Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode Title: EMMA BAUM, PREGNANT WHEN SHE WENT MISSING, FAMILY'S DESPERATE PLEA: WHERE'S EMMA?
Original Air Date: November 23, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace centers on the mysterious disappearance of 25-year-old Emma Baum from Gary, Indiana. Emma, nine months pregnant at the time she vanished, is the focus of her family's desperate search amid feelings of frustration with local law enforcement. Nancy Grace amplifies the family's plea, unpacks the circumstances of Emma’s disappearance, and brings together investigative experts and legal commentators to propose ways forward.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Emma Baum’s Background and Disappearance

• Emma Baum, 25, was nine months pregnant and reportedly dilated at 1 cm when she went missing (03:05, 05:09).
• Last seen near 25th Avenue and Connecticut Street in Gary, Indiana (07:23).
• Described as creative, energetic, a “girly girl” with a penchant for wigs and fashion (03:43).
• Mother of three children with another on the way; deeply connected to her large family (06:01, 29:16).
• Disappearance occurred after visiting the home of her boyfriend, Antoine Butler, the bio-dad (50:26).

2. Families' Emotional Plea and Independent Search

• Emma’s mother, Jamie Baum, and sisters Abby and Paige, detail days spent physically searching—knocking on doors, stopping drivers, entering abandoned buildings (03:23, 30:46, 31:14).
• The family is conducting their own search efforts due to dissatisfaction with the official police search (32:08).
• Jamie: “We’ve been out every day, all day, 24/7…holding our sign up to every window like a desert to find her.” (30:46)
• Family expresses frustration, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of abandonment—not only by the police but, as father Jason (an Iraq war vet) confesses, by the “country he fought for” (19:57, 20:41).

3. Investigation Challenges & Law Enforcement Relations

• Multiple abandoned homes in the Gary area complicate the search, presenting dangers and hiding places (06:51, 12:24).
• Gary’s high violent crime rate and urban decay worsen search conditions (27:18, 28:07).
• The family accuses Gary PD of apathy—in one alarming incident, a police officer told Jamie, “if she’s dead in a dumpster, you’ll never find her.” (36:04)
• Law enforcement has exhausted three primary locations with canines and is reviewing area surveillance, but has not located Emma (21:20).
• Case transferred to Lake County Homicide, bringing renewed hope for the family (34:44).

4. The Cell Phone Clue

• Emma had a prepaid Boost Mobile phone, out of minutes, but could still be pinged via cell towers according to expert Brian Fitzgibbons (16:32, 17:22, 17:50, 19:16).
• Last known message at 5:32 p.m., then silence—no social media, no contact, phone missing (14:24).
• Abby maintains Emma was “more responsible than that” and would never go off-grid—even during pregnancy (18:15, 18:34).

5. Examination of Boyfriend’s Account

• Emma’s last known location was at her boyfriend’s (Antoine Butler) home (50:26).
• Butler claimed he saw her “leave with some girl in a car,” offering no details; he and his family have not participated in search efforts (47:19, 47:30).
• Butler previously discouraged the pregnancy, asking Emma to get an abortion (50:50).
• Legal expert Greg Morse criticizes the vague, non-credible statement by Butler: “These types of general statements... police generally look at that as suspect. They’re not credible.” (48:20)

6. Case Context and Theories

• Nancy invokes parallels to other missing-person cases involving vulnerable women and risk factors near expressways and abandoned homes (07:41, 11:27, 13:25).
• Experts urge grid searches, canvassing of abandoned buildings, and leveraging cell data, surveillance, and community tips (13:55, 21:20, 33:01).
• Wild, sensational theories abound, but Nancy and panelists stress harm of such conjecture and focus on the facts (44:33).

7. Critical Commentary on Law Enforcement and Community Response

• The family shares direct quotes illustrating the lack of empathy and urgency from Gary PD; transfer to homicide division improves morale (36:04, 36:49).
• Commentary on systemic neglect toward low-income, high-crime areas and the resulting lack of media coverage and resources (33:01, 34:24).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Family’s Emotional Testimony

• Jamie Baum (mother, 03:23):
  “I would like my daughter home. We miss her. Her babies need her. Her family needs her…we need her home.”
• Paige Baum (sister, 31:14):
  “We’ve been searching every day. We haven’t found any answers, but we’re gonna keep trying it.”

Law Enforcement Frustration

• Jamie Baum (mother, 36:04):
  “He told my daughter that if she was gone, she would not be found. And that hurt my family.”
• Nancy Grace (41:11):
  “…you don’t say that to a victim’s family…you take the information and you review it, you study it and determine if it is or is not relevant. But to say that…when they are the ones out looking in abandoned homes…digging through fields…out in the street asking drivers to help them…”

Dangers of the Area / Missing Women Statistic

• Nancy Grace (21:39):
  “The number one cause of death among pregnant women in the US is homicide…when I heard that…It’s true.”

On Unhelpful Statements from Boyfriend

• Greg Morse (48:20):
  “Police generally look at that as suspect. They’re not credible…”
• Nancy Grace (49:04):
  “My fiancé Keith was murdered decades ago; I can remember right now what he was wearing…It’s branded on my brain.”

Family’s Last Words to Emma

• Jamie Baum (54:53):
  “Watch your home. We miss you, researching for you. We will not stop until we find you. I love you. Everybody loves you. We’ll find you again.”

Timeline of Important Segments

• [03:05] Nancy Grace introduces Emma’s disappearance; Jamie Baum’s plea
• [05:09] Emma’s pregnancy status confirmed; deep dive into her health and circumstances
• [06:51] Area description; abandoned buildings; potential connection to highways
• [07:41] Case comparison with other interstate abductions discussed
• [11:27] Dangers of abandoned homes; need for grid search
• [14:24] Emma’s cell phone details—last contact and theorized phone status
• [19:57] Father’s emotional struggle highlighted; family’s despair
• [21:20] Search efforts from police and volunteers; canine and video searches
• [27:18] Crime rates and context in Gary, Indiana
• [30:46] Family’s door-to-door and on-foot search efforts
• [32:08] Family taking investigation into their own hands due to lack of police engagement
• [36:04] Shocking police response: “if she’s dead in a dumpster, you’ll never find her.”
• [41:11] Legal and investigative experts’ critique of law enforcement’s demeanor
• [47:19] Boyfriend’s lack of details and involvement dissected
• [50:50] Discussion on boyfriend’s objection to pregnancy and implications
• [54:53] Jamie’s final message to Emma; tip line information

Action Items & Resources

• Tip lines for information about Emma Baum's whereabouts:
  • Detective Gordon, Lake County Homicide: 219-755-3855
  • National tip line: 1-800-883-5587
• Descriptions: Emma is about 5’3”, 136lbs, 9 months pregnant, brown (often styled/wigged) hair, brown eyes, notable sunrise tattoo on neck/collarbone.
• Podcast call-to-action: Urgent appeals for listeners in or around Gary, Indiana to be vigilant, check abandoned properties, and contact authorities or the family with information.

Closing Thoughts

This episode encapsulates both the urgency of the search for Emma Baum and the heartbreak felt by her family. The discussion reflects broader social issues: the vulnerability of pregnant women, systemic failures in law enforcement response, and the perseverance of families in the face of tragedy. Nancy Grace and her panel make a passionate call for renewed public focus and actionable tips.