Bonus Minisode #13: Tazmir Ransom

Summary

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Suffer the Little Children – Bonus Minisode #13: Tazmir Ransom (January 31, 2026)

Episode Overview

This bonus minisode, hosted by Lane, is dedicated to telling the story of Tazmir Ransom—a seven-year-old boy from Philadelphia whose tragic death from child abuse received scant media attention after the immediate news cycle. Lane revisits the case, highlighting Tazmir’s short life and the subsequent legal proceedings against his mother, Natasha Charnesh Franks. The episode aims to counteract the silence that often follows initial reports of child abuse murders, ensuring that victims like Tazmir are not forgotten.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Circumstances of Tazmir’s Death

• Timeline

  • Tazmir’s seventh birthday was on April 9, 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • On April 12 (Easter Sunday), medics were called to his mother's home in Philadelphia, finding him suffering from severe injuries ([01:20]).
  • He was rushed to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children but succumbed to his injuries on April 15, 2020.

• Immediate Aftermath

  • Tazmir’s mother, Natasha Charnesh Franks, was arrested the day after the incident and initially charged with attempted murder.
  • After Tazmir’s death, charges were upgraded to include murder and several other offenses ([03:44]).

Family Perspectives and Public Grieving

• Grief and Regret
  • At a vigil for Tazmir, his paternal aunt Tanjala Pinkney expressed heartbreak:

    • "He just turned seven. There was no reason for her to take his life. She wasn't supposed to have him. She could have just gave him back to us."
      —Tanjala Pinkney ([03:03])

  • She highlighted the warning signs:

    • "It looked like he was being abused over the last couple months. My brother kept trying to go down and get custody back and trying to do what he needed to do to get him."
      —Tanjala Pinkney ([03:28])

  • Remembering Tazmir’s spirit:

    • "He was just full of life all the time, nonstop. He was just a good kid."
      —Tanjala Pinkney ([03:39])

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

• Natasha Franks’ Charges and Plea

  • Natasha’s criminal history included a 2014 conviction for firearm violations.
  • Formal arraignment took place in October 2020; after some delay, she pleaded guilty in October 2021 to:
    • Child endangerment
    • Possession of an instrument of crime
    • Involuntary manslaughter with provocation from the individual killed ([05:14])
  • Notably, murder and several other charges were later dismissed.

• Sentencing Details

  • Natasha was sentenced to 10–20 years for manslaughter, with 5–10 years for endangerment to be served concurrently.
  • She must also participate in mental health therapy and grief counseling ([06:30]).
  • Lane voiced strong concerns over the plea’s “provocation” stipulation, emphasizing:

    • "Nothing that little boy could have done warranted his own mother beating him to death."
      —Lane ([05:09])

Media Silence and Accountability

• Lack of Ongoing Coverage

  • Lane points out that, aside from initial reports, there was no further media attention on the case.
  • The podcast host had to personally review court dockets to discover plea details and sentencing ([07:24]).

• Commitment to Victims

  • Lane underscores the podcast’s mission:

    • "This is exactly why I stick with these kids' cases the way I do. The media might forget about them after the initial sensational headlines, but we won't."
      —Lane ([07:41])

  • The episode marks two years since Tazmir’s death and what would have been his ninth birthday.

• Broader Context

  • The episode briefly connects Natasha’s imprisonment to that of Christy Willis, another mother involved in a child abuse case (covered in earlier episodes), highlighting systemic issues in child welfare and legal accountability ([06:46]).

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the need to honor victims:

  "I thought it was time to honor Tasmir by telling his story because April 9 would have been his ninth birthday and April 15 was the second anniversary of his death. Sleep well, Tasmir. We won't let you be forgotten."
  —Lane ([08:01])

• On legal outcomes:

  "As for the fact that her voluntary manslaughter charge includes the provocation stipulation, I'd love to hear the prosecutor's reasoning on that..."
  —Lane ([05:07])

• Family’s emotional impact:

  "There was no reason for her to take his life. She wasn't supposed to have him. She could have just gave him back to us."
  —Tanjala Pinkney ([03:03])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:58] – Lane introduces the episode and case.
• [01:20] – Timeline of Tazmir’s birthday, incident, and hospitalization.
• [03:03] – Family’s reaction (Tanjala Pinkney quotes).
• [03:44] – Details of Natasha’s charges and criminal history.
• [05:07] – Lane questions the plea's "provocation" provision.
• [06:30] – Sentence details for Natasha Franks.
• [06:46] – Parallels to other child abuse cases.
• [07:24] – Lane discusses the lack of media coverage.
• [07:41] – Lane emphasizes podcast’s commitment.
• [08:01] – Closing tribute to Tazmir.

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Conclusion

This minisode is a poignant, fact-driven tribute to Tazmir Ransom—shedding light on the often-overlooked aftermath of child abuse murders, especially when media interest fades. Lane’s approach is empathetic yet unflinching, focused on memorializing Tazmir and holding systems and individuals accountable. Through detailed case review and heartfelt commentary, the podcast reinforces its mission: never to let these children’s stories be forgotten.

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Transcript

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[Lane (Podcast Host)]

Business this podcast contains descriptions of violence against children and adult language and is not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised. Hi everyone and welcome to Suffer the Little Children, the true crime podcast giving voices back to the victims of child abuse and shining a harsh spotlight on the parents, guardians and caretakers who silence them. I'm your host Lane and this is Patreon Exclusive bonus minisode number 13 tasmir ransom today's minisode will be a short one, but this little boy deserves to have his story told. I've been following his story since 2020 and I only found out how the legal case concluded by digging through court records myself, because after the initial articles about Tasmir's murder, not a single news station or website ever followed up on it. Tasmir Ransom celebrated his seventh birthday on April 9, 2020, which was only a couple weeks after the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic. At around 6:50pm on Easter Sunday of 2020, which fell on April 12 of that year, medics responded to a report of a child having trouble breathing at his mother's home in the 2000 block of Clarence street in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood. Tasmir was rushed to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children where he was found to be suffering from multiple severe injuries. The following day, Tasmir's mother, then 26 year old Natasha Charnesh Franks, was arrested by Officer Laura Hammond and taken into custody, charged with attempted murder. Tragically, on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, Tasmir, who was born on April 9, 2013, succumbed to his injuries. ABC6 reported that Tasmir was beaten to death prior to a vigil held on the evening of Tasmir's death, his paternal aunt, Tanjala Pinkney, told a reporter, it's just heartbreaking.

[Tanjala Pinkney]

He just turned seven. There was no reason for her to take his life. She wasn't supposed to have him. She could have just gave him back to us.

[Lane (Podcast Host)]

Tanjala, the sister of Tasmir's father, Jaleel Ransome, told the reporter she knew the vigil was against social distancing recommendations, but the grief over Tasmir's sudden and unexpected loss was too much for any of his family members to bear alone. According to Tanjala, it looked like he.

[Tanjala Pinkney]

Was being abused over the last couple months. My brother kept trying to go down and get custody back and trying to do what he needed to do to get him.

[Lane (Podcast Host)]

Describing her nephew, Tanjala said, he was.

[Tanjala Pinkney]

Just full of life all the time, nonstop. He was just a good kid.

[Lane (Podcast Host)]

As I mentioned, Tasmir's mother, Natasha, was initially charged with attempted murder. But according to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, after Tasmir died, Natasha's charges were upgraded to include murder, aggravated assault, attempting to cause serious bodily injury or causing injury with extreme indifference, endangering the welfare of children, possession of an instrument of crime with intent, obstruction of administration of the law, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and unsworn falsifying to authorities. Natasha was held without bail at the Riverside Correctional Facility in Northeast Philadelphia. I wasn't able to find out what the instrument of crime was or even what Natasha was accused of doing to tasmir, other than ABC6's comment about the little guy being beaten to death. An emergency arraignment was held in Philadelphia municipal court on April 16. During an online news conference on Friday, April 17, 2020, District Attorney Krasner said.

[Tanjala Pinkney]

These are times when we have real concerns about domestic violence and about what happens when people are sequestered in the home and under all kinds of stress.

[Lane (Podcast Host)]

Natasha has previous convictions from 2014 for carrying a firearm without a license and carrying a firearm in public in Philadelphia Philadelphia. For that offense she was sentenced to two years probation. In October of 2020, Natasha was seen in court for her formal arraignment and then she wasn't seen in court again until she evidently pleaded guilty in May of 2021, but withdrew and re entered a guilty plea five months later to only three charges. Child endangerment possession of an instrument of crime, involuntary manslaughter with provocation from the individual killed. The plea is listed on the docket sheet as non negotiated, but it appears the remainder of Natasha's charges, including murder, were dismissed. As for the fact that her voluntary manslaughter charge includes the provocation stipulation, I'd love to hear the prosecutor's reasoning on that because nothing that little boy could have done warranted his own mother beating him to death. Now 28 year old Natasha Charnesh Franks, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections inmate number PE4256, is currently incarcerated in SCI Muncie for 10 to 20 years on the manslaughter charge. Her sentence of 5 to 10 years for endangerment runs concurrently. She has also been ordered to enroll and engage in mental health therapy and grief counseling, as well as to pay court costs. Natasha is housed in the same prison as Christy Willis, mother of Jared Burgess, who was convicted late last year of the 2019 murder of 3 year old Arabella Parker and sentenced to 24 to 50 years in prison. Jared's mother Kristi was convicted in April of 2021 in connection with Arabella's death on charges of obstruction and child abuse cases, hindering apprehension and making false reports to law enforcement. Christy was sentenced to up to 17 years for her part in covering up her son's beating of his girlfriend's innocent, defenseless daughter. I covered Arabella's story in episodes 16 and 17 of the podcast, and I'm hoping to cover it again in a comprehensive update episode after the trial of Arabella's mother, Samantha Del Camp, which is scheduled to begin with jury selection on May 9, 2022. As I mentioned earlier, after the initial articles covering Tazmir's death in 2020, there was absolutely zero coverage about the case in the media. Only by digging through the case docket was I able to discover Natasha's guilty plea and subsequent sentence. I did get in contact with the District Attorney's office, but the only information I was given matched exactly what I read in the docket. This is exactly why I stick with these kids cases the way I do. The media might forget about them after the initial sensational headlines, but we won't. I thought it was time to honor Tasmir by telling his story because April 9 would have been his ninth birthday and April 15 was the second anniversary of his death. Sleep well, Tasmir. We won't let you be forgotten. My sources for this minisode were ABC 6 people, Fox 29, CBS 3, NBC 10, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System portal, and Facebook. That's it for this Patreon exclusive bonus Minisode. Join me next time for another story.

[Lane (Podcast Host - Closing)]

If you like the show, please follow or subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Spreaker, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast listening app. And please leave me a five star rating and a positive review on your favorite podcast platform. Visit the website at sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com you can support the show by visiting patreon.com stlcpod where you can become a patron for rewards ranging from a shout out by name on the show to exclusive gifts. You can also support the show at ko-fi.com stlcpod Follow the podcast on Facebook and Instagram at Suffer the Little Children Pod and on TikTok TLCpod. View photos Related to today's episode on Facebook. This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited and produced by Lane Intro Theme music is by Dreamnote Music and all music for the show is licensed from audiojungle.net for more information about preventing or reporting Child Abuse, visit childhelp.org or call your area's child abuse hotline or and remember, if you see something, say something.

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