Crime Stories with Nancy Grace – Michigan Mom Calls in False Bomb Threats to Daughter's School Over Play | Crime Alert Recap Saturday

Date: January 17, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline
Episode Overview:
Nancy Grace presents a chilling roundup of recent headline-grabbing crimes, diving into the motivations behind shocking criminal acts, emotional interviews with victims, and courtroom outcomes. A primary focus is placed on the Michigan mother who called in bomb threats to her daughter’s school after the child wasn’t allowed to participate in a play. The episode is unflinching in its recounting of each crime, packed with authoritative narration and direct quotes from victims, officials, and the accused.

Main Theme & Episode Structure

• Primary Theme: Crimes committed ostensibly to gain attention or out of emotional turbulence, juxtaposed with accounts of violence, child neglect, and the trauma left behind.
• Format: Fast-paced, segmented “crime alert” recaps featuring multiple stories, input from law enforcement, and emotional statements from those affected.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Michigan Bomb Threats: Parental Impulse Gone Criminal

[00:36 – 01:40]

• Case Summary:

  • Crystal Royster, 42, called in two fake bomb threats to her daughter’s Detroit school after the child was barred from a school play for policy reasons (due to earlier illness and going home).
  • The threats led to the evacuation of over 700 people and a massive law enforcement response.

• Legal Outcome:

  • Royster pleaded guilty to a felony charge (false report/threat of a bomb, up to four years’ imprisonment).
  • Sentence: 14 days in jail, 18 months probation, no contact with victims, must notify school before visiting, and required impulse control classes.

• Notable Insight & Tone:

  • Panel frames the outcome as a warning about the destructive reach of unchecked parental impulses.
  • Key Quote:
    • Jackie Howard (news anchor, paraphrased): "Charges of a false report or threat of a bomb is a four year felony and Royster pleaded guilty." [01:07]
    • "As part of her probation, Royster is not allowed to contact the victims... and must notify the school before heading onto the grounds." [01:30]

2. Daycare Worker’s Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Death and Depravity in Minnesota

[01:43 – 05:06]

• Case Summary:

  • Thea Ludemia Russell, 18, a teenage daycare worker, intentionally suffocated infants at a nursery—motivated by a perverse desire to “play hero.”
  • Confessed to “weeks smothering children until they turned white purple and sprayed blood-tinged foam from their mouths” for attention during emergencies. [01:53]
  • Killed 11-month-old Harvey Mucklebust just five days before his first birthday; attempted to smother a four-month-old twice in one shift.

• Investigation Results:

  • Authorities uncovered Russell’s history of false 911 calls and fire setting, classic Munchausen by proxy markers.
  • Prosecutors: second-degree murder and attempted murder charges; Russell remains in custody.

• Expert Analysis:

  • Savage Police Chief Brady Jewell: "This murder, an attempted murder of another child, deeply affected our community. This person should never ever again be free to harm another child." [02:29]

• Impact:

  • Childcare facility’s license suspended and then permanently revoked.

• Memorable Moment:

  • Jackie Howard: "She dialed 911, feeding off the emergency she had just manufactured. Hours later, she did it again to the same child. But her bloodlust wasn't sated." [03:14]

3. Deadly Driveway Encounter: Tennessee Man Killed Protecting His Wife

[05:06 – 07:33]

• Case Summary:

  • Sheila Booker and her husband Rodriguez Poplar turned into a stranger’s driveway in Memphis to evade police (due to a broken headlight).
  • Homeowner Tommy Applewhite emerged with a gun, pointed it at Sheila; Rodriguez exited car to protect her and was immediately shot dead.

• Victim Statement:

  • Sheila Booker: "He pulled a gun up in my face and that's when my husband got out... that's when he shot my husband right in front of me... If it weren't for [police], I think I'd be dead too, but they saved my life." [05:25–05:49]

• Legal and Social Context:

  • Applewhite charged with second-degree murder and multiple felonies; history of violent and drug-related crime, on probation at time of this killing.
  • The case underscores ongoing discussions about self-defense laws and gun ownership with previous offender status.

4. Child Neglect by Homeless Parents: Six Kids Locked in Storage Unit

[07:33 – 09:42]

• Case Summary:

  • Milwaukee father Charles Dupriest convicted of locking his six young children (ages 9 to 2 months) in a dark, unheated storage unit overnight, while he slept in his truck outside.
  • Dupriest testified to desperate circumstances and emotional exhaustion.
  • Victim Impact: Children found using a bucket for a toilet, no water/electricity.

• Defendant’s Statement:

  • Charles Dupriest: "I felt slightly inadequate. I was hurt, but at the same time I needed the help." [08:07]
  • "Fifteen minutes later, I fall asleep. Next thing that I can remember is being woken up to the police knocking on my window." [08:21]

• Prosecutorial Perspective:

  • ADA Thomas Hassell: "These charges are not about poverty. They are about responsibility. And the evidence shows that these children did not have to be locked inside that storage unit that night." [09:05]

• Legal Outcomes:

  • Dupriest: Convicted, awaiting sentencing.
  • Mother (Zelensky): Pleaded guilty to misdemeanor neglect; sentencing pending.

Notable Quotes & Powerful Moments

• Royster’s Bomb Threats:
  • “Over 700 people had to be evacuated from Lakeshore High School…” [00:56]
• Minnesota Daycare Worker:
  • "She spent weeks smothering children until they turned quote unquote white purple and sprayed blood tinged foam... all so she could play hero." [01:49]
  • "[This person] should never ever again be free to harm another child." – Police Chief Jewell [02:29]
• Driveway Shooting Survivor:
  • "If the police hadn't got there when they did, I... I would probably be dead, too." – Sheila Booker [05:25]
• Homeless Father:
  • "I was hurt, but at the same time I needed the help." – Charles Dupriest [08:07]

Timestamps for Significant Segments

• Michigan Bomb Threat Case: 00:36–01:43
• Minnesota Daycare Homicide: 01:43–05:06
• Tennessee Driveway Killing: 05:06–07:33
• Milwaukee Storage Unit Neglect: 07:33–09:42

Overall Tone and Takeaways

Nancy Grace's episode maintains a hard-hitting, urgent tone that is at once empathetic to victims and unsparing in its critique of criminal decisions. The stories are recounted with deep emotion, highlighting society’s struggle to balance mental health, responsibility, and public safety. The podcast reminds listeners of the real human cost behind the headlines—traumatized children, grieving widows, damaged communities—and the urgency for legal and social accountability.