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S05 Ep01: Sophie Saves Zambia - Nobody Should Believe Me | Wave AI Podcast Notes

S05 Ep01: Sophie Saves Zambia

Thu Jan 02 2025

We begin the season by delving into Sophie Hartman’s 2016 memoir about her time in Zambia, Crowns of Beauty, where we learn about how a young woman from Michigan came to be the adopted mother of two Zambian girls by the age of 25.

Summary

Nobody Should Believe Me – Season 5, Episode 1: "Sophie Saves Zambia"

Release Date: January 2, 2025
Host: Andrea Dunlop
Produced by: True Story Media

Introduction

In the premiere episode of Season 5 of Nobody Should Believe Me, host Andrea Dunlop delves into the troubling case of Sophie Hartman, a woman from Renton whose inspiring narrative of adopting two Zambian sisters conceals dark allegations of Munchausen by Proxy (MBP) abuse. This episode meticulously unpacks Sophie's journey, the complexities of transracial and international adoption, and the ensuing investigation that questions the true nature of her caregiving.

Background: The Hartman Story

Andrea Dunlop begins by setting the stage with a personal warning about the sensitive nature of the content, specifically touching on child abuse and MBP. She introduces Sophie Hartman, a mother from Renton who embarked on a mission trip to Zambia during her college years. This trip led her to adopt two sisters: Cee, diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC), and her older sister, Em.

Andrea Dunlop [00:04]:
"Author Andrea Dunlop is looking for answers. When her older sister was first investigated for Munchausen by Proxy abuse more than a decade ago, it tore her family apart."

Sophie's inspirational story attracted national attention, highlighted by a 2019 King 5 television news segment, which Andrea references to illustrate the initial public perception of Sophie as a dedicated and compassionate mother.

Sophie's Mission in Zambia

Andrea recounts excerpts from Sophie's self-published memoir, Crowns of Beauty, which provides a first-person account of Sophie's experiences in Zambia. Sophie portrays herself as a devout individual committed to saving orphaned children from dire circumstances.

Sophie Hartman [13:01]:
"I saw malnourished children ply their way through sewage drains, chewing on plastic bags... The dramatic and contrasting reality that was present every day in Kafui devastated me."

However, Andrea notes inconsistencies and a lack of detailed, verifiable information about Sophie's activities and the actual conditions in Zambia, raising red flags about the authenticity and accuracy of Sophie's narrative.

Andrea Dunlop [14:03]:
"Sophie quickly realized was experiencing something much more concerning... She started to question her own instincts."

The Investigation into Munchausen by Proxy

As Sophie's story unfolded, Andrea began to notice unsettling signs that suggested possible MBP abuse. Despite Sophie's public image as a devoted mother, there were discrepancies in her children's medical conditions and Andrea's observations of Sophie exhibiting unusual physical symptoms.

Andrea Dunlop [44:14]:
"She had an issue with lying. Every time I go in to the doctor, she wouldn't be exhibiting those symptoms. I'm like, I know."

This culminated in Sophie's facing second-degree assault charges related to medically unnecessary procedures and restraints inflicted on her daughter. The investigation involved extensive police work and expert testimonies, reflecting the severity and complexity of the case.

Sophie Hartman [21:14]:
"He has called me to Zambia... I love Jesus... I love him."

Expert Insight: Chad Golder Sojourner on Transracial Adoption

To unpack the nuances of Sophie's international transracial adoption, Andrea interviews Chad Golder Sojourner, a Seattle-based writer and educator specializing in adoption counseling.

Chad Golder Sojourner [34:46]:
"One of the misconceptions is that the white parent knows more... transracial adoptees should not be expected to just be grateful without understanding their unique challenges."

Chad discusses the inherent challenges in transracial and international adoptions, such as cultural disconnection, identity struggles, and the potential for children to be viewed as commodities. He emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity and the ethical considerations that come with adopting children from vastly different backgrounds.

Chad Golder Sojourner [37:28]:
"I think there's the white savior complex... the grandiosity of thinking that Zambia is a problem and it's one that she's equipped to solve."

These insights shed light on the potential vulnerabilities of children in such adoptions and highlight the possible motivations behind Sophie's actions, suggesting a pattern consistent with MBP behavior.

Analyzing Sophie's Actions and Motivations

Andrea critically examines Sophie's portrayal of herself as a savior and martyr, questioning the authenticity of her motivations and the legitimacy of her caregiving. She points out the emotional manipulation evident in Sophie's storytelling, where crisis and suffering are focal points, possibly to elicit sympathy and financial support.

Andrea Dunlop [25:46]:
"The positioning of Sophie as both a martyr and a savior feels extremely familiar to me, as does the book's fixation on crisis and suffering."

The episode also explores Sophie's lack of specialized training and the disproportionate number of medical appointments her daughter underwent, which align with typical MBP patterns where a caregiver fabricates or induces illness to gain attention and control.

Andrea Dunlop [44:24]:
"She had an issue with lying... this is not a terminal disease."

Conclusion: Unraveling the Truth

As the episode concludes, Andrea reflects on the complex layers of Sophie's story, juxtaposing her outward philanthropic efforts with the sinister allegations of child abuse. The case exemplifies the intricate challenges in identifying and addressing MBP, especially within international and transracial adoption frameworks.

Andrea Dunlop [44:48]:
"The signs and symptoms are here, it's obviously a concern that she's pushing this child towards death."

By weaving together personal observations, expert opinions, and investigative findings, Nobody Should Believe Me presents a compelling narrative that encourages listeners to question the facade of altruism and to seek deeper truths behind public personas.

Notable Quotes

Andrea Dunlop [25:46]:
"The positioning of Sophie as both a martyr and a savior feels extremely familiar to me, as does the book's fixation on crisis and suffering."
Chad Golder Sojourner [34:46]:
"One of the misconceptions is that the white parent knows more... transracial adoptees should not be expected to just be grateful without understanding their unique challenges."
Sophie Hartman [40:10]:
"He is willing to fight for it."

Final Remarks

This episode of Nobody Should Believe Me serves as a potent exploration of the dark undercurrents that can lie beneath seemingly noble actions. Andrea Dunlop's thorough investigation into Sophie Hartman's life and the subsequent allegations of MBP abuse underscores the importance of vigilance and critical analysis in uncovering the truth behind public narratives.

For those who haven't listened to the episode, this summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights, providing a comprehensive overview of one of the most harrowing stories to date in the series.

Credits:

Nobody Should Believe Me is written, hosted, and executive produced by Andrea Dunlop. Additional contributions include senior producer Mariah Gossett, story editing by Nicole Hill, research and fact-checking by Erin Ajayi, associate producer Greta Stromquist, and mixing and engineering by Robin Edgar. Special thanks to Chad Golder, Sojourner Glory Machingi, Francisco Alvarado, and other background informants.

If you or someone you know is a victim or survivor of medical child abuse, please visit munchausensupport.com for professional assistance.

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Transcript

Andrea Dunlop (0:04)

True Story Media before we begin, a quick warning that in this show we discuss child abuse and this content may be difficult for some listeners. If you or anyone you know is a victim or survivor of medical child abuse, Please go to munchausensupport.com to connect with professionals who can help. There is a family in Renton that I want to introduce you two. Mom Sophie went on an inspiring trip to Zambia in her college years. She's since adopted two girls. One of them has an incredibly rare disorder. Doctors say it's a one in a million chance. The audio you just heard is from a news story that aired on King 5 television back in May of 2019. This story wasn't on my radar, but I had a lot going on back then. I had just had a baby and had a new book coming out. And this was around the time that Munchausen by Proxy was really entering my work life. The month that this story aired, I'd done my very first interview about my own family story for Vanity Fair, and this was followed by an appearance on a local station about my third novel. We came here to forget this was all taking place amid the second investigation into my sister for Munchausen by Proxy abuse of her children. By the middle of that summer, the courts would return my sister's children to her, and a few months after that, the prosecuting attorney would make the decision not to file charges against my sister, Megan Carter, despite the horrifying and voluminous evidence against her. But back to Sophie. In general, seeing stories about sick kids in the news is upsetting for a bunch of reasons. So family friends are banding together. They're trying to raise money, and this is something that is, you know, no little ask. We're talking about like $60,000 for a vehicle for them. So we just wanted to put their positive energy out there. Of course, there are the particular fears and questions that I bring to it, given my experience with my sister. Is this mom telling the truth? What if this child isn't a victim of a rare disease, but a victim of the person purporting to care for them? Even when there are no red flags for abuse, which is mostly the case, these stories are pretty dystopian because they illuminate a tragic failing of our country's healthcare system. The horrible reality that families, many of whom I'm sure would prefer to keep their children's health private, are forced into a situation where they have to perform their trauma publicly in the hopes that kind strangers might step in to relieve the skyrocketing medical bills that could otherwise bankrupt their family. So while I usually avoid these types of stories in my day to day life, once I did see this news report, right away I noticed that Sophie was positioning herself as the only, only one who saw what was happening with her child. I started noticing just kind of weird things or times where her body would just feel really different. Like it would either be super, super tight or like really limp. Doctors visits filled the first few years of life, and right away they found pretty significant brain damage. And so she was diagnosed with CP at the end of 2015. This is like a sandwich. But Sophie quickly realized was experiencing something much more concerning. Complaining to the neurologist, saying, like, she's having seizures. So they would bring her in for an EEG and it was nothing. They're like, no, we don't see anything. Maybe she is. Here's the walls. Sophie admits she started to question her own instincts. There'd be times where she was like, literally totally paralyzed. And I go to her doctors and be like, I know she's walking right now, but like, she was literally paralyzed all day yesterday. And they'd be like, no, that's not possible. And like, but like, she couldn't move, like I'm telling you. And they're like, okay, but she can now. And I'm like, right, I know. But after seeking a second opinion and running through genetic testing, she also has one on the ATP1A3 gene, which is associated with a disorder called alternating hemiplegia of child childhood, which is a extremely rare one in a million genetic disorder. And she's right. It affects one in one million children. It is progressive and has no cure. Wow. Lord, you took me up to the fullest extent on what I told you I was willing to do. This piece on the evening news ended up being the first chapter in what would become a major national news story. This is rare for Munchausen by proxy cases, which usually garner little national coverage outside of the truly sensationalized stories like Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Maya Kowalski. But there were many elements of this story that caught people's attention. For one, there were the optics. Sophie, who is young, white, blonde and conventionally pretty, had adopted two children, sisters from a faraway nation. I went to Zambia after my freshman year of college on a month long mission trip. And when I was there, I just encountered the plight of an orphan. Which one is in the hand? Adoption wasn't on my radar at all. In the televised segment, there are images from Sophie's life with her two adorable girls interspersed with footage from the interview and B roll of Sophie's younger daughter, who we're referring to as Cee, who is smiley and cheerfully dressed in the family's kitchen. At one point, as the two play a game together, Sophie sitting beside her daughter's wheelchair, the little girl says this at all, oh, I don't want to get a poke. I'm so scared. It would be easy to miss this blip in the audio, but the little girl is saying, I don't want to get a poke. I'm so scared. This moment is odd because they're not in a medical setting and there's no medical equipment nearby. To most, this might be a throwaway moment, but for me, it's a harbinger of how this seemingly inspiring story of a mother who'd moved heaven and earth to help two Orph became this so this is Detective Werwerk with the Renton Police Department. Today's date is March 17, 2021. It is approximately 8:03 hours.

Andrea Dunlop (6:16)

Can you just state your name for me? Sophie Hartman. In 2019, KING 5 first met Sophie Hartman after she adopted two sisters from Zambia. She told us one has a rare neurological disorder called alternating hemiplegia of Childhood or AHC. At the time, Hartman set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for a wheelchair vehicle. Today she faces second degree assault charges against a child, her own daughter. This is not based off of one investigator. It's not based off of a quick investigation. This was months of investigation by police and several experts who weighed in. Kent county prosecutors are accusing Hartman of subjecting her daughter to medically unnecessary surgical procedures and restraints. Records say the girl underwent more than 474 medical appointments since 2016 when the Sophie Hartman case broke. It was the typical litany of eye popping numbers of doctor's visits and procedures that her daughter had to endure. But this season we're diving into the complicated, many layered story of Sophie Hartman, a white evangelical woman from a small town in Michigan who traveled thousands of miles to Zambia and returned with two vulnerable little girls. People believe their eyes. That's something that is so central to this topic because we do believe the people that we love when they're telling us something. If we didn't, you could never make it through your day. I'm Andrea Dunlop and this is Nobody should believe me. Well, friends, it's 2025. It's here. This year is going to be. Well, one thing it won't be is boring. And that's about the only prediction I'm going to make right now. But one piece of news that I am excited to share is that the wait for my new book, the Mother Next Door is almost over. It is coming at you on February 4th from St. Martin's Press. So soon. I co authored this book with friend and beloved contributor of this show, Detective Mike Weber, about three of the most impactful cases of his career. Even if you are one of the OG est of OG listeners to this show, I promise you are going to learn so many new and shocking details about the three cases we cover. We just go into so much more depth on these stories and you're also going to learn a ton about Mike's story. Now I know y'all love Detective Mike because he gets his very own fan mail here at Nobody Should Believe Me. And if you've ever wondered how did Mike become the detective when it came to Munchausen by proxy cases, you are going to learn all about his origin story in this book. And I know we've got many audiobook listeners out there, so I am very excited to share with you. The audiobook is read by me, Andrea Dunlop, your humble narrator of this very show. I really loved getting to read this book and I'm so excited to share this with you. If you are able to pre order the book, doing so will really help us out. It will signal to our publisher that there is excitement about the book and it will also give us a shot at that all important bestseller list. And of course, if that's simply not in the budget right now, we get it. Books are not cheap. Library sales are also extremely important for books, so putting in a request at your local library is another way that you can help. So you can pre order the book right now in all formats at the link in our show notes. And if you are in Seattle or Fort Worth, Mike and I are doing live events the week of launch, which you can also find more information about at the link in our show notes. These events will be free to attend, but please do RSVP so that we can plan accordingly. See you out there. This episode is brought to you by Amazon. Sometimes the most painful part of getting sick is the getting better part. Waiting on hold for an appointment. Sitting in crowded waiting rooms.

Andrea Dunlop (17:02)

In the beginning sections of the book we also hear from Sophie's little sister Sam, who contributes journal entries describing the change she sees in her sister I saw Sophie walking through a towering doorway, given away by her bright blonde hair and beaming smooth smile. She rolled two large suitcases behind her and she was wrapped in colorful Zambian fabric. I clung to Sophie's right side the entire ride, wide eyed and in awe of my big sister who looked like an African princess. After her initial trip, Sophie returned less than a year later and at 19 started interning for an orphan sponsorship ministry. And that was where Sophie would find her true calling. Foreign I genuinely could not be more excited to tell you about our next sponsor because I am obsessed with this brand. I had already done some holiday shopping for other people on quints because I had heard so much about their iconic Mongolian cashmere sweaters. I got one for my husband and I got a Quint's gift card for my daughter's teacher, so I was thrilled when they came on as a sponsor and I got to shop for myself. I picked up one of their cashmere hoodies and one of their beautiful cashmere pullovers. They are my new favorite things and I also got one of their washable silk tees which I can tell is just going to be a go to for me. I am at a stage in my life where I want my clothing to be simple and classic and I want it to be nice. So basically I don't want to shop anywhere else now. Quince is all about everyday luxury at an affordable price. They are famous for their Mongolian cashmere sweaters which start under $50. They've got Italian leather handbags, European linen sheet sets and 14 karat gold jewelry and all quint items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They are able to do that by partnering directly with top factories and cutting out the cost of the middleman, passing the savings on to you. And Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices so you can feel good about shopping there. I genuinely cannot recommend this brand more. I am going to be out and about on tour this year and friends you're going to see me in my quints. So treat yourself this winter without the luxury price tag. Go to quints.com believe for 365 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Q U I n c e.com believe to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com believe and remember that shopping our sponsors is a great way to support the show. Our house has two working parents, a six year old, a two and a half year old and zero time. And you know what is my least favorite part of parenting? Trying to get my kids to eat anything other than junk. So I am so glad that I discovered Thrive Market to help me get some decent nutrition into my little snack monsters. Thrive Market makes it so easy to find better options without the hassle. They have this cool feature called the Healthy Swaps Scanner in the Thrive Market app where you can scan any item and it will instantly suggest cleaner, healthier alternatives. This is how I discovered their Snack Mates sticks which I got in the chicken and maple flavor. I got these for my kids but honestly I have been chomping on them too. They are so delicious. I also found out that Thrive Market sells Sahali snacks. These are my husband's favorite thing ever and for some reason we can never find them anywhere. So I felt like a dang hero when I brought him these. Another thing I love is Thrive Market's Smart Cart feature. When you create your account, Thrive Market asks questions and automatically builds a grocery cart tailored to your needs filled with healthier alternatives to your favorite brands. From there you can adjust, add or remove items before checking out. Easy peasy. Ready for a junk free start to 2025. Head to thrivemarket.com nobody and get 30% off your first order plus a free $60 gift. That's T H R I V E market.com nobody thrivemarket.com nobody and remember that shopping our sponsors helps support the show.

Andrea Dunlop (26:23)

In her memoir and when she speaks to the media about her daughters. Sophie refers to the two young girls she brought home from Zambia as orphans, and there's an important cultural nuance here in the United States, when we say orphan, we usually take this to mean a child whose parents are dead. However, because of the differences in family structure, the word orphan has a pretty different context in Zambia. According to Zambian journalist Glory Machingi, children become orphaned when they lose their parents. But parents are not seen as the only primary caregivers in a Zambian family. Zambians embrace the extended family system, so the adults that we would refer to as aunts and uncles are also considered parental figures and often referred to as mom and dad as well, especially in traditional village settings. Similarly, cousins are referred to as sisters and brothers, etc. So when someone loses their parents and can't live on their own, the other adults in the family automatically take over custody of that quote orphan. In a few circumstances where families are too poor or too abusive, the orphans will be taken to an orphanage where they will remain until they are able to be reunited with family, or in cases where that's not possible, come of age and go out on their own. So while in the US we may think of an orphanage as a place where abandoned children await adoption, orphanages in Zambia can serve as more of what we think of as a foster home for children. Because of the vagueness and frankly, the strangeness of Sophie's writing, it's hard to get a grasp on what she was doing day to day in Zambia prior to meeting and adopting her older daughter. M. Largely, it seems that she was in the business of saving souls. There's a lot of talk about saving women and children and being a mother to them, but the particulars aren't clear, other than various mentions of proselytizing and Bible study and occasional mentions of meetings with various healthcare providers. And Sophie doesn't appear to have any specialized training. However, as well demonstrated by the book, she sure does seem to know a lot of scripture. There's a lot about Jesus in this book. I would say at least a third of the text is Sophie in rapturous conversation with him. Now, as for any of the earthly men she encounters in her time in Zambia, Sophie has nothing good to report.