Serialously with Annie Elise

Episode 317: Cheerleader Throws Away Newborn, TikTok Cartel Quadruple Murder & BYU Player SA on Child

Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Annie Elise (with co-host Amy)

Brief Overview

In this episode, Annie Elise and regular co-host Amy dive into a trio of recent and shocking true crime stories making headlines: a University of Kentucky cheerleader accused of disposing of her newborn, the quadruple cartel-style murder of a TikTok influencer’s family in Mexico, and a disturbing sex abuse case involving a BYU athlete and a child—with a sentencing outcome that has Annie (and listeners) seeing red. The hosts combine detailed case analysis, personal reflections, and a conversational, friend-to-friend approach that unpacks both the facts and deeper implications behind each case.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflections from CrimeCon and Podcast Updates

Timestamps: 00:32–04:44

• Annie and Amy share highlights from their recent CrimeCon attendance—including connecting with listeners, victims’ families, and fellow creators like Vinnie from Court TV.
• Annie notes:

  “...meeting with victims' families and hearing how appreciative they are of our coverage... it was a really great weekend.” (02:06)

• Announcement: Next CrimeCon in Las Vegas, May (03:13).
• Amy and Annie tease potential live podcast event recordings and panel discussions to come.

2. Case Updates: Travis Decker, Emmanuel Haro, Donna Adelson

Timestamps: 04:44–10:39

• Travis Decker: Ongoing manhunt after his daughters’ deaths; recent bones found were animal, not human.
• Emmanuel Haro: Defense attorneys represent Turpin family; both Rebecca and Jake have pleaded not guilty. Next court date: Wednesday the 17th.
• Donna Adelson: Found guilty after ~three hours of jury deliberation; Annie and Amy discuss her dramatic (and possibly performative) courtroom reaction:

  “She couldn’t squeeze a tear out. It was like in disbelief and shock… I kind of felt like it was performative, but there was a little bit of surprise.” (07:07–07:49)

• Speculation about future charges for other family members (Wendy, Harvey).

3. New Zealand Fugitive Father Case

Timestamps: 10:39–13:46

• Recap of a fugitive father in New Zealand, subject of a years-long manhunt for kidnapping his children during a custody dispute.
• The man died in a shootout with police after being tracked following a store break-in; the three children were found safe at an off-the-grid campsite—a future deep dive promised.
• Annie contextualizes:

  “There have been certain rumblings out there that Tom was saving the children from the mother… again, we know custody disputes get super nasty… just speculation out there and rumor.”

4. BYU Athlete Sex Abuse and Sentencing Outrage

Timestamps: 13:46–28:55

Case Summary

• Subject: Candon Doll, former BYU baseball pitcher.
• Allegations: Multiple incidents of sexual abuse of a minor, beginning when the victim was seven, with abuse reportedly spanning years, including molestation from ages 11–15.
• Victim Impact: Powerful statements from both survivor and her stepfather were played and discussed:
  • “Candon deeply hurt me in ways I don’t ever fully recover from … I want Candon to know I’m not your victim anymore.” – Survivor (16:54–17:52)
  • “I cannot even hug my daughter. Touch repulses her. She cringes and pulls away every time I make an attempt to hug her.” – Stepfather (18:57–20:22)
• Plea Deal & Sentencing:
  • Charges reduced from felony sexual assault to two counts of felony injury to a child in exchange for dropping other charges.
  • Prosecutors recommended probation for Doll—no prison, no registry.
  • Judge sentenced Doll to 5–10 years, but immediately suspended it, instead giving 180 days in jail, 8 years probation, community service, and fines.
  • Annie’s reaction:

    “No prison time, no registry. …I don’t know what is happening here and how ass backwards this is.” (21:46)

Discussion & Commentary

• Both Annie and Amy express outrage at the lack of real consequences:
  • “This guy is a clear offender of a minor. Like, you’re not even putting him on the registry.” (24:48 – Annie)
  • Amy questions, “How often does that happen?... I didn’t realize… they just changed their mind and reduced the sentence.” (25:04)
• Annie calls out BYU’s handling, as they scrubbed any reference to Doll but issued no victim support or statement:

  “It was more like, ‘Who? We don’t know him. We’re just getting... Right, my hands are clean...’ Where is the justice?” (26:20)

5. TikTok Cartel Quadruple Murder: The Esmeralda Farrar Garabe Case

Timestamps: 32:58–41:14

Case Summary

• Victim: Esmeralda Farrar Garabe (“Esmeralda FG”), a 32-year-old TikTok lifestyle influencer (46k followers), her husband Roberto, and their two children.
• Incident: On August 22, 2025, the family’s bodies were found wrapped in plastic in a Ford Ranger pickup in Guadalajara. CCTV traced the truck to a mechanic shop, where blood and ballistics were found.
• Social Media Angle:
  • Esmeralda became known for lip-syncing narco ballads (“narcocorridos”) that romanticize cartel life, as well as flaunting luxury goods.
  • She posted a viral video titled “advantages of having a narco boyfriend.”
• Speculation: Authorities believe Roberto (who traded cars and farmed in cartel-dominated Michoacán) may have been the real target; the family had recently moved, possibly to escape threats.
• Case remains unsolved:
  • Two mechanic shop workers detained and released, only to be kidnapped shortly after—with one escaping, the others missing.
  • No cartel has claimed responsibility; the case is shrouded in “eerie silence and a whole bunch of questions.”
• Amy notes:

  “If you’re in a place where cartels are holding the power and even the illusion of wealth … makes you a target, it’s like—why are you doing that? Number one. … The tragedy is you have this woman … and her poor two children who were just innocent bystanders…” (40:02–41:04)

6. The Laken Snelling/University of Kentucky Cheerleader “Hidden Newborn” Case

Timestamps: 41:14–59:31

Case Summary

• Victim: Newborn boy, found deceased in Laken Snelling’s off-campus home in Lexington, KY.
• Suspect: Laken Snelling, 21, senior and cheerleader; allegedly concealed her pregnancy from everyone, including boyfriend and family.
• Incident:
  • Baby’s body found in a closet, wrapped in a towel and black trash bag after a call (possibly due to the odor)—unclear who called 911.
  • Laken reportedly admitted in interviews to cleaning up after giving birth, wrapping up all evidence and disposing of it.
  • Facing felony charges: abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing birth—but not murder, as autopsy results were inconclusive about whether the baby was born alive.
• Speculation:
  • Social media deep-dive uncovered photos hinting at pregnancy and posts about motherhood; conflicting rumors about baby’s paternity.
  • Hospital source claims Laken delivered at home, wrapped the (possibly living) baby in towels, fell asleep, then disposed of him.
  • Annie notes, “If it were me and if I heard a whimper, I would call an ambulance… and you would do life-saving measures.” (51:48)
  • Family and campus community in shock; boyfriend and ex-boyfriend both submitting DNA tests.
  • Laken released on bond, house arrest; has pled not guilty.
• Public Backlash:
  • Annie: “She showed up in full makeup wearing a red dress… people are like, why are you, are you trying to like, look, read the room.” (56:29)
• Next hearing is scheduled; Annie promises continued coverage and a deep dive as more develops.
• Amy raises the broader point about the importance of open communication/support channels for young women in similar situations, reflecting on red flags and the hidden nature of such crises.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Donna Adelson case:
  “She played the role of little granny who's innocent in all of this. That, you know, she didn't know anything … There was a level of shock, not to the degree of her reaction, but I think she probably expected to get out of this a little bit… totally performative.”
  – Annie Elise (07:44)

• Victim’s impact, BYU case:
  “I want Canden to know I'm not your victim anymore. I'm not your anything.”
  – Survivor (17:41)

• On the plea deal for BYU's athlete:
  “No prison time, no registry. …I don’t know what is happening here and how ass backwards this is.”
  – Annie Elise (21:46)
  “It's so disappointing. I mean, how do you go from 5 to 10 years of prison time?”
  – Annie Elise (24:48)

• On university and family silence:
  “Where is the justice? …It's really sad… All of that even coupled with the lack of luster sentence, it's like, where is the justice?”
  – Annie Elise (26:20)

• On the TikTok influencer cartel murders:
  “You don’t just, like, leave your home, your businesses… for the fun of it, you usually leave to escape something… So there might be more to the story.”
  – Amy (37:55–38:59)

• On the cheerleader/newborn case:
  “In a closet. Wrapped inside a towel, then stuffed into a black trash bag… not just unresponsive, but no longer alive.”
  – Annie Elise (43:06)
  “Regardless what took place during the delivery, the aftermath was mishandled.”
  – Annie Elise (58:18)

Important Timestamps

• CrimeCon Recap & Announcements – 00:32–04:44
• Rapid-fire Case Updates – 04:44–10:39
• New Zealand Fugitive/Parental Abduction – 10:39–13:46
• BYU Athlete Sex Abuse Case—Victim and Court Reaction – 13:46–28:55
  • Survivor’s statement (17:02)
  • Stepfather’s testimony (18:57)
  • Sentencing reaction (21:19–24:48)
• TikTok/Cartel Family Murder – 32:58–41:14
• Cheerleader/Newborn Case Deep Dive – 41:14–59:31
  • Social media deep-dive and rumors (48:15–53:53)
  • Speculation on motives (54:00–55:51)
  • Public reaction and court appearance (56:29–58:37)
• Final Thoughts & What’s Next – 59:31–End

Tone & Format

Annie and Amy’s manner throughout is conversational, emotionally invested, and sometimes darkly humorous as a way to process the disturbing subject matter. Annie especially employs a direct, candid tone, never shying from calling out systemic failures, hypocrisy, or the need for justice and victim advocacy.

Summary Takeaways

• Serialously’s episode 317 covers breaking, high-profile true crime cases with detail, clarity, and an empathetic lens toward victims.
• The episode is rich in both fact and reflection, calling out judicial shortcomings, hidden dangers of social media, and the societal failures that allow these tragedies to occur or go unpunished.
• Annie provides updates and foreshadows deeper dives into each story, engaging listeners with a mix of information, speculation, and community-driven curiosity.
• Listeners are left with outrage, questions, and a call to greater awareness, support, and advocacy—reminded, as Annie says: “Even if the courts fall short, people don’t forget. And I don’t forget.” (28:55)

For more in-depth coverage, follow Annie Elise and Serialously for future deep dives and real-time developments on these and other true crime stories.