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
*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

Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Jane Mixer: The Controversial Conviction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:23
In 1969, Jane Louise Mixer, a 23-year-old law student at the University of Michigan, was trying to catch a ride home to tell her parents she was engaged to her boyfriend Phil. Jane was an exceptional student—top 10% of h…
[Unsolved] Cheryl Coker: The Kroger Parking Lot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:28
On an ordinary Tuesday morning in October 2018, Cheryl Coker vanished from her suburban Ohio home. Her SUV was found abandoned in a Kroger parking lot with her purse and phone still inside. Cheryl—a bubbly, talkative mom…
A Deadly Inheritance: The Von Stein Murder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:14
In July 1988, Lieth Von Stein was brutally murdered in his Washington, North Carolina home while his wife Bonnie barely survived the attack. The crime scene looked like a burglary gone wrong—but investigators quickly rea…
Absurd Lawsuits: Scams, Frauds and Greed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:00
Some crimes are violent, some are tragic, and some are just so absurd that they make you lose a little faith in humanity. Today we're diving into lawsuits so wild, so petty, and so downright unbelievable, you'll think we…
Janie Ballard: A Daughter's Deadly Greed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:24
When a friend found 58-year-old Janie Ballard stabbed over 70 times in her Little Rock, Arkansas home on September 13, 2003, investigators immediately suspected her own daughter, Leslie, and Leslie's much older husband,…
Forbidden Science: History's Dark Experiments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:39
Throughout history, scientists have pushed ethical boundaries in the name of progress—sometimes with horrifying consequences. From secret government programs to rogue researchers conducting experiments on unwitting subje…
The Krugersdorp Killings: A Prophet's Cult [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:00
In 2016, a small South African community was rocked by a series of brutal murders orchestrated by a woman who claimed to speak directly to God. Cecilia Steyn manipulated her followers into committing unspeakable acts, al…
[Update] Piketon Massacre: New Sentences [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:24
Major developments in one of Ohio's most shocking family annihilations. After years of investigation and legal battles, the Wagner family members have been sentenced for the brutal murders of eight members of the Rhoden…
[Unsolved] Who Killed Ronni Chasen? Hollywood's Mystery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:35
In 2010, Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen was driving home from a movie premiere when she was shot multiple times in her Mercedes. The high-profile murder sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, and the inves…
Jesse Baird & Luke Davies: Cop Turned Killer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:07
When Australian TV presenter Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies disappeared in February 2024, the investigation led to a shocking suspect: a serving NSW police officer. This case exposed the dangers of domestic viol…