S26: Chapter 2 Preview

Summary

Something Was Wrong – S26: Chapter 2 Preview

Podcast: Something Was Wrong
Episode: S26: Chapter 2 Preview
Host: Broken Cycle Media
Date: July 30, 2026

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Episode Overview

This preview episode of "Something Was Wrong" centers around the bewildering and unsettling case of Alison, a woman embedded in a social circle who is suspected of faking pregnancies and manipulating those around her. Through first-person accounts from friends and colleagues, the episode delves into layers of deception, red flags, and the psychological toll such manipulative behaviors cause within a community. The preview hints at a larger exploration of Alison’s actions, her repeated fabrications, including claims of pregnancy and incidents that escalate to criminal activity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. First Impressions of Alison

• Alison’s Initial Persona:
  • Daniel describes meeting Alison as initially positive, characterizing her as seemingly genuine but prone to oversharing about her personal life.
    • Daniel (00:02): "Alison definitely came off as a genuine person. But as you get to know her, she also overshares a lot with her personal life."
  • Riley acknowledges feeling both empathetic and cautious, sensing a need for boundaries.
    • Riley (00:14): "I thought maybe she just really needed a friend. But also I remember thinking, don't tell her any important information."

2. Suspicions Around Pregnancy

• Rapid Progression & Social Media Red Flags:

  • Daniel notices inconsistencies with Alison’s pregnancy timeline and her eagerness to publicize it, including a baby shower invite that felt rushed.
    • Daniel (00:22): "I saw on her social media that she was pregnant. Then she sent me the flyer for the gender reveal party."
  • Riley remains skeptical about seeing the baby at all.
    • Riley (00:28): "I just knew that I'd never meet the baby."
  • Daniel questions the apparent leap from early to late pregnancy:
    • Daniel (00:36): "She skipped about four months of pregnancy and just had a nine month full term baby belly ready to go. That just didn't make sense."

• Deepening Doubts:

  • Events like Alison’s “labor” and implausibly early due dates raise skepticism.
    • Riley (00:50): "Her due date isn't until January and it's only September 20th. What's going on?"

3. Investigating the Deceit

• Analyzing Evidence:
  • Riley uses technology to verify hospital images, uncovering manipulation.
    • Riley (01:12): "I go on this Photoshop detector...I put in the picture of Alison holding the baby with the hospital wristband on, and sure enough, the hospital bracelet turns bright white."
  • Despite mounting evidence, Daniel struggles with the implications of the accusation itself.
    • Daniel (01:26): "When all the evidence was pointing towards, this is fake, there was still part of me of like, well, what if we're wrong?"
    • Riley (01:32): "Who accuses someone of faking a baby? If we are wrong, we are the worst humans in the world."

4. Confirmation & Fallout

• Faculty Involvement and Confrontation:

  • Professor Knopp discreetly confirms Daniel’s suspicions about Alison’s pregnancy claim through nonverbal cues.
    • Daniel (01:39): "She nodded her head very hesitantly. And at that point, we both knew that she was lying about the baby."

• Escalation to Legal Trouble:

  • Alison claims she’s been expelled and banned from campus under dubious circumstances.
    • Riley (01:55): "I get a text from Alison saying they expelled me for, in quotes, having sex and allowing my grades to drop."
  • Daniel receives a disturbing text from Alison with her mugshot and bond amount, revealing criminal charges.
    • Daniel (02:05): "She texted me in all caps, Daniel. And then it was the mugshot. And then it said $5,000 bond."

• Pattern of Stalking and Manipulation:

  • Alison is reported to have stalked Professor Locke, demonstrating an escalation in obsessive and harmful behavior.
    • Riley (02:17): "Allison went to the local baseball game that she knew Professor Locke was at and took a picture there of her and her kids."
    • Daniel (02:30): "I found out that she was stalking Professor Locke on October 24, 2024."

5. Ongoing Pattern and Emotional Impact

• Cycle of Lies and Community Fatigue:
  • Riley notes the recurrence and intensification of Alison’s false pregnancy claims.
    • Riley (02:36): "I can't even keep track of how many potential pregnancies this is at this point."
  • Professor Knopp describes the exhausting process of repeatedly scrutinizing Alison’s claims, underlining the collective strain it places on their group.
    • Professor Knopp (02:44): "I and a few other friends were tasked with figuring out if she actually looks pregnant or not...I did not believe that she was pregnant."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Daniel: "She skipped about four months of pregnancy and just had a nine month full term baby belly ready to go. That just didn't make sense." (00:36)
• Riley: "Who accuses someone of faking a baby? If we are wrong, we are the worst humans in the world." (01:32)
• Daniel: "She texted me in all caps, Daniel. And then it was the mugshot. And then it said $5,000 bond." (02:05)
• Riley: "I can't even keep track of how many potential pregnancies this is at this point." (02:36)
• Professor Knopp: "She finally stood up, and I did not believe that she was pregnant." (02:44)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:02–00:14: First impressions of Alison
• 00:22–00:50: Emergence of pregnancy red flags
• 01:12–01:26: Use of technology to uncover deceit
• 01:39: Confirmation from faculty (Professor Knopp)
• 01:55–02:05: Alison’s expulsion and legal troubles
• 02:17–02:30: Stalking behavior revealed
• 02:36–02:44: Pattern of repeated lies acknowledged

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Tone and Style

The narrative is conversational but tinged with incredulity and exhaustion, as the participants process ongoing shock at Alison’s manipulations. The preview teases a deeper examination of her pathological lying and the ripple effects it had on her circle, setting the stage for a larger, investigative look at trauma, betrayal, and the search for truth in the forthcoming chapter.

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Transcript

[Daniel]

I first met Alison in the fall of 2021. Alison definitely came off as a genuine person. But as you get to know her, she also overshares a lot with her personal life.

[Riley]

I thought maybe she just really needed a friend. But also I remember thinking, don't tell her any important information.

[Daniel]

I saw on her social media that she was pregnant. Then she sent me the flyer for the gender reveal party.

[Riley]

I just remember her saying she would bring the baby on campus in a stroller to meet everyone. But I just knew that I'd never meet the baby.

[Daniel]

It seemed like she skipped about four months of pregnancy and she just had a nine month full term baby belly ready to go. That just didn't make sense. She's lying about anything and everything. Maybe she's lying about her pregnancy.

[Riley]

Riley is smiling and she goes, allison's water just broke. She's going to the hospital. Her due date isn't until January and it's only September 20th. What's going on?

[Daniel]

Whenever it would say summer 10 notifications, I just knew it was something good. She in all caps said, alison's in labor.

[Riley]

I go on this Photoshop detector. Whatever's white has been photoshopped. I put in the picture of Alison holding the baby with the hospital wristband on, and sure enough, the hospital bracelet turns bright white.

[Daniel]

When all the evidence was pointing towards, this is fake, there was still part of me of like, well, what if we're wrong?

[Riley]

Who accuses someone of faking a baby? If we are wrong, we are the worst humans in the world.

[Daniel]

Professor Knopp looked at me and she said, daniel, there's things that are going on that you don't know. And I kind of made like a gesture with my hands signaling a baby bump. And she nodded her head very hesitantly. And at that point, we both knew that she was lying about the baby.

[Riley]

I get a text from Alison saying they expelled me for, in quotes, having sex and allowing my grades to drop. And because I was expelled, I'm also banned from campus.

[Daniel]

She texted me in all caps, Daniel. And then it was the mugshot. And then it said $5,000 bond. It had her full name. It said that the charge was violation of a protective order.

[Riley]

She's a pathological liar and manipulator. Allison went to the local baseball game that she knew Professor Locke was at and took a picture there of her and her kids. She was going to her house and sending her pictures.

[Daniel]

I found out that she was stalking Professor Locke on October 24, 2024.

[Riley]

It's happening again.

[Daniel]

This is crazy.

[Riley]

I can't even keep track of how many potential pregnancies this is at this point.

[Professor Knopp]

I received a call that morning saying that Alison was claiming to be pregnant. Once again, I and a few other friends were tasked with figuring out if she actually looks pregnant or not. She finally stood up, and I did not believe that she was pregnant.