218: Man Who Faked Death Speaks Out, Hannah Kobayashi’s Father Dead, Teen Leaves Dead Baby in Box, & Girl Found Dead on Alaskan Trail

Summary

Serialously with Annie Elise - Episode 218: Man Who Faked Death Speaks Out, Hannah Kobayashi’s Father Dead, Teen Leaves Dead Baby in Box, & Girl Found Dead on Alaskan Trail

Published on November 28, 2024 | Hosted by 10 to LIFE & Audioboom Studios

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Introduction

In Episode 218 of Serialously with Annie Elise, host Annie Elise delves into a series of gripping true crime stories, ranging from a man faking his death to tragic losses involving young individuals. This episode, aptly titled "Man Who Faked Death Speaks Out, Hannah Kobayashi’s Father Dead, Teen Leaves Dead Baby in Box, & Girl Found Dead on Alaskan Trail," offers a comprehensive exploration of each case, enriched with insightful commentary and notable quotations from involved parties.

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1. Ryan Borgwar: The Man Who Faked His Death

Background & Investigation: Ryan Borgwar, a man from Wisconsin, was initially presumed dead after an apparent kayaking accident in Green Lake last summer. Detectives, however, uncovered inconsistencies suggesting he might have faked his death to escape family obligations and pursue a relationship with someone he met online, potentially in Uzbekistan—a detail Annie Elise humorously notes she needed help pronouncing.

Police Confirmation: In a significant development, the Brown County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Ryan is alive. On November 11, Ryan communicated with the police, providing a video statement from his apartment without revealing specific details about his new life in Eastern Europe.

Notable Quote: Matt, a representative from the Brown County Sheriff's Office, stated at [02:49], “Today is November 11th. It's approximately 10am by you guys. I'm in my apartment. I am safe, secure, no problem. Hope this works.”

Impact & Analysis: Annie Elise critiques Ryan’s actions, highlighting the emotional turmoil inflicted upon his family and the substantial resources wasted by law enforcement—estimated between $35,000 and $40,000. She emphasizes the psychological damage to his children, questioning his morality and the depth of his deceit.

Further Developments: Ryan disclosed his elaborate plan to fake his death, detailing methods such as stashing an E-bike and navigating through multiple cities to reach the Canadian border before flying out. Despite expressing regret, Ryan remains unwilling to return, leading to ongoing communications with the police focused on persuading him to come home.

Notable Quote: Matt elaborated on Ryan’s escape plan at [08:22], “He stashed an E bike near the boat launch. He paddled his kayak in a child-sized floating boat out into the lake...”

Current Status: Police continue to monitor Ryan’s communications, developing trust with him while grappling with the possibility of criminal charges should he choose to return. The community remains skeptical, with rumors swirling about Ryan's motives, although Annie Elise maintains that his actions stemmed from personal turmoil rather than any criminal intent.

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2. The Tragic Death of Juan Jang and Dartmouth’s Response

Case Details: In July, Dartmouth College student Juan Jang was found drowned in the Connecticut River, with a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit. Initial investigations pointed to an off-campus party hosted by the Alpha Phi sorority, where underage drinking occurred.

Legal Actions: Two members of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity, Matthew Cat Rambone and Samuel Terry, were arrested and charged with misdemeanors for providing alcohol to Juan, who was underage. Additionally, Alpha Phi sorority faced charges for hosting the illicit party.

Notable Quote: Michael, Juan’s father, expressed the ongoing challenges faced by the family at [14:43], “The college saying, 'These suspensions remain in effect pending the results of Dartmouth's internal investigation and conduct process, which is still ongoing.'”

Institutional Response: Dartmouth College responded by suspending Greek Life chapters involved and implementing measures to enhance campus safety. Initiatives include increased security near waterfronts, improved lighting, and mandatory water safety training for students.

Comparative Analysis: Annie Elise draws parallels between Juan’s case and previous incidents, underscoring the recurring issues of irresponsible drinking and the dire need for better alcohol management within college communities. She highlights Dartmouth’s efforts to create a more secure and inclusive environment, although challenges persist.

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3. Alina Tonis: A Teen's Mysterious Death in Alaska

Circumstances of Death: On November 15, Alaskan state troopers discovered the body of 16-year-old Alina Tonis near a storage facility trail in Wasilla, Alaska. While initial autopsy reports indicated no traumatic injuries, toxicology results are pending, rendering her death suspicious.

Background: Alina struggled with mental health and drug addiction, leading to her dropping out of school and spending time in juvenile detention. Despite attempts by her family to secure mental health treatment post-release, systemic failures left her without adequate support.

Notable Quote: Annie Elise reflects on systemic shortcomings at [19:29], “She was born addicted to the drugs, which insinuates that her mother was actively using while pregnant with Alina...”

Investigation Insights: Authorities remain uncertain about the exact cause of Alina’s death, contemplating possibilities such as drug overdose or foul play. The lack of traumatic injuries suggests non-violent causes, but the absence of conclusive toxicology results keeps the investigation open.

Host’s Commentary: Annie Elise emphasizes the need for expanded mental health facilities and better support systems for youth, lamenting how systemic failures contributed to Alina’s tragic end.

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4. Hannah Kobayashi’s Disappearance and Her Father Ryan’s Tragic End

Disappearance Details: Hannah Kobayashi vanished from LAX airport while en route to New York with her father, Ryan Kobayashi. Prior to her disappearance, she sent alarming text messages about being hacked and having her identity stolen.

Family’s Search Efforts: Ryan, deeply distressed by Hannah’s disappearance, led an exhaustive search involving the community and law enforcement. His relentless efforts, however, culminated in his suicide on November 24, adding another layer of tragedy to the case.

Notable Quote: Ryan’s heartfelt plea at [23:39], “Hannah, please come home. Please, please, just come home.”

Rumors and Theories: Posthumously, rumors emerged suggesting Ryan might have had ulterior motives, including potential involvement in Hannah’s disappearance. However, Annie Elise dismisses these theories, attributing Ryan’s suicide to overwhelming grief rather than guilt.

Impact on the Community: The family’s suffering intensifies as they grapple with the loss of both Hannah and Ryan. A nonprofit organization continues to aid in the search for Hannah, urging the public to remain vigilant.

Host’s Perspective: Annie Elise shares her personal grief over the loss of her own father, drawing parallels to emphasize the profound impact of such tragedies on families. She advocates for hope amidst despair, though acknowledging the enduring pain.

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5. Malachi Harris Charged with Murder of Savannah Copeland in Tennessee

Case Overview: Savannah Copeland, a 13-year-old cheerleader from Powell, Tennessee, was found brutally murdered on October 22 in the Broadacre subdivision. Her body bore multiple stab wounds, raising immediate concerns about foul play.

Arrest and Charges: Fifteen-year-old Malachi Harris was apprehended and charged with second-degree murder. Authorities revealed that Malachi and Savannah met in the woods, where he fatally stabbed her with a pocket knife before fleeing the scene.

Notable Quote: Sheriff commented at [30:46], “There's a lot of conflicting emotions. Of course, the natural one to move toward is anger and rage toward him. But this is someone we cared about.”

Comparative Analysis: Annie Elise draws a stark comparison to the 2021 case of Aiden Fucci and Tristan Bailey in Florida, noting similarities in the heinous nature of the crimes and the youth of the perpetrators. She speculates whether Malachi will face a similar fate, including facing adult charges and potential life imprisonment.

Community Response: The Powell community mourns Savannah, with memorials growing near the crime scene. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes the importance of embracing collective grief and support during such devastating times.

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6. Angela Newberry and the Dead Baby in a Safe Haven Box

Incident Description: In October, Angela Newberry was arrested after placing a dead newborn baby inside a Safe Haven box outside Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot, Idaho. Unlike legal surrenders, this act was deemed illegal due to the baby’s deceased state.

Background: Angela, an 18-year-old, gave birth secretly and, following the birth, attempted to surrender the baby without seeking proper medical or legal support. Police investigations revealed she was unaware of the box's monitoring systems, assuming authorities would believe her deceased infant died within the box.

Notable Quote: Monica Kelsey, founder of the Safe Haven baby box, clarified at [32:16], “Let this be clear, this is an illegal, deadly abandonment. Anonymity is only allowed when an infant is safely surrendered and completely unharmed.”

Legal Proceedings: Angela faces charges for failing to report a death. Police discovered inconsistencies in her statements and evidence on her phone questioning the legitimacy of her actions. The case underscores the critical distinction between safe surrender protocols and illegal abandonment.

Host’s Insights: Annie Elise defends the efficacy and importance of Safe Haven boxes, arguing that such resources are vital for parents in crisis. She criticizes the misuse of these facilities, emphasizing that they are not dumpsters but secure options for ensuring a child’s safety.

Comparative Analysis: The incident is compared to the Alexi Trevizo case, where a similar act of abandoning a child led to tragedy. Annie Elise underscores the need for better public understanding and access to mental health resources to prevent such heart-wrenching outcomes.

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Conclusion

Episode 218 of Serialously with Annie Elise presents a tapestry of interwoven true crime narratives, each highlighting profound personal tragedies and systemic failures. From the deceitful escape of Ryan Borgwar to the heart-wrenching loss of Hannah Kobayashi's father, the episodes underscore the fragility of human lives and the far-reaching consequences of desperate actions.

Annie Elise’s poignant reflections, particularly regarding her own loss, add a deeply personal layer to the discussions, reinforcing the human element behind each case. Her advocacy for better mental health support and responsible community actions serves as a call to listeners to foster a more compassionate and vigilant society.

Notable Closing Quote: At [32:31], Annie Elise shares a heartfelt message, “I just hope you guys all have a great Thanksgiving if that's something that you celebrate. And even if you don't, maybe just take an extra moment to practice being thankful and grateful in your life because so many people now don't have the opportunity to do that.”

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Note: This summary captures the essence of Episode 218, focusing on the primary content while omitting advertisements and non-essential segments. For a more immersive experience, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode on platforms such as YouTube’s 10 to Life channel, Apple Podcasts, or Patreon.

Transcript

[Annie Elise]

This episode of Seriously is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are all things that people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it. So your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance, Progressive Casualty Insurance company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Hey true crime besties. Welcome back to an all new episode of Seriously. Hey everybody. Welcome back to an all new episode of Serial with Me. Annie Elise. Headline highlights edition. Now, first and foremost, let me just say, whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, I want to wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving. Happy holiday break. Hopefully you're staying sane between all of the visitors and all of the family. I personally am hosting 30 people today. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but we're gonna pull through and get it done. But I hope you guys all have a good break. Now we have so much to talk about today because not only are there updates in two of the massive cases that we've been touching on the last couple weeks, but there's also some new cases that are starting to break. And I want to start with the Ryan Borgwar update. Borgwart, he is like a wart. Actually, no, I want to start with the update of Ryan Borgwar because a couple of weeks ago we talked about Ryan. He was the guy from Wisconsin who the police thought drowned, found in a lake this last summer through the kayaking accident. Right. But as they looked into his death, more things weren't quite adding up. In fact, as detectives uncovered more evidence, they started to think that Ryan faked his own death and that he ran away to Europe to be with somebody that he met online. Now, you may remember this because I couldn't even pronounce the name of the country. It was it's Ubekistan. But in that episode, I was definitely having trouble. I needed Google to help me out with that. But basically, he met this woman online, fell in love with her, decided to fake his own death from his wife, his children, everybody, so he could go be with her. But now this was all just a theory at first. However, the police have now confirmed this theory. Ryan isn't dead and the police have actually been in contact with him.

[Matt]

I want to first get into. After our last press conference, we outlined why we had stopped the search on Green Lake. And that while we might have stopped the search on Green Lake, that didn't stop our search continuing to look for Ryan. The day of our Last press conference, November 8, we attempted with a number of data points that we were left on his computer. And what I'm saying is that day we hit the numbers that were given to us in trying to make contact with Ryan. Things like phone numbers, email address. We just did a blitz. And that day the Brown County Sheriff's office assisted us because of the circumstances that we had and we were trying to get in contact with Ryan. Through that weekend we continued to try our communications with a female that spoke Russian. And on November 11, we got in contact with Ryan through her. That was a big turning point. And our biggest concern that we had was if he was safe and well. We asked him a number of questions that pertained to him and his family that he would only know. And then we asked him for a video of himself and he furnished that. And I'm going to present that now to you folks. Good evening, it's Ryan Borgward today. Hello, Matt. Today is November 11th. It's approximately 10am by you guys. I'm in my apartment. I am safe, secure, no problem. Hope this works.

[Annie Elise]

So on one hand, yes, it's great that Ryan is alive and well. Okay, perfect. On the other hand, the guy still faked his own death. He cost the police department somewhere between 35 and $40,000. He wasted time, resources, not to mention he left his wife and kids, which in my last episode when I touched on this, I had mentioned, you know, how awful this would be for the children to realize, like, okay, our dad wanted to get away from us enough that he faked his own death. But on top of that, I mean, I will say this, it's good that he didn't pull like a Chris Watts, right? Cuz this could have ended even more disastrously. But the fact that he did this to his children and his wife, it is awful. I mean, what kind of guy leaves his family and is just okay with them thinking that he's dead? The emotional roller coaster that he put his family through, I mean, what do his kids even think about all of this, right? So since discovering that Ryan is alive, the police have been emailing back and forth with him on a daily basis. The only video they have of him though is the one that I just played. And I'm going to describe it for you too, because I know you can't see the visual, but he like appears to be inside an indoor apartment complex. Out front of the front door. But he's not showing with a name or any markers or anything like that to where. It all just feels very vague, as though he's not really saying where he's at. He's saying, I'm alive and well, but not really giving much more information. So they don't know his exact location, only that he is in Eastern Europe. And while they can't confirm this quite yet, they do think that Ryan likely has a job and has truly started an entire new life. Through daily communication, the police have also developed trust with Ryan. He told them that he did all of this because of things that were going on in his personal life. He says that he felt like faking his own death and disappearing was, quote, the right thing to do. However, any details regarding what exactly was going on in his personal life. You know, what would have made him feel as though this were the only option. Those details have yet to be revealed, but the police did say that Ryan wasn't in any physical danger before disappearing, which I have to just say I get that maybe he was saying things were going on in his personal life. I would imagine that means trouble in the marriage, but clearly there was nothing dangerous. They ruled out that he was in any physical danger before disappearing. So why disappear? To me, it seems like it's just another guy who wanted to be with another woman. He couldn't get a divorce like a normal person, so he had to do this whole elaborate hoax and fake his own death because he is a coward with a capital C. So it seems like Ryan hasn't told the police a lot of information about his new life either. Police don't know any details about the woman that Ryan might be with. They don't even know if the woman who contacted them, the one who spoke Russian, is the woman that Ryan ran away to be with in the first place. All that they know is that Ryan had been planning to disappear for quite a while. He apparently did have an elaborate plan that didn't originally include faking his own death. However, we don't know yet what what his original plan was. However, he did end up telling the police how he pulled this whole thing off. Take a listen.

[Matt]

There were a number of questions that we asked him and talked about, and we told them what we were going to be doing next. And one of them was to find out who helped him get off the lake. And he decided in one of his communications that he was going to tell us how he did that. He stashed an E bike near the boat launch. He paddled his kayak in a child sized floating boat out into the lake. He overturned the kayak and dumped his phone in the lake. He paddled the inflatable boat to shore and got on his E bike and rode through the night to Madison. In Madison, he boarded a bus and went to Detroit and then the Canadian border. He continued on the bus to an airport and got on a plane.

[Annie Elise]

As you can imagine, Ryan's family is shocked, to say the least. However, they do want Ryan to come home. But police have said that while Ryan has expressed regret for what he did, he still doesn't want to come home right now.

[Matt]

Our communications are continuing to go on about that matter.

[Sheriff]

Sheriff, could you speak to the balance.

[Matt]

That you and your investigators have to rely on in these conversations, knowing full well that if he were to return, he potentially could face state or federal criminal charges regarding this incident while also still trying to get him to return home. And we've talked about that. His biggest concern is how the community is going to react to him. And I can. I can see that. Okay. He staged his death. And unfortunately, one of the things that he did say was he didn't expect us to go more than two weeks in searching for him. Well, I hate to tell you he picked the wrong shearer from the wrong department. And one of the reasons why he picked Green Lake was because it was the deepest lake in Wisconsin. He did the research he did, and he thought his plan was going to pan out, but it didn't go the way he had planned. And so now we're trying to give him a different plan is to come home. To come back home.

[Annie Elise]

So Ryan will likely face some sort of criminal charges if he does come back to the U.S. many people are questioning whether police can actually force Ryan to come home, especially if he left on his own free will. The FBI is involved, but the police have said that the best way to convince Ryan to come home is to just keep, quote, pulling at his heartstrings. Which I gotta say, I get that that's the tactic, but I would find it hard to believe that this guy has any heartstrings to pull. Right. Who just callously leaves his wife, his children, and allows them to grieve him, to mourn him, and assume he's dead. Also, he could be with another woman. It's like the most selfish and, in my opinion, narcissistic thing somebody could do. Now, let's move over to the younger generation for a moment. This past July, the body of a Dartmouth College student named Juan Jang was Found in the Connecticut river in Hanover, New Hampshire. When Juan's body was found, it was discovered that he had drowned and that his blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit. So police began an investigation, of course, and now two college students have actually been arrested in connection with his death. Police discovered that right before his death, he was at an off campus party. He was a member of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity Eternity. And apparently the party was being held by a sorority, Alpha Phi. Most of the people at this party were under 21 years old, including Juan, who was only 20 years old. And the alcohol was purchased by Beta Alpha Omega members who were over 21 years old. Then towards the end of the party, many people apparently thought that it was going to be some good, great idea to go swim in the Connecticut river, which, I mean, it was July, so it was hot. They were drinking, so they wanted to cool off. They were all partying. I get where that thought could, you know, spark in somebody's mind. However. However, while they were swimming, it then started to rain pretty heavily. So a lot of people up and left, and when they did, nobody noticed that Juan, who can't swim, wasn't with them. So through multiple interviews, police found that many people attending the party knew that Juan couldn't swim, yet they left the river without even looking for him. And I get it, when you're drunk, when you're panicking, you're not really thinking about other people in the moment necessarily. But I guess this, for me, is just another glaring example of how you really should drink responsibly. And I know that's easier said than done because it's alcohol, after all. But for people to just leave knowing that he couldn't swim, that's definitely a hard pill to swallow. So now two members of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity, one named Matthew Cat Rambone and the other named Samuel Terry, have been charged with one misdemeanor each for providing alcohol to somebody who's under the age of 21. A lawyer for one of the boys stated that his client providing one with alcohol, quote, appears to be unrelated to the tragedy that occurred hours later. End quote. The Alpha Phi sorority was also charged as a corporation with one misdemeanor violation for hosting a party where underage drinking occurred. Now, here's the twist in this. When Juan's death first occurred, the police department received multiple tips that his death was actually due to hazing, not some innocent drunk swim. That was like a group activity. However, the police have denied this. Nevertheless, Dartmouth College still suspended both Greek Life chapters who have already been on alcohol related suspensions in the past.

[Michael]

The college saying, quote, these suspensions remain in effect pending the results of Dartmouth's internal investigation and conduct process, which is still ongoing. And Dartmouth College says since the start of this fall semester and following Jang's death, they have been working hard to make this community safer and more inclusive. They say they've even implemented some of the suggestions coming directly from the student body too. The school says it's increased a security presence near the waterfront and improved lighting and signage around the swimming docks.

[Matt]

Yeah, I was here this summer when that whole incident happened and obviously it's very tragic and I think the school is doing what they can to mitigate stuff like that in the future.

[Michael]

But it says there are a few more initiatives in the works, like reviewing its Greek life structure, alcohol management structure, and mandatory water safety training for students too.

[Matt]

Yeah, I'm a part of a Greek organization right now and I can see firsthand that we're making an effort to kind of be better at looking out for each other.

[Annie Elise]

Juan was a biomedical engineering and economics student. He worked as a research assistant for the engineering department and was studying COVID 19 vaccine antibodies. He was born in South Korea and he moved to Delaware when he was in middle school. He dreamed of being the first Korean to win a Nobel Prize. And he wanted to find a cure for Alzheimer's, which all of that encompassing who he was, just makes it even more difficult to wrap your minds around. First of all, hopefully this was just an accident and not hazing gone wrong would not that hazing can ever go right. But like, who would ever want to haze somebody like that? But again, it's just like he had his whole life ahead of him. He wanted to win a Nobel prize. He wanted to find a cure for Alzheimer's. Like, how awful and what a true tragedy. That is the best word that I can find to even define it. Now, I also want to get into updates about the case of the missing Maui woman and what's been happening this week and some horrific news about her father. But first, while we're on the topic of young adults, I want to talk about a teen girl who was found dead on an Alaskan trail. Because on Friday, November 15, Alaskan state troopers responded to a call about a deceased female that was found near a trail behind a storage facility in Wasilla, Alaska. When they got to the trail, they found the body of a young girl who was later identified as 16 year old Alina Tonis. Investigators said that Elena's death was an isolated incident, but that they found evidence at the scene that made her death suspicious. During an initial autopsy, it was found that Elena had no traumatic injuries. However, the police are still waiting for toxicology reports, which they say will be crucial to charging determinations. Alina's phone stopped pinging at around 1am on Friday, November 15. Her family took to social media to gather any information they could regarding, you know, her last moments and whereabouts, who she was with, what car she was in, anybody else who was there or involved, was there any suspicious activity in the area, that kind of thing. And since these posts, Alaskan authorities have identified and spoken to the person who was last seen with Alina. Police have said that they are not seeking any additional information yet they still are labeling her death as suspicious. Now, speaking of her, just 16 years old, she was known as a bright and loving person who was kind and just, truly full of potential. However, things were rough for Elena, to say the least. She struggled with mental health and with drug addiction issues for a large majority of her life, despite how young she was. There's also mention that she was born addicted to the drugs, which insinuates that her mother was actively using while pregnant with Alina. And I can't confirm this, but it seems like she was primarily living with other family members. She ended up dropping out of school last year, and In April of 2024, she was released from a juvenile detention center. It isn't clear why she was put in there in the first place, whether it had something to do with the drug use or something totally unrelated. But after her release, her family tried to get her into a mental health facility, but because she was an addict, no facility would take her. Her aunt and uncle stated if they had kept her in juvie and found a place for her to go get the mental health and substance abuse treatment that she needed, that's where it would have changed. That's really where it all failed her. There needs to be more mental health facilities for youth that are struggling just like Alina struggled. I feel like the system failed her. The state's very aware of the situation and they still released her. We need more resources on the state level, the federal level, to just help these troubled kids how she was felled in the juvenile system and hope she.

[Matt]

Failed in her death, that, you know, that she gets some closure and maybe.

[Sheriff]

We can save the next group of.

[Matt]

Kids that are maybe running down the same path.

[Annie Elise]

So I find it interesting that they're labeling it as suspicious, yet they're saying that there was no traumatic event and they're waiting on the talks report because to me that indicates, okay, could this have been a drug overdose? Was there something else? Why was it suspicious? But the fact that they are waiting on talks to determine charging that makes me wonder who else was involved? Could it have been the dealer and it wasn't od, or was it laced? Who really knows? But I think that this is, you know, something that we'll know more about as time goes on. But it's heartbreaking. In any event, now I'm going to talk to you guys about what's going on with Hana Kobayashi, the missing woman from Maui, and what happened to lax, and what's happened this week with her dad, as well as some wild theories out there. But first I am going to take a quick, quick break and then we will be right back. All right, let's have an honest moment about protein bars. Because most of them are total letdowns. They're either loaded with sugar or they taste like punishment for trying to eat healthy. But then there's David protein bars. I've talked about them before, but seriously, they deserve a standing ovation because they have just like figured it out. 28 grams of protein, zero sugar, and just 150 calories. It sounds too good to be true, right? I thought the same thing. I was ready to hate it. But then I took a bite and it's actually good. Like chocolate chip cookie dough cake batter, double fudge brownie good. I mean, so, so good. Which how does it taste? Like this. I don't know what kind of wizardy they're doing, but it works. You would think that with that much protein and no sugar, it would feel like gnawing on like flavored chalk or cardboard. But no, it is a legit treat. And here's the kicker. It's not just for gym junkies. Sure, it's a great post workout, but protein is for everyone. It keeps you full, keeps your energy steady, and it saves you from that sugar crash we all pretend won't happen. Plus 150 calories for something this filling. That is a snack hack, my friend. Look, I know the ads can be annoying. I get it. But I wouldn't hype this up if I didn't love it myself. David protein bars deliver. Simple as that. So if you're curious, and you should be, check them [e-mail] Trust me, your snack game will never be the same. This episode of Seriously is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are all things that people Say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it. So your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. With the $5 meal deal at McDonald's.

[Matt]

You pick a McDouble, or a McChicken.

[Ryan]

Then get a small fry, a small.

[Annie Elise]

Drink and a four piece McNuggets. That's a lot of McDonald's for not a lot of money. Price of participation may vary.

[Sheriff]

For a limited time only.

[Annie Elise]

Okay, so last week we talked about Hannah Kobayashi. She disappeared from the LAX airport while she was going to visit family in New York. She had had a stopover from Maui in lax and then she was supposed to get on her connecting flight to New York. However, she never got on her connecting flight. Now before she disappeared, she sent some very strange text messages talking about being hacked and also that somebody stole her identity and all of her money. Somebody who she trusted. She was last seen in quote, bad condition on security footage in downtown LA near the Pico Metro station area. Hannah's family, including her father Ryan, flew to LA to help look for her. And on November 18, Ryan spoke to the media and he said, I just miss her. I just want her to know that and I just want her to reach out.

[Ryan]

We'll find you, Hannah. We'll find you. We'll bring you home. We're just trying to, trying to get our boots on the ground to find out what happened. It' a nightmare. Every, every parent's nightmare. You know, it's just crazy. Yeah, we don't know where to start, where to, where to begin. And it's, it's like, it's like a, a grain of sand in the, in the ocean. You know, it's anything, it could be anything possible. Hannah, please come home. Please, please just come home. You know, just, please just, just, just give us a call. Reach out to anybody.

[Annie Elise]

Now, in a unforeseen twist and turn of events and just truly devastating, around 4am On Sunday, November 24, the LA Police responded to a call about an apparent suicide. This apparent suicide took place in a parking lot near the LAX airport. Ryan, Hannah's dad, who was just 58 years old, died after jumping from the seventh story of a parking structure. Now, when I first heard this, my initial thought was, but beyond heartbreak, like, oh my gosh he must have just been so overwhelmed with grief, with sadness. It had been two weeks now that he has been tirelessly looking for his daughter with no answers. I can only imagine what that would do to somebody mentally, especially a parent. So my thought was he must have gone to the place where all of this kind of was, you know, the crossing point and the crux for Hannah's disappearance at LAX Airport and decided to take his own life, just so overcome with grief. And a lot of people share those sentiments. However, a lot of people, as you can imagine, are just taking the rumor mill and working it over time. People are suggesting that he did this out of guilt. People are suggesting that he was the one who potentially was stealing money from her and that he's about to get caught. All of these things which who knows the truth? But I'm telling you my opinion right now. I do not believe that at all to be true. I could be proven wrong. We'll see. But it's my opinion that he was just a parent, a heartbroken, devastated parent who was just overcome with grief. But I felt like I wanted to at least mention some of those rumors and theories because I know we talk about everything on both sides here on this podcast. But again, I want to make it abundantly clear that is not my view at all. If you view it differently, let me know why in the Q and A section on Spotify. And again, I could be proven wrong, but that's my belief at this moment. Now, a nonprofit is currently working with the family to help search for Hannah. And after Ryan's death, they released a statement on behalf of the family, which said, after tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah's father, Ryan, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the family's suffering immeasurably. The trauma they are enduring is profound, and they now face the additional burden of grieving the loss of their family's pillar and navigating the next steps. Hannah is still actively missing and is believed to be in imminent danger. It is crucial for everyone to remain vigilant in their efforts to locate Hannah. It is so sad. This whole entire case, and that's when we first started talking about it a couple weeks ago. Was it last week or the week before? I can't remember now, but she's been missing for over two weeks, exhibiting some very odd behavior, some very alarming text messages, and her family believes that she has been trafficked. I know that a lot of people jump to that conclusion when people go missing. I don't know if there's anything that they haven't shared publicly because they don't want to jeopardize the case. But maybe there's something that has led them to believe that that's the case. But think about the best case scenario here. It still is horrific because the best case scenario is that Hannah is found, she's alive, she's well, she's rescued, recovered, whatever it may be, but that she's alive. And even in that best case scenario, she then will have to learn the devastating truth that her father, just so heartbroken over her disappearance, took his own life. So there's no happy ending any way you look at this. And it's cases like that that really get to me because it's like even if you remain so optimistic and you hope for the best, it still would just be complete devastation on their family. So I'm hoping for the best. I hope that they locate her and I hope that she's well and she's okay. But the fact that she's now gonna have to deal with what happened with her father, that's just so incredibly heartbreaking. Now we're going to shift over to the other side of the country and we're going to go to Tennessee right now. So just this past week, prosecutors in Powell, Tennessee announced that they are going to try a 15 year old boy named Malachi Harris as an adult for murdering a 13 year old little girl named Savannah Copeland this past October. On October 22, the police located Savannah's body on a wooded trail in the Broadacre subdivision in Powell. Savannah was a cheerleader and she never returned home the previous night after cheering at her school's first basketball game of the season. So when her parents discovered that she was missing that morning, they used the Life360 app, which is a location sharing app, to try to find her. They couldn't pinpoint Savannah's exact location because her phone had apparently died, but they could track her movements from the previous night. Eventually, after failing to find Savannah, her parents contacted the police. The police used the information from the Life 360 app to find a general area where Savannah might have been. They conducted a search and they eventually found her body in the woods. She was covered in blood and she was also covered in what appeared to be stab wounds. Now this rings so reminiscent of the Aiden Fucci and Tristan Bailey case because Aiden Fucci was a 14 year old little twerp in Florida and he lured his 13 year old cheerleader classmate Tristan out to the woods one night and Brutally, savagely stabbed her so aggressively, so barbarically that the tip of the knife actually broke off in her skull. And this just feels just like it, which I gotta just say, like, what is going on with teenagers? They are getting scarier and scarier now. On the same day that Savannah's body was found, police arrested 15 year old Malachi and they charged him with second degree murder for Savannah's death. It isn't clear what investigative measures the police took to find Malakai and connect him with Savannah's death, but they were able to do so. However, later the police released a statement saying that Savannah and Malakai met in the woods and when they were there, he attacked Savannah with a pocket knife, stabbing her multiple times before just running away from the scene. Now, right now, police haven't said why Malachi and Savannah were meeting and why he has this motive, what his motive was. It's completely unclear. In an interview that Savannah's dad Michael did, he revealed that Malachi was close with the family.

[Sheriff]

There's a lot of conflicting emotions. Of course, the natural one to move toward is anger and rage toward him. But this is someone we cared about.

[Annie Elise]

Do you have any indication why?

[Sheriff]

No. Something made him angry and he's not at an age where they really understand fully consequences.

[Annie Elise]

Savannah loved art. She was involved in gymnastics, karate and cheerleading in her spare time. She liked to read scary stories, she liked to draw and listen to music. And she was just such a positive person. And while her death was hard on the family, certainly hard on them, they're trying to focus on all of the positive memories and the love that they had for Savannah.

[Sheriff]

She loved gymnastics, but particularly the tumbling part. And she. So cheerleading kind of became the obvious place.

[Annie Elise]

Michael's memory drifts back to a moment at the first basketball game of the season.

[Sheriff]

And there's actually a picture of her standing outside. She was really happy. It was really fun. A lot of the kids that are coming by are dropping stuff off here.

[Annie Elise]

But at a fence not far from the trail, this memorial to Savannah grows flowers, stuffed animals, even candy left over from Halloween scattered about.

[Sheriff]

I love seeing the outpouring of emotion and concern and love. As difficult as it is, we don't need to shy away from those things. We need to embrace them because it's what makes us human.

[Annie Elise]

But like I said, this is so similar to that other case that I covered a couple of years ago because in 2021, Tristan was the young cheerleader. She was found dead in the woods, stabbed to death by her 14 year old classmate. Aiden. Aiden ended up being tried as an adult and he was sentenced to life in prison. And like Malachi, Aiden also didn't seem to have much of a motive. He did give himself this weird like 30 day deadline to kill someone which he vocalized to his friends ahead of the murder. He also had like weird Snapchats in the back of the police car after the fact. So if you want to hear that whole deep dive, I will link it in the show notes. But warning, it is unnerving. But I'm curious if this will kind of be a carbon copy of that in the sense of Aiden was sentenced to life in prison as an adult, will Malachi as well. His next hearing will determine if he is tried as an adult or not. And that is set for January 14, 2025. Now in another story involving teenagers, 18 year old Angela Newberry is facing charges after police found that she put a newborn baby inside a Safe Haven baby box outside of Grove Creek Medical center in Blackfoot, Idaho. Now, putting a baby inside a Safe Haven box isn't a crime. We all know that it is one of the safest things that somebody can do if they don't want the child. So the boxes are typically located outside of places like fire stations and hospitals. And the climate controlled and monitor boxes, like I said, are a safe option for parents who are in a crisis of sorts and they need to leave their newborn babies who are under a month old without any legal repercussions. Whether they're in a crisis or whether they just don't want the baby, it's, you know, a safe option. But on October 13, alarms sounded at Grove Creek Medical center, which signaled that a baby had been put inside their Safe Haven even box. So a medical team removed the baby from the box within one minute of that alarm going off. The baby girl was wrapped in a blanket and she still had the placenta attached. But the most shocking thing was that the baby was dead. And it was clear that she had been dead for quite some time. Now, as I said, the medical team got the baby out of the box very soon after she was placed there. So it wasn't like she died while inside. And I would imagine that whoever put her in the box was probably not realizing that they have these alarms and thought, oh, even if she's dead, they'll probably just assume she died in the box. But no, they have these alarms and signaling things in place for this particular reason. Now, in Idaho, the Safe Haven law allows for the surrender of newborns who are healthy and unharmed. But because the baby girl was dead before she was put into this box. This was not considered a legal surrender. The Twin Falls police department opened up an investigation into the baby's death. And now, almost two months later, police arrested Angela Newberry. This is all in connection with the baby's death. They found her by identifying her car through security camera footage that was at the hospital. Angela was charged with failing to report a death to law enforcement. And apparently Angela hid the pregnancy from her family. She gave birth inside the bathroom of her home on October 12. The baby was alive when she gave birth, and Angela attempted to feed her many times. Angela even secretly slept with the baby in her room. She told officers that she searched for the safe haven box online, and the last time that she heard the baby making noise was in the morning of October 13. She said that she thought that she might have heard the baby making noise on the way to the hospital as well, but she wasn't sure. When the police first tried talking to Angela, though, she lied about why she went to the hospital in the first place. She said that she went there for reasons totally unrelated to the baby. She also said before putting the baby in the safe haven box, that she sat in a park parking lot for over an hour. However, the police discovered that that never happened. While searching her phone, police discovered that she googled, if a baby passes before being placed in the safe haven box, will you still get in trouble? Which, that kind of just goes back to what I said. I think that people probably don't understand that there's alarms and monitoring systems on these boxes. And it's not a dumping ground. It's not a place where you can put a dead child. It's a place where you put a child so the child can survive and thrive and be with somebody who will take care of them. But again, if you're young, maybe you're not connecting all those dots. Maybe you don't know. And she was. She was an adult. Legally, she was 18. But if she was hiding this pregnancy from her parents, if she was scared, not that that's at all any excuse, but maybe she just wasn't thinking through all of that. She's currently being held at the Bingham County Jail, and there is the possibility that she will face more charges in the future as police uncover more information about the baby's death and figure out exactly what happened. What was the cause of death? Was this accidental? Did she not want this baby so she smothered it and then tried to dump it in this box? What's the truth here? Now, as you can imagine, some people are blaming the founder of the Safe Haven baby box, Monica Kelsey, for all of this, saying that these baby boxes aren't a good idea. However, she released a statement saying, let this be clear, this is an illegal, deadly abandonment. Anonymity is only allowed when an infant is safely surrendered and completely unharmed. We are fully cooperating with the investigation and we are providing all information we possess to local authorities. And it kind of reminds me a little bit of the Alexi Trevizo case. Just a little bit. There's like a little bit of an undertone. She's the one who went to the hospital complaining of back pain, literally delivered a baby in the hospital bathroom, and then threw that baby in the hospital bathroom garbage bag. And don't even get me started on her because she is, like, prancing around at college right now without a care in the world. I don't know how that even happened. The body cam footage is enough alone to just make your skin crawl again. I will link that in the show notes for you as well if you're not familiar with that case. But the Safe Haven box, in my opinion, is a great idea. It's if you're a young kid, if you're scared, if you're a teenager, if you've been abused, whatever it is, it's an outlet to where you can safely and securely and confidentially put your child in this box so that they have the opportunity to live. It is not a dumpster. It is not somewhere to put a baby that is deceased. And it's not something, in my opinion, that should be taken advantage of either. But I do think, in my opinion, that it is a great resource. I'm curious to know what you guys think, but when are people going to just. I don't know. It's just driving me insane. It's driving me insane, truly. So I. We got to go eat some turkey, right? That's it for today's headline highlights. I feel like, you know, it's a great reminder, and I'm going to try not to get emotional on you guys if you know what's been happening in my personal life. I lost my dad last week, and I just think it's such a good reminder for us to be thankful for the blessings and the good that we do have in our life because so many of these people are going through unspeakable tragedies. They're losing people in horrific ways. And even though I know all of us deal with our own turmoil and hard times and dark spots, it's just a reminder. At least for me. I'm using it as a reminder to be thankful for the good that we do have. And I'm going to use today to not only be thankful and grateful, but to also think back to the amazing years that I did have with my dad and know that he and hope that he is at peace now and with his loved ones. And I don't know, I know that kind of just rambled for a minute. That's not what I was planning to do, which is why it probably makes no sense. But I just hope you guys all have a great Thanksgiving if that's something that you celebrate. And even if you don't, maybe just take an extra moment to practice being thankful and grateful in your life because so many people now don't have the opportunity to do that. All right, thank you guys so much for tuning in today. I will be back on the mic with you on Monday with an all new Deep Dive into a case. As a reminder, if you feel like you need more content to binge over this holiday break because you are running out of things to listen to, to watch, you can always watch our videos over on YouTube, tend to life. Or you can get access to over 65 bonus episodes through Apple Podcasts. They're there sitting waiting for you right now. They're all ad free. So if you need more to binge, you can unlock that over on Apple Podcasts or you can do that on Patreon. If you don't listen through Apple and just go to patreon.com Annie Elise and there you'll have videos, bonus episodes, the giveaways, the works. Also, also, also, I completely forgot to tell you, we are doing a mega vault sale right now. Some of our items that we first had launched years ago that we put in the Vault that we were never going to bring back, we brought back. And not only that, but we are doing a massive Black Friday sale. It's happening right now. You don't have to wait till Friday. So go check it out. It's annealise.com you can shop the new collection, the Vault collection, the old school OG items, everything. And we are offering like a massive blowout sale. So hopefully there's some stuff left. But you can go check it out right now. It'[e-mail] all right, thank you guys so much. I will talk with you very soon. And I'm sending all my best, all my love and just hugging you all from afar. All right, bye.

[Sheriff]

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