Crime Junkie Episode Summary: "WANTED: Justice for Hassani Campbell and Tianna Kirchner from Everett"

Presented by audiochuck Media Company

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Crime Junkie, host Ashley Flowers delves into two heart-wrenching true crime cases: the disappearance of 5-year-old Hassani Campbell from Oakland, California, in 2009, and the mysterious vanishing of 9-year-old Tianna Kirchner from Woodinville, Washington, in 2016. These cases highlight significant failures within the systems meant to protect vulnerable children, leaving both families seeking justice and closure.

Case 1: The Disappearance of Hassani Campbell

Timeline of Events:

• August 10, 2009, Around 4 PM: Police in Oakland receive a frantic call from Lewis Ross, Hassani Campbell’s foster father, reporting Hassani missing. Lewis explains that he briefly left Hassani in the car to enter a shoe store where his fiancée works while ensuring his one-year-old daughter, Aaliyah, was safe.

  Ashley Flowers states:

  "It's at this point that some of the officers on the scene begin to question whether or not Hasani was even in that parking lot to begin with."
  [02:15]

• Immediate Police Response: Authorities quickly canvass the area, employing dogs and helicopters in their search. However, no trace of Hassani is found, and initial investigations pivot towards Lewis and his family as potential suspects.

• Public Scrutiny Intensifies:

  • Polygraph Results: Lewis takes a polygraph test, the results of which are delayed, causing public suspicion to grow. Eventually, it is revealed that Lewis failed the polygraph, though he disputes the accuracy.

    Lewis Ross remarks:

    "They gave me five questions. Three were controls... Then they asked two other questions around the case. They showed me the results that said I was 99% deceptive. So he told me I didn't even get my name right."
    [10:57]

  • Inconsistent Information: Lewis provides conflicting information regarding Hassani’s leg braces, undermining his credibility. Additionally, a suspicious text message from Lewis to Jennifer Ross surfaces, threatening to abandon Hassani at a BART station.

    Text Message from Lewis to Jennifer Ross:

    "this is F over. I will watch her, but he will be out on the BART and it's your responsibility to get him so f you."
    [09:54]

• Arrests and Release: Both Lewis and Jennifer Ross are arrested on charges of murder and accessory to murder, respectively. However, within a few days, both are released without any charges being filed, leaving the community baffled and the case unresolved.

  Ashley Flowers observes:

  "This is a truly devastating turn of events, and many people question why they even bothered arresting Lewis and Jennifer in the first place..."
  [10:57]

• Community Efforts and Continued Searches: Despite the release of the Rosses, community members like Sherry Lynn Miller refuse to give up, organizing extensive search operations. However, these efforts yield no substantial evidence linking Lewis and Jennifer to Hassani’s disappearance.

• Ongoing Mystery: As the months pass without progress, the case remains cold. The lack of definitive evidence and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Hassani’s vanishing continue to haunt the Oakland community.

Case 2: The Vanishing of Tianna Kirchner

Timeline of Events:

• October 20, 2016: Police in Woodinville receive a call from a woman expressing concern over her step great-grandchild, 9-year-old Tianna Kirchner, who hasn’t been seen for four years.

  Ashley Flowers questions:

  "How can you wait four years before reporting someone missing, much less someone you think is deceased?"
  [25:00]

• Complicated Background:

  • CPS Involvement: Tianna had been under the care of Child Protective Services (CPS) due to her status as a drug-exposed infant. However, inconsistent stories from her mother, Trisha Kirchner, about Tianna’s whereabouts led to confusion and delayed investigations.

  • Allegations of Abuse: Investigations reveal that Tianna suffered abuse from both her mother and stepfather, Jordan Kirchner. Despite these troubling facts, no concrete actions were taken to locate her until the great-grandmother's tip.

• Discovery of Remains:

  • Search Efforts: Following a tip from a relative who claims to be a psychic, volunteers search local parks but find nothing. Persistence leads Sherry Lynn Miller to organize further searches, but yields remain fruitless until...

  • November 3, 2016: Police execute a search warrant at a relative’s trailer and discover Tianna’s remains in a plastic bin filled with concrete.

    Ashley Flowers explains:

    "They remove the bin from the property and take it to the medical examiner's office... they confirm... the remains of a little girl who was likely around 4 years old at the time of her death."
    [32:04]

• Systemic Failures Highlighted:

  • CPS and Police Missteps: CPS had been attempting to locate Tianna for several years but faced severe understaffing and miscommunications. Trisha Kirchner’s refusal to cooperate further hindered efforts, showcasing significant gaps in child protection mechanisms.

  • Legal Proceedings: Despite the discovery, no charges are filed against Trisha or Jordan Kirchner. An investigation later concludes that while they were responsible for negligent treatment, there was insufficient evidence of physical abuse to press charges.

    Ashley Flowers notes:

    "Despite what seems to many, even me, like kind of an open and shut case, police still have not made an arrest."
    [32:04]

• Ongoing Impact: With Tianna gone and her abusers uncharged, the community remains in turmoil. The case underscores the dire need for systemic reform to prevent such tragedies.

Conclusion: Systemic Failures and the Path Forward

Ashley Flowers emphasizes the profound failures of the very systems designed to protect children like Hassani and Tianna. Overworked social workers, miscommunications, and inadequate responses have left these children without justice or closure.

Call to Action: The episode concludes with a spotlight on Child Help, the oldest and largest national nonprofit focused on eradicating child abuse. Their mission encompasses meeting the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused, neglected, and at-risk children through prevention, intervention, and treatment.

• Resources Offered:

  • National Hotline: Available 24/7 via phone, text, and chat in over 170 languages.

• Support and Information: Listeners are encouraged to support Child Help and utilize their resources or contact authorities if they have information related to the cases discussed.

Ashley Flowers urges:

"Only way to make sure tragedies like these are stopped before they can even happen."
[32:25]

Notable Quotes

• Ashley Flowers on Lewis Ross’s Polygraph:

  "They gave me five questions. Three were controls... Then they asked two other questions around the case. They showed me the results that said I was 99% deceptive."
  [10:57]

• Ashley Flowers on System Failures:

  "There has to be a way to make sure tragedies like these are stopped before they can even happen."
  [32:04]

Resources and Further Information

• Child Help: childhelp.org
• National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
• Podcast Show Notes: Available on crimejunkiepodcast.com

Follow Crime Junkie on Instagram: @crimejunkiepodcast

Disclaimer: If you have any information regarding the cases discussed, please contact the appropriate authorities. Your insights could be crucial in bringing justice and closure to these unresolved tragedies.