Texas Mom Locks 11YO Autistic Boy with Rotting Teeth in Filthy Room | Crime Alert 6AM 10.17.25

Summary

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Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Texas Mom Locks 11YO Autistic Boy with Rotting Teeth in Filthy Room | Crime Alert 6AM 10.17.25
Date: October 17, 2025
Host: Sydney Sumner (for Crime Alert segment)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

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Episode Overview

This episode presents updates on three significant crime stories:

• Abuse and neglect of an 11-year-old autistic boy in Baytown, Texas
• A mass shooting at Willie's Bar and Grill in South Carolina
• A capital murder case in Auburn, Alabama involving a retired university professor

The episode adopts Nancy Grace’s signature urgent, direct style, with a focus on shocking details and tough questions about failures in the justice and social care systems.

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1. Texas Mom Accused of Severe Child Abuse (00:00–02:16)

Key Points:

• Rachel Blaylock, 41, was arrested after her nonverbal, autistic 11-year-old son was discovered in horrific conditions.
• The child was found severely underweight (46 pounds), covered in dried feces, living locked in a room.
• Medical personnel found feces on the boy's teeth, in his ears, and under his nails.
• Blaylock reportedly claimed, “I can't just drop everything I’m doing and take him to the hospital so a quack doctor can say, oh, I don't know what's wrong with him so we can see another one.” (Speaker A, 01:23)
• Blaylock admitted to locking her son in with a screen door to prevent him from fleeing the house unclothed.
• The boy’s grandmother sometimes managed to unlock the door to give food and water, describing Blaylock as "not a very good mom."
• During her arrest, Blaylock told officers she was carrying her “baby daddy’s ashes” in a container—testing revealed the substance was actually crystal meth.
• Prosecutors allege that her drug use is directly connected to the neglect of her child. “Although possession of controlled substances [is] often considered a crime without a victim, the context here indicates that that is not the case.” (Speaker A, 01:53)
• Blaylock faces charges of injury to a child and possession of methamphetamine; her bond is set at $250,000.
• The 11-year-old is now in foster care.

Notable Quotes:

• “The boy, who weighed 46 pounds, had rotting teeth and was covered in dried feces.” (Speaker A, 00:44)
• “I can't just drop everything I’m doing and take him to the hospital so a quack doctor can say, oh, I don't know what's wrong with him so we can see another one.” — Rachel Blaylock (Speaker A, 01:23)
• “…her son is a victim of her drug abuse.” (Speaker A, 01:51)

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2. South Carolina Bar Mass Shooting Update (03:16–04:11)

Key Points:

• Investigators believe they’ve identified suspects in the Willie's Bar and Grill shooting, which killed 4 and wounded 20 during a crowded alumni event.
• Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner attributes the violence to an ongoing feud between 2–3 individuals in the crowd.
• No witnesses have come forward; suspects remain at large.
• When asked if the public was safe, Tanner replied starkly: “I cannot tell you that you’re safe in Beaufort County.” (Sheriff Tanner, 04:06)
• The FBI is enhancing security footage and ballistics are being analyzed.
• The victims were identified, including a security guard working the event.
• Four critically injured victims are now reportedly improving.

Notable Quotes:

• “We know that there were two, possibly three within this crowd that had an ongoing feud…they resorted to pulling guns.” — Sheriff P.J. Tanner (03:36)
• “I cannot tell you that you’re safe in Beaufort County.” — Sheriff P.J. Tanner (04:06)

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3. Alabama Professor Murder Case (04:11–07:03)

Key Points:

• Rashad Dabney III, 28, faces capital murder charges in connection with the September killing of Dr. Julie Gard Schunell, retired professor at Auburn University.
• Dr. Schunell was found dead in Kiesel Park, Auburn, after being stabbed multiple times.
• Evidence presented in a 45-minute hearing included:
  • Security footage of the victim’s arrival, and suspect using her vehicle.
  • Victim was dragged, visor and dog leash found soaked in blood.
  • Dabney was apprehended with the victim’s credit card in his underwear and shoes matching those in security video.
  • His fingerprint matched one lifted from her truck.
  • Additional blood evidence is being tested.
• The weapon has yet to be recovered.
• The District Attorney seeks the death penalty; Dabney remains in custody without bail.

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Timestamps & Segments

| Time | Segment | |------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–02:16| Texas child abuse/neglect case | | 03:16–04:11| South Carolina mass shooting update/quotes from Sheriff | | 04:11–07:03| Alabama professor murder investigation/court hearing |

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Memorable Moments & Tone

• The episode is unflinching, matter-of-fact, and often relies on blunt quotations to drive home the brutality of each event. Nancy Grace's brand—via Sydney Sumner—remains focused on exposing injustice and pressing for accountability.

Notable Quote:
“I cannot tell you that you’re safe in Beaufort County.” — Sheriff P.J. Tanner (04:06)

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Conclusion

This Crime Alert episode delivers concise, harrowing updates on three major crime stories, using direct testimony and law enforcement commentary to highlight the urgency and severity of each case. The child abuse case in Texas stands out both for its shocking details and for the alleged role of parental drug abuse, while the unresolved mass shooting and tragic murder in Alabama serve as stark reminders of the real dangers still present in the communities covered.

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Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast crime alert Hourly update. Breaking crime news now. I'm Sydney Sumner. A Texas woman was arrested last week after her 11 year old autistic son was reportedly found severely underweight and with other injuries indicative of abuse. At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors laid out the horrible conditions the boy was left in. It's alleged in that case that the defendant starved the child, made the child live in a feces guild room locked away. Baytown police said that in May, Rachel Blaylock's son was found in a locked room by himself, despite several other people living in the mobile home. The boy, who weighed 46 pounds, had rotting teeth and was covered in dried feces. Medical records stated that the boy was hospitalized with feces on his teeth, in his ears and under his nails. Investigators noted the smell of feces and other bodily fluids throughout blalock's home. Blalock, 41, allegedly claimed her nonverbal son, who could not use the bathroom on his own, would throw feces around his room. A child Protection Services investigator instructed an officer to tell Blaylock that her son needed medical care. Blaylock allegedly responded, I can't just drop everything I'm doing and take him to the hospital so a quack doctor can say, oh, I don't know what's wrong with him so we can see another one. Blaylock admitted to replacing her son's door with a screen door she kept locked because he would flee the home naked. Meanwhile, the boy's grandmother, who described Blaylock as not a very good mom, managed to unlock the door a couple times to give him food and water. Baytown police arrested Blalock on October 7. She allegedly told arresting officers that a container on her belt loop held her baby daddy's ashes. However, testing concluded it was crystal meth. Prosecutors argued Blaylock's son is a victim of her drug abuse. Although possession of controlled substances often considered a crime without a victim, the context here indicates that that is not the case. Blaylock is charged with injury to a child in possession of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $250,000. Reports indicate that the 11 year old boy is now in foster care.

[B]

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[A]

Now to south Carolina, where investigators believe they know the identities of the shooters who opened fire at a crowded bar on Sunday, killing four people and wounding 20 others. Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. tanner said that no witnesses have come forward to confirm details of the mass shooting that sent hundreds of people gathered for a high school reunion event scattering.

[C]

We know that there were two, possibly three within this crowd that had an ongoing feud with each other and as a result of this ongoing feud, this disagreement, this inability to communicate like we're doing now, they resorted to pulling guns.

[A]

When asked by reporters if there was still a danger to the public since the shooters were still at large, Tanner.

[C]

Replied, I cannot tell you that you're safe in Beaufort County.

[A]

Tanner said the FBI is assisting enhancing security video of the scene. But while the state law enforcement division is analyzing guns, ammunition and shell casings, gunfire rang out at Willie's Bar and Grill, a well known hotspot on St. Helena island known for its Gula inspired cuisine. The coroner's office identified the dead as Kishon Glaze, 22, Sherrod Smalls, 33, Amos Gary, 54 and Ashantek Mileage, 22. Gary was working security at the unofficial alumni event for graduates of Battery Creek High School. The sheriff also said that four people who had been hospitalized in critical condition were now doing much better. An Alabama judge sent a murder case to a Lee county grand jury Wednesday following the September killing of a beloved retired Auburn University professor harold Rashad Dabney III, 28, is facing capital murder during a kidnapping and capital murder during a theft charges in connection with the death of Dr. Julie Gard Shunell, 59, during the 45 minute hearing at the Lee County Justice Center Wednesday. Dabney didn't speak as Lee County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Tickle found probable cause for the charges based on evidence presented by Auburn Police Detective Taylor Clark. Clark was the only witness at the hearing. Police found Schunel, a professor emeritant, dead on September 6th at Kiesel park in Auburn. Clark stated that Kiesel park security footage showed Schunel arriving at the park with her dog at around 9:30am on September 6th in a red Ford F150. At 1:54pm police responded to the scene after a witness at the park discovered the professor's body near a walking trail. Clark said that upon arrival at the park, he located schunel's body around 25 to 30 yards away from the trail behind a tree. Clark, who said it appeared that Schunel had been dragged, added he found her visor and dog leash soaked in blood. Clark said that she had been stabbed in her neck, chest, right hand and forearm. Security footage from the park's parking lot showed a man matching the defendant's description using a key fob to locate Schunel's truck. At around 10:29am he got into the truck and drove away. The following morning, while following up on a call regarding a suspicious person, police encountered Dabney. While searching him. They found Chanel's Max credit card in his underwear. He also had on Adidas shoes that appeared to match the same pair worn by the suspect in the park's security footage. Clark said that a fingerprint found on the truck also matched Dabney. Blood evidence found inside the truck and under Schunel's fingernails is currently being tested at the Department of Forensic Sciences. The weapon used during the attack has not been found. Dabney remains behind bars without bail. The Lee County District Attorney's Office is seeking the death penalty for the latest crime and justice breaking news. Be sure to follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this Crime Alert, I'm Sydney Sumner.

[D]

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[A]

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