Texts, Lies & Great Escapes

Summary

The Unborn: Episode Summary – "Texts, Lies & Great Escapes"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Unborn
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Episode: Texts, Lies & Great Escapes
• Release Date: December 17, 2024

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1. Introduction to Jared and Kristy Akron

Jared and Kristy Akron epitomize the ideal small-town couple in Pennsylvania. With a recent wedding, a new home, and twins on the way, they seem to be living the quintessential American dream. However, beneath this picturesque facade lies a web of deceit and betrayal that threatens to dismantle their seemingly perfect life.

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2. Cracks in the Perfect Facade

Jared begins to notice inconsistencies and strange behaviors from Kristy. His curiosity leads him to investigate, uncovering unsettling truths about his wife’s actions and intentions.

• Jared (00:28): "For me personally, I was one of those people who, like many of us, weren't taught about finances."

This quote reflects Jared's initial confusion and lack of awareness about the financial manipulations Kristy was orchestrating.

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3. Unearthing the Lies

As Jared delves deeper, he discovers that Kristy has been deceitful about significant aspects of their lives, including their unborn twins.

• Tricia Lafarge (01:30): "Jared knows his children were around. Christy's health insurance. This wasn't a surprise."

Despite the outward appearance, Jared realizes that Kristy's revelations about their family were fabricated.

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4. Kristy's Secret Affair

Further investigation reveals that Kristy has been involved with another man, Tom, throughout their relationship, adding layers to her deception.

• Jenny (05:49): "One day I was laying on her bed and we were listening to music and I went to go turn a song on her phone and I saw that Jenny popped up and I'm Jenny."

This accidental discovery exposes Kristy's ongoing affair, raising questions about her true intentions.

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5. The Fire and Its Aftermath

A mysterious house fire becomes a pivotal event, stirring rumors and suspicions about Kristy's true motives.

• Jared (03:29): "They passed away at two completely different points. We got to bring the son home and he died of smoke inhalation. It's mind-blowing. How do you make this stuff up?"

The fire not only leads to the loss of their supposed children but also unravels Kristy's elaborate lies, suggesting she may have orchestrated the incident.

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6. Legal Battle and Annullment

Jared seeks legal annulment, uncovering Kristy's continued deceit during the proceedings. Her sudden disappearance to a treatment center hampers the legal process.

• Melissa (07:38): "I have the text messages in my file between Christy and another man in which she clearly states that this other man is the father to the twins and that Jared has decided to do the upstanding right thing and claim to be the father."

Melissa, Jared's attorney, presents evidence of Kristy's infidelity and deception, solidifying Jared's case for annulment.

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7. Emotional Impact and Healing

The emotional toll on Jared and those around him is profound. Friends and family grapple with the betrayal and the unraveling of their trust.

• Jared (30:43): "I wasn't even worried about the birthday. I'm a free man again. It's done and over with. This was drawn out for four and a half months."

Jared expresses a mix of relief and exhaustion after finally obtaining the annulment, highlighting the emotional journey he endured.

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8. Conclusion and Lessons Learned

The episode concludes with reflections on trust, deception, and the importance of due diligence in relationships. Jared offers advice to listeners based on his harrowing experience.

• Jared (39:07): "Don't take. Do your research. And I hate to say it, but question these big decisions in your life."

This advice underscores the necessity of transparency and verification in personal relationships to avoid devastating consequences.

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Key Takeaways:

• Deception in Relationships: Kristy's elaborate deceit serves as a cautionary tale about the depths of dishonesty that can exist beneath a seemingly perfect relationship.

• Importance of Trust and Verification: Jared's journey emphasizes the need for vigilance and the importance of verifying significant life events to safeguard against potential betrayals.

• Emotional Resilience: The emotional aftermath showcases the resilience required to overcome deep personal trauma and the impact of betrayal on one's mental health.

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Notable Quotes:

• Jared (03:29): "They passed away at two completely different points. We got to bring the son home and he died of smoke inhalation. It's mind-blowing. How do you make this stuff up?"

• Melissa (07:38): "I have the text messages in my file between Christy and another man in which she clearly states that this other man is the father to the twins and that Jared has decided to do the upstanding right thing and claim to be the father."

• Jared (39:07): "Don't take. Do your research. And I hate to say it, but question these big decisions in your life."

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Author's Note: This summary captures the essence of the "Texts, Lies & Great Escapes" episode of The Unborn, highlighting the intricate web of deceit that unravels around Jared and Kristy Akron. Through detailed sections and notable quotes, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the key events and emotional dynamics that drive this compelling narrative.

Transcript

[Jared]

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[DJ Dramos]

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[Tricia Lafarge]

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[DJ Dramos]

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[Jared]

For me personally, I was one of those people who, like many of us, weren't taught about finances. You know, my parents didn't know, but.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Now this is the time where I.

[Jared]

Can become somebody who creates generational wealth.

[Melissa]

Or I just sort of end up.

[Jared]

Being in the same hamster wheel that we've been in for generations.

[DJ Dramos]

At this point, like a good neighbor.

[Tricia Lafarge]

State Farm is there.

[DJ Dramos]

State Farm. Proud sponsor of my Cultura podcast network.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jared continues to return donations given to him and Christy after the fire. Yet many of those donations are being returned back to him in his name only after the community has learned the truth about Kristi. And while the return donations help soften the blow of the trauma that Jared's endured, the aftermath of Christy's lies and actions continue to haunt him.

[Jared]

I called her work. So she was supposedly this regional manager making all kinds of money. Oh, they're giving. I'm on Covid pay. All this stuff. I call into her work. I explain the entire story of cause. I call in specifically to get myself off of her health insurance.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Okay?

[Jared]

And to tell her company, hey, there were no children when the fire happened. They stuck the children on the health insurance without filling out the proper paperwork. They kind of just pushed it through to help out.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jared knew his children were around. Christy's health Insurance. This wasn't a surprise.

[Jared]

Oh, yeah. I got papers in the mail saying, hey, we have. Here's the son's name, daughter's name, here's their cards.

[Tricia Lafarge]

But what he didn't know was the story Christy told her coworkers about the deaths of their twins.

[Jared]

She's asking a million questions, and it was weird questions, like, hey, I'm sorry to hear about what happened before. I even said that there weren't any kids. So I'm like, what do you. What did you hear? She goes, oh, well, your wife had these kids last week. I'm like, what do you mean? I'm like, I'm dumbfounded. Her boss is who. Actually who I was on the phone with, goes, yeah, she called us from in hospital. It was like two days before the fire. And she's going through and, sorry to hear about your daughter passing away in the hospital.

[Tricia Lafarge]

The more Jared listens, the stranger and more unsettling this conversation becomes.

[Jared]

And then she gets to the boy. Hey, we're so sorry to hear what happened to your son.

[Tricia Lafarge]

What'd she say about that?

[Jared]

With the smoke inhalation that happened in the fire.

[Tricia Lafarge]

What?

[Jared]

And at this point I'm like, okay, stop, we gotta step back.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Kristi had told her co workers that their daughter had died in the hospital and that their son had died in the fire.

[Jared]

They passed away at two completely different points. We got to bring the son home and he died of smoke inhalation. It's mind blowing. How do you make this stuff up?

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jared continued speaking to Kristi's boss. He finds out that she wasn't a high level executive that she claimed, rather she was a secretary.

[Jared]

Just like a snowball effect that the lies continue to come out. And I didn't see any of that. Maybe it was because I wasn't looking, maybe I was just glazing over it. But I don't know how someone could pull that off.

[Tricia Lafarge]

As husband and wife, Jared would get all the details of what came with Christy's stressful, high profile position.

[Jared]

It was like, hey, I had to deal with this guy quitting the warehouse, problem, shipping. Like, it was so methodically thought out. It blows my mind. It really does.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Marriages are supposed to be built on trust. Jared felt that his was. Tragically, it was not in more ways than one. Beyond faking a pregnancy, Kristi had another giant secret she kept from Jared that throughout their entire relationship, she was seeing another man. Her ex fiance, Tom. I'm Tricia lafontein. I'm a writer, director, actor, and federal Criminal defense attorney. I'm going to tell you a story that's all too real about love, lies, and the lengths people will go to for attention. It's a story that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about truth, about reality, and about what happens when the two collide in the most unimaginable way. From audio up and just We Press productions, this is the unborn. Jenny recounts how Christy kept her conversations with Tom discreet, at least on Snapchat.

[Jenny]

One day I was laying on her bed and we were listening to music and I went to go turn a song on her phone and I saw that Jenny popped up and I'm Jenny. And I didn't send her a Snapchat. So I opened it and it was her ex fiance.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jenny wasn't the only one that picked up on Christy's affair. The small town rumor mill also had.

[Jenny]

Noticed her ex boyfriend's truck was parked at the house or something one day.

[Tricia Lafarge]

And he was just sitting in his truck.

[Jenny]

He wasn't even in the house.

[Jared]

His neighbors called him one time and that dude that she was banging was in his driveway. That car they bought was brand new and Somehow it has 20 some thousand miles on it and they've only had.

[Tricia Lafarge]

It for four months.

[Jared]

So how did that happen if you're just going to work and you know she's a professional liar. Neighbors took pictures of him and it was our ex fiance that the other dude she was still shagging.

[Tricia Lafarge]

We don't know why Tom was just sitting in Jared and Kristi's driveway. Potentially there was an innocent explanation for that. But we do know something else he was up to.

[Jenny]

The ex was sending her money 24 7, was always sending her money. And I had said to her multiple times, you need to stop that. Like, you need to block him, delete him, do whatever, like just be done. She couldn't. I don't know what is so in here about him that she wants, but it's gross and I don't like it.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Melissa, Jared's attorney, offered an explanation for why Tom was constantly sending money to Kristi. It was because Christy told Tom that he and not Jared was the father to the twins.

[Melissa]

I have the text messages in my file between Christy and another man in which she clearly states that this other man is the father to the twins and that Jared has decided to do the upstanding right thing and claim to be the father.

[Tricia Lafarge]

There are volumes of text messages between Kristi and Tom. Evidence that painted a picture of Kristi as a woman who was not only Faking a pregnancy, but but was claiming two different men, Jared and Tom, were the father.

[Melissa]

Just think what she could have done if she was up to good.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Melissa gave us full access to the file. There were numerous sexting photos that Kristi sent to Tom, Multiple Zelle receipts of Tom sending Kristi money. And the receipts come with messages like want me or not, or if you ever need anything, dear, tell me. But one text exchange really stands out. It turns out that Tom was also engaged and expecting a child with his new fiance. This is that text exchange between Christy and Tom a week before Christy's due date.

[Jared]

Christy, you chose this. If you would have chose me months ago, me and her wouldn't be having another baby, and you would have had what you've been begging for. You can't blame me for living my life when I was thrown to the side.

[Tricia Lafarge]

I don't beg you. You've said all these things about our kids that I'm carrying, and that ain't true. Just literally leave me alone for good. Don't worry about our kids. I'm so sick over this.

[Jared]

You.

[Tricia Lafarge]

I don't even know if there's a word for you.

[Jared]

Me not telling you isn't lying. It's not your business. I'm just trying to be here for you, for the kids you're about to have.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Kristi and Tom are fighting because she's just found out that his new fiance is also pregnant, even though all this time he knew that the twins she was pregnant with were his. It is my business. Leave me alone. Go be there for your pregnant fiance.

[Jared]

It's not your fucking business. I don't know where you think that.

[Tricia Lafarge]

I should tell her that these are your two kids that I've been keeping a fucking secret for you.

[Jared]

You chose that. You chose that when you chose him. But go ahead, take your screenshots and cause trouble and ruin the days leading up to the kid's birth.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Christy clearly becomes agitated in her following responses, firing back with all caps and exclamation points.

[Melissa]

Oh, so you do want me to tell her that our kids are due.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Next week and you've been meeting up with me. Okay, so now threaten being a father to our children. I don't need you to be there, dad.

[Melissa]

I'll take your ass for child support.

[Tricia Lafarge]

And move on with my life.

[Jared]

I wasn't threatening anything.

[Tricia Lafarge]

You said start shit and ruin the birth of our kids in a week. That's a threat.

[Jared]

I said ruin the days leading up to it because it would. We would be fighting, and it won't be as happy for us when the day comes.

[Tricia Lafarge]

I'm so sick right now. You're insane. Leave me alone. There's a lot to unpack regarding Kristi's headspace. She's already carrying on with this monumental lie with Jared and his entire family, and yet she somehow has the bandwidth to carry this lie along with Tom as well.

[Jared]

I find out that two weeks after I proposed, there was a message from her ex saying, hey, you better treat her right. As soon as those kids are born, I will be getting a paternity test. I know they're mine, so don't screw it up.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Tom had direct messaged Jared on Instagram, But Tom and Jared do not follow each other on Instagram, and Jared did not get the message. That is, until he thought to check his DMs after he'd served Christy with annulment papers.

[Jared]

And I hear you proposed. And I hear she is going to say yes, since she was waiting to see what I did, even though I was told you two were going to make things work for the kids Friday night when she was with me in my hotel. Seriously, best of luck. Be civil for the kids. Actually fuck her and she won't wander. And when the kids are born, I will be asking for a paternity test. She was breaking up with you for us. Until the pregnancy. So I'm told anyway. And it doesn't matter what it takes. You need to make the next eight months of Kristi's life as easy as possible. I don't know if she can handle another traumatic experience.

[Tricia Lafarge]

It's hard to process that Kristi was pushing this lie on two fronts. Like most things Christy did, we were left asking, why was Tom an alternate backup in the event her life with Jared imploded? Did Kristi simply lie to Tom in order to collect money from him for the children that did not exist? Or was Tom a part of Kristi's endgame all along, and Jared was a placeholder until Tom sorted out his domestic situation with his pregnant fiance? With two different men in her life, it's hard to know which man Christy actually wanted to be with. Here's Jenny and her mom with their thoughts on Christy's endgame. I think it's the money.

[Melissa]

I think she was trying to steal.

[Tricia Lafarge]

A baby and sell it for the money. I. I think she was on the.

[Melissa]

Computer, and I think when she got.

[Tricia Lafarge]

On that computer, she was chit chatting with someone from another state and was trying to set it up to have that baby.

[Melissa]

To steal a baby?

[Jenny]

No, she she wanted a family, I think.

[Tricia Lafarge]

I don't know.

[Jenny]

I know she wanted a little girl so bad and the more that I thought about it and the more that I thought about everything that was going on, she would go to any length to get a little girl. At this point I feel like including possibly stealing a baby. I don't know.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Do you think she's capable of kidnapping.

[Jenny]

A baby if you gave her the.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Chance you think she would go through with?

[Jenny]

Probably.

[Tricia Lafarge]

We decided that we wanted to see if we could try to get more information about what went on for the 18 to 20 hours that Christy was in the hospital prior to calling Jared to ask him to come pick her up. I have to say I've never done an Ambush style interview before, although there's no plan to ambush. I guess I just mean unscheduled interview before. So my adrenaline is feeling a little nervous. But we're going to see if we can try to get any more answers.

[DJ Dramos]

The other day a friend started telling me about their New Year's resolutions and I said, whoa, it's kind of early, don't you think? And they said not for me. Because if I know my resolution plan now I can enjoy the holidays knowing how I'm going to get everything back under control. And that got me thinking. I'm Carl, the CEO of Bodi. That's Bodi with an I. What if I made you an offer so good that you'd be all set with a proven fitness and nutrition plan to start the new year, but you need to sign up by Christmas. It's called the New Year's Jumpstart sale. You'll save 72% on an annual subscription to the BODI library of 130 proven step by step programs like 21 Day Fix and P90X plus our easy to follow nutrition plans. And check this out. When you sign up today, you have a chance to win $10,000 every time you log a workout in December and January. But this offer ends Christmas Day. So get a jump start with a great deal on Bodi's proven fitness and nutrition plans. But you need to sign up [e-mail] that's b o d I.com this show.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Is sponsored by Better Help. Once again, the holidays are fast approaching. What's your favorite part about the holidays? For me, I love getting together with family and friends for big parties where we play games and the house is full of people and noise. But I also love the quiet nights when the house is all decorated and the lights are twinkling, fireplace going and it's just really cozy with some hot chocolate or cider or something a little stronger. But what can also keep you cozy when dealing with traveling complex family situations or gift giving anxiety is talking to a therapist about whatever it is that's on your mind this holiday season. Personally, I believe talking to my therapist about goals and expectations for the holiday and the new year are key. But whatever it is you're dealing with, having someone to talk to about what's on your mind is always a good idea. If you're thinking about starting therapy, I Recommend Checking out BetterHelp. It's completely online, designed to be convenient and flexible suited to your schedule. All you have to do is fill out a questionnaire and get matched with a licensed therapist today. Find comfort this December with better help. Visit betterhelp.com unborn today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com/unborn. My name is Trisha La. This is Frank Mall. Hi, we're with iheartradio and we're producing a segment, a new segment on an episode that occurred in this hospital in December 2020. We were wondering if there was a public information officer on duty that would be available for comment.

[Jenny]

You can talk to officer over here. I'm not really sure.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Okay, thank you.

[Jared]

Good.

[Tricia Lafarge]

How are you?

[Jared]

Good.

[Tricia Lafarge]

We just asked the check in and she said to ask you. We are. My name is Trisha Lafarge.

[Melissa]

This is Frank wall.

[Tricia Lafarge]

We're with iHeartRadio producing a new segment. And a portion of the segment revolves around an incident that took place here in December 2020. And we were wondering how there was a public information officer on duty who would be available for comment today?

[Jared]

More than likely no.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Okay.

[Jared]

The week is the kind of skeleton crew.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Okay.

[Jared]

The best thing to do is be a call back tomorrow or come back tomorrow.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Okay.

[Jared]

Who'd you say speak to? Patient relations or an aod.

[Tricia Lafarge]

It's actually makes you guys look like heroes, by the way. It's not. It's not a negative story, it's a positive story.

[Jared]

I just don't know who you would talk to.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Yeah. Did you work here in Sunburg 2020?

[Jared]

Yes.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Okay. Could you answer anything? Nothing. Nothing. Not even sift through the questions and decide what you could answer and what you didn't? Okay, I know nothing. So we just got back in the car. We were definitely turned away by the hospital. We spoke to four people, two at the front desk who referred us to the police officer and security guard who Were standing just to the left of the table. And we asked if we could speak to the public information officer, which is the pio, Public Information Officer on duty, about an incident that took place in the hospital in December 2020. They told us nobody was available, gave us a card and a number to call to contact. And I was trying to grease him a little bit to see if he would speak. And we asked him, when did he start working at the hospital? He said 2020. And we threw out there that the incident makes the hospital police look really good. It's favorable. It's not negative. Just to see if I could get anything out of him. And so I said it revolves around incident where a woman tried to take a baby and you guys successfully thwarted her from allowing that to happen. And his eyes look right, 100% like, absolutely. He was there.

[Jared]

Absolutely.

[Tricia Lafarge]

He just had this super guilty look on his face like he was dying to talk. His eyes. I could just see the wheels in his head turning. I pressed just a little harder, and instead of saying no comment, he just said nothing. Because I think he was worried that if he started to talk, he was going to say what he remembered, and he did not want to do that. So we will call on Monday and see if we can speak to the pio. We made several attempts to reach the man whose name and number we were provided, as well as left several messages. It turns out he wasn't the pio, but rather the head of public safety at the hospital. He never returned our calls. If Kristi did intend to kidnap a baby as part of her endgame, it was never meant to be. If she intended to return to Tom, that didn't work out either. Meanwhile, Jared was in the process of trying to annul his marriage to Kristi. What avenues did she have left? Not many.

[Jared]

There was a couple rumors going around. And this was. There was a warrant out for her arrest from baby napping from the actual hospital itself. But I don't know how believable that is or how much truth there is to that.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Just hearsay?

[Jared]

Yeah, I would say it was hearsay, honestly. And again, this is coming through. The annulment that she actually went fought me on was. And we had to get a couple continuances. Reason being she didn't get a lawyer until the day before. Her mother actually wanted me to 5150 her and put her in a mental hospital. I find out through the continuance she asked for, she decided to go into. I don't know if she was 5150 by her mother or if she voluntarily went into this treatment center. Treatment center.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jared's attorney, Melissa, couldn't proceed at the pace she wanted with the annulment because Christy entered a medical treatment center.

[Melissa]

She was in Florida at an intense treatment in which she was not even permitted to contact her attorney for two to three weeks. And then she was moving to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for further treatment. And when she moved to Tennessee is when she would be able to participate in the hearing.

[Tricia Lafarge]

After everything they went through, it seems that Kristi got the help that she needs. Personally, I applaud her for that. It's extremely commendable. It's unfortunate, however, how many lives got upended, how many friendships destroyed for this moment to finally happen. Here's Jenny.

[Jenny]

Her mom had actually messaged me and said, like, thank you for being here for my daughter, and she's going to get the help that she needs, basically. And I was like, what is happening? Like, that day that she left, her mom called her and said, you're gonna go to jail. Like, you're going to go to jail if you don't come with us right now. And I'm like thinking, like, oh, they're just saying that because they just want to put you in a mental place because you just lost two children. That's what I was thinking. And come to find out that wasn't even it.

[Tricia Lafarge]

It's clear Christy needed the help. Sheila feared her daughter would go to jail if she didn't leave with her immediately to the treatment center. Jenny had her own theories why she thinks Sheila was afraid that local authorities would arrest Kristi if she stuck around.

[Jenny]

It could be that. It could be the money. It could have been the faking everything. It could have been because they faked it. And the donations of the fire, of the babies. It could have been. It could have been all of them.

[Tricia Lafarge]

The fire raised suspicions with everyone involved in the story. For Jenny, it was no different.

[Jenny]

I think she was getting rid of everything that reminded her of those babies. The room, anything. Just the house in general.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Well, what if. Do you think? What if. What if Jared died in that fire?

[Melissa]

So.

[Jenny]

That'S the. That's the million dollar question. I don't know.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jenny had a final thought to share in regard to the fire.

[Jenny]

You never asked me about the ring.

[Tricia Lafarge]

I don't know anything about. What ring? No.

[Melissa]

The wedding ring?

[Tricia Lafarge]

No.

[Jenny]

It was missing. Couldn't find it.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Do you think she pawned it?

[Jenny]

Yeah, or she has it, or she had it somewhere. It was expensive. He paid it in cash because it was like last minute, like, like they were closing type thing. And he paid in cash. From what I remember.

[Melissa]

She said there was one planet in.

[Tricia Lafarge]

The bathroom when the fire started.

[Jenny]

This.

[Jared]

Whatever.

[Jenny]

There was a fake ring. There was a fake ring that a real ring wouldn't burn. A real, like gold ring, Whitney.

[Tricia Lafarge]

It was a silver.

[Jenny]

It was a silver whatever. It was set, diamond set. And he specifically said, the way that this was all set, like the dot, the diamond on it, like it wouldn't, it wouldn't burn.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Somebody planted a fake ring in the bathroom of the house before it burnt down so that it would seem like that was the real ring. And that's what happened to it.

[Jenny]

She did it herself, so. Or she did it herself. Or she pawned the ring beforehand and bought that one off of Amazon.

[Tricia Lafarge]

With Christy being forced to leave Avella by her mother, she would have her final face to face moment with Jenny.

[Jenny]

She just kept on saying to me, from the time we left my actual apartment to the stairwell, she said, you're still going to be my best friend. You're still going to be my friend. She just kept on asking, I just kept on saying, yeah, of course I'm gonna still be your friend. Like, I. Like you're gonna get through this. I'll talk to you whenever I can. You know, like every day.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Christy's mother arrived. It was time to say goodbye. And then. You've never spoken to her again.

[Jenny]

She actually called me.

[Tricia Lafarge]

In between Kristi leaving and calling Jenny from her treatment center, Jenny was contacted by Jared's sister. His sister told Jennifer Jenny the entire truth about what happened with Christy. Jenny was in shock and really hurt. That's when Christy called her from treatment.

[Jenny]

And she was like, is everything okay? And I was holding back tears because I had just found out everything. And I'm like, yeah, you know, like, I just. I reset my phone and I made up the story of how I reset my phone and how all my locations just turned off for everyone. And she was like, oh, okay. And after that conversation, she said, I love you. And I didn't even say it back to her, honestly. And I hung up. And then I got a message from her mom saying, you know, like, she's gonna go get the help that she needs. But she didn't exactly put it in that term.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Do you think that Kristi knew when you guys had that final phone call that you knew that everything was a lie and she just didn't have the guts to say I'm sorry?

[Jenny]

Yes.

[Tricia Lafarge]

What makes you think that?

[Jenny]

Because she never tried to reach out ever again.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Christy's mom wanted her to get into an inpatient mental facility. There's two ways to look at it non cynically. Sheila wants her daughter to get the help that she needs. But strategically entering a long term treatment facility effectively postpones any annulment, which Jared was desperately trying to get done. It also provides cover from any potential criminal charges that could have come out of all of this. Jared's lawyer, Melissa, felt the challenges of Christy's abrupt departure from Avila.

[Melissa]

She ran and we had a very difficult time moving forward because I couldn't locate her. We were very thankful when she retained an attorney, because then I had a point of contact. And then that attorney filed a petition for a continuance and gave us some additional information as to where she was. And I believe I even requested proof that where she stated she was, I said, I don't believe you. I want to know exactly where it is and I want documentation that that's where she's at.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Christy's location was uncovered. She had legal counsel. Jared and Melissa were ready to proceed in earnest, but Kristi was ready to fight.

[Jared]

She wanted money. She's like, hey, I lost all this stuff. And she put astronomical amounts of value on these items that she lost. She felt entitled to 50% of that.

[Tricia Lafarge]

When Jared's lawyer, Melissa, realized Kristi was claiming items lost in the fire, let's just say she wasn't having it essentially said, you're ridiculous.

[Melissa]

This isn't gonna happen. I was a pit bull. I was not gonna back down. There was nobody that was gonna take advantage of Jared while I was with him. So I spoke with her counsel. She had no. She was oblivious. She believed that Christy was pregnant. And I kind of laughed in her face. It was all over phone, and I'm like, no. And I'm like, I have the proof. And I gave her some of the backstory. And she indicated to me, well, Christy is willing to go through with you. No, but she wants her stuff. She wants her money.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Even Christy's own counsel was in the dark about her lies and deceit.

[Melissa]

I once again laughed in her face and I told her about the fire, the GoFundMe, the money that she had taken, what my client had done with the money. I mean, if there's anybody that, in my opinion, I like to fight for, it's the good guy and the underdog. And Jared was 100% the good guy in this matter. So I was going to be a pit bull. I was not going to let her get anything. So she Provided me with a list of things. I spoke with Jared about it, and of course, it was all burned up in the fire. And she had indicated. Her counsel indicated she wanted the money that he received for those items. Well, you know what? Jared didn't claim those items, so he never received any funds from those. So there was no funds for him to give. In fact, he was working his way to pay back people on the GoFundMe from the money she took. So he was paying out of pocket for money. In my opinion, she stole just to make things right. There was no way I was letting her get any more money. No way.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jared received his annulment on his birthday, and he couldn't have asked for a better gift.

[Jared]

I actually ended up getting the annulment on my birthday. I wasn't even worried about the birthday. I'm a free man again. It's done and over with. This was drug out for four and a half months. And I'm just, like, the pressure and relief I felt, hey, I can move on with my life. It's my life again.

[Tricia Lafarge]

The hearing was conducted over zoom. Jared had his camera on. Christy.

[Jared]

Didn't I have my camera on? Once I hear that it was gonna be ruled in my favor. I'm sitting there smiling at the camera. I know she can see me. I guess I just wanted to kind of rub it in her face, like, hey, you're a terrible person.

[Tricia Lafarge]

But she did not turn her camera on.

[Jared]

She never turned her camera on.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Did you hear her voice?

[Jared]

Oh, yes. And I actually had my mother in there with me, which. What a. What a complete. I don't even know how to describe it. I've never seen my mom so emotional other than the day we had children.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jared's mother, Kathy, isn't big on showing emotions, positive or negative, but she was.

[Jared]

So happy and relieved. She was more relieved than I was, and it was. And having her friend be my lawyer for the annulment, that just kind of made it bittersweet to her. It was nice to see my mom finally smile again.

[Tricia Lafarge]

And Jared was thrilled that this show of emotion was a joyful one.

[Melissa]

I was relieved and glad it went through so he. We can move on with our lives.

[Jared]

And it was a true, genuine smile and being happy and relieved. And so I'm like, hey, let's go to breakfast before the annulment. She goes, absolutely not. I'll throw up. I'm like, well, what? I'm like, oh, well, that's all right, Mom. I'll sit here with you.

[Tricia Lafarge]

I was able to Review the annulment paperwork. And in it, Christine, she had to confess, for once, the truth on the record.

[Jared]

She ended up saying there were never any children. And that was that solidified it to me, to everyone, the courts, the law. There were never any children and everything was a lie.

[Tricia Lafarge]

It was satisfying for Jared's lawyer, Melissa, as well.

[Melissa]

One thing I really wanted to ask her, because we had to set the groundwork in the hearing as to what the deception was, and she had never admitted to him that it wasn't true. So I point blank asked her, were there any kids? And she paused. She said no. And that my mind or my belief is the first he actually heard it from her because I did not want this lingering in his mind at all. I did not want there to be any question in the future whether he made the right decision or not. I wanted her to admit what she did to him.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Melissa proved Christy's deceit. She helped Jared be free from this nightmare. And even though she couldn't prove some other things about Kristi, it didn't stop her from having her own opinions on them. Specifically the fire. Do you think she's at the fire?

[Melissa]

Yes, 100%, because of the history of the prior fires. And I think this woman could do anything. And I think it probably helped with her whole storyline, because if they had stayed together, she could have built upon the trauma of the fire and how it affected her and therefore impacted the babies, which led to their death. And if you're going to build sympathy, I mean, house fire, baby deaths.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Melissa was convinced that Kristi set that fire. She was also convinced that Jared was the victim of a crime. Do you consider yourself the victim Victim of a crime?

[Jared]

I do, yes.

[Tricia Lafarge]

After everything Jared endured, it would be up to him to decide if criminal charges against Christie was a fight he wanted to pursue.

[Melissa]

He could have filed a private criminal complaint at a magistrate's office, and then it would go to the DA directly, and the DA would then determine to move forward. But he didn't need that additional battle. He needed closure and for it to be over. And I don't know that he ever wanted to punish her. He just wanted it over.

[Tricia Lafarge]

When Jared and I sat down, it was four and a half months after the births and two weeks after his annulment was final. I expressed to him that I was really glad to see that he was back on his feet.

[Jared]

What makes you think I'm back on my feet? I'm not the same person than I was before this happened.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jared wasn't the only one that Thought he was forever changed by all this. It's a sentiment shared by many people in Jared's life, including his mom, dad and Molly.

[Melissa]

I think there's going to be trust issues there and hopefully we'll grow as.

[Tricia Lafarge]

A, as a person, but I definitely think there's going to be some issues, issues there.

[Jared]

No, I think he's in a good frame of mind and yeah, you have to learn from this kind of stuff. Yeah, it just doesn't happen on tv. I guess you can't think of every girlfriend he's ever gonna have like this one. You know, this probably well, let's hope it never happens to him again. But you know, I tell him what I think and you know, right or wrong, I hope he, it helps him some.

[Tricia Lafarge]

You know, I don't think she lets on to us how much it actually affected him. I think he, like puts on a brave face, but I think it, it really did affect him. So I don't know that he's letting people know how bad it affected him. I think it's going to take him a while to personally be able to trust again. So I think he just needs to heal before he tries to date.

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[Tricia Lafarge]

As our initial time together drew to a close, I wondered if Jared had any advice for people out there after experiencing what he endured.

[Jared]

That's a tough one. Don't take. Do your research. And I hate to say it, but question these big decisions in your life. Don't say, okay, well she's or someone's pregnant. Question it. Get proof. And I think Covid made that a lot easier to pull off. Hopefully no one ever has to go through this again. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, but do your research.

[Tricia Lafarge]

There's no rule book on how to navigate such trauma, especially when it's so confusing and doesn't seem to make any sense. Jared and those closest to him coped in their own ways. His parents, Kathy and David, were hit especially hard.

[Melissa]

Oh, I was devastated. I just couldn't, I couldn't understand. I couldn't wrap my head around it. I, I had no idea what happened.

[Jared]

People were coming up with condolences. Some know, some don't. Some, some know the story. I mean, you gotta tell this effed up story, you know, probably 200 times to everybody that walks in the door because they're all friends. Her relatives live all around us here at home.

[Tricia Lafarge]

My wife was ecstatic, ready to be a grandma.

[Jared]

Oh yeah, yeah. She cried for two weeks after this.

[Jenny]

And he told him the whole story and yeah, we were still in the.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Hospital and just in disbelief.

[Jared]

Ended up the best thing that happened could have happened. And he doesn't have a wife or kids, so he's better off. You know, you don't know what to do for him. There's nothing I can do. My way of dealing with stuff is just kind of keeping busy and going and doing something. So we Went over. I went over and started working on the house.

[Melissa]

I had a lot of mixed emotions about that one.

[Tricia Lafarge]

After finding out everything, I was glad.

[Melissa]

That there was no babies. But on the other hand, I was sad that there was no babies.

[Tricia Lafarge]

But did thoughts of Christy interfere with their healing? If they had a chance to say something to her, if they had a chance to get some level of closure from her, what would those closest to Jared say and do?

[Jenny]

If you would have asked me this.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Question, I would have said I would.

[Jenny]

Have probably punched her in her mouth.

[Melissa]

I'd probably walk away. I. I don't have nothing nice to say to her.

[Jared]

No, I'm probably done with it, you know, because she's a liar. So no matter what you ask her, you're not going to get the truth.

[Jenny]

It wouldn't be words. It would be my fist. I was sad at first. Now I'm mad.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Jenny offers her final insight on Christy's endgame.

[Jenny]

I don't think she can have children. I think that's what the main thing of this is, that she wants a family. She wants to actually have, like, something of hers that she didn't have when she was a child herself.

[Tricia Lafarge]

When I heard Jenny say that, I felt sad for Christy. A child from a broken and abusive home, and all she wanted was a family of her own. But her desires don't justify the means she took to try to achieve that dream.

[Jenny]

I hate how everything went down, and I hate the fact that she did that. But I also hate the fact that knowing what I know now of her family situation, that could have been the reason why this was all caused. That's what I hate. That's what makes me sad, because she's a very nice girl. She would do anything for anyone. You know, she would go to the moon and back.

[Melissa]

But to.

[Jenny]

To do all of this for attention. Why? Why?

[Jared]

People don't change completely overnight. It's a gradual thing, and it's hard to get past those bad qualities. You never grow out of them, especially if your morals are incorrect. I mean, that's what you live by. And unfortunately, I chose incorrectly and I really want to harp on it. Make sure you know who you're wanting to spend the rest of your life with.

[Tricia Lafarge]

We made an attempt to reach out to Christy to see if she. She wanted to tell her side of the story. She declined to speak to us. We did find out some news. After completing her medical treatment, Christy has relocated and is living in a different state. She's in a new relationship and engaged, and she recently gave birth to a baby girl. We found all of this out on Facebook. The Unborn is a production of iHeart podcasts, audio up and Jesuit Press Productions created by Tricia lafarche and Frank Rodriguez Mall produced by Alvin Cohen and Rachel Foley Executive produced by Jimmy Jelinek, David and Jarrod Gustav Edited by Gerard Bauer and Preston Dawson Sound design and mixing by Jeremiah Zimmerman. This podcast is supported by BetterHelp, offering licensed therapists you can connect with via video phone or chat. Here's BetterHelp head of clinical Operations Hes Yu Jo discussing who can benefit from therapy. I think a lot of people think that you're supposed to be going to therapy once you're like having panic attacks every day. But before you get to that point, I think once you start even noticing that you feel a little bit off and you can't maintain this harmony that you once had in relationships, that could be a sign that maybe you want.

[Melissa]

To go talk to somebody.

[Tricia Lafarge]

There's always a benefit in talking to someone because we can all benefit from improved insight about ourselves and who we are and how we behave with other people. So if you're human, that's like a good indicator that you could benefit from talking to somebody. Find out if therapy is right for you. Visit betterhelp.com today. That's betterhelp.com the flavor, the tradition and.

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[Tricia Lafarge]

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[Jared]

For me personally, I was one of those people who, like many of us, weren't taught about finances. You know, my parents didn't know, but.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Now this is the time where I.

[Jared]

Can become somebody who creates generational wealth.

[Melissa]

Or I just sort of end up.

[Tricia Lafarge]

Being in the same hamster wheel that.

[Jared]

We'Ve been in for generations.

[DJ Dramos]

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