52 episodes
Nobody Should Believe Me NSBM Plus
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- True Crime
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4.5 • 888 Ratings
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Novelist Andrea Dunlop is looking for answers. When her older sister was first investigated for Munchausen by Proxy abuse more than a decade ago, it tore her family apart. This catastrophic series of events sent Dunlop on a journey to understand this most taboo form of abuse. In this groundbreaking podcast, she talks to some of the top experts in the world to explore the criminology and psychopathology behind Munchausen by Proxy and to reveal the wide swath of destruction these perpetrators leave in their wake. Along the way, she becomes captivated by the case of Hope Ybarra. Dunlop speaks to those most familiar with the case, from the reporter who broke the story, to the detective who investigated it, to the family who lived through it. In the dramatic finale, she’ll speak to Hope Ybarra herself. (LM032423)
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Special Report: Watching Take Care of Maya (re-release)
Warning: This content includes references to suicide and child abuse. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text 988 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7. You can also visit 988lifeline.org for additional resources and support.
As the Jack Kowalski v. Johns Hopkins All Childrens trial gets underway today in Sarasota, FL, we revisit our conversation with top experts Bea Yorker, Dr. Mary Sanders, Detective Mike Weber, and survivor Jordyn Hope about “Take Care of Maya” the Netflix documentary about the Maya Kowalski case. Today we introduce our third season of Nobody Should Believe Me, where we will delve into the complex notion of “false accusations” of medical child abuse, getting into everything we’ve uncovered about the Maya Kowalski case and the broader conversations happening around the nation. Is there really an epidemic of over-diagnosis of medical child abuse, or are offenders slipping through the cracks?
Andrea is a finalist for the Signal Awards! Best Host - Documentary Category: PLEASE VOTE HERE: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2023/shows/craft/best-host-documentary
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
This show is produced by Larj Media
Follow host Andrea Dunlop on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea’s books here.
To support the show, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe where you can listen to exclusive bonus content and access all episodes early and ad-free.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Shelter
AVAILABLE FOR FREE ON 9/28
As the Maya Kowalski case heads to trial, we dig into the massive trove of documents about this case and begin to unpack what we know about what really happened during Maya Kowalski’s fateful stay at Johns Hopkins All Childrens in October 2016.
The Netflix documentary "Take Care of Maya"—and the prevailing media narrative---would have you believe that Maya was ripped from her parents by a corrupt system, and that this could happen to any parent of a sick child. But did Maya really have a deadly disease for which she required the massive amounts of ketamine and other drugs she was being given? Was the hospital unfairly biased against Beata Kowalski because she was difficult, or was something more sinister at play?
We talk to national law enforcement expert on medical child abuse, Detective Mike Weber, as well as a Florida pediatrician who helps us unravel some of the myriad strange details about Maya’s medical history.
The beginning of our multi-part deep dive into the case reveals the shocking events that led up to the family separation. -
Blunt Force Instrument
Everyone in Brittany Philips’ life was worried about her daughter, Alyssa. Brittany was always talking about her child’s health issues, and complaining that she couldn’t keep food down—but it didn’t add up with what people were seeing. Still, no one quite knew how to intervene. It didn’t help that Brittany was a bulldozer, bullying anyone who disagreed with her and always causing maximum drama.
Season 2 delves deep into a chilling case that exposes the shocking realities of Munchausen by Proxy and how it can show up. Unlike the charismatic manipulator in Season 1, Hope Ybarra, Brittany didn't need charm; she used force to get what she wanted. She wasn’t fooling anyone, but it still felt like no one could stop her.
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Follow host Andrea Dunlop on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to https://apple.co/nobodyshouldbelieveme to listen on Apple Podcasts and just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the show page to listen to exclusive bonus content and access all episodes early and ad-free or go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
Download the APSAC's practice guidelines here.
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Sponsored by: Hello Fresh, America’s #1 meal kit
Go to HelloFresh.com/believe50 and use code believe50 for 50% off, plus your first box ships free!
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Produced by Larj Media
Note: This episode contains sensitive content related to child abuse. Listener discretion is advised.
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
What do we do about Brittany?
Heather Harris was one of many friends who was concerned about Brittany’s desperate need for attention for her daughter’s medical issues, and her inconsistent reports about Alyssa’s eating issues. In this episode we peel back the inner workings of Child Protective Services in the state of Texas, and uncover a deeply flawed system that despite many social workers’ best effort, leaves victims of medical child abuse in harm’s way.
After a shocking incident pushed Heather to report Brittany to CPS, she was dismayed when no one intervened. Little did she know her report was one of many made to the agency.
Produced by Larj Media
Follow host Andrea Dunlop on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to https://apple.co/nobodyshouldbelieveme to listen on Apple Podcasts and just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the show page to listen to exclusive bonus content and access all episodes early and ad-free or go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
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Download the APSAC's practice guidelines here.
***
Sponsored by: Hello Fresh, America’s #1 meal kit
Go to HelloFresh.com/believe50 and use code believe50 for 50% off, plus your first box ships free!
***
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Where There’s Smoke
Detective Mike Weber dives into the digital rabbit hole of Brittany’s online activity and makes a discovery so shocking it turns his investigation on its head and reveals the depths of depravity offenders are capable of.
Meanwhile, the fight to protect Alyssa ramps up and we meet Sheriff Bill Waybourn—a towering Texan lawman with a huge heart and an iconic mustache. He and his wife Laura will become a beacon of hope in Alyssa’s life as she changes the course of their family forever.
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Follow host Andrea Dunlop on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to https://apple.co/nobodyshouldbelieveme to listen on Apple Podcasts and just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the show page to listen to exclusive bonus content and access all episodes early and ad-free or go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
Download the APSAC's practice guidelines here.
***
Sponsored by: Hello Fresh, America’s #1 meal kit
Go to HelloFresh.com/believe50 and use code believe50 for 50% off, plus your first box ships free!
***
Produced by Larj Media
Note: This episode contains sensitive content related to child abuse. Listener discretion is advised.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Where There's Smoke: postscript (Blunt Force Instrument & What Do We Do About Brittany?")
Andrea answers listener questions and shares thoughts about the first three episodes of Season Two. To share feedback or ask a question to be covered in a future episode, email andrea (at) andreadunlop (dot) net or DM on Instagram @andreadunlop.
Customer Reviews
I’ve never left a review on a podcast and I listen to a lot of podcasts! However….
Season 2 episode 10
When the host says at the end of the episode that she’s happy that Brittany’s mom died I was shocked. What a cruel and callous thing to say. And to assume that in some way that it would be less traumatic for Alyssa then her being alive. I just was flabbergasted. Also, it’s Brittany’s biological mother. Not a dog or some piece of trash. It’s heartbreaking that this mentally ill women overdosed. To say multiple times that it was so much better for Alyssa that Brittany was dead. 😳🤯 Wow.
Terribly biased
While there may be some good information at times, it seems to paint an extremely broad brush— she uses what happened in her family and projects it onto every case she covers. It does a disservice to what is a real problem and portrays a myriad of cases as all being the same. The coverage is biased, lacking depth and presumptive.
First season much better!
I would give 3.5 if I could. 5 for first season, 2 for second. I loved the first season of this podcast. It was excellent - i had so many misconceptions about Munchausen by Proxy. I learned a lot, I was really impressed. The second just kind of gets lost — she gets off track, devoting almost an entire episode to a Texas sheriff and his family who have adopted a bunch of kids. The story does intersect with the overall arc, but we didn’t need the in depth story of their lives (and their gun skills, and their “Mama bear”, and the Russian kids they adopted etc etc). It actually was kind of a red flag for me, that made me wonder if other aspects of this podcast series had been exaggerated. Not sure why she went off the rails.