up half white, half Palestinian, accidentally revealing her ex-boyfriend's family secret, and SO much more. Books mentioned in the episode:Before We Were Yours - Lisa WingateThe Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption - Barbara Bisantz RaymondThe Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure - Jonathan HaidtFollow us on Instagram and TikTok. Email us at halfofuspod@gmail.comMusic by Wizard of Loneliness, Courtesy of Halcyon Tapes

Chief joins the show to talk about the story of Georgia Tann. We get into how she kidnapped upwards of 5,000 children from families, E.H. Crump's possible involvement in the scandal, Ric Flair being one of the stolen babies, and more.

At a time when most people were not adopting, Georgia Tann provided beautiful children ready to go to good homes...but at what cost? Tune in to hear how one woman managed to steal five thousand children and got away with it.IG: @tequilalimecrimeTwitter: @tlcthepodBefore We Were Yours Book: https://lisawingate.com/books/before-we-were-yours/Devy Eyler's Book: http://nomama-ididntdie.comOprah Interview with James and Thomas White:https://www.oprah.com/own-oprahshow/twins-brothers-stolen-and-sold-into-the-black-marketOther Sources:https://historydaily.org/georgia-tannhttps://www.insider.com/georgia-tann-tennessee-children-home-society-survivors-speak-out-2019-12https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/local_news/author-shares-story-of-unbelievable-life/article_76be5c78-a162-5ec2-96a7-53b4dd234079.html

Welcome aboard for another crazy episode! Today on the train we step into a familiar world…or should we say .. Worlds? A couple episodes ago we did some mass disappearances and you know we love some true crime so today we sort  of combine the two. You see, for the mass disappearances episode there was one case that kept popping up. Now this was interesting to us because we've had that particular case on our list of shows to do for some time now. We figured this would be a good time to go ahead and finally do it. Today we are talking about the disappearance of the Sodder children.  The incident happened on Christmas Eve in 1945 in Fayetteville, West Virginia. George and Jenny Sodder lived with 9 of their 10 children. At the time, the oldest son was off fighting in WW2. The night of the incident, Jennie was awoken three times.   First, at 12:30 a.m., she was awoken by a phone call during which she could hear a woman's voice she didnt recognize asking for a name she didn't know, as well as glasses clinking in the background. Jennie told the caller she had reached the wrong number, later recalling the woman's "weird laugh". As she did, she noticed that some of the lights were still on and the curtains hadn't been closed, two things the children normally did when they stayed up later than their parents. Marion had fallen asleep on the living room couch, so Jennie assumed the other children ,who had stayed up later, had gone back up to the attic where they slept. She closed the curtains, turned out the lights, and returned to bed. She then went back to bed only to be startled by a loud bang and a rolling noise on the roof. She soon dozed off again and finally awoke an hour later at around 130, to see the house engulfed in smoke. She found that the room George used for his office was on fire, around the telephone line and fuse box.   Those are pretty much the facts that can be proven for the most part. Everything else…well it's strange to say the least.   George and Jennie made it out of that fire, as did Sylvia, just a toddler at the time. Also two of their teenage children, Marion and George Jr, made it out. 23 year old John rounded out the kids that made it out alive. Or did he? John said in his first police interview after the fire that he went up to the attic to alert his siblings sleeping there, though he later changed his story to say that he only called up there and did not actually see them. The children remaining inside were Maurice 14 , Martha 12, Louis 9, Jennie 8, and Betty 5. According to accounts, Marion, ran to the neighbors house to call the fire department because their phone was not working. A driver on the nearby road had also seen the flames and called from a nearby tavern; they too were unsuccessful either because they could not reach the operator or because the phone there turned out to be broken. It was Christmas Eve and I've read that the police chief sent everyone home to their families. She couldn't get an answer so another neighbor went to find the fire chief and let him know what was happening.    While this was going on, George, who climbed an outside wall, barefoot, to get to the attic and Jennie tried desperately to save their other children. This is where some of the strange things happen. First off neither of the Sodders trucks would start, despite having worked perfectly during the previous day.. Then their ladder was found to be mysteriously missing. Because of the family not being able to get help from the neighbor and their trucks oddly not starting when they tried to leave to look for the fire chief, help didn't arrive until 8am, almost 7 hours later. The fire department is just 2 miles from the home. The fire department was low on manpower due to the war and relying on individual firefighters to call each other. Chief F.J. Morris said the next day that the already slow response was further hampered by his inability to drive the fire truck, requiring that he wait until someone who could drive was available. Because he was fucking drunk; partying at a local pub, celebrating Christmas Eve. Oh, and one of the firefighters was Jennie's brother, their children's uncle.   The fire was initially blamed on faulty wiring, even though the Sodders claim there had never been any kind of issues with the electrical wiring before. In fact, A visitor to the house, seeking work, went around to the back of the house and warned George that a pair of fuse boxes would "cause a fire someday." George was puzzled by the observation, since he had just had the house rewired when an electric stove was installed, and the local electric company had said afterwards it was safe.   During the investigation something happened that makes this case the crazy thing that we are talking about. 5 of the Sodder children allegedly perished in the fire but the body's were never found. The fire chief told them the fire had cremated the bodies. Jennie asked a crematorium worker if that was possible, the worker told Jennie that bones remain even after bodies are burned at 2,000 degrees for two hours. The Sodder home only took 45 minutes to burn to the ground. So we did a little fact checking about this and there is a lot of argument about whether a house fire can burn bones to ash, but, it seems like those who have degrees and a bunch of letters after their name all agree that a house fire typically will not burn hot enough to get rid of bones. Also another thing we found is that even during cremations bones do not actually turn to dust. In fact after being incinerated at usually between 1800-2000°f, for about 2 hours, the bones are the only thing left. Now, the bones are not the same, granted, as with all the heat, it destroys the structure of the bone but does not turn it to ash. The ashes you receive are actually the bones of the deceased that have been put into what is essentially a big mixer, to pulverize them into dust. So enjoy that thought.    At any rate, due to what the experts said, the family did not believe that the other children simply burned up in the fire. They believed something else happened to the kids. But what else could have happened?   What else would lead one to think something possibly nefarious happened? Well according to some reports, some strange things happened in the lead up to the fire. One strange thing that happened was that in the months before the fire a "ominous drifter, hinted at doom '' We're assuming it was like Friday the 13th…the guy just points and goes…you're all dooooooomed, doomed! Whatever happened it sounds funny.    A few weeks earlier, not too far out from the incident, an angry insurance salesman berated George, telling him that his house was going to go up in smoke and his children would be destroyed as a retaliation for his criticisms of Mussolini in the mostly Italian immigrant community. Actually he said "the dirty remarks you have been making about Mussolini." If it was a sales tactic, it definitely needs work, otherwise, it's oddly specific! Also a bus driver came forward and spoke of how she saw "fireballs" being thrown into the roof of the house, could that be the noise she heard?   In the weeks before Christmas that year, George's older sons had also noticed a strange car parked along the main highway through town, its occupants watching the younger Sodder children as they returned from school.   What about the man who cut off the telephone lines at the Sodder residence? Someone witnessed him taking away a block and tackle used to remove car engines during the fire. He admitted to the theft but answered that he had no part in starting the fire; he had just wanted to cut off the power lines but instead clipped the telephone line. He was let go, and no records exist identifying him or questioning why he wanted to cut lines to steal a block and tackle.    Then on top of that you have the incidents on the night of the fire. There was the phone call and then the noise on the roof and she woke up to smoke in the house. Put all that together, and one could see where people may start to form some theories that this was more than just a tragic house fire.  You know we love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next folks…well at least Moody does.    Not only that, sightings of the children started almost immediately. For starters, locals reported seeing the 5 children in a car that was driving past and watching the fire. Then the next morning a woman operating a truck stop claimed she saw the children come in for breakfast with 4 Italian speaking adults.  Once pictures began to circulate, more sightings came in. a woman said that she saw four of the children (where was the fifth?) in the company of four adults at a hotel in South Carolina.  Which could lend credence to the truck stop story, which also mentioned 4 adults.    Armed with all these facts, George and Jennie went back to the police and demanded to have the fire further investigated. But the police refused, claiming that the coroner's inquiry determined that no crime had been committed.   This is when George and Jennie decided they would continue the search on their own.   George would constantly go and dig through the rubble trying to find something. At one point his searching seemed to find the first evidence of the children. He found what appeared to be an internal organ and also some small pieces of bone. They were sent for testing and the tests revealed that the "organ" was a cow's liver, and that the bones were from someone older than any of the missing children. The small bone fragments that were unearthed were determined to have been human vertebrae. The bone fragments were sent to Marshall T. Newman, a specialist at the Smithsonian Institution. They were confirmed to be lumbar vertebrae, all from the same person. "Since the transverse recesses are fused, the age of this individual at death should have been 16 or 17 years", Newman's report said. "The top limit of age should be about 22 since the centra, which normally fuse at 23, are still unfused". Thus, given this age range, it was not very likely that these bones were from any of the five missing children, since the oldest, Maurice, had been 14 at the time (although the report allowed that vertebrae of a boy his age sometimes were advanced enough to appear to be at the lower end of the range). Also the bones show no sign of being affected in any way by the fire. It was speculated that the bone fragments were mixed in with some dirt brought in to help fill in the basement. Later, Tinsley supposedly confirmed that the bone fragments had come from a cemetery in nearby Mount Hope, but could not explain why they had been taken from there or how they came to be at the fire site. The Smithsonian returned the bone fragments to George in September 1949, according to its records; their current location is unknown.  As far as the liver, it is said that a private investigator found out that the liver was put there by the fire chief at some point in hopes the family would find it and accept the idea that the kids perished in the fire.  George sometimes made his own sightings. On one occasion, George saw a magazine photo of a group of young ballet dancers in New York City, one of whom looked like his missing daughter Betty. He drove all the way to the girl's school, where his repeated demands to see the girl himself were refused.   The investigation and its findings attracted national attention, and the West Virginia Legislature held two hearings on the case in 1950. Afterwards, however, Governor Okey L. Patteson and state police superintendent W.E. Burchett told the Sodders the case was "hopeless" and closed it at the state level. The FBI decided it had jurisdiction as a possible interstate kidnapping, but dropped the case after two years of following fruitless leads.   After this second official investigation ended, George and Jennie continued their search.   George followed up on many leads on his own including heading to St Louis where a woman claimed Martha was being held in a convent but nothing came of that. Another woman in Texas claimed that she overheard two other patrons making incriminating remarks about a fire that happened on Christmas Eve in West Virginia several years before. Again nothing here proved significant.    At one point George heard that a relative of Jennies who lived in Florida had children that looked exactly like his had. He went down there to check it out and only when the relative was able to prove the children were his that George would leave it alone.         In 1967, George went to the Houston area to investigate another tip. A woman there had written to the family, saying that Louis had revealed his true identity to her one night after having too much to drink. She believed that he and Maurice were both living in Texas somewhere. However, George and his son-in-law, Grover Paxton, were unable to speak with her. Police there were able to help them find the two men she had indicated, but they denied being the missing sons. Paxton said years later that doubts about that denial lingered in George's mind for the rest of his life.   That same year the family would receive something pretty crazy. A photo showed up in the mail one day. The photo showed a man that appeared to be around his early 30s with strikingly similar features as their son Louis had had.    Written on the back of the photo was this:               Louis Sodder I love brother Frankie Ilil boys A90132 or 35   Interesting…. Very interesting.    The photo was in an envelope postmarked central city Kentucky. There was no return address.    The Sodders hired a private detective to go to Central city and try and track down where this letter came from and follow this lead. The private detective headed to Central city and guess what he fucking found….. well no one will ever know because after he left he was never heard from again. He never reported back to the Sodders and they were unable to ever locate him. Did he disappear with their money or was he made to sleep with the fishes?   Unfortunately, this took a pretty heavy toll on George. He said in an interview the following year that the lack of information had been "like hitting a rock wall—we can't go any further". "Time is running out for us", he admitted in another interview around that time. "But we only want to know. If they did die in the fire, we want to be convinced. Otherwise, we want to know what happened to them".   George would pass a year later in 1969 believing that his children were never killed in that fire and they were still out there someplace.    After this the rest of the family would continue to search and publicize the case. The only one that would not get involved was John. John believed that the family should accept what happened and all move on with their lives. Jennie stayed in the family home and built a fence around it and added rooms. She wore black for the mourning for the rest of her life and tended the garden at the site of the former house.    These are basically the facts as we know them. Since there's not much in the way of actual forensic evidence in this case, there's no way of telling for sure what happened as far as the children's bodies being burned. Obviously the investigation was quick, taking only 2 hours, and there wasn't a ton of forensic detective work back then. Plus DNA testing wasn't a thing. And just in general investigating wasn't generally as thorough as it is these days.   The surviving Sodder children, joined by their own children, along with older Fayetteville residents, have theorized that the Sicilian Mafia was trying to extort money from George and the children may have been taken by someone who knew about the planned arson and said they would be safe if they left the house. They were possibly taken back to Italy. If the children had survived all those years and were aware that their parents and siblings had survived too, the family believes, they may have avoided contact in order to keep them from harm.   Sylvia Sodder Paxton, the youngest of the surviving Sodder siblings, died in 2021. She was in the house on the night of the fire, which she said was her earliest memory. "I was the last one of the kids to leave home", she told the Gazette-Mail in 2013. She and her father would stay up late, talking about what might have happened. "I experienced their grief for a long time". She believed that her siblings survived that night, and assisted with efforts to find them and publicize the case. Her daughter said in 2006: "She promised my grandparents she wouldn't let the story die, that she would do everything she could".   George and Jennie passed out flyers and put up a billboard on route 16 in Fayetteville. The Sodders purchased the billboard in 1952. It featured black-and-white photographs of each missing child and an account of the fire with a $5000 reward that was increased to $10,000. It was taken down shortly after Jennie's death in 1989. It read:  “After thirty years, it's not too late to investigate. So what happened to the children if they didn't die in the fire? Well there's a few  theories but nothing solid.   One of the biggest questions is how someone could abduct 5 children with nobody being woken up. Well truecrimefiles.com say of that question:             "One of the most puzzling questions is how the actual alleged abduction took place. How did the kidnapper(s) get the five children out of the house, considering that the eldest sister was asleep on the sofa in the living room and the parents were asleep in a bedroom less than 20 feet away? Surely at least one of the children would have made some noise had a stranger (or even someone known to the family) come into the house and taken them away. There is at least one scenario that may have happened that would solve this specific puzzle. One of the chores the two boys were told to do was to attend to the family's handful of farm animals.”   On a side note, Marion, the oldest daughter, had been working at a dime store in downtown Fayetteville, and she surprised three of her younger sisters—Martha, Jennie, and Betty—with new toys she had bought for them. The younger children were so excited that they asked their mother if they could stay up past what would have been their usual bedtime.   At 10 p.m., Jennie told them they could stay up a little later, as long as the two oldest boys who were still awake, 14-year-old Maurice and his 9-year-old brother Louis, remembered to put the cows in and feed the chickens before going to bed themselves.    ”It is possible that all five of the children left the house to perform these chores (the three girls went along to watch) and were taken once they were outside and away from the house."   But an even bigger question would be why would someone do this. Many people believe that it had to do with George's and his background.    George immigrated from Italy and changed his last name from Soddu to Sodder upon arrival. Nobody really knows why he came to America or the circumstances behind his immigration. He would never discuss the issues and whenever it was brought up he would change the conversation. So that's kind of strange. Also George owned a coal trucking business, and at that time the coal industry was under a lot of pressure from the mafia. That plus his little known about past, have lead many people to speculate about mafia involvement in the crime.    Another theory suggests the kids were abducted by an illegal child-selling agency similar to Georgia Tann's with help from the local police. And remember that insurance guy George argued with, the guy that warned that their house would burn and the children would vanish. He was also a member of the coroner's jury which ruled the fire accidental. Leading many to suspect foul play.   For those of you wondering, For more than 20 years, Georgia Tann ran the Tennessee Children's Home Society, where she and an elaborate network of co-conspirators kidnapped and abused children to sell them off to wealthy adoptive parents at a steep profit. This is too crazy a story to not talk about a little here because if there was a network similar to this operating in that area, it seemed like another plausible theory.    Beulah George "Georgia" Tann was born in 1891 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Named for her father, a powerful judge, she hoped to follow in his footsteps and practice law. Instead, her domineering father forbade it, and she instead pursued a career in social work — one of the few socially acceptable positions for a woman of her means.   She first went to work in Mississippi, but she was soon fired for inappropriately removing children from impoverished homes without cause. She made her way to Texas, where it's believed she adopted her daughter, June, in 1922. Later, in 1923, she adopted Ann Atwood Hollinsworth, a woman believed to be Tann's longtime same-sex partner. It was common at the time for same-sex couples to use adult adoption as a means of transferring property or inheritances.   Tann then moved on to Memphis, where her father used his political connections to secure a new job for her as executive secretary at the Memphis branch of the Tennessee Children's Home Society in 1922.   By 1929, she had staged a takeover and named herself executive director.   Tann's scheme coincided with a sharp increase in families looking to adopt kids In the 1900s and 1910s, formalized adoptions were fairly rare, but in the 1920s adoption began to be marketed as a shortcut to societal improvement. According to one ad from the National Home Finding Society, adopting would "reduce divorces, banditry, murder, and control births, fill all the churches and do real missionary work at home and abroad, exchanging immigrants for Americans and stopping some of the road leading to war."   At the time, the theory of eugenics — that is, the controlling of the reproduction of genetically "inferior" people through sterilization — was popular. The movement claimed that people of better genetic endowment were subject to greater infertility. It became important in adoption not just to get babies but to get the best babies. A campaign to explain the superiority of adoption was launched.   This new outlook, along with the popularization of baby formula, helped Tann's baby-trafficking business grow. Suddenly, nonnursing mothers could easily and affordably feed their babies. The demand for adoptable infants rose, especially among busy, successful women.   Tann was calculated in her approach and targeted the rich and famous, who paid premium prices for their adopted children. Actors, authors, and entertainers, including Dick Powell and June Allyson, Lana Turner, Pearl S. Buck, Smiley Burnette, and New York Gov. Herbert Lehman, all adopted Tann babies. In 1947, Joan Crawford adopted twins, Cathy and Cindy, from Tann.   Stealing children wasn't a small side business. During the 21 years Tann ran the Children's Home Society, it's believed she made more than $1 million from taking and selling children — about $11 million in today's money. And she didn't do it alone.   Tann's extensive child-trafficking operation required connections, and she quickly linked up with E.H. "Boss" Crump, who ran a powerful Tennessee political machine. Crump offered Tann protections in exchange for kickbacks.   To kidnap and traffic her victims, Tann paid off a network of social workers, police officers, doctors, and lawyers. Some kidnapped children from preschools, churches, and playgrounds for her. Kidnappers preyed on poor children and families who didn't have the means to fight back. Tann's coconspirators were authority figures — people not to be contradicted — so children often went with them willingly. Sometimes, Tann would approach families and offer medical or other help. Tann would tell parents she could get their children into a clinic at no cost, but if they came along as well they'd be charged a large bill.   In the era before internet and with few phones, Tann relied on her network of spotters. They alerted Tann to children on riverbanks, in shantytowns, or walking home from school. She drove up in her big black car and offered them rides.   Tann was also in cahoots with a local judge who helped procure children, specifically from impoverished single or widowed mothers. One of her most high profile coconspirators was Judge Camille Kelley, who presided over the juvenile court in Shelby County, Tennessee, for 30 years.   "She had a stooge down in the welfare department when someone would apply for assistance, this person would get their name, and get in touch with Camille Kelley," Robert Taylor, an investigator, said in a 1992 interview with "60 Minutes."   In 1950, Taylor, a local lawyer, was asked by newly elected Gov. Gordon Browning to do an in-depth investigation into Children's Home Society and Tann. "Camille Kelley would send a deputy out to pick them up and award custody to Georgia Tann," he added.   Tennessee law required children to be adopted in state for a fee of $7, about $75 in today's money. But Tann moved her "merchandise" at $1,000 per head — $10,000 today. When the state finally investigated, the report on the Children's Home Society, the Browning report, found that Tann conducted "private" adoptions and pocketed up to 90% of the fee. She would gouge prospective parents on everything from travel costs, to home visits, and attorney's fees.   The report also detailed how children were then spirited away from the Home Society in the middle of the night to avoid detection by authorities who weren't in the know or others who might ask too many questions. Her "nurses" had regular circuits to New York and California, though she shipped to all US states and Great Britain.   Elaborate backstories were added to stolen children's files to make them more "marketable." Their files said they came from "good homes" with "very attractive" young mothers. Fathers were described as "intelligent" and often in medical school.   Tann also knew how to capitalize on opportunities in the adoption market. Few agencies adopted to Jewish families, and Tann saw her chance. A few pen strokes turned a Southern Baptist child into a baby from a "good Jewish" family. As the Children's Home Society scandal was exposed, the scenario played out in the adoption records over and over again.   If parents, biological or adoptive, asked too many questions about children, Tann threatened to have them arrested or the child removed. She was known for "repossessing" children whose adoptive parents couldn't make full payments on time. And she wasn't above blackmailing customers for more money later.   Often she would return to adoptive parents months later and say relatives of the child had come around asking for a baby's return. But for a hefty fee she had lawyers who could make the situation go away.   Homes for unwed mothers, welfare hospitals, and prisons were targeted. Doctors, working with Tann, told new mothers their babies had died during birth. Those children were "buried" at no cost to the families.   Other mothers were coerced into signing their children away while still under sedation from labor. Tann preyed on women's desperation, their poverty, and their sense of shame.   "If they were unsedated and tried to hold on to the babies after the baby was born, then Georgia Tann would step in and say, 'Well, you don't want people in your home town to know about [your pregnancy], do you?'" Robert Taylor, a lawyer who investigated the Tennessee Children's Home Society scandal for Gov. Gordon Browning, said in his 1992 "60 Minutes" interview.   By the 1930s, as a result of Tann's scam, Memphis had the highest infant mortality rate in the US.   Archives at the Benjamin Hooks Library, in Memphis, reveal some of the cruelties children were subjected to. Babies were kept in sweltering conditions, and some children were drugged to keep them quiet until they were sold. Other children were hung in dark closets, beaten, or put on starvation rations for weeks at a time. Drug addicts and pedophiles were hired to watch over them.   According to "The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption," sexual abuse was a common occurrence at the home.   Tann was brutally unsparing in her cruelty. Former Home Society employees revealed to Taylor that if an infant was deemed too weak, it might be left in the sun to die. If a child had a congenital disability or was considered "too ugly" or "old" to be of use, Tann had people get rid of them. Many were buried on the property, though about 20 children were buried in an unmarked plot of land within Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis.   In the 1940s, Tann developed a new publicity stunt.   "They would raffle 20 or 30 babies off every year in the 'Christmas Baby Give Away' in the newspaper," Wingate said. "How did anyone ever think that was all right?"   For $25 a ticket — about $350 today — purchasers could buy as many raffle tickets as they liked.   Tann pocketed thousands of dollars that ticket holders assumed went to the Home Society, and had to give away just a fraction of her "merchandise" in the process.   Tann's baby-selling scheme carried on unabated for over two decades. But in 1949 things took a turn. Tennessee elected a new governor, Gordon Browning. Weakened, E.H. Crump, Tann's crony, lost his hold on Memphis politics.   On September 12, 1950, Gov. Browning held a press conference during which he revealed Tann and her network managed to amass more than $1 million from her child-selling scheme — again, nearly $11 million in today's money.   But Tann was never held accountable. Three days later, she died at home after slipping into a mysterious coma from untreated uterine cancer.   On November 11, 1950, Judge Camille Kelley, who had worked so closely with Tann, quietly resigned. It took until late November or early December to find safe homes for the remaining children. Somewhere in the waning days of 1950, the doors to the Tennessee Children's Home Society were closed for good.   No one was ever prosecuted for their roles in the black-market baby ring.   Holy fuck…. So we know that was a tangent but you got a 2 fer here with that crazy tale, and again the reason we went into the  details on this are because there is speculation that the Sodder children could have been victims of a similar scheme. I mean.. If it happened on that scale in one place who's to say it didn't happen here as well. https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movies-about-kidnapping/ranker-film

In our final episode on Georgia Tann, we tell the story of the lives impacted by Georgia's actions even years later and how some have come together to heal and rebuild from the ashes Georgia left in her enormous wake. SOURCESFor 20 years, a Tennessee baby thief kidnapped more than 5000 children from the streets, hospitals, and shanty towns of Memphis. Now, 70 years later, survivors of her 'house of horrors' are confronting the past.Together Again : After 44 Tortured Years, a Mother Finds Her Stolen Child Via 'Unsolved Mysteries' - Los Angeles Times Before We Were Yours: A Novel: Wingate, Lisa - Books The Children of Georgia Tann | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki 

Georgia Tann, even with her limp, her small frame and grandmotherly appearance, had a ridiculous amount of energy. And most of it was concentrated on her work - her absolute tyrannical goal to become the foremost leader in adoption work. She could sell babies when other people couldn't give them away. She worked long hours in her office, visited local businessmen to ask for donations to her cause and gave speeches about the great things about adoption. She would tell them… this not only helps the children, but it also helps taxpayers who won't have to pay for the upkeep of orphanages. This was one of her refrains and in the 1930s she told everyone that she'd save the people of Memphis $218,000 by arranging over 2,000 adoptions. Suppport the Show → https://www.patreon.com/swagfampodcastnetwork SOURCESGeorgia Tann: The Mastermind of a Black Market Baby Ring That Lasted for Three Decades | by Robyn Kagan Harrington | Exploring History | Mediumhttps://ideapod.com/georgia-tann-the-baby-thief-kidnapped-5000-babies-and-sold-them-allRaymond, Barbara Bisantz. The Baby Thief . Hachette Books.  

Georgia Tann's adoption "business" was raking in money. She orchestrated adoptions for movie stars and politicians. She gave kickbacks to judges to look the other way. She was virtually untouchable. But all things come to an end. And it wouldn't be the law or a victimized parent that would bring her down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the hardest episode. In fact, you honestly may want to skip this episode. I don't really want to tell this story, but I'm a firm believer that stories are powerful and even if they're hard and ugly and horrific, they should have light poured over them so that perhaps it will stop similar abuses from happening again. And these children deserve the truth of what they suffered to be known. They just do. It is said that many of the children who died in Georgia's care didn't even have a death certificate or a burial. But how did so many die?Suppport the Show → https://www.patreon.com/swagfampodcastnetworkSOURCES"She terrified people" | Arts & Culture | nashvillescene.com“Good Housekeeping published . . . been fatal abuse”: “The Little Girl Who Refused To Die,” Good Housekeeping, August 1991, pp. 90-91, 132-134 Raymond, Barbara Bisantz. The Baby Thief . Hachette Books. For 20 years, a Tennessee baby thief kidnapped more than 5000 children from the streets, hospitals, and shanty towns of Memphis. Now, 70 years later, survivors of her 'house of horrors' are confronting the past. 

Georgia Tann built a career out of placing orphans into adoptive homes at a time when adoption carried a harsh stigma. While her enterprise might've started out of kindness, greed became her main motivation. She'd do anything to make a profit — including stealing babies from poor, single mothers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we've got two truly despicable women to celebrate Women's History Month! First up, Lauren profiles Georgia Tann who manages to turn the miracle of adoption into a disgusting, traumatic get-rich-quick scheme. Then Megan tells the "survival" story of Belle Gibson, heavy on the " ". Stick around to the very end for a delightful and uplifting surprise! And for the love of god, email us topics at thefreakshowpod@gmail.com. 

This week Tayler & Christine dive into the stories of Georgia Tann who ran the Tennessee Children's Home Society and a list some of the most cursed movie sets! 

WEIRD DARKNESS RADIO: WEEKEND OF MAY 01, 2021Hear the show as it airs! Find out what stations and times you can listen to the broadcast by visiting the CALENDAR page at WeirdDarkness.com: https://weirddarkness.com/events. And please SHARE Weird Darkness with someone who loves paranormal stories, true crime, monsters, or unsolved mysteries like you do! Recommending the show to others helps make it possible for me to keep doing the show!EPISODE IN PLAYER BELOW WILL BE A RECORDING OF THIS WEEKEND'S RADIO SHOW AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO LISTEN TO ON MONDAY AFTER THE RADIO SHOW HAS AIRED. SHOW NOTES FOR THE BROADCAST THIS WEEKEND CAN BE FOUND BELOW THE PLAYER.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =HOUR ONE: Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yeti, Skunk Ape, he goes by many names depending on what part of the country – and what part of the world – he is spotted in. For a creature that is said by skeptics not to exist, how can so many sightings of a similar creature occur worldwide, in so many different cultures, by people with so many different beliefs? And why have we not been able to capture one or find solid proof? What do UFOs have to do with Bigfoot – if anything? So many questions… so few answers. We look at the enigmatic Bigfoot in this episode. SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“The Bigfoot Files” by Marcus Lowth for UFO Insight: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/wsdn5kkd VIDEO: Original Patterson-Gimlin film: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/9wvjekyd VIDEO: Stabilized version (last minute of video) Patterson-Gimlin film: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4b32e3wk PHOTO: Abominable Snowman footprint: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/79bu4amb PHOTO: Bigfoot photo by Adam Bird: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/7bs56ebe Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music by AudioBlocks with paid license. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =HOUR TWO: We'll look at some historic serial murderers and the strange and unusual ways they killed their victims. (Strange Predilections in Murder Methods) *** When it comes to planning the burial of someone, it's always best to to keep in mind that whomever is watching how you treat the deceased might be in charge of deciding what happens to you when you die. Sadly, one undertaker, Millard F. Rodgers, apparently forgot about the golden rule – and committed gruesome acts against families. (Six Children, One Grave) *** Residents in the town of Blakeney are reporting something horrifying prowling around the neighborhood and backyards… something they describe as a devil dog… a hell hound… a black shuck. (The Black Shuck of Blakeney) *** We have all been guilty of wishing we had more money coming in. Some people go out and get a second job. Others look at what they have to sell online, or look at what skills they have to offer to the public that they could charge money for. Or you can go the route of Georgia Tann – her entrepreneurial spirit brought her millions of dollars. And it was a simple idea. Steal other people's children, and then sell them! (How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Strange Predilections in Murder Methods” by Carissa Chesanek for Ranker's Unspeakable Times: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/zy3t5c5j “Six Children, One Grave” by Chris Woodyard for The Victorian Book of the Dead website: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/w62bu858 “How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children” by Noelle Talmon for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jcenv8y5 “The Black Shuck of Blakeney” by Stacia Briggs and Siofra Connor for Eastern Daily Press: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/24wtnfwe Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music by AudioBlocks with paid license.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Amazon links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WANT TO ADVERTISE ON WEIRD DARKNESS?Weird Darkness has partnered with Voxnest to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on the show. Email maria@voxnest.com.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46Find out how to escape eternal darkness at https://weirddarkness.com/eternaldarkness WeirdDarkness™ - is a registered trademark. Copyright ©Weird Darkness 2021.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

“HOW TO GET RICH BY STEALING AND SELLING CHILDREN” and More Horrifying True Stories! #WeirdDarknessPlease SHARE Weird Darkness with someone who loves paranormal stories, true crime, monsters, or unsolved mysteries like you do! Recommending the show to others helps make it possible for me to keep doing the show!IN THIS EPISODE: We'll look at some historic serial murderers and the strange and unusual ways they killed their victims. (Strange Predilections in Murder Methods) *** When it comes to planning the burial of someone, it's always best to to keep in mind that whomever is watching how you treat the deceased might be in charge of deciding what happens to you when you die. Sadly, one undertaker, Millard F. Rodgers, apparently forgot about the golden rule – and committed gruesome acts against families. (Six Children, One Grave) *** Residents in the town of Blakeney are reporting something horrifying prowling around the neighborhood and backyards… something they describe as a devil dog… a hell hound… a black shuck. (The Black Shuck of Blakeney) *** We have all been guilty of wishing we had more money coming in. Some people go out and get a second job. Others look at what they have to sell online, or look at what skills they have to offer to the public that they could charge money for. Or you can go the route of Georgia Tann – her entrepreneurial spirit brought her millions of dollars. And it was a simple idea. Steal other people's children, and then sell them! (How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“Strange Predilections in Murder Methods” by Carissa Chesanek for Ranker's Unspeakable Times: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/zy3t5c5j “Six Children, One Grave” by Chris Woodyard for The Victorian Book of the Dead website: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/w62bu858 “How To Get Rich By Stealing and Selling Children” by Noelle Talmon for Weird History: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jcenv8y5 “The Black Shuck of Blakeney” by Stacia Briggs and Siofra Connor for Eastern Daily Press: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/24wtnfwe Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music by AudioBlocks with paid license.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WANT TO ADVERTISE ON WEIRD DARKNESS?Weird Darkness has partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They're great to work with and will help you advertise on the show. Email sales@advertisecast.com or start the process now at https://weirddarkness.com/advertise = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46Find out how to escape eternal darkness at https://weirddarkness.com/eternaldarkness WeirdDarkness™ - is a registered trademark. Copyright ©Weird Darkness 2021.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =