Suffer the Little Children, Episode 191: "Raylee Browning, Retold (Part 4)"

Release Date: February 19, 2025
Host: Lane
Guest: Janice Wriston (Raylee’s mother)

Episode Overview

This emotional conclusion of a four-part retelling examines the tragic life and avoidable death of Raylee Browning, an eight-year-old who died due to severe abuse and neglect. Through an extensive, candid interview with Raylee's biological mother, Janice Wriston, host Lane provides a platform for Janice to share, in unflinching detail, her personal fight against a system that failed to protect her daughter. The episode explores the complexities of custody battles, the failures of CPS and the judicial system, and the enduring love and loss experienced by a mother denied justice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Living in Two Worlds: Advocacy and Grieving

Timestamps: 05:54 – 08:33

• Janice describes coping by “splitting her life into two aspects: the advocate pushing for Raylee’s Law and the grieving mother struggling with loss.”
• Quote: "There's the me that fights for Raylee's Law, bringing her voice out...and then there's me living my life" (Janice, 06:18)
• She recounts being dismissed, minimized, and stonewalled by authorities while desperately attempting to locate and save Raylee.

2. Systemic Failures: Schools, CPS, and the Courts

Timestamps: 06:18 – 11:08

• A pattern of inaction and “shutting down” is detailed as Janice is ignored by schools, CPS, and the courts—even as multiple reports and red flags accumulate.
• Quote: "This child disappears off the face of the earth...and there's me going to the school, like, 'Hey, I'm looking for my daughter,' and they're like, 'She hasn't been here since 2016.'" (Janice, 06:32)
• Janice describes records disappearing from the court after Raylee's death, and being gaslit by officials who suggested she was simply “the crazy ex.”

3. The Abuse: Escalation, Denial, and Scapegoating

Timestamps: 11:08 – 21:05, 44:42 – 53:54

• Janice recounts years of warnings to authorities about Raylee’s abuse, each time met with indifference or blame-shifting.
• Raylee’s time with her mother was safe and loving, contrasted sharply with fear and silence after returns from her father’s house.
• Repeated, implausible explanations for injuries, including a broken femur (“she kicked a wall”) and severe belt marks, are discussed.
• Quote: “Every single time, if Raylee had a mark, bruise, bug bites...I would always make sure, you know, my daughter better not come back over saying this thing about you guys. I will see him back in court again if it keeps going on. And I don’t want to see her with any bruises, marks, scratches, anything.” (Janice, 14:36)
• The abusers retaliate with false CPS reports against Janice and her husband.

4. The Pain and Aftermath of Domestic Violence

Timestamps: 25:22 – 35:18

• Janice opens up about the abuse she endured from Marty Browning, Raylee’s father, which extended into threats against Raylee.
• She reflects on how isolating and helpless trying to leave an abusive relationship can be, and the judge’s lack of understanding about the realities of escaping violence.
• Quote: “The judge told me, he said, 'How many [protective orders] did you get on Mr. Browning?' I said, 'I didn’t. I didn’t even have a phone to get to.'” (Janice, 29:18)

5. Justice System Failures and Complicity

Timestamps: 53:54 – 56:04, 103:40 – 104:37

• The courts ignore detailed allegations of abuse, dismiss evidence, and threaten Janice when she presses for intervention.
• Even after injuries are obvious, such as belt marks that “cut and bled,” the case is dropped due to conflicting stories, while Marty refuses to take a polygraph, citing “blood sugar problems.”
• Quote: “The fact is that someone beat this child with a belt and we’re...going to just forget about it because we don’t know who.” (Lane, 53:54)

6. The Everyday Raylee: Memories and Personality

Timestamps: 13:34 – 16:44; 113:38 – 140:55

• Janice lovingly describes Raylee's intelligence, curiosity, gentle spirit, and everyday routines that highlighted the deep mother-daughter bond.
• Even in the midst of trauma, Raylee was described as “a mom’s girl, always on my lap,” and her scent “like sunshine on morning dew or honeysuckles.”
• Quote: "She was so special. She was so special in so many ways." (Janice, 100:15)

7. The Funeral and After: Grief Compounded by Cruelty

Timestamps: 75:59 – 98:44

• The family is forced into further confrontation over Raylee's funeral arrangements by Marty and Julie, who sought control of Raylee’s body and tried to exclude Janice.
• Janice’s grief is magnified by the insensitivity and self-centeredness of the abusers, and details of her last moments with Raylee are tearfully recounted.
• Quote: "I wrapped my arms around her...There was bruises in so many different stages all over her." (Janice, 78:31)

8. Enduring Trauma and Path to Healing

Timestamps: 99:56 – 161:41

• Janice describes enduring severe physical health issues in the wake of Raylee’s death, including heart failure, kidney failure, and repeated hospitalization—all attributed to profound grief and “broken heart syndrome.”
• After years of struggle, Janice shares finding a sliver of peace in the knowledge that Raylee’s ordeal ultimately freed other children from abuse, and that Raylee’s Law continues to be championed.
• Quote: "I felt myself step up for my three younger children...I have put everything back the way it needs to be." (Guest, 160:05)

9. Legacy: Raylee’s Law and Continuing Advocacy

Timestamps: 35:59 – 37:15; 149:34 – 161:41

• Efforts to pass “Raylee’s Law” in West Virginia are discussed. Legislator Delegate Fluharty and advocate Carrie Silverde are praised for their persistence.
• The hope is that sharing Raylee’s story will drive change and save lives, and that the light she brought remains undimmed through activism.
• Quote: "She [Raylee] is definitely making a difference...And I hope at one point Raylee's Law can stretch across the country." (Guest, 149:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On systemic failure:

  • "So many times she just could have been saved." (Janice, 08:30)
  • "If you’re going to viciously beat a child that bad, you should not have the child in your custody." (Janice, 55:48)

• On Raylee’s spirit:

  • "When I close my eyes and think about her...her hair would always smell like sunshine on morning dew or honeysuckles." (Janice, 13:39)
  • "She went through a little chubby spell...she was so cute!" (Guest, 140:29)

• On the pain of drop-offs:

  • “She would get so scared, she would take her seatbelt off, and you could just feel the anxiety.” (Janice, 14:36)

• On the abuse’s impact on Raylee:

  • "They beat her down to a point of...she was just mute." (Janice, 43:12)
  • "After Raylee's body was released...my hand started going down her arms and she was bruised..." (Janice, 77:59)

• On the aftermath:

  • "When she [Raylee] was gone, I fell apart. It affected everything. Every aspect, every point in my life." (Janice, 156:51)
  • "He said, 'They can get out of this...but really what is it going to matter to you? Because all in all...there is no bringing her back.'" (Parsons via Guest, 147:03)
  • "I feel her with me...I've recently been able to find a little bit of peace and clarity..." (Guest, 153:06)

Lasting Messages and Calls to Action

• The episode is a powerful testament to the need for vigilance, reform, and accountability in child protection systems.
• Lane and Janice urge listeners to become involved in advocacy and share Raylee’s story to prevent future tragedies.
• Raylee’s legacy is being honored through ongoing legislative efforts and by the unwavering love of her mother.

Timeline of Significant Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:54 | Janice describes splitting her life post-loss | | 06:18 | Failing institutions: CPS, the courts, and school system | | 13:34 | Loving memories of Raylee and the trauma of custody exchanges | | 25:22 | Domestic violence survived by Janice and its consequences | | 44:42 | Further details of abuse; belt marks and denial tactics | | 75:59 | The funeral: conflict, confrontation, and final goodbyes | | 99:56 | Physical health collapse after Raylee’s death | | 149:34 | Raylee’s Law and continuing impacts | | 153:06 | Coming to peace and determination to keep Raylee’s memory alive|

Conclusion

"Raylee Browning, Retold (Part 4)" is a searing, raw, and deeply moving account of maternal love, systemic betrayal, and the enduring fight for justice. Lane gives Janice the space to finally tell her truth—both as a mother and advocate—which is both a memorial to Raylee and a call to action for listeners to recognize, report, and fight child abuse.

If you are moved by Raylee’s story, support the push for Raylee’s Law and share this episode to amplify her voice. For more resources or to report child abuse, visit childhelp.org.