Episode 192: Operation Mei Mei

Episode 192: Operation Mei Mei

Author: Suffer the Little Children March 20, 2025 Duration: 48:34
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In 2022, 15-month-old Isabella Kuykendall attended the United States Navy’s Ford Island Child Development Center, a daycare at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for three days. During those three days, Bella went from a happy, bubbly baby to alternately crying hysterically and becoming quiet and withdrawn. Then her parents noticed a distinctive pinching bruise on Bella’s thigh. An investigation turned up hours of CCTV footage from inside the daycare, showing three workers abusing the baby, including pinching, shoving, crushing, slapping, shaking, and smothering her.

Bella’s parents, JD and Kaitlin Kuykendall, assumed their baby’s abusers would immediately face consequences, but instead, officials seemed hell-bent on sweeping the incident under the rug. The daycare workers responsible remained working at the CDC for months. Only when Bella’s parents went public with her story were any charges pressed, and those were woefully inadequate.

In this episode, you’ll hear my conversation with Kaitlin Kuykendall about what Bella endured, how it continues to affect her to this day, and why Kaitlin and her husband went public with her story.

This is the inspiring story of Operation Mei Mei.

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Suffer the Little Children centers on the stories of children lost to abuse and murder, aiming to restore their narratives and dignity beyond the headlines. This podcast meticulously details individual cases, often weaving in the perspectives of surviving family members and advocates to create a fuller, more human picture of each tragedy. The host approaches these difficult subjects with a commitment to factual clarity and a deep sense of respect, ensuring the victims are remembered as people, not just statistics. Listeners will hear detailed examinations of systemic failures, legal proceedings, and the long-term impact on communities, framed within broader discussions about child welfare and protection. It is a challenging but necessary listen, designed to foster awareness and understanding rather than sensationalism. By dedicating each episode to a specific child's story, the Suffer the Little Children podcast creates a space for remembrance and reflection that is both sobering and vital. The content naturally intersects with societal, cultural, and scientific aspects of how such crimes are perceived and addressed.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Suffer the Little Children
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