The Troubled Teen Industry: Legal Kidnapping in America

The Troubled Teen Industry: Legal Kidnapping in America

Author: Moms and Mysteries Podcast January 1, 2026 Duration: 1:19:28
Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
SocietyCultureSociety & CultureTrue Crime
*Subscribe to our youtube!* For decades, desperate parents have sent their struggling teens to residential treatment programs that promise to help them overcome everything from behavioral issues to substance abuse. But for many, these programs deliver years of trauma and abuse, rebranded as discipline and growth. This week, we are pulling back the curtain on the billion-dollar Troubled Teen Industry. What happens when a parent’s last resort becomes a child’s worst nightmare? We explore the slick marketing and manipulative tactics used by these facilities to lure in terrified families, and the shocking reality of what goes on behind closed doors. From isolation and psychological abuse to a system where compliance is mistaken for healing, we uncover the repeatable, cult-like model that defines many of these programs. We also discuss the tragic case of Taylor Goodridge, a 17-year-old who died at a Utah facility just days after her arrival, and the fight for justice and regulation that continues today, championed by survivors like Paris Hilton. This is a look into an industry that operates in the shadows, and the fight to bring it into the light. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Start the new year off on a great foot with your kids! Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at Greenlight.com/moms. For 50% off your order, head to DailyLook.com and use code MOMS50. Right now IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Get organized, refreshed, and back on track this new year for WAY less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home! Whatever challenges you’re facing, Grow Therapy is here to help. Sessions average about $21 with insurance and some pay as little as $0, depending on their plan. Visit GrowTherapy.com/MOMS today to get started. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between school drop-offs and grocery runs, Mandy and Melissa found a shared obsession with the unanswered questions lurking in the shadows. Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast is the result: a conversation that feels like sitting at a kitchen table with two friends who are deeply curious about the human condition. Their perspective is uniquely grounded, examining each story not just for its shock value, but for the societal threads and personal tragedies that weave it together. You’ll hear them discuss everything from the strangely specific weirdness of a Florida crime to a globally known cold case, always with a blend of empathy and a dash of necessary, dark humor. This isn't a clinical report; it's a twice-weekly deep dive fueled by a lifelong fascination with mysteries, both big and small. The tone is warm, the research is thorough, and the conversation is the kind you get hooked on. New episodes of this true crime podcast arrive every Tuesday and Thursday, ready to be your companion during a commute or while folding laundry. They’ve been asking "how did this happen?" since they were kids, and now they’re pulling up a chair for you to join that ongoing, compelling discussion.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

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Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Sante & Kenny Kimes Jr. Case & The Murder of Irene Silverman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:05
On July 5th, 1998, 82-year-old Manhattan socialite Irene Silverman vanished from her Upper East Side townhouse without a trace. There were no signs of a struggle and no forced entry, but the investigation quickly pointed…
The Oahu Cliff Attack & The Trial of Gerhardt Konig [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:27
In the world of true crime, we talk a lot about masking the face a person presents to the world versus the face they wear behind closed doors. Few cases illustrate that duality more starkly than the story of Gerhardt and…
The Murder of Alyssa Burkett [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:08
On the morning of October 2, 2020, 24-year-old Alyssa Burkett pulled into the parking lot of her job in Carrollton, Texas. Within minutes, she was ambushed in broad daylight, shot, and stabbed multiple times. What initia…
The Disappearance and Murder of Mamta Kafle Bhatt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:24
Mamta Kafle Bhatt worked tirelessly to build a life in the United States. She was a dedicated nurse at UVA Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, Virginia, and a loving mother to her one-year-old daughter. From the o…
The Murder of Moriah Wilson & The Escape of Kaitlin Armstrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:21
On May 11, 2022, 25-year-old professional gravel cyclist Moriah Wilson was found shot to death inside a friend's apartment in Austin, Texas. She had traveled to town for a major race that had the potential to elevate her…
The Starvation Doctor: Linda Hazzard & The Williamson Sisters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:51
A quick note on today's episode: Linda Hazzard's 'treatments' heavily involved extreme fasting and starvation. We want to mention this up front for anyone who might be sensitive to discussions around restrictive diets or…
The Murder of Angie Resendiz & The Legacy of Vanessa Guillen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:23
At 2:14 AM, Navy sailor Angelina “Angie” Resendiz made a frantic, crying phone call to a friend, begging to be picked up from a fellow sailor’s barracks. Moments later, a man took the phone and insisted she was fine, eve…

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