Truer Crime – “Nobody Should Believe Me” (Season 6) Host: Celisia Stanton
Date: October 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Truer Crime," hosted by Celisia Stanton, introduces Season 6 of the podcast “Nobody Should Believe Me.” The focus is on Munchausen by proxy (medical child abuse) and the harrowing story of Michelle, a survivor whose family’s dark secrets are brought into the open. Through gripping conversations with witnesses, advocates, and survivors, the episode explores the complexities of believing abuse victims, failures of the justice system, and the deep psychological scars left by such crimes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Living in the Shadow of Abuse

• Michelle recounts her childhood, defined by illness and secrecy.

• The ripple effect of suspicion and disbelief—from family to the broader community.

  [00:26] C: “Michelle has lived in the shadow of her family's dark past for decades, but now she's ready to bring it into the light.”

  [00:44] A: “Being told that she was really sick.”

2. The Impact on Siblings and the Cycle of Harm

• The family’s trauma extends beyond Michelle; her siblings also suffered.

• Listeners hear the pain of powerlessness in the face of persistent abuse.

  [00:51] B: “How somebody could do that to a child that was so little and so helpless still to this day haunts me.”

3. Failures of the Judicial and Child Welfare Systems

• Lisa McDaniel, Michelle’s mother, managed to manipulate systemic cracks and regain custody—even after jail time for medical child abuse.

• Judges and authorities failed to safeguard the victims.

  [01:07] D: “The judge gave full custody back to them. I stood up and I told him, I hope you don't sleep when you go home tonight. You have no idea what you've done, and you should be ashamed of yourself.”

  [01:17] C: “Even after going to jail for medical child abuse, Lisa seemed to find every crack in the system to get her daughter's back.”

4. A Pattern of Munchausen by Proxy

• The host and guests identify telltale signs: repeated, unexplained illness, and the mother’s relentless manipulation.

• The discussion emphasizes how Munchausen by proxy operates under the radar due to gaps in awareness and systemic checks.

  [01:42] A: “As a caregiver, you pour yourself into advocacy and helping other people. That's who I am at heart as a helper. There's a pattern. This fits a pattern, and it is lethal. Munchausen by proxy.”

5. Belief, Doubt, and the Need for Nuance

• The episode’s central theme: how difficult it is to be believed—and the devastation that disbelief causes.

• Survivors plea for acknowledgment and support.

  [00:34] B: “Please listen. Please listen. You're asking me to listen to you. Please listen to me.”

  [01:55] C: “Nobody else bothered to protect me.”

  [01:57] B: “Nobody else bothered to protect my siblings.”

6. Physical and Emotional Toll

• The ongoing harm inflicted long after the abuse ends: guilt, trauma, and the struggle for justice and validation.

  [01:36] D: “You should see my face right now, because I'm thinking, did he ever really have it?”

  [01:59] A: “Lord, if you're gonna take him, then go ahead and take him. Please do it now. Neither one of those children were suffering because of a disease.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "You said nobody wants to believe there's a monster in their family. You think she's a monster?" – A [00:01]
  Introduction to the theme of familial denial and horror.

• "How somebody could do that to a child that was so little and so helpless still to this day haunts me." – B [00:51]
  Captures the deep, lasting impact of the abuse on witnesses and loved ones.

• "There’s a pattern. This fits a pattern, and it is lethal. Munchausen by proxy." – A [01:42]
  Highlights the medical and psychological underpinnings.

• "Nobody else bothered to protect me. Nobody else bothered to protect my siblings." – C & B [01:55 – 01:57]
  A powerful callout of system-wide failures.

Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:01–00:26 — Introduction to the family's dark secret and initial denial.
• 00:34–00:51 — Michelle’s pleas to be heard and the legacy of secrecy.
• 01:07–01:17 — Judicial and systemic failures come to the fore.
• 01:28–01:39 — Suspicions grow as the pattern of illness unfolds with another child.
• 01:42–01:55 — The lethal nature of Munchausen by proxy is named and discussed.
• 01:55–02:09 — Survivors’ voices underscore the stark reality of abandonment and disbelief.

Tone & Style

The episode maintains a somber yet urgent tone, marked by emotional testimony and clear-eyed analysis. Speakers grapple with disbelief, anger, and the courage required to confront painful truths. Host Celisia Stanton guides the conversation with sensitivity and determination, amplifying the voices of survivors and advocates.

Summary: This kickoff to Season 6 of “Nobody Should Believe Me” lays out the devastating impact of medical child abuse, the challenges of exposing the truth, and the persistent failures of those meant to protect. Through survivor accounts and expert insights, the episode urges listeners to listen, believe, and demand institutional accountability.