True Crime Vault: Wave of Deceit

Summary

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20/20 True Crime Vault: "Wave of Deceit" (April 14, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of the "20/20 True Crime Vault" dives into the shocking story of Laura Day, a former Texas "soccer mom" and bikini model, who was convicted of murdering her six-year-old stepson, Taylor Searing. With first-person interviews, expert analysis, and audio from the trial, the episode probes the unsettling twists of Laura's life, the strained relationships surrounding the tragedy, and the investigation that led to her conviction.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Laura Day: From Paradise to Prison

• Early Life and Persona

  • Laura described as striking and charismatic but sometimes off-putting, especially to other women. (03:12–03:51)
  • "She just kind of stood out a bit." – Mom and Tots Group Member [03:44]
  • Moved to Corpus Christi in 1997 with British husband Phil Day; lived a life of luxury (04:03–05:17).

• Struggles with Relationships

  • Laura had difficulty forming close female friendships, but was popular with men (05:27–06:01).
  • Known for jumping quickly into relationships and marriages, which became a recurring theme (01:14, 56:16).

• Meeting David Searing

  • Met David through work as a sales rep; both in unhappy marriages (07:58–09:08).
  • “For her, it was love at first sight, and I was definitely attracted to her.” – David Searing [08:03]
  • Affair led to divorce from their respective spouses and subsequent marriage in Las Vegas (12:07–12:24).
  • Rushed marriage partly due to custody agreement with David's ex-wife, Kelly, about their son Taylor (12:24–13:05).

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The Searing Family & Taylor

• Taylor's Personality

  • Described as adventurous, fearless, and with a big personality. Loved water, mimicked his dad (06:24–07:10).
  • Close relationship with both parents despite a contentious divorce (11:15–11:20).

• Blended Family Dynamics

  • Taylor visited David and Laura on weekends; Laura embraced stepmother role (20:29–21:14).
  • "We went everywhere together. Movies, Chuck E. Cheese. I mean, I took him to taekwondo..." – Laura Day [20:44]
  • Ongoing tension with Kelly over custody and visitation (15:45–16:13).

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The Tragic Day: October 5, 2012

• Sequence of Events

  • Laura picked up Taylor from school, planned an impromptu picnic at the beach (21:24–21:51).
  • “He said he wanted to have a picnic on the beach.” – Laura Day [21:27]
  • Laura claimed Taylor swam without a life jacket after proving to her he could do so safely (24:13–25:16).
  • Taylor was reportedly pulled under by the current; Laura tried to rescue him but panicked and drove him to the hospital without calling 911 or attempting proper CPR (26:01–27:03).
  • "I screamed his name and I turned him over and he wasn't ... So I took him back to the beach and I panicked and I tried to get the water out of his lungs and it just wasn't coming out. I didn't know why." – Laura Day [26:12]

• Emergency Response

  • Hospital staff shocked by her actions: no EMS call, drove 12 miles to ER rather than seeking immediate help (32:23–33:21).
  • “If he was lifeless when she pulled him from the water, ... you can't waste all that time driving when you could be doing resuscitation.” – Hospital Staff [33:00]

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The Investigation: Red Flags and Revelations

• Initial Suspicion

  • Detectives had uneasy feelings, prompted by inconsistencies and Laura’s flat affect (33:21–37:10).
  • Laura’s behavior at the hospital and later during questioning troubled many observers (29:34–31:04).

• Laura’s Troubled Past

  • David discovered Laura had a criminal history including a teenage murder conviction under her birth name, Laura Feist (42:04–42:33).
  • “17 year old Laura Feist shot and killed her boyfriend on May 11, 1982.” – Detective Mike Kelsey [42:27]
  • Laura downplayed her past and sometimes denied it to those close to her (46:19–47:39).

• Murder Case from 1982

  • Detailed account of Laura as a 17-year-old, shooting her boyfriend then herself, followed by changing stories and eventual conviction of second-degree murder (48:15–53:47).

• Pattern of Deceit

  • Post-release, Laura changed names repeatedly, was convicted of bigamy, fraud, and theft (55:53–56:09).
  • "Several [marriages]. ... Well, if you. You don't. You're not supposed to count the annulment, right?" – Laura Day, on the number of times married [56:27]

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Mounting Evidence

• Inconsistencies in Laura’s Story

  • Her account of the beach day conflicted with physical evidence: location chosen was unusually isolated, Taylor changed into his swimsuit in the car, not the house (65:32–65:44).
  • Jailhouse calls surfaced where Laura contradicted her original timeline, confirming lies (66:21–66:32).
  • Drowning experts' analysis further challenged Laura's description of the incident, including current patterns and victim retrieval (67:31–68:49).

• Witness Testimony

  • Only witness, Rennie Ruiz, saw Laura leave the beach "with a smile," not in distress (61:52–62:09).
  • “She waved and smiled at him as she drove off the beach.” – Detective Pena [62:09]

• Bond Conditions and Further Violations

  • Violated bond conditions while awaiting trial, going to a children's mall in disguise, which led to revocation (63:05–63:38).

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The Trial and Aftermath

• Capital Murder Trial

  • Prosecution charged Laura with capital murder, arguing premeditation (66:54–67:23).
  • Evidentiary focus on her lack of effort to save Taylor and the implausibility of her account.
  • “Every minute that she didn’t do CPR, didn’t call 9-1-1, didn’t get help ... made him die.” – 20/20 Host [71:31]
  • Jury convicted Laura Day of capital murder; sentenced to life without parole (71:12–72:30).

• Reactions to the Verdict

  • Relief from Kelly Searing: "Just because, you know, she won’t. She won’t ever see the light of day." [72:56]
  • David Searing, initially supportive of Laura, later changed his view: "I believe she’s where she belongs." [76:24]

• Attempts at Appeal

  • David tried to help Laura with her appeal, securing new legal counsel and drowning experts, but with limited success (74:16–75:19).

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Troubled Legacy

• Aftermath for the Family

  • David and Laura ultimately divorced; both lost faith in each other (76:38–77:13).
  • Laura found a new romantic partner through a pen-pal program while incarcerated (77:33–82:39).

• Commemorating Taylor

  • Both parents, especially Kelly, strive to celebrate Taylor’s memory rather than remain in mourning (79:42–81:14).

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Every day. Every day. I even have nightmares about it.” – Laura Day, on the tragic day [00:42]
• "She was going to be noticed in a group." – Mom and Tots Group Member [04:13]
• “Life will never be the same. You can only try to make the best of what you have. Just try to move on.” – David Searing [80:38]
• “I blame him, too. I do blame him. This is partly his fault. He knew about her past.” – Kelly Searing [80:17]
• “She did everything wrong. She did nothing right. And the only thing that lets me be okay with it is because she can never hurt another child because she's in prison.” – True Crime Vault Host [73:26]
• "I'm a victim against the justice system. Shouldn't have charged me in the first place." – Laura Day [73:42]
• “It was shocking. Nothing that she exhibited indicated that there was anything other than this kind of suburban mom.” – Mom and Tots Group Member [60:05]
• “I was just so caught up ... to really stop and think [during the trial].” – David Searing [69:28]
• “If it'll keep Laura in prison, then what wouldn't you do for your kids?” — Kelly Searing, on participating in 20/20 [83:27]

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Structure & Flow by Key Segments (Timestamps)

• 00:39–05:27 – Laura’s background, marriage to Phil Day, and life in Corpus Christi
• 06:12–13:17 – Introduction of David, Kelly, Taylor; beginnings of the affair and subsequent relationships/divorce
• 20:08–26:53 – Life as a stepfamily, Laura’s relationship with Taylor, the events leading up to the drowning
• 33:21–39:07 – Police investigation, questioning, raising of suspicions
• 42:04–56:37 – Laura’s past: prior murder, criminal behaviors, and multiple marriages
• 57:02–66:54 – Key investigation breakthroughs, witness statements, forensics, and contradictory stories
• 69:23–73:42 – The trial, verdict, and sentencing
• 74:16–83:27 – Aftermath: appeals, family relations, ongoing attempts at closure

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Conclusion

The case of Laura Day is a haunting reminder of the complexity of family dynamics and the devastating consequences that can arise from deceit and unresolved trauma. The episode meticulously peels back layers—from Laura’s troubled past to the heartbreak and suspicions following Taylor’s death—leaving listeners with deeper questions about trust, culpability, and the desperate pursuit of justice.

Final Words (from Mom and Tots Group Member):
"I will say that based on the evidence that has been presented, I do believe she is guilty. And what happened to little Taylor was just, I mean, evil. You know, Taylor's mom, I mean, broken." [72:38]

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For more 20/20 True Crime episodes, tune in Friday nights at 9 or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

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[2020 True Crime Vault Host]

Step into the 2020 True Crime Vault. Listen to our most gripping stories.

[Interviewer]

How often do you think about that tragic day?

[Laura Day]

Every day. Every day. I even have nightmares about it.

[Detective Vinya]

What's your full name? Laura. Mm. Lee Day.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

How Laura would come off to people was from the old sitcom Three's Company as Chrissy the bubbly, you know, bleached bl.

[David Searing]

She had told me. For her, it was love at first sight.

[Laura Day]

We met each other at a time in our life where our marriages were falling apart.

[Interviewer]

What is it with marrying all these men?

[David Searing]

She wanted it to just be us.

[Detective Vinya]

We're gonna be together forever, and you're not gonna be with anyone else ever.

[David Searing]

I was so wrapped up and tangled up in all of this that so many red flags escaped me.

[Kelly Searing]

I blame him. I do blame him.

[Narrator/Expert]

He knew about this case involves a love triangle. There's anger, there's resentment. It is no surprise that somebody wound up dead.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Okay, this is the first interview you've

[Interviewer]

done right on this case.

[Detective Pena]

Yes.

[Laura Day]

And now is the right time to do this.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Is Laura Day, once a soccer mom and a wife now behind bars, accused of an unthinkable crime that she says she did not commit.

[Interviewer]

How would you describe your life before you got here?

[Laura Day]

Oh, I lived in paradise.

[Interviewer]

And then it all came crashing down, correct?

[Laura Day]

Yes.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Corpus Christi, South Texas. It's the hometown of Selena, the queen of Tejano music. And just across the water from her statue is North Padre Island. What's this island like?

[Local Resident]

Well, as you can see, it's not a. Not a bad place to live at all.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

Corpus is a nice town. It's a fairly good sized town, but everybody kind of knows everyone.

[Local Resident]

Well, it's probably the biggest little small town there is.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

I could not live anywhere else. When you cross that bridge from your long day at work, you feel like you just naturally take a deep breath and you're on vacation.

[Laura Day]

I worked hard for everything. Palm trees, you know, sunsets. It was beautiful.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

It's kind of the whole island life you know, the flip flops, the shorts, the shirt, you know, just pretty casual. It's just a whole different lifestyle over here.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Who was this woman?

[Laura Day]

That's me. Way back in the 90s, the good old days, I was a bikini model.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

Laura was a very visible character on the island because, you know, she just kind of stood out a bit.

[Laura Day]

Did a lot of bikini contests and also worked for an agency. But I gave it all up and decided to settle down and fell in love with Englishman.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura moved to Corpus Christi in 1997 with British born Phil Day. The next year they marry and their son Cameron is born.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

I got to meet Laura through a mom and tots group for stay at home island mommies at the time, which I was. And she just had a very, very kind of a commanding presence. I think that's the best way to describe it. You know, she was going to be noticed in a group.

[Local Resident]

She was very friendly, very demonstrative. She was an attractive lady, very personable.

[Interviewer]

She was a good mother.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

She was very devoted to Cameron. You know, I would see them with their son, she and her husband Phil, and just very devoted. Did not miss soccer practice, did not miss games. You know, just basically a kind of a happy suburban couple.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura wasn't your typical soccer mom. She and her family were enjoying the high life in their palatial mansion, reachable by boat. That's the house right there, huh?

[Local Resident]

Sitting right there.

[Interviewer]

What's it like inside?

[Local Resident]

It was pretty impressive, if you like Greek pillars and marble and that sort of thing.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Did she have any close women friends?

[Detective Pena]

No.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

I often thought she was lonely. I think it was difficult for her to make connections with other women. She would want to become your friend very, very quickly and sometimes that can be a little off putting.

[Interviewer]

You said that you didn't know whether she was being friendly or flirting with you.

[Local Resident]

You know, maybe it was a little bit of both.

[Narrator/Reporter]

She didn't get along with a lot of women you say, but how about the men?

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

Men being visual creatures, I'm sure didn't necessarily have a problem with Laura.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura would soon cross paths with another family. The Searings. David, wife Kelly, her son Sebastian and 5 year old Taylor.

[David Searing]

Life was pretty good. Kelly, she had a son already, that was Sebastian. He was a good little boy and you know, it was kind of like being a dad to him.

[Interviewer]

Tell me about Taylor.

[Kelly Searing]

Ah, he was, he was big, big personality, fearless, brave, brave.

[David Searing]

Not afraid of water at all. He loved the water.

[Kelly Searing]

The first time we took him to a big pool, his expression was big bathtub.

[David Searing]

We Were at my sister's house running a bath for his cousin. And the next thing you know, he's

[Kelly Searing]

fully clothed, sitting in the water. Okay.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

Taylor was David's mimic when he was with his dad. Whatever his dad was doing, that's what he wanted to be doing.

[Narrator/Reporter]

David was driving a fuel truck, putting him on the road for long stretches of time.

[David Searing]

I was gone quite a bit, especially in the early years. I'd be gone for a week or two, sometimes at a time. Kelly and I, you know, had had moments where things were good and then we would have long periods of things where, you know, I was unhappy.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In 2010, he starts driving for a new company with better hours.

[David Searing]

They offered me home every night, two days off, and I was like, man, that's perf. But then things with Kelly and I got worse again. And that was kind of about the time that I met Laura.

[Kelly Searing]

I did tell my ex, don't bring everybody around Taylor that you're dating.

[David Searing]

For her, it was love at first sight, and I was definitely attracted to her.

[Kelly Searing]

And his first weekend to pick Taylor up, he brought that woman.

[Narrator/Reporter]

David Searing has been with his new company for just over a year when a new sales rep joins the team. Laura Day.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

My opinion of how Laura would come off to people or how she came off to me was from the old sitcom Three's Company as Chrissy, the bubbly, you know, bleach blonde.

[Detective Pena]

Is he gone?

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

Yeah. Everything's all right.

[Laura Day]

No, it isn't.

[Kelly Searing]

What do you mean?

[Laura Day]

You ate all my cake.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

That's kind of the stereotype. She came off to me as she was attractive.

[David Searing]

I mean, everybody noticed her. She did good as a sales rep, just with her personality.

[Interviewer]

And then you met David Searing?

[Laura Day]

Yeah. We met each other at a time in our life where our marriages were falling apart, and so we just kind of fell in love.

[David Searing]

I was going through a rough patch with Kelly, and Laura was very friendly. She was married, too. She would explain to me the issues that she had in her marriage and seemed as though neither one of us were really happy with our spouse.

[Interviewer]

What attracted you to David in the first place?

[Laura Day]

He was kind, he was fun. We had a lot in common.

[Interviewer]

What was the attraction?

[David Searing]

She didn't act her age. She acted, if anything, probably younger than me.

[Interviewer]

She was 10 years older than you?

[David Searing]

12 years, actually.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

When David and Laura started dating, I was worried that David was giving up something for something that may not really be what it was.

[Interviewer]

How did it become a full blown affair?

[David Searing]

I don't know. Things just happened so fast. It was One thing led to another.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

I thought Laura was more about making sure that she was getting what she wanted. That it was more about her than about him is kind of how I thought personally about her. You know, you give somebody some attention that's not used to getting attention, and they will bend over backwards to do whatever you want them to do. And I always felt Laura was that type of person.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's around the beginning of the new year when David reveals to his wife Kelly that he's been having an affair. And by May 2012, their marriage is over.

[Interviewer]

How acrimonious was the divorce between you and David?

[Kelly Searing]

Mm, it was not easy. I was still very much in love with him. He was very angry.

[Interviewer]

How was Taylor affected by the divorce?

[Laura Day]

He was heartbroken.

[Interviewer]

What would he say?

[Kelly Searing]

He just started crying. He just sat in my lap. And we tried to reassure him that, you know, we both love you very much. You know, that's never going to change.

[Narrator/Expert]

At the time Laura begins dating David Searing, her son Cameron is very much in the picture. And at a certain point, Laura's relationship with Cameron becomes strained.

[Narrator/Commentator]

She says that you're going to live with your father, Philip Day, who really didn't live very far away. But it left her with David alone in the house.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Barely a few months after their divorces are finalized, David and Laura visit the wedding capital of the world, Las Vegas.

[Interviewer]

Got married in Vegas. What was that like?

[Laura Day]

Oh, it was fun. It was like, let's just go to Vegas and get married.

[Interviewer]

You know, you got divorced and then married pretty quickly. Divorced in May of 2012.

[David Searing]

Correct.

[Interviewer]

And then married in August 2012, three months later.

[David Searing]

Yes. Now, part of that was in my divorce decree. Kelly had wanted it to be put in there that there was to be no overnight guest. I wasn't married to around Taylor.

[Laura Day]

He had a morality clause in his divorce that meant that Taylor couldn't spend the night if I was in the house, which kind of rushed our marriage along.

[Narrator/Commentator]

Taylor was at a very, very sensitive age of six, so it's perfectly understandable that Kelly would say, look, not until you're ready to introduce a woman who's actually your wife. I do not want to confuse my son further.

[David Searing]

I mean, we felt like we wanted to get married maybe not quite that soon, but I wanted Taylor to be able to be around Laura and Laura to be around him.

[Interviewer]

What was Taylor like?

[Laura Day]

Oh, very adventurous. And he had no fear. Okay, go. We had a big pool in the backyard.

[David Searing]

Woo. Awesome.

[Interviewer]

I guess he was learning to swim.

[Laura Day]

He knew how to swim. We taught Him. And he was a pretty good swimmer. Say hi, everybody.

[David Searing]

Hi, everybody. He was learning to swim a little too quick for my taste.

[Laura Day]

I recorded it so your mommy can see it, your grandpa, everybody.

[David Searing]

He loved the water, and it was a little scary how fast he was going with it.

[Laura Day]

You want to do another one? Okay, one minute.

[David Searing]

And I always made sure that he had a life jacket on.

[Interviewer]

But he liked.

[David Searing]

He loved the water and he loved the pool. 1, 2, 3, 4.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It is a beautiful house.

[Interviewer]

Where do you think Laura got the money?

[David Searing]

She told me of some Internet businesses selling images and whatnot.

[Local Resident]

Well, there were stories in this neighborhood of filming going on, of adult oriented productions.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

Looking back, the theatrical elements to their home kind of lends itself to the movie set. Right. But it was a rumor that was always, always around.

[Interviewer]

I've heard that some adult films were

[Laura Day]

made not by us, but I did own an adult content business, and I purchased images and some films from professional photographers, and we sold it on the Internet and made a really good living at it.

[Interviewer]

But you weren't in those pictures.

[Laura Day]

No.

[Interviewer]

You met her, said hello.

[Kelly Searing]

No, I never met her in person.

[Interviewer]

No, never did.

[Detective Vinya]

Mm. Mm.

[Interviewer]

You were the mother of his baby.

[Kelly Searing]

I know

[David Searing]

I didn't handle things properly with the way our relationship ended, but there was issues because it seemed like Kelly wanted to make it hard, especially for Laura. Kelly did not want Laura picking Taylor up from school. And Laura was fighting, you know, and saying that, hey, you know, you need to let her know that I am going to be picking him up from school.

[Interviewer]

What did you think of his wife Kelly?

[Laura Day]

I really didn't get a chance or an opportunity to get to know her better. I wanted to.

[Interviewer]

You were caught in the middle.

[David Searing]

Yes. And Laura was afraid that given my close bondness to Taylor, that I would eventually, one day, maybe go back to Kelly.

[Interviewer]

You weren't worried that Taylor would bring his parents back together again?

[Laura Day]

No, absolutely not. As a matter of fact, David hired an attorney. We both did. To get full custody of Taylor.

[Narrator/Expert]

David claims that there was a dispute over his medical care that prompted David and Laura to try to get full custody over Taylor.

[David Searing]

We had been instructed that it was going to be hard to try to get grounds that were serious enough to get custody.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

Lauren knew that Taylor was David's world. Regardless of what else happened. Taylor was David's world.

[Laura Day]

I was very secure in my relationship with David at the time. I was not jealous of anybody.

[Detective Vinya]

Do you love me more than you loved Kelly?

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I love you.

[David Searing]

I'm more heart T shirt, despite, you know, me telling her over and over that you know, I was there with her.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I never loved like I love you.

[David Searing]

She wanted it to just be us.

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[David Searing]

Okay, go.

[Narrator/Reporter]

David and Laura have been married for two months and are adjusting to life as a new family. With little Taylor visiting on the weekends.

[David Searing]

It almost seemed perfect at first. We both cared for each other, you know, we making sure that each other was happy.

[Interviewer]

As a stepmom. What was Laura like with Taylor?

[David Searing]

She seemed to care for him like he was her own. They would bake cookies together. She was always trying to think of things to do as a family.

[Laura Day]

We went everywhere together. Movies, Chuck E. Cheese. I mean, I took him to taekwondo and just we did everything.

[David Searing]

We talked of, you know, what we would do for Taylor to give him a better life.

[Laura Day]

I had bright future for him. Even talked about saving money and putting away for college like I did my own son. So we had high hopes.

[Interviewer]

You loved this little boy.

[Laura Day]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

Tell me about that tragic day. October 5, 2012.

[Laura Day]

Right.

[Interviewer]

Well, how did it begin? What happened?

[Laura Day]

It began on a Friday and picked Taylor up from school. And we didn't have any set plans as to what to do because, okay, we got Friday, you know, daddy's still at work. What would you like to do? He said he wanted to have a picnic on the beach.

[David Searing]

It was to be my weekend with Taylor. Laura, from my understanding, was going to pick him up.

[Kelly Searing]

I had sole custody. He got him every other weekend.

[Narrator/Expert]

Normally, under their divorce agreement, David would pick up Taylor on Saturday mornings, but in this particular occasion, Kelly agreed to allow him to up pick pick up Taylor on a Friday.

[Kelly Searing]

He wasn't supposed to have him that day, but I started thinking Taylor would be upset with me. He knew his dad wanted to pick him up, so I agreed that he could have him that Friday.

[David Searing]

So Laura picked him up from school. They would, you know, maybe stop to get one of their regular fruit smoothie drinks and, you know, head to the house.

[Laura Day]

He likes to try different ones all the time. So he tried some blueberry, I think it was, and he wanted Chicken nuggets. So we got the chicken nuggets and we cruised on home. And I said, well, if we're going to have a picnic on the beach, I got to get all the beach gear.

[Interviewer]

So was this an impromptu visit to the beach with Taylor or was it planned?

[Laura Day]

No, it was a plan. Spur of the moment decision.

[Interviewer]

You had spoken to Laura on the phone.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Had she mentioned that she might take

[Interviewer]

him to the beach?

[David Searing]

She had mentioned going to McDonald's and getting him a Happy Meal, but never to the beach.

[Laura Day]

We went home, got the beach gear, and we just went across the street to the beach in my car. And I couldn't believe it. The beach was so packed for Friday. My first thought was, don't these people work? So I went down quite a ways.

[Interviewer]

And you went far away? Just so there to be less people

[Laura Day]

to less people, because it was really crowded and to get our own space on the beach when we saw stopped, even though there were people over to my left that were fishing. A couple. They had a dog, and dog wasn't on the leash. So I said, you know, let's go down a little further.

[Interviewer]

Did you plan to put him in the water?

[Laura Day]

Well, he wanted to go to swimming.

[Interviewer]

He wanted to go.

[Laura Day]

Yes, he wanted to go to the beach. That was his idea. Because I personally never saw him swim on the beach. I made him wear a life jacket. And when I did that, he complained about it rubbing on the back of his neck. It was giving him a rash, clearly. I said, if you can show me that you're okay and you feel safe enough to dive under the waves and you feel comfortable, then I'll let you swim. Play in the beach in the shallow water without your life jacket. So I went in the water with him the first time to make sure that he was okay. And he was squealing, having a good time going diving under the waves, you know, like kids do. Anyway, so as soon as I felt comfortable with him being alone, I went back, right back the water's edge.

[Interviewer]

How far out did he go?

[Laura Day]

I don't know exactly, but you can go out far before the water gets deep. And just a few minutes later, something pulled him out and sucked him under. At first I didn't understand. I thought maybe he dived under the wave and he was swimming. But then I realized he didn't surface. And I ran in the water to where he was and he was gone. And then I saw him floating face down.

[Interviewer]

He came up again?

[Laura Day]

Yes, he was floating face down a ways away from me, where I Was. And I ran out to him.

[Interviewer]

Were you yelling and calling for help?

[Laura Day]

I screamed his name and I turned him over and he wasn't. There was no life in him. He wasn't breathing. And all I thought was that I had to give him air. So I gave him air in the water while I had him in my. In my arms, and he was lifeless. So I took him back to the beach and I panicked and I tried to get the water out of his lungs and it just wasn't coming out. I didn't know why.

[Interviewer]

But you knew cpr. Why not do that?

[Laura Day]

I panicked and I was disoriented. I wasn't thinking clearly.

[Interviewer]

And that panic caused you to take

[Laura Day]

off and go straight to the hospital? Yes.

[Narrator/Reporter]

I was born and raised in South Texas. And I remember coming here as a child, and I remember being warned about the undertows and the power of the riptide, you see, the power of those waves.

[Interviewer]

Anything could happen.

[David Searing]

I was headed home and I hadn't heard from Laura in a while, and that was unusual. And so I tried calling her and several phone calls, no answer. Finally, a nurse answers the phone and I heard the frightening words, It's Taylor.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's early fall in Corpus Christi and a trip to the beach appears to have gone terribly wrong.

[Interviewer]

Describe that drive to the hospital.

[Laura Day]

Just going very fast, You know, just trying to get there as quickly as possible.

[David Searing]

My first call was to Kelly to let her know to get to the hospital immediately.

[Narrator/Reporter]

After about 20 minutes, Laura arrives at the hospital with Taylor.

[Hospital Staff]

She came in screaming that she needed help. And then everybody went and tried to get the patient inside. And we immediately started to try to resuscitate. He did not have a pulse and he did not have spontaneous respirations. We got the breathing tube in be to it's going quickly as possible and put IV access to give medications.

[David Searing]

When I walked into the hospital, I could clearly see the doctors trying to resuscitate him.

[Hospital Staff]

Doing everything you can and knowing that you're not going to have a good outcome is a very sad situation.

[Interviewer]

What happened at the hospital?

[Laura Day]

I have to. The hospital is. They tried to revive him, but he was already gone,

[Kelly Searing]

laying there, lifeless blue, grayish blue. As soon as I saw him, I knew he was gone.

[David Searing]

In the back of my head, I may have known, but my mind would not let me believe that I had just lost my boy.

[Interviewer]

And what is Laura doing?

[Kelly Searing]

She was standing there, just not doing anything. Not crying, nothing. Just standing there as if she had the right to be there.

[Interviewer]

Didn't try to comfort you?

[Kelly Searing]

No. It's probably a good thing she didn't. And all I could do was just cry. Just. Just lay my head on my son's and just cry.

[Interviewer]

He was gone.

[Detective Vinya]

Mm.

[Interviewer]

And she just stood there.

[Hospital Staff]

I don't remember exactly where Ms. Day was. I know I talked to her at one point to get a history of

[Laura Day]

what happened, and I. I was still very confused, disoriented, and still very hysterical and upset, not thinking clearly.

[Hospital Staff]

She told me just that he drowned and. And she found him and put him in the car and drove him in. She didn't have a lot of emotion on her face, but sometimes people can be reacting to horrible news or horrible situation, and that's the way they react.

[David Searing]

We had a little. Get together of family members. I don't recall her being involved in it. She was pretty well trying to stay away from Kelly because Kelly was screaming and yelling at Laura from, you know, across the lobby area.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

When I got to the hospital, I thought that Taylor had been with Kelly. And I asked Laura, I said, where were Kelly and Taylor at? And she goes, oh, no, Paul. He was with me. And before I even said anything, the police officer that was standing there told me that I shouldn't have any conversation. So I went back across the parking lot, and I noticed that they had another police officer in Laura's vehicle taking pictures and video inside of her Toyota. I started thinking, okay, this is kind of weird. If it's an accident, why would I not be able to console or talk to some friends of mine? And why are they taking all these pictures and videos, you know? And why is that cop continuously just standing there?

[Hospital Staff]

I remember it so well because I don't remember a drowning patient coming in that way. They always came in by EMS.

[Interviewer]

That hospital you took him to, though, was 12 miles away.

[Laura Day]

It was the closest hospital to the beach.

[Interviewer]

There was a firehouse nearby with EMS technicians that maybe they could have revived him or tried to perhaps.

[Laura Day]

Possibly. But when it comes to saving somebody's life, do you really think of a fire department? Do you?

[Hospital Staff]

If he was lifeless when she pulled him from the water? You can't waste all that time driving when you could be doing resuscitation. If the brain is not receiving oxygen after about four to six minutes, then you have brain death. So there was no way that the child was going to survive after that drive.

[Detective Pena]

So on Friday, October 5, I received a call from Detective Pena. She reached out to me to say, I'm here at Bay Area Hospital. There's a young boy who's drowned and I just don't have a good feeling about this. And she said, I want to take Laura Day and David Searing to the main station and I want to interview them. And I said, if you have a bad feeling, then do what you need to do.

[David Searing]

I still remember that drive. I prayed to God.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I was praying, I hope no one

[Detective Vinya]

blames me for this.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

No, it was an accident, right?

[David Searing]

And I said, I don't care. Be it God or the devil, I don't care what happens to me. My eternal soul.

[Detective Vinya]

Maybe I should call 911.

[David Searing]

Please don't let this be reality.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Well, as far as I know, it was an accident.

[Detective Pena]

On the night when David Searing was interviewed.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

There's no question in your mind that she would do anything to hurt him?

[Detective Pena]

In all right, he said several things.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I'm a doubtful person.

[Detective Pena]

You're a doubtful during the interview that were interesting.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

She can't hear me, can she?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Tragedy has hit the close knit community of Corpus Christi with the death of six year old Taylor.

[Kelly Searing]

He was brave, brave, humble, caring,

[Laura Day]

full of life.

[Kelly Searing]

When I dropped him off at school, I would play a game with him, give me a hug and kiss. And then I would go, oh wait, I need my hug and kiss. And the last day he did it to me. Yes, I need my hug and kiss, Mom.

[Detective Vinya]

Okay.

[Kelly Searing]

Oh, Mom, I need my hug and kiss.

[Interviewer]

On October 5th.

[Detective Vinya]

Mm.

[Interviewer]

That was the lie she solved.

[Detective Vinya]

Mm.

[Narrator/Reporter]

That evening, David, Kelly and Laura are interviewed by the police.

[Detective Vinya]

My name is Detective Vinya. This is my partner, Detective Mike Kelsey. And this is normal procedures.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I'll start off on, you know, very sorry for, for what you're having to go through.

[David Searing]

I just assumed that this was kind of just routine and, you know, wanted to be able to help any way I could just to make sure they had all the information that they needed.

[Narrator/Commentator]

It is not unusual for the parents to be brought in for questioning. You have a six year old who is dead and they need to understand the circumstances of his death.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sitting off camera, Taylor's mother Kelly is distraught.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Do you have any questions for me?

[Detective Vinya]

Yeah, how do you plan a funeral

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

for a six year old?

[Detective Vinya]

Sweet.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Cool.

[Detective Vinya]

How many children do you have? You have one. And what's his name? How many?

[Interviewer]

Did anybody tell you you were in custody?

[Laura Day]

No, but I felt like I was.

[Detective Vinya]

And what about David? How many children for David? I'm sorry, I can barely hear.

[Detective Pena]

There were crying type noises, but no evidence that there were any tears. And she had to be asked to repeat herself quite a bit when answering questions.

[Narrator/Commentator]

At one point the detective had to say, look at me. Look at me. She has long blonde hair, and it's covering her face. And it's like, wait a second. We gotta get through this. We gotta push through this for Taylor's sake.

[Interviewer]

If the police thought you weren't crying, what do you tell him?

[Laura Day]

The nerve of them.

[Detective Vinya]

How many children did he have? One in his child's name.

[Laura Day]

They knew I was crying. David knew I was crying.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

And the reason I'm asking some of this stuff so I want to get an idea of the family dynamics and what. What's going on in Yalls lives.

[David Searing]

I told them the difficulties we were having with Laura and Kelly and trying to get custody of Taylor.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

How's the relationship between you and Kelly?

[News Reporter]

Not good.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

She wouldn't even speak to me tonight or before ever. Ever since.

[Detective Vinya]

He said he wanted to have a picnic on the beach. And I said, well, that sounds like fun. Did you do that? I don't know the woman. I don't know anything about her, but I think she is a manipulator. Has he ever done that before? Not with me, but he did mention that he was at the beach with his mother. I think she's responsible for my son's death because. Yeah, because she was there.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

You know how to do cpr?

[Detective Vinya]

I CPR certified. I'm also a diver.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

So can you tell me how you did CPR on tail?

[Detective Vinya]

I did it. I did crack.

[Interviewer]

And you didn't do chest compressions because

[Laura Day]

you thought I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't. I panicked.

[Hospital Staff]

If she was trained in cpr, she would have known that she had to start ventilations and compressions immediately. And you also want somebody to call 91 1.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

When he was in the water, do you remember how deep the water was on him? Did he start moving back or closer?

[Detective Vinya]

Well, because he's not very tall, so probably to his chest. His shoulders, maybe.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Okay.

[Detective Pena]

I would say overall, I didn't have any specific red flags from her interview, but nonetheless, it was interesting because when Detective Ilse would ask questions, you would see that she would look up and make eye contact with him when she answered. But she wasn't doing that for Detective Pena.

[Detective Vinya]

I don't know how he got so late.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Water waves will drag and take you quick.

[Detective Vinya]

I think that's what happen.

[Detective Pena]

However, when David Searing was interviewed at the police station, he said several things during the interview that were interesting.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

So Taylor and. And Laura Taylor got along with everybody. Got along with everybody, and she got along with him. It was. There's no. There's no question your mind that she would do anything, you know, on purpose to hurt him at all. Right. I'm a doubtful person. You're a doubtful.

[Interviewer]

You told the police I believe it was an accident, but I want to know the truth.

[David Searing]

Yes, I said if you find out anything, if you find out otherwise, if it's not an accident, I want to know.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

The only reason I say this is because I want to know for certain. I know that Laura was extremely jealous of Kevin and she was afraid that one day I would try to get back with her, even though there was no chance that I would. She was fearful of that.

[Detective Pena]

He made it very clear in that interview that Laura Day was extremely jealous of Taylor's mother. And they had discussed getting custody of Taylor and moving far, far away.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

And she wanted, once we did get Taylor, she wanted we would just leave Corpus and move away from everybody.

[Detective Vinya]

Maybe I should hold on one more.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

You never know what you might be in a panicking situation. Okay. Is anything else, Any other concerns that you need to know about? No. She can't hear me, can she?

[David Searing]

I told the police what I had found because it had just been that week.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I did an Internet search and typed in her name.

[David Searing]

It wasn't that I was really searching for something on Laura. I was just curious to see what it would say.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Her name was Laura Feist. It's her birth name.

[David Searing]

And when all these charges popped up, I was just like, wow, what is this?

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

17 year old Laura Feist shot and killed her boyfriend on May 11, 1982.

[David Searing]

It said that she had a previous murder charge. I was shocked. I was like, this can't be the Laura that I know.

[Interviewer]

How would you describe your life before you got here?

[Laura Day]

I lived in paradise.

[David Searing]

It almost seemed perfect at first.

[Paul (Friend or Acquaintance of Laura)]

Laura was more about getting and what she wanted.

[David Searing]

She knew that I would never leave Taylor. She knew that that bond was there.

[Interviewer]

Tell me about that tragic day.

[Detective Vinya]

It was like he got sucked under or something. It was very strange.

[Laura Day]

There was no life in him.

[Interviewer]

But you knew cpr. Why not do that?

[Laura Day]

I panicked.

[Detective Vinya]

I was going

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

to.

[Local Resident]

The woman I thought I knew would not have been capable of something like that.

[David Searing]

I don't care be it God or the devil. Don't let this be reality that my son is not here.

[Kelly Searing]

This is partly his fault. He knew about her past.

[Narrator/Expert]

Lauren's name was connected to a series of crimes including theft, fraud and murder.

[David Searing]

I had discovered it that week and by the weekend my son was dead.

[News Reporter]

Corpus Christi. It's a beautiful place, Bob. Hall Pier is a very popular area.

[Local Resident]

Waterways. Put your boat in the water, go fishing. A lot of things going for Corpus Christi.

[Narrator/Reporter]

I see other parents out here with other children, and they're all very close. Just can't imagine letting a child wander off that far. It's like the third wave out there coming in. That's how far the little boy, Taylor was from Laura. Tragically for David and Kelly Searing, this stretch of beach south of Bob Hall Pier has become a place of nightmares.

[David Searing]

That was always one of my biggest fears of him drowning. I couldn't explain it. I just always had that fear. And I was always extra cautious anytime he was around the water.

[Narrator/Reporter]

David, Kelly and Laura are interviewed at the Corpus Christi Police Department before returning to their home homes later that night.

[Narrator/Expert]

At this point, no charges have been filed.

[Narrator/Investigator]

It was an interview to figure out what happened because Laura really, in essence, was the only witness that they were aware of at the time.

[Laura Day]

It was just a tragic accident.

[David Searing]

That night. I lost what was most important to me. And, I mean, I wasn't really in the mood to be talking. My life just didn't seem to matter anymore without the. The thought of going on without Taylor.

[Kelly Searing]

As soon as I saw him, I knew he was gone.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But Taylor's tragic death is not David's only concern.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Did an Internet search after we were married and typed in her. Her name. Her name was Laura Feiss. It's her birth name.

[Narrator/Expert]

A week before. Before Taylor dies, David is doing an Internet search, looking for information that might be helpful concerning the custody dispute with Kelly. When he comes across information concerning Laura.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura's name was connected to a series of crimes and murder.

[David Searing]

I had discovered it that week while I was working, and by the weekend, my son was dead. You know, I told her what I found. I said, you know, murder. She goes, I don't know. That's not me. She assured me that this was not her. And there were things in there that I knew were obviously because it said that she was Middle Eastern. So I took her word for it. Laura did ask me what I had told the police, and when I told the police what I had discovered about her past, she just was just like, I can't believe you would tell them that. And I was. I told him. I said I had nothing to hide, and I didn't think that you did either. And she gave me an explanation as to these circumstances and gave me explanations that seemed believable and plausible, and I believed her.

[Narrator/Commentator]

Maybe he just didn't want to know too much. But he does confront her. With that and, and she denied it,

[Narrator/Reporter]

but it turns out it was her. Thirty years ago, Laura was living in another paradise, this one in California, Laguna Beach.

[Narrator/Expert]

Laguna beach is one of the most beautiful places in California, really. Kind of cool mixture of surfers, surf community. You've got a lot of artists, everybody's hanging out together.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

It's hard to compare, complain about anything when you have the ocean at your doorstep.

[Narrator/Commentator]

In May 1982, Laura was 17 years old and she was named Laura Feist. At the time, that was her maiden name.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura has already left home and is dating 21 year old college student James Kendall. James, also known as Jim, is a local boy from a well respected and

[Narrator/Expert]

although things started off pretty good, it would end tragically.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

I'm Jason Kravitz, I'm a retired police captain with the Laguna Beach Police department. Laura and Jim spent the night at Jim Kendall's house in Laguna Beach. Jim had told her the night before that he, quote, didn't want to go steady anymore and wanted to break up and see other women.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But when he tells Laura he wants out, things go horribly wrong.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

He the next morning drives her to her home to get a change of clothes so she can go to high school. So Laura got out of the truck and she's walking this direction across Legion street and she goes over to where she lived. Her landlord kept a handgun inside of his home. She knew that. She steals the the handgun. She goes back over to the truck where Jim is inside smoking and listening to the radio. The passenger doors open. He must have seen the gun at the last minute. But she fires, shoots him. After she fired the gun, he says, you shot me. And she responded back to him. Yeah, I did.

[David Searing]

She apparently decided that she didn't want him to go on living without her.

[Narrator/Investigator]

She didn't want to live without him.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

That's when she fired the round into her own chest.

[Narrator/Expert]

This would not be the last time that Laura's passionate self interest would turn other people's lives upside down.

[Laura's Former Inmate Husband]

I have loved her my whole life.

[Interviewer]

What is it with marriage, all these men?

[Laura Day]

It's a long story.

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[Laura's Former Inmate Husband]

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[Narrator/Commentator]

Laura was 17 years old and she had a boyfriend, James Kendall. Well, James was breaking up with her and she was was not happy about it. And how did she deal with this? She shot him. She has like maybe a warped sense of relationships.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's 1982. Orange County, California, Officers have arrived at the scene of a shooting.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

The male victim was already in grave condition. He had suffered a gun shot wound through the middle of the chest in what wasn't speaking. She was.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Rather than shooting herself in the chest or shooting herself in the head, she ends up shooting herself in the shoulder. So it's really almost like a superficial wound.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

We found a card inside the car from a local jeweler. She wrote on the card that she wanted Jim and herself buried together and that everything she owned should go to her mother. She told the employer investigators that while he was driving her to this location from his house that morning, she was writing that note. Essentially she's writing a murder suicide note with a man that's driving her where he thinks to change and go to school while she's planning out this whole attack and assault on him.

[Narrator/Commentator]

But this is how despondent apparently or angry she was at the identity that her boyfriend would break up with her.

[Narrator/Expert]

But as things settle down and she realizes that she's going to survive this gunshot wound, she's in jeopardy of potentially spending the rest of her life in California State Prison. Her story begins to change and the story turns into her effectively being a victim of abuse.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

She told us that he claimed he was going to kill himself.

[Narrator/Expert]

And it reached a point where every time she opened her mouth, the story changed significantly.

[Narrator/Reporter]

She tells investigators that she was acting in self defense.

[Jason Kravitz (Retired Police Captain)]

One of them had to do with possibly being battered by him.

[Narrator/Reporter]

These various claims were all dismissed pretty quickly.

[Narrator/Expert]

There was no indication that he was anything other than a very nice young man who picked the wrong person to date.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura pleads guilty to second degree murder in the death of James Kendall.

[Interviewer]

When you were just 17 years old in California, you were convicted of shooting your boyfriend and killing your boyfriend, James Kendall.

[Laura Day]

I'm not supposed to talk about that. My attorney told me not to.

[David Searing]

And then the judge made the decision that it would be appropriate to sentence

[Narrator/Investigator]

her to the California Youth Authority rather than to prison.

[David Searing]

An opportunity not given to many people

[Narrator/Investigator]

to demonstrate that she could change and that she could salvage her life.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But while in jail at just 18 years old, Laura meets another inmate two years younger than her and falls in love again.

[Laura's Former Inmate Husband]

So we were in the youth third day together, probably two and a half years. I fell in love with her the way only a teenage boy can fall in love with a woman who would eventually become a serious model. She was so beautiful, so far outside of my idea of the girl that I was gonna get that I was just completely immersed in love with her.

[Narrator/Expert]

In 1987, Laura came up for parole, and after serving only five years of her sentence, was released from the California Youth Authority.

[Laura's Former Inmate Husband]

Laura and I got married in Tijuana, Mexico. It was crazy, but it was awesome. Every thought I had included Laura Lee. She dazed me when she would just come over and hold my hand with her soft little fingers. Oh, my gosh. I couldn't think for an hour. However, she could see that I was messed up. And to her credit, Laura said, I can't be with you. You're gonna bring me down. You're ruining your life. You're not ruining mine too. I have loved her my whole life.

[Narrator/Commentator]

And then she heads east and continues a life of.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Of crime.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In the years leading up to her meeting David Searing, Laura would change her name several times, and she would also remarry three times.

[Narrator/Expert]

She accumulates this laundry list of various accusations and various convictions over the years,

[Narrator/Reporter]

including theft, fraud, burglary, bigamy.

[Interviewer]

In 1993, you were convicted of bigamy.

[Laura Day]

I know.

[Interviewer]

What is it with marrying all these men? How many times have you been married?

[Laura Day]

Several.

[Interviewer]

Five?

[Laura Day]

Yeah. Well, if you. You don't. You're not supposed to count the annulment, right?

[Interviewer]

It was a noun.

[Laura Day]

And then. And then the one in Mexico, it didn't really count because I was told we needed to register it here in Mexico, the United States, and we never did.

[Narrator/Reporter]

For more than a decade, between husbands 4 and 5, Laura manages to stay out of trouble with the law. But now, in October 2012, all that is about to change again.

[Detective Vinya]

You came today for what reason?

[Narrator/Reporter]

When a witness comes forward saying he was on the beach with Laura on the day that Taylor Drowned.

[Detective Vinya]

Tell me exactly what you saw.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Her smile was from year to year.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Six year old Taylor Searing has drowned after spending an afternoon on the beach with his stepmom, Laura Day.

[News Reporter]

You have this loving mother who just lost her six year old child.

[Kelly Searing]

All I could do was just lay my head on my son's, then just cry.

[Interviewer]

He was gone.

[Detective Vinya]

Mm.

[News Reporter]

It's etched in my mind very vividly. It haunted me and continues to.

[Detective Vinya]

My name is Detective Vinya, and I'm with the Corpus Christi Police Department and I work with the Crimes Against Children Unit.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura has been interviewed by the Corpus Christi police. But despite being allowed to return home, the investigators still have suspicions about her.

[Detective Pena]

We went through Laura Day's statements. The detail that first really caught my attention and concerned me was the location where she chose to take a six year old boy for a picnic on the beach.

[Narrator/Investigator]

She says when she gets to the beach, she sees that it's kind of

[Detective Pena]

crowded, so she went south. It gets pretty desolate out there. It made no sense to me at all that she would take a young boy for a picnic in an area where no one else is around. Especially when the spot at which she entered the beach, there were actually several picnic tables. She did not administer CPR to the child after he had drowned. She did not call 911. She did not ask for anyone around her on the beach to have.

[Narrator/Investigator]

She just takes Taylor and puts him in the car, and then she drives essentially 12 miles to a hospital.

[Narrator/Expert]

That is a textbook example of child endangerment or criminal negligence.

[Detective Pena]

Detective Pena sought a warrant for Laura Day's arrest on those charges.

[David Searing]

They had asked Laura to come to the police department. I was gonna go with her and she said no. She had given me a few pieces of her jewelry that she didn't want to take with her. And I remember thinking that was a little odd.

[Detective Pena]

And Laura Day was arrested on that day.

[Interviewer]

You did nothing wrong?

[Laura Day]

No, I didn't. I mean, it's sad that I panicked. A tragic accident happened. I tried to save him.

[David Searing]

You know, I figured that the police may have had some questions or doubts. I couldn't see it as anything other than an accident, you know, especially the way she described the events.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

It was shocking. Nothing that she exhibited indicated that there was anything other than this kind of suburban mom.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Bond is set at $50,000 and Laura posts it. Less than 24 hours after her arrest, she's back at home with David.

[David Searing]

Laura was just trying to get back to life as usual. Trying to figure out whatever it would take to keep me happy. Talking about the possibility of us packing up and moving and going to Florida, trying to get me to get past my feelings, trying to get me back to acting normal, which seemed a little strange to me. I mean, just so sudden.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Local Corpus Christi news station KII continues to cover the story.

[News Reporter]

If it helps trigger your memory. Police say the stepmother and the child were in a white Toyota FJ Cruiser that night. Did our best to cover it as best we could from both the standpoint of Kelly and the police department. They wanted anyone who saw anything, who knew anything to come forward.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The news shout out for witnesses pays off.

[Detective Pena]

A man made contact with the corpse, Christie Police Department, saying that he had information about this case.

[Detective Vinya]

You came today for what reason?

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

Here's that little boy.

[Detective Vinya]

What little boy are we talking about?

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

The one that got drowned out.

[Detective Vinya]

Tell me exactly what you.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Rennie Ruiz coming forward was a huge get for the prosecution because he is really their only witness.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I'm walking to the back of my truck, and she's like, like, real highest, like, you know, and I'm like, hi. I don't remember me seeing the little boy, period, you know, But I do remember clearly that when she left, she left a little bit faster than normal.

[Detective Pena]

The most upsetting, troubling, telling thing that Renee Ruiz said is that when she ultimately left the beach. Now, remember, according to her, she has a dying boy in the back of her car. She waved and smiled at him as she drove off the beach.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's November 2012, and Laura has been living at home under strict bond conditions for nearly a month.

[David Searing]

Part of her bond requirements was that she was not allowed to be around young children, churches, malls.

[Narrator/Investigator]

So she tells David, I want to go to the mall. And David says, we can't go to the mall. You're on bond. This is a condition of your bond.

[Narrator/Commentator]

She decides to thumb her nose at that. She puts on a wig and is incognito and heads to the mall.

[Interviewer]

Why would anyone in the world risk breaking the bond? Conditions.

[David Searing]

She figures she could get away with it.

[Narrator/Commentator]

Well, it was not her lucky day.

[Detective Pena]

Detective Pena is working off duty at the mall. She sees a woman who is consistent with Laura Day's body type next to David. Searing realizes it's David and Laura. And Laura is wearing a wig like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.

[Narrator/Investigator]

I mean, it's just, you know, you can't make this stuff up.

[Detective Pena]

On December 4th of 2012, her bond was revoked.

[Narrator/Commentator]

Laura was back in jail.

[Narrator/Reporter]

If things are starting to look pretty bad for Laura, they're about to get worse.

[Detective Vinya]

We're going to be together forever and you're not going to be with anyone else ever.

[Detective Pena]

We start listening to calls.

[Detective Vinya]

I'm glad everybody's gone and it's just

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

you and me now what?

[Narrator/Commentator]

She wanted Taylor out.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Laura was awaiting trial and was now back in jail because she violated her bond order.

[News Reporter]

It certainly was a very big news story. As a news reporter, you cover tragedies all the time, every day. But when it does involve a child, it affects people on a whole different level.

[Interviewer]

I saw one newspaper headline that called you the evil stepmom.

[Laura Day]

Why isn't that horrible? Can they do that? I mean, is it legal for them to do that?

[Local Resident]

This was so out of character, so different from what you would expect of someone who was in your home and we were in their home.

[Detective Vinya]

Do you love me more than you loved Kelly?

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

I love you. Almost like T shirt. I never looked like I loved you.

[Detective Pena]

We were in the middle of a full on investigation, trying to learn everything that we could.

[Detective Vinya]

So he said he wanted to have a picnic on the beach.

[Detective Pena]

So according to Laura Day, she took Taylor to the McDonald's, got him a Happy Meal, and they were headed to the beach. But they had to stop off at her home first because this was Taylor's idea. So she needed to get towels. One of the things that bothered us both very much were the contents of the vehicle.

[Narrator/Investigator]

They found Taylor's underwear inside of his pants, which means Taylor changed into his bathing suit in the car.

[Detective Pena]

So why would Taylor change in the the back of the car? She didn't change in the car. Why wouldn't he go into the home and put on a swimsuit?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura's attorney would later argue that Taylor simply stayed in the car and finished his Happy Meal while Laura went inside the house.

[Detective Pena]

Laura Day had told Detective Pena and Ilse that it was Taylor's idea to go to the beach that day. And that was very important to her story, that it was never her idea, it was always Taylor's idea.

[Detective Vinya]

I remember first thing I grabbed was swim pump, swim shoes maybe.

[Detective Pena]

We start listening to personal calls that she was making from the Nueces county jail and she says something like, we never even went to the house that day.

[Detective Vinya]

We never even went to the house.

[Detective Pena]

And it just clicked. It clicked at that moment. That matched the evidence. That was huge because at that point we knew that almost every bit of the story that she initially told to anyone who would listen was a lie. This was always her idea. It was never Taylor's idea.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In January 2013, Laura is charged with capital murder in addition to child endangerment.

[Local Resident]

It suggests to me that in order to be charged with capital murder, Laura would have had to plan what happened at the beach that day. For me, it was hard to accept that this wasn't just an act of desperation that came about in the moment, but that was me.

[Narrator/Reporter]

While the prosecution continues to build their case, investigators are contacted by a drowning existence.

[Drowning Expert]

So since 1989, I've been looking at body found in water cases and have reviewed well over 3,000 cases.

[Laura Day]

Keep going back.

[David Searing]

Brittany will tell you when to stop.

[Drowning Expert]

The cases I've worked, well over half of them started off as accidents, suicides or undetermined.

[Detective Pena]

Detectives and myself and Andrea Zafaris all went out to the area in order to check the conditions and just kind of look at the beach and wanted Andrea Zaferes to have seen it in person because she was going to testify at trial.

[Narrator/Investigator]

She looked at Noah's information regarding the water conditions that day.

[Drowning Expert]

There was a longshore current because that's the currents that pull you sideways are longshore current.

[Detective Vinya]

It was like he got sucked under or something.

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

How far do you think he got? 50 or passes

[Narrator/Investigator]

50 yards. That's 150ft.

[Detective Pena]

When Laura Day stated that Taylor Searing's body sunk and then popped up 50 yards to the right, problem was that was the wrong direction. Based on the conditions and the wind and everything else that day, it would have gone left and not right.

[Drowning Expert]

She said things that just how did that happen? It didn't make sense they happened at all.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The medical examiner said that children don't float that they sink.

[Detective Pena]

It is highly improbable that she would have been able to locate him quickly unless she was right next to him. Everything was all lies.

[Narrator/Reporter]

A trial date is set for June 5, 2013.

[Interviewer]

And then she finally goes on trial for murdering your son.

[David Searing]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

What was that like?

[David Searing]

I was just so caught up everything that we had going on to really stop and think.

[Kelly Searing]

I remember putting all my faith in God. Let God

[Detective Pena]

walking into a trial in a case like this. It's nerve wracking knowing how dangerous she was. It was important to go into that courtroom and make sure that she didn't kill a third person.

[ABC News Anchor (David Muir)]

The case against Laura Day isn't just about what happened to Taylor Searing back in October. It's about whether any reasonable person would have done more to save him or not allowed him to be in the water by himself in the first place.

[Detective Pena]

She left him there while she decided she was going to lay out on a towel.

[David Searing]

On the beach.

[Detective Pena]

And the evidence will show that any reasonable person would have expected Taylor Steering's life to be in imminent danger at that moment. Left approximately 100ft from the shore by himself in the Gulf of Mexico.

[ABC News Anchor (David Muir)]

While her attorney acknowledged in his opening statements that mistakes were made, he said she pulled him out of the water, did what she could at the beach, then went straight to the emergency room.

[Narrator/Expert]

So we had a six day trial.

[Detective Pena]

This teeny, tiny little wet life jacket. I. I wanted to make sure that this jury understood this was not an accident.

[Narrator/Expert]

The evidence was presented.

[Detective Pena]

This was an intentional act. And the jury needed to see that. The jury needed to see what really happened here.

[Narrator/Expert]

Jury considered it. And she was convicted of first degree capital murder in the state of Texas.

[2020 True Crime Vault Host]

I can see panicking and not doonesy

[Detective Mike Kelsey]

bar,

[2020 True Crime Vault Host]

but you had a cell phone. Why didn't you call 91 1? Every minute that she didn't do CPR, didn't call 91 1, didn't get help to that child, made him die.

[Laura Day]

Say hi, everybody.

[David Searing]

Hi, everybody.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura is now serving life in prison for murdering his son. But what does David do?

[David Searing]

The next step was to focus on the appeal.

[Narrator/Reporter]

He finds a new expert to help free her.

[Drowning Expert]

It was obviously an accident.

[Kelly Searing]

It was smart, outgoing.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

He was my funny little man.

[Laura Day]

What you have taken from us, I

[Kelly Searing]

don't think you even comprehend it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura is found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole.

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

I will say that based on the evidence that has been presented, I do believe she is guilty. And what happened to little Taylor was just, I mean, evil. You know, Taylor's mom, I mean, broken.

[Interviewer]

They come back with a guilty verdict. How did you feel?

[Kelly Searing]

Relieved. Just because, you know, she won't. She won't ever see the light of day.

[Interviewer]

I've heard it said that she's the most hated woman next to the woman who killed Selena in Corpus Christi.

[Kelly Searing]

Well, sucks to be her.

[David Searing]

I was shocked then too, you know, I mean, I was. I guess I was seeing something different in the courtroom than what everybody else was seeing.

[2020 True Crime Vault Host]

She did everything wrong. She did nothing right. And the only thing that lets me be okay with it is because she can never hurt another child because she's in prison.

[Laura Day]

I'm a victim against the justice system. Shouldn't have charged me in the first place. I mean, you go around charging every parent for when their child drowns in a drowning accident. I mean, come on.

[David Searing]

My next thought was what we had to do next. She was concerned that I was going to leave her, you know, and we were the Next step was to focus on the appeal

[Narrator/Reporter]

to cover legal fees. They sell that waterfront mansion. And still convinced of her innocence, David finds Laura a new attorney.

[Detective Pena]

Immediately, I'm thinking, how is that a capital murder case?

[Mom and Tots Group Member]

What kind of intent could the prosecution show? You can't keep your eyes on your children every minute, wherever you are. It was obviously an accident.

[Narrator/Reporter]

To counter testimony given by Andrea Safares, Angela Moore finds drowning prevention expert John Fledemeyer.

[David Searing]

Depending on the direction the waves are coming, the longshore drift can go in either direction. And that's a common factor or feature on most beaches.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Certainly could explain why the little boy

[David Searing]

was 50 yards down the beach.

[Detective Pena]

What about her testimony? Stuck out were very simple concepts. I'm not sure how anyone could disagree with them.

[Narrator/Reporter]

If Angela Moore is successful, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals could order Laura a new trial. But for now, all she can do is sit and wait.

[David Searing]

David, you said to me that you blame me for letting him die. Possibly. You cannot blame me for that. Why? You will never find another Laura. I will never find another David. I know. If I were home, I could turn you around and snap you out of it. It's just typical Laura. She doesn't take responsibility for what she's done and only sees that she's the victim. She has never apologized. She has never said sorry for what she's done. I feel so stupid to have been this naive and to have stuck by her as long as I did.

[Interviewer]

How do you feel about Laura now?

[David Searing]

I believe she's where she belongs. I believe that this is probably the worst punishment for her to be in prison.

[Narrator/Reporter]

David and Laura are now divorced.

[Interviewer]

David supported you. He defended you.

[Laura Day]

Yes. He knew because he knew what happened? Yes.

[Interviewer]

And now David Searing, your ex husband, feels you're guilty.

[Laura Day]

Does he?

[Interviewer]

Who says the David you knew didn't feel that way?

[Laura Day]

No.

[Interviewer]

And he never showed that to you?

[Laura Day]

No. He stood by me for years. And would. I mean. No.

[Interviewer]

Any message for Laura?

[David Searing]

No.

[Interviewer]

Nothing to say to her?

[David Searing]

I have nothing to say to her.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Despite losing David's support, Laura Day may be down, but she's not out. There's a new man on the scene

[William Irwin (Laura's New Partner)]

and I certainly plan on being there for her when she gets out.

[Laura Day]

I have great news.

[ABC News Anchor (David Muir)]

Malcolm in the Middle is back. My life is fantastic now in a four part event. All I had to do is stay completely away from my family.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Your biggest problem. The problem is that we exist.

[ABC News Anchor (David Muir)]

Everyone's invited to the can't miss reunion of the year.

[Narrator/Commentator]

This family's behavior is toxic to me.

[David Searing]

We'll just take turns fighting and creating disasters.

[Laura Day]

That's what families do.

[ABC News Anchor (David Muir)]

Malcolm in the Middle Life's still unfair.

[David Searing]

Now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney for bundle subscribers. Terms apply.

[ABC News Anchor (David Muir)]

Ready TV14L this episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates from multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy.

[David Searing]

This is where Taylor's at. I come every year to put flowers. We have Valentine's Day set up. Fourth of July, sometimes a little Christmas tree. Come out here periodically and just to spend a little bit of time.

[Interviewer]

How often do you think you come out here?

[David Searing]

I pass by on the road almost daily and I can always spot his flowers. I always look by and give a hello.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's been more than 10 years. Years since Taylor Searing drowned after a trip to the beach on Padre Island.

[Interviewer]

Is it possible to forgive your ex husband? David and Laura

[Kelly Searing]

well have forgiven Laura. That doesn't mean she needs to come out of jail.

[Laura Day]

Look at that. Why should she get so off so easy?

[Kelly Searing]

She could spend the rest of her life in a jail cell, miserable. And as far as my ex husband, Yeah, I think that's gonna take a miracle, too.

[David Searing]

I was so wrapped up and tangled up in all of this that so many things, so many red flags escaped me. I don't know if it was just, you know, the trauma of losing my son. I don't know if it was her being a great manipulator. I can't explain it.

[Kelly Searing]

I blame him, too. I do blame him. This is partly his fault. He knew about her past. I would have never have let him go with her ever, if I'd have known.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Can you ever move forward from something like this?

[David Searing]

Life will never be the same. You can only try to make the best of what you have. Just try to move on.

[Interviewer]

How do you commemorate Taylor's life?

[Kelly Searing]

This last year, for his birthday, I went and camped out in the national forest in Colorado with some friends that knew Taylor and

[Laura Day]

had a great time.

[Kelly Searing]

Had an awesome time, actually.

[Interviewer]

You do things that Taylor would have liked to do.

[Kelly Searing]

I'm gonna celebrate his life. I'm not gonna mourn it.

[Laura Day]

You said he was a big personality, big life.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Laura continued to write David until 2019. But when he stopped writing back, she found someone else. Who would.

[Interviewer]

I hear there may be a new man in your life. William Irwin.

[Laura Day]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

What is that all about?

[Laura Day]

He's great.

[Interviewer]

How did you meet?

[Laura Day]

We met through a pen pal website.

[William Irwin (Laura's New Partner)]

Our relationship has evolved quite a bit since we first met. We talk two or three times a day. I really care about Laura a lot. She's a. She's a wonderful person. And the more I get to know her and her story, you know, I realize and fully believe in her complete innocence and that she was wrongfully convicted.

[Laura Day]

It's not all an attraction or a sexual. A relationship. It's all about personality and things that you have in common.

[William Irwin (Laura's New Partner)]

I'll be right there. Pick her up. As soon as she walks out of there, we're gonna figure out where we wanna live. Either we pretty much decided on Salt Lake City or Florida.

[Interviewer]

Would you dare think you might marry him after all your difficulty with all these other men?

[Laura Day]

Hi. I really would like to see how things go for a while now. I'm in no rush.

[Detective Pena]

To this day. I have a picture of Taylor Searing on a shelf directly across from my desk. I see him every day while I'm working and. And I do that because the justice that the case team and I were able to get for him was one of the more incredible things I think I'll ever do in my career.

[Interviewer]

I know it was tough for you to decide to sit down with us. Why did you finally agree to talk to us?

[Kelly Searing]

Because if it'll keep Laura in prison, then what wouldn't you do for your kids?

[David Searing]

Hi, everybody. 1, 2, 3, 4.

[Laura Day]

Go for it.

[2020 True Crime Vault Host]

Taylor's parents, David and Kelly, have not spoken to each other since their son's family funeral back in 2012.

[Narrator/Expert]

Laura Day is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. That is our program for tonight.

[ABC News Anchor (David Muir)]

Thank you for watching. I'm David Muir.

[2020 True Crime Vault Host]

And I'm Debra Roberts. From all of us here at 2020 and ABC News, good night. You've been listening to the 2020 True Crime Vault Friday nights at 9 on ABC. You can also find all new broadcast episodes of 2020. Thanks for listening.

[David Searing]

Nine one one. Where is the emergency?

[Drowning Expert]

It's the middle of the night in a small town on the Jersey shore. Someone reports an abandoned car on a bridge. A search gets underway for the missing driver, 19 year old Sarah Stern.

[Depop Advertiser]

Is it a missing person?

[Laura Day]

Is it a suicide?

[Detective Pena]

At this point, nobody knows.

[Drowning Expert]

Old friendships, buried cash, and a sinister plot that was once pitched as a movie plays out in real life. I'm juju Chang from 2020 and ABC Audio. Listen now to Bridge of Lies. Wherever you get your podcasts.