Web of Lies (2014–…): Season 3, Episode 3 - Honey Trap - full transcript
Narrator:
A STRESSED OUT MOTHER...
YOU HAVE TO PROMISE
NOT TO JUDGE ME, OKAY?
...GRAPPLES WITH
HER DESPERATELY SICK SON...
I TOLD LACEY I'LL DO ANYTHING
TO HELP HER.
Narrator:...ON THE RUN FROM
THE BLACKEST OF SECRETS.
IT'S MY DAD.
WHAT SHE WAS SAYING TO ME
IS THAT THIS KID WAS POISONED.
Narrator: SHE REACHES OUT
TO THE WEB FOR HELP...
I THINK THE INTERNET
CREATES A NEW DIMENSION.
IT BECOMES LIKE
A GIANT ECHO CHAMBER.
Narrator:
...ONLY TO FIND...
Philipson: EVERYTHING
THAT LACEY HAD BEEN TELLING ME,
IT WAS SHOCKING.
Narrator:
...UNSPEAKABLE TRAGEDY.
IT WAS THE WORST THING
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
Narrator:
19-YEAR-OLD LACEY SPEARS
LIVES IN THE HEART
OF THE BIBLE BELT,
IN DECATUR, ALABAMA.
SHE GOES BY
THE NICKNAME LACEYBUG.
THE FIRST TIME I MET
LACEY WAS AT A DAY CARE.
MY KIDS STARTED GOING THERE,
AND SHE WAS A WORKER THERE.
HI, LITTLE BUDDY.
LACEY HAD A SWEET PERSONALITY.
HOW WAS YOUR DAY TODAY?
HE WAS VERY GOOD.
WE JUST KINDA GOT EACH OTHER
AND WE KINDA CLICKED.
Lacey: LOOK AT YOU!
Narrator: AFTER WORK, LACEY'S
APARTMENT BECOMES A REGULAR HANG-OUT
FOR SHAWNA
AND HER TWO SONS.
I'M GONNA TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU
WITH THOSE SQUIRRELS.
OH, THAT LOOKS SO NICE.
SHE TOOK CARE OF MY KIDS.
MY KIDS ADORED HER,
AND THEY HAD FUN WITH HER
WHEN SHE WAS THERE.
ALL RIGHT, GO PLAY.
GOD, LACEY, YOU'RE MORE
LIKE A MOTHER THAN A BABYSITTER.
LACEY DID TALK TO ME
ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE A BABY.
THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT SHE REALLY WANTED.
Narrator: BUT LACEY SEEMS
TO WANT TO SPEND ALL HER TIME
WITH SHAWNA AND HER KIDS,
INSTEAD OF FINDING SOMEONE
TO SETTLE DOWN WITH.
SHAWNA STARTS TO SENSE
THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG.
MORNING!
Lynch:
IT HAD JUST GOTTEN TO THE POINT
WHERE SHE WAS STAYING
AT MY HOUSE A LOT AT NIGHT.
WHEN I ASKED HER
IF SHE WAS GONNA GO HOME,
SHE WOULD GET KINDA SCARED
AND BE LIKE,
"NO, I'M JUST GONNA STAY HERE."
I WAS JUST WORRIED THAT
MAYBE SOMETHING WAS GOING ON?
NO, I -- I'M FINE.
ARE YOU SURE?
IT'S JUST -- LISTEN.
I'M LIKE,
"YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PLACE,
BUT YOU WANT TO STAY HERE.
YOU KNOW, SEVERAL, THREE
OR FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK, YOU KNOW,
WHAT'S GOING ON?"
IF I'M OVERSTAYING
MY WELCOME...
I'LL GO.
- NO, LACEY, PLEASE.
- NO, IT'S FINE.
I'LL JUST GET MY THINGS
AND GO.
SHE JUST JUMPED
ON THE DEFENSIVE,
GOT VERY UPSET.
SO I KNEW SOMETHING
WAS GOING ON.
BUT I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT TO THINK ABOUT IT.
Narrator: NOT LONG AFTER,
LACEY REACHES OUT TO SHAWNA
WITH SOME SURPRISING NEWS.
SHE SENDS SHAWNA A PHOTO
FROM AN ULTRASOUND.
OH, MY...
[ RINGING ]
LACEY?
YEAH, IT'S ME.
I KNEW IT!
OF COURSE, I WAS HAPPY FOR HER,
YOU KNOW, I KNOW
THAT'S WHAT SHE HAD WANTED.
THANKS.
IT'S NICE TO FINALLY SAY IT
OUT LOUD.
TELL ME THE WHOLE STORY.
Narrator: LACEY IS HAPPY
TO TALK ABOUT HER BABY.
BUT THERE'S ONE THING
SHE WON'T TALK ABOUT.
I WAS CURIOUS
ABOUT WHO THE DAD WAS.
BUT SHE NEVER COMMENTED ON IT
OR SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO I FELT LIKE IT REALLY
WASN'T ANY OF MY BUSINESS.
Narrator: GARNETT-PAUL THOMPSON
SPEARS IS BORN AT DECATUR HOSPITAL
ON DECEMBER 3rd, 2008.
HE'S A HEALTHY 6 POUNDS,
13 OUNCES.
[ BABY CRIES ]
HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE
LISTS HIS FATHER AS UNKNOWN.
SHE WAS OVER THE MOON
WHEN SHE HAD GARNETT.
Narrator: BUT STRANGELY, HER JOY
QUICKLY FADES WHEN HER PARENTS ARRIVE.
Lynch: THE TIMES THAT I WAS WITH
LACEY WHEN SHE WAS AROUND HER FAMILY,
YOU COULD TELL
THERE WAS SOMETHING
A LITTLE OFF WITH THEM.
SHE WAS KINDA STANDOFFISH,
YOU KNOW.
Narrator: LACEY DOESN'T SEEM TO
WANT HER PARENTS' HELP WITH GARNETT.
LACEY SEEMED FINE WITH BEING
ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF A CHILD
AS A SINGLE MOM.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT
SHE WOULD HAVE ANY PROBLEMS.
[ BABY CRIES ]
Narrator: BUT SOON ENOUGH,
LACEY FINDS SINGLE MOTHERHOOD TOUGH.
GARNETT'S NOT EATING,
AND HE'S NOT PUTTING ON WEIGHT.
DESPERATE FOR SUPPORT,
SHE TURNS TO THE INTERNET.
PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS
OFFERING ADVICE TO LACEY
THROUGH HER FACEBOOK POSTS.
I MEAN,
SHE WOULD POST QUESTIONS,
AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD FLOOD
HER POSTS.
YOU KNOW, ANYTHING
THAT WOULD HELP HER OUT
WITH ANYTHING THAT SHE POSTED.
Narrator: DESPITE RECEIVING
A TON OF ADVICE,
GARNETT DOESN'T IMPROVE.
ANYTHING LACEY MANAGES
TO GET HIM TO SWALLOW,
COMES RIGHT BACK UP.
POOR BABY.
AT 4 MONTHS, LACEY'S SON
IS IN CONSTANT DISTRESS.
[ BABY CRIES ]
HE KEEPS CRYING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
A DOCTOR DIAGNOSIS GARNETT
WITH FAILURE TO THRIVE
AND ORDERS SURGERY
THAT WILL MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HIM TO VOMIT.
Lynch:
I FELT HORRIBLE FOR LACEY
THAT SHE WAS HAVING
TO GO THROUGH THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW,
I FELT HORRIBLE FOR GARNETT
THAT HE HAD TO GO
THROUGH THAT MUCH PAIN AND --
AND, YOU KNOW,
ALL THE ISSUES THAT HE HAD.
Narrator: THE MONTHS PASSED,
BUT GARNETT STILL
ISN'T GAINING WEIGHT.
DOCTORS DECIDE TO TAKE
A DRASTIC STEP
TO MAKE SURE HE ABSORBS FOOD.
THEY INSERT A FEEDING TUBE
THROUGH HIS ABDOMEN.
[ BABY CRIES ]
AS HER SON STARTS
HIS LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY,
LACEY DOCUMENTS
EVERY MOMENT ONLINE.
NOTHING IS TOO PERSONAL.
Lynch: YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE
LOOKING ON YOUR FACEBOOK
AND SEEING A BABY
SPRAWLED OUT ON A BED.
THAT'S JUST HARD TO LOOK AT.
I JUST DON'T THINK
I WOULD'VE POSTED
IF THAT WAS MY SON.
BUT IF THAT'S WHAT SHE FELT
LIKE SHE NEEDED TO DO
TO GET THE SUPPORT
THAT SHE NEEDED THEN, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S WHAT SHE COULD DO.
[ CRIES ]
Narrator: IN SEARCH OF
AN EVEN LARGER SUPPORT NETWORK,
LACEY JOINS ONLINE FORUMS
FOR MOTHERS WITH SICK CHILDREN.
MESSAGES OF ENCOURAGEMENT
POUR IN.
THE NEW FEEDING TUBE
MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.
GARNETT STILL ISN'T THRIVING.
OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
LACEY GOES FROM DOCTOR TO DOCTOR
AND CONTINUES TO RECORD
HER STRUGGLE ONLINE.
LACEY ALWAYS HAD
A BRAVE FACE ON HER.
YOU KNOW, SHE SAID
THEY WOULD GET THROUGH THIS
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY
WOULD MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT
AND DO WHAT SHE HAD TO DO
TO TAKE CARE OF HER SON.
Narrator: ULTIMATELY, DESPITE
ALL OF THE ONLINE SUPPORT,
LACEY CAN'T COPE.
SHE DECIDES
SHE HAS TO GET OUT OF ALABAMA.
LACEY TOLD ME THE REASON
THAT SHE WAS MOVING TO FLORIDA
WAS TO HAVE
A BETTER LIFE FOR GARNETT.
SHE SAID THE WEATHER
THERE WAS BETTER
AND THAT HE WOULD
BE BETTER OFF THERE.
LACEY AND 2-YEAR-OLD GARNETT
MOVE IN
WITH LACEY'S GRANDMOTHER, PEGGY,
IN SUNNY CLEARWATER, FLORIDA.
PEGGY IS GLAD
TO HAVE THEM THERE.
AND FOR LACEY, AN EXTRA PAIR OF
HANDS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
SWEETIE PIE!
WHO'S THAT LITTLE CUTIE?
THIS IS MY GRANDSON.
Narrator: SOON LACEY, MAKES FRIENDS
WITH THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET.
KIM, THIS IS
MY GRANDDAUGHTER, LACEY.
HI, I'M KIM.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SON.
ISN'T HE LOVELY?
Philipson:
FIRST DAY I MET LACEY,
I COULD TELL SHE WAS
VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH HER SON.
JUST DOTED OVER HIM
AND SEEMED REALLY HAPPY
LIVING IN FLORIDA.
Narrator: INSPIRED BY
HER NEW SURROUNDINGS,
LACEY STARTS A BLOG TO SHARE
HER SON'S PROGRESS.
SHE CALLS IT
"GARNETT'S JOURNEY."
AND IT'S NOT JUST HIS MEDICAL
PROBLEMS SHE BLOGS ABOUT.
LACEY DIDN'T SPEAK AT ALL
ABOUT WHO GARNETT'S FATHER WAS.
I JUST FIGURED
SHE'S A SINGLE MOTHER.
Narrator: SHE KNOWS
SHE CAN'T AVOID TELLING HER SON
WHO HIS FATHER IS FOREVER.
GARNETT STILL HAS
HEALTH PROBLEMS,
BUT DESPITE THIS,
LACEY'S HAPPIER IN CLEARWATER
THAN SHE'S EVER BEEN.
ALL THAT CHANGES WHEN
HER PARENTS COME FOR A VISIT.
Man: HEY, LACEYBUG.
Philipson: LACEY'S FATHER WOULD
COME TO CLEARWATER AND STAY.
WHEN HE DID, LACEY
WOULD JUST HIDE IN THE HOUSE.
I WOULDN'T SEE HER DURING
THE TIME HER DAD WAS THERE.
HE WAS ALL OVER GARNETT.
PLAYED AND PLAYED
WITH GARNETT OUTSIDE,
WHILE LACEY WAS NOWHERE
TO BE FOUND.
IT JUST STRUCK ME AS VERY ODD.
Narrator:
A FEW WEEKS LATER,
KIM NOTICES LACEY
IS EXTREMELY ANXIOUS.
SHE WONDERS
IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO
WITH ANOTHER UPCOMING VISIT
FROM HER PARENTS?
Philipson: I COULD TELL
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
AND THEN THE DAY CAME
WHEN SHE WAS EXTREMELY UPSET.
HEY, ARE YOU OKAY?
WHAT IS IT,
WHAT'S GOING ON?
SHE LOOKED
REALLY BESIDE HERSELF.
VERY UPSET.
AND THAT'S WHEN SHE
OPENED UP AND SAID...
IT'S MY DAD.
HE'S ABUSING YOU,
ISN'T HE?
YES.
SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD BEEN
SEXUALLY ABUSED,
FOR A VERY LONG TIME
AND IT WAS STILL GOING ON.
AND IT GETS WORSE.
AND THAT'S WHEN
THE SECOND SHOCK CAME.
YOU HAVE TO PROMISE
NOT TO JUDGE ME, OKAY?
OF COURSE,
I PROMISE.
SHE SAID GARNETT'S FATHER
WAS...
HER OWN FATHER.
Narrator: SINGLE MOTHER LACEY SPEARS
AND HER 2-YEAR-OLD SON, GARNETT,
HAVE MOVED FROM ALABAMA
TO FLORIDA
SO THEY CAN LIVE
WITH HER GRANDMOTHER, PEGGY.
LACEY HAS JUST TOLD
HER NEIGHBOR, KIM,
A TERRIBLE SECRET
ABOUT HER OWN FATHER.
HE'S GARNETT'S DAD.
OH, GOD.
AT THAT MOMENT, I FELT SO SICK
AND I FELT SO SORRY FOR GARNETT.
IT WAS SO DISGUSTING.
I JUST WANTED TO PROTECT HIM.
AND...
IT KIND OF EXPLAINED PROBABLY
HIS MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
DOES YOUR MOM KNOW?
YES.
I TOLD LACEY I'LL DO ANYTHING
TO HELP HER.
I'LL MAKE THE POLICE REPORT.
I'LL TAKE GARNETT
TO THE DOCTOR --
WHATEVER I COULD DO.
AND LACEY SAID,
"NO, NO YOU CAN'T TELL.
YOU CAN'T TELL."
YOU PROMISED.
YOU CAN'T TELL ANYBODY,
ALL RIGHT?
IT'S NOT GARNETT'S FAULT.
Narrator: SWORN TO SECRECY,
KIM FINDS HERSELF
IN AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION.
Philipson: LACEY'S FATHER
JUST CAME AND WENT.
MAYBE EVERY TWO OR THREE WEEKS,
HE WOULD STAY FOR A COUPLE DAYS.
IT WAS HORRIFIC.
- KIM.
- ARE YOU OKAY?
HOW ARE YOU?
I'M NOT OKAY.
CAN I STAY WITH YOU?
WHEN LACEY'S FATHER
WAS VISITING AGAIN
LACEY WAS EXTREMELY UPSET.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
WHAT'S GOING ON?
LAST TIME
THEY WERE HERE,
I I-I JUST DIDN'T
WANT TO TELL YOU,
BUT I GOT PREGNANT.
AND I -- I --
I HAD A MISCARRIAGE.
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.
NO, KIM,
YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
NO, I'M STOPPING THIS.
NO, PLEASE, STOP!
DON'T GO!
I FELT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING
TO HELP HER.
I CONFRONTED LACEY'S MOM.
I JUST BENT DOWN
AND I SAID,
"YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR ASS BACK
TO ALABAMA WHERE YOU BELONG."
AND TELL YOUR HUSBAND
TO NEVER COME HERE AGAIN
OR I WILL CALL
THE POLICE!
OH!
OH!
MA, SHE'S THREATENING ME!
SHE WAS EXTREMELY UPSET.
PLEASE, KIM,
YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE,
OR MY GRANDMA
WILL SEND US BACK TO ALABAMA.
PLEASE, PLEASE!
[ SIGHS ]
SHE SAID,
"PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE
BECAUSE OTHERWISE
I WON'T BE ABLE TO STAY HERE."
Narrator:
KIM CAN SEE LACEY IS TERRIFIED,
BUT SHE'S COME TOO FAR
TO STOP NOW.
LOOK, PEGGY, I AM SORRY
I UPSET YOUR DAUGHTER.
BUT THERE ARE THINGS
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
WAIT. JUST --
IT -- IT --
NO. STOP.
OKAY? JUST STOP.
Philipson: LACEY WAS LOOKING
AT ME JUST SHAKING HER HEAD
THINKING, "DON'T SAY ANYTHING.
DON'T SAY ANYTHING."
AT THIS POINT, I --
I KNEW MS. PEGGY NEEDED TO KNOW
WHAT WAS REALLY HAPPENING.
LOOK,
LACEY'S FATHER ABUSED HER.
- NO.
- HE RAPED HER.
NO! NO!
- HE GOT HER PREGNANT.
- IT'S NOT TRUE.
SHE MISCARRIED
IN YOUR OWN HOME, PEGGY!
LISTEN!
YOU LISTEN TO ME!
I DON'T WANT
TO HEAR ANYTHING, OKAY?
- LOOK...
- NO, STOP.
OKAY? JUST STOP.
SHE WASN'T GONNA HEAR OF IT,
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Narrator: PEGGY TELLS KIM
SHE WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT GO
TO THE POLICE
ABOUT LACEY'S DAD.
Philipson:
THAT WAS THE END OF ANY CONTACT
WITH LACEY AND LACEY'S FAMILY.
IT WAS THE END.
I HAD HAD ENOUGH.
Narrator:
OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
LACEY'S DAD CONTINUES TO PAY
REGULAR VISITS TO HIS DAUGHTER.
LACEY ONCE AGAIN
TURNS TO THE INTERNET,
THIS TIME ON A DESPERATE SEARCH
FOR A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.
IT TAKES MONTHS TO FIND
WHAT SHE'S LOOKING FOR,
BUT IN THE FALL OF 2012,
SHE HAS A STROKE OF LUCK.
IT'S A LIVE-IN JOB OFFER.
AND THE BEST PART IS
THAT IT'S 900 MILES AWAY
IN NEW YORK STATE.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE ANSWER
TO ALL HER PRAYERS.
A FEW WEEKS BEFORE
GARNETT'S FOURTH BIRTHDAY,
LACEY SETS OFF
FOR CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK,
EAGER TO START A NEW LIFE
AND LEAVE HER OLD ONE BEHIND.
THEY'RE HEADED
FOR THE FELLOWSHIP,
AN ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE
COMMUNITY CARING
FOR THE ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE.
AS SOON AS LACEY
LEADS GARNETT UP THE PATH,
SHE'S CONVINCED
SHE'S FOUND THE RIGHT PLACE.
LONG-TIME RESIDENT
VALERIE JOHNSON WELCOMES THEM.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU, LACEY.
O'Brien:
VALERIE WAS FRIENDLY WITH LACEY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I WOULD CALL THEM FRIENDS
SO MUCH AS I WOULD SAY
VALERIE'S MORE FRIENDS
WITH GARNETT.
GARNETT, IT'S SO NICE
TO MEET YOU.
GREAT TO HAVE
SOME LIFE AROUND HERE.
I THINK THERE'S A FEW THINGS
THAT PROBABLY ATTRACTED LACEY
TO THE FELLOWSHIP.
IT'S ISOLATED FROM THE OUTSIDE
COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO HIDE
FROM WHATEVER
YOU'RE HIDING FROM.
Narrator: LACEY AND GARNETT FOLLOW
VALERIE TO A LARGE APARTMENT
IN A BUILDING
CALLED TULIP HOUSE.
SO THIS WILL BE
YOUR PLACE.
OH, IT'S GREAT!
OH, HOW DO --
THERE'S --
THERE'S NO LOCKS.
OH, NO.
WE DON'T BELIEVE IN LOCKS HERE.
BUT YOU'LL GET USED TO IT.
NOW WHAT CAN WE DO
TO MAKE GARNETT FEEL AT HOME?
HOW ABOUT
SOME HOMEMADE ICE CREAM?
IN THE COMMUNITY,
THERE'S VERY LITTLE PRIVACY.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A HOME.
YOU HAVE A ROOM.
BUT YOU CAN'T LOCK YOUR HOUSE.
INHALE, UP.
Narrator:
THE FELLOWSHIP MAY BE STRANGE,
BUT LACEY AND GARNETT
DIVE IN HEAD-FIRST.
AND THEY SETTLE IN QUICKLY.
BEAUTIFUL.
THERE WAS POSTS
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
THAT SHE WAS LIVING IN.
YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT
THE WAY OF LIFE
THAT THEY WERE
TRAVELING DOWN NOW.
AND SHE SEEMED TO BE
HAVING A GOOD TIME.
EVERYBODY LOOKED AFTER GARNETT
'CAUSE THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
BUT THERE WERE CERTAIN PEOPLE
WHO SPENT MORE TIME
WITH GARNETT THAN OTHERS.
VALERIE, OF COURSE,
WOULD BE ONE OF THEM.
AND GARNETT,
JUST BEING THAT HAPPY KID,
WAS KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE CHICK
IN THE HENHOUSE.
Narrator: BUT AS HAPPY AS LACEY
AND GARNETT ARE AT THE FELLOWSHIP,
GARNETT IS STILL PLAGUED BY
THE MYSTERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS
HE'S HAD SINCE BIRTH.
YOU ALL RIGHT THERE,
BUDDY?
INFLUENCED BY HER NEW FRIENDS,
LACEY DECIDES TRADITIONAL
MEDICINE HAS FAILED HER SON
AND MAYBE HOLISTIC MEDICINE
CAN HELP INSTEAD.
AS SHE TELLS HER ONLINE FRIENDS,
THE NEW HOMEOPATHIC APPROACH
SEEMS TO BE WORKING.
BUT GARNETT'S IMPROVED HEALTH
WILL BE SHORT-LIVED.
JUST WEEKS AFTER
HIS FIFTH BIRTHDAY...
[ SIREN WAILS ]
HE HAS A SEIZURE AND IS RUSHED
TO NYACK HOSPITAL.
THE CAUSE OF HIS ATTACK
WILL ROCK THIS COMMUNITY
TO ITS CORE.
Narrator:
FIVE-YEAR-OLD GARNETT SPEARS
HAS BEEN RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
AFTER A SEIZURE.
[ MONITORS BEEPING ]
DOCTORS HOOK HIM UP TO AN EEG,
THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF TESTS
THEY HOPE WILL EXPLAIN
WHAT CAUSED THE ATTACK.
LACEY'S UPDATES
ABOUT HER SON ON FACEBOOK
ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY
MATTER-OF-FACT AND HORRIFYING.
Lynch: EVERY TIME LACEY WOULD
POST SOMETHING ABOUT GARNETT,
I WOULD POST IT ON MY NEWS FEED
AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "THIS FAMILY
NEEDS A PRAYER RIGHT NOW."
Narrator: PRAYERS POUR IN.
AND WHEN FRIENDS FROM THE
FELLOWSHIP VISIT THE NEXT DAY,
THEY ARE RELIEVED
BY WHAT THEY FIND.
HI, GARNETT!
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU!
YOU'RE LOOKING REALLY GOOD!
PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED
AT HOW WELL GARNETT
SEEMED TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL.
JOHN AND MATT ARE OUTSIDE.
OH, I'LL GO SAY, "HELLO."
ALL RIGHT.
THE PEOPLE WHO SAW HIM JUST
THOUGHT HE WOULD BE BACK HOME.
HOW'S MY
MINT-CHOCOLATE-CHIP BOY?
READY FOR SOME SPRINKLES
ON TOP THIS TIME?
Narrator: DOCTORS ARE ENCOURAGED
BY GARNETT'S IMPROVEMENT
AND CAN FIND NO OBVIOUS CAUSE
OF THE SEIZURE.
THEY TELL HIS MOTHER THEY PLAN
TO RELEASE HIM THAT DAY.
NO, NO.
HE SEEMS FINE NOW, BUT
I'M TELLING YOU, HE'S NOT OKAY.
LACEY IS ADAMANT THAT THE
DOCTORS HAVE MISSED SOMETHING.
YOU NEED TO HELP HIM!
DON'T LEAVE!
ALL TOO SOON, THE DOCTORS
WILL REALIZE LACEY'S RIGHT.
GARNETT DOES NEED
THEIR HELP, URGENTLY.
[ ALARM RINGING ]
GARNETT, ARE YOU OKAY?
I TOLD YOU.
I TOLD YOU!
HE'S NOT ALL RIGHT, HELP HIM!
PLEASE HELP HIM.
PLEASE, DO WHATEVER!
Narrator:
GARNETT STOPS BREATHING.
HE IS AIRLIFTED TO A SPECIALIZED
INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
IN VALHALLA, NEW YORK,
HIS MOTHER BY HIS SIDE.
GARNETT IS
IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
BUT AS DOCTORS
TRY TO STABILIZE HIM,
THEY STILL HAVE NO DIAGNOSIS
OF HIS NOW LIFE-THREATENING
ILLNESS.
THEY DECIDE THEY HAVE
TO CALL IN THE POLICE.
DOCTOR CANTER?
DETECTIVE CARFI WITH THE
WESTCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Carfi: DOCTOR CANTER ADVISED
THAT THE CHILD IN QUESTION,
GARNETT SPEARS,
HAD SUFFERED
A MAJOR BRAIN TRAUMA
AND WAS CURRENTLY
ON LIFE SUPPORT.
Narrator: DOCTOR CANTER
TELLS DETECTIVE DAN CARFI
THAT SHE BELIEVES
GARNETT'S CONDITION
IS TIED TO A SPIKE
IN HIS SODIUM LEVELS.
SHE FELT THAT THERE WAS
NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION
FOR THE AMOUNT OF SODIUM
IN THIS CHILD.
WHAT SHE WAS SAYING TO ME
IS THAT THIS KID WAS POISONED.
I WALKED BY THE CHILD'S ROOM.
AND I SAW GARNETT WAS HOOKED
TO LIFE SUPPORT.
AT THAT TIME,
I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO LACEY
AND ASKED HER IF SHE HAD
A FEW MOMENTS TO TALK.
EXCUSE ME, LACEY.
DETECTIVE CARFI,
WESTCHESTER PD.
DO YOU MIND IF I ASK YOU
A FEW QUESTIONS?
LACEY APPEARED TO BE UPSET
AND REALLY DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER SON.
MIND ME ASKING,
HAVE YOU BEEN GIVING HIM
ANY MEDICATIONS AT ALL?
LACEY STATED
THAT SHE HAD RECENTLY,
IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO,
GOT INTO HOLISTIC MEDICINES
THAT SHE LEARNED FROM A DOCTOR
FROM THE FELLOWSHIP.
GOD, DO YOU THINK
THAT ONE OF THE MEDICATIONS
COULD'VE CAUSED THIS?
I COULD GIVE YOU A LIST
IF YOU'D LIKE.
THAT WOULD BE GOOD
BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING INTO
EVERY POSSIBILITY
RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: THAT NIGHT, GARNETT IS
STILL STRUGGLING ON HIS RESPIRATOR.
DETECTIVE CARFI IS JOINED
AT THE HOSPITAL
BY KIRK BUDNICK AND GREG DUNN,
DETECTIVES FROM
THE RAMAPO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TOGETHER, THEY NEED TO FIND OUT
WHAT'S BEHIND
GARNETT'S MYSTERIOUS COLLAPSE.
Carfi: WE STARTED GOING
OVER WHAT WE HAD.
DO WE HAVE
A MEDICAL MALPRACTICE?
DO WE HAVE A HOSPITAL THAT MAYBE
MIXED UP SOME MEDICATIONS
OR HOOKED THE WRONG BAG
TO THIS CHILD?
DID WE HAVE A MOTHER
WHO WAS USING HOLISTIC MEDICINES
AND DOESN'T QUITE KNOW
HOW TO PREPARE THEM
AND CAUSED THIS ACCIDENTLY?
DO WE HAVE
SOME SORT OF ACCIDENT HERE?
OR DID SOMEONE
INTENTIONALLY POISON THIS CHILD?
Narrator:
DETECTIVES BUDNICK AND DUNN
DECIDE TO SEARCH
LACEY'S APARTMENT.
Dunn:
WE ENTERED INTO THE APARTMENT.
THE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED.
WHEN WE WALKED IN,
I FOUND IT VERY ODD
THAT NOTHING WAS OUT OF PLACE
BECAUSE LACEY HAD LEFT
HER HOUSE IN AN EMERGENCY
BECAUSE HER SON
WAS HAVING A SEIZURE.
IT APPEARED THAT THE HOUSE
WAS CLEANED UP AND SPOTLESS.
YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S TOO NEAT.
IT'S TOO TIDY.
THERE WAS SOMETHING
THAT SAID, "THIS IS NOT RIGHT."
I THINK I FOUND
THE MEDS.
THERE WERE OVER
150 HOLISTIC MEDICINES
THAT WE RECOVERED
ON THAT SEARCH WARRANT.
Narrator: THE DETECTIVES GATHER UP
ALL OF LACEY'S HOLISTIC MEDICINES
AND TAKE THEM
TO THE LAB FOR TESTING.
AND THEN THEY WAIT.
THE NEXT DAY DAWNS WITH TRAGEDY
AND LACEY SHARES
DEVASTATING NEWS ONLINE.
ALL HOPE FOR LITTLE
GARNETT'S RECOVERY IS GONE.
Lynch: I SAW THE FACEBOOK POST.
IT WAS HEARTBREAKING.
WHEN YOU READ SOMETHING
LIKE THAT, IT HURTS YOUR HEART.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A PARENT,
YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT HAPPENING
TO SOMEBODY THAT YOU KNOW.
Narrator: LACEY NOW FACES
EVERY MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
SHE WILL HAVE TO MAKE THE CALL
TO TURN OFF HIS LIFE SUPPORT.
AS LACEY AGONIZES, DETECTIVES
ARE NO CLOSER TO FINDING OUT
WHAT CAUSED GARNETT'S
SODIUM LEVELS TO SKYROCKET.
LAB RESULTS ON THE ITEMS
COLLECTED FROM LACEY'S APARTMENT
SHOW NO TRACES OF SODIUM...
...AND THERE'S A GOOD REASON
FOR THAT.
UNBEKNOWNST TO DETECTIVES,
SOMEONE ELSE
HAS GOTTEN THERE FIRST.
Narrator: DOCTORS SUSPECT
THAT SODIUM POISONING
CAUSED THE BRAIN DEATH
OF 5-YEAR-OLD GARNETT SPEARS,
WHO IS NOW ON LIFE SUPPORT.
BUT THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
OF MALPRACTICE AT THE HOSPITAL.
AND DETECTIVES HAVE SEARCHED
GARNETT'S MOTHER,
LACEY'S APARTMENT
AND FOUND NO SODIUM
IN THE ITEMS THEY COLLECTED.
STILL, THE SEASONED
INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE
SOMEONE IS HIDING SOMETHING...
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
...AND DECIDE
IT'S TIME TO BRING IN
THE ENTIRE SPEARS FAMILY
TO GET SOME ANSWERS.
NOW, LACEY, I NEED YOU
TO THINK REALLY HARD.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING,
OTHER THAN THE THINGS
THAT YOU'VE TOLD US ABOUT,
THAT MAY HAVE
BEEN A FACTOR?
THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM HER.
WELL, I THOUGHT THAT WAS ODD.
AS WE STARTED TO LOOK
AT LACEY'S FAMILY,
I FELT THE RELATIONSHIP
THEY HAD WITH LACEY WAS STRANGE.
NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF.
OUR GUT FEELING WAS
THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG HERE.
Narrator: TROUBLED AFTER THE
MEETING AND ACTING ON A HUNCH,
DETECTIVE CARFI
STARTS CALLING PEOPLE
CLOSE TO THE SPEARS FAMILY
TO SEE IF THEY CAN SHED
ANY LIGHT
ON THEIR BIZARRE BEHAVIOR.
HIS HUNCH IS ABOUT TO PAY OFF.
MAY I SPEAK
TO KIM PHILIPSON, PLEASE?
HI, I'M KIM.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
I TOLD THE POLICE EVERYTHING --
WHAT'S GOING ON?
IT WAS, UH, QUITE DRAMATIC.
...WHAT SHE TOLD ME
ABOUT HER DAD...
HE'S ABUSING YOU,
ISN'T HE?
YES.
...ABOUT THE ABUSE...
NO, KIM,
YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
...ABOUT WHO
GARNETT'S FATHER WAS...
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.
...HOW I CONFRONTED
HER GRANDMOTHER...
LACEY'S FATHER ABUSED HER,
HE RAPED HER.
NO!
SHE MISCARRIED
IN YOUR OWN HOME, PEGGY!
STOP!
...AND HOW SHE LOOKED ME
SQUARE IN THE EYE
AND SAID...
"LACEY HAS
A TRUTHFULNESS ISSUE!"
AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW,
EVERYTHING WAS A LIE.
IT WAS --
IT WAS SHOCKING.
EVERYTHING THAT LACEY
HAS BEEN TELLING ME,
ALL OF THE PROTECTION
I WAS TRYING TO GIVE HER,
ALL OF THE ATTENTION
I GAVE HER...
EVERYTHING WAS A LIE.
I SAID TO MYSELF, "UH OH."
IS LACEY INVOLVED
IN SOMETHING HERE?
NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF.
Narrator: FOR DETECTIVE CARFI,
ALL BETS ARE OFF.
HE KNOWS HE HAS TO TAKE
A CLOSER LOOK AT LACEY.
WAS PEGGY TELLING KIM THE TRUTH
ABOUT HER GRANDDAUGHTER?
WHAT DETECTIVE CARFI UNCOVERS
IS ASTONISHING.
Carfi: THE FIRST THING THAT
JUMPED OUT TO ME WAS THE FACT
THAT SHE HAD THREE DIFFERENT
PROFILES ON FACEBOOK.
AND THREE DIFFERENT AUDIENCES,
ONE FOR EACH PROFILE.
IT BECAME READILY APPARENT
THAT THE REASON
FOR THESE MULTIPLE SITES
WAS TO DECEIVE HER AUDIENCES.
Budnick: SHE CLAIMED ON THE
INTERNET THAT SHE WAS A WET NURSE
AND THAT SHE'D DONATED
BREAST MILK TO WOMEN
THAT COULDN'T GIVE MILK
TO THEIR CHILDREN.
NOT TRUE.
SHE WAS A PARENT WHO HAD LOST
A PREVIOUS CHILD...
NOT TRUE.
SHE HAD A BRAIN INJURY
WHEN SHE WAS A CHEERLEADER
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
NOT TRUE.
Dunn: A TERRIBLE BLOOD DISORDER
THAT REQUIRED
MULTIPLE TRANSFUSIONS.
NOT TRUE.
Budnick:
SHE CLAIMED THAT HER HUSBAND
WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED
IN A CAR ACCIDENT...
IN A TERRIBLE MOTORCYCLE
ACCIDENT.
HE WAS A FORMER POLICEMAN
HIT BY A CAR.
EVERYTHING
SHE WAS TELLING WAS A LIE.
IF SHE COULD LIE
LIKE THAT SO METHODICALLY,
SHE COULD BE HIDING
SOMETHING
DIRECTLY RELATING
TO GARNETT AND HIS CARE.
[ MONITORS BEEPING ]
Narrator: DETECTIVES NOW REALIZE
THEY ARE DEALING
WITH A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR.
BUT THEY ARE STILL NO CLOSER
TO FINDING AN EXPLANATION
FOR GARNETT'S SODIUM POISONING.
THEN SUDDENLY, THE INVESTIGATION
TAKES ANOTHER TURN.
[ CELLPHONE RINGS ]
BUDNICK.
Budnick: THURSDAY MORNING,
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL.
OH, REALLY?
I IMMEDIATELY
TOLD DETECTIVE DUNN,
"WE NEED TO GO OVER
TO THE FELLOWSHIP COMMUNITY."
THAT'S WHEN EVERYTHING STARTED
TO COME TOGETHER REAL QUICKLY.
I DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO BEGIN.
Narrator:
VALERIE TELLS THE DETECTIVES
THAT AFTER GARNETT WAS RUSHED
TO THE HOSPITAL,
SHE WENT TO LACEY'S APARTMENT
AND REMOVED SOMETHING
SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE.
BUT IT'S HER REASON FOR DOING
SO THAT'S TRULY SHOCKING.
I GOT A CALL FROM LACEY.
I need you to let yourself
into the apartment
and get rid
of Garnett's feeding bag.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
PLEASE CAN YOU JUST
GET RID OF IT?
AND DON'T TELL ANYBODY.
PLEASE, PLEASE.
OF COURSE.
OF -- OF COURSE, LACEY,
Whatever you need.
WITH VALERIE'S REVELATION,
THE DETECTIVES MAY HAVE
THEIR FIRST PIECE OF EVIDENCE,
ALONG WITH THE PRIME SUSPECT.
WE HAD A PUZZLE
THAT WAS THROWN UP IN THE AIR.
AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO PUT
ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER.
AND NOW IT'S STARTING
TO POINT MORE
TOWARDS LACEY DID SOMETHING
WRONG TO HER SON.
Narrator: THEY RUSHED
THE FEEDING BAG TO THE LAB.
WITHIN THE HOUR,
CARFI GETS A CALL.
THE LAB TECHNICIAN CALLED ME.
HE SAID, "DANNY, SOMEBODY
PUT SALT IN HIS FEEDING BAG."
THE SODIUM LEVELS
ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.
I -- I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT,
"BOY, OH, BOY, THIS GIRL
JUST POISONED HER SON."
Narrator: BUT WITH NO LOCKS ON
THE DOORS AND THE SCENE DISTURBED,
THE DETECTIVES HAVE NO WAY
TO PROVE LACEY PUT
THE SODIUM IN THE BAG.
THANK YOU.
[ MONITOR BEEPING ]
LATER THAT MORNING,
LACEY FINALLY ORDERS
GARNETT TAKEN OFF LIFE SUPPORT
AND SHARES THE NEWS THAT
HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON IS DEAD.
[ MONITOR FLATLINES ]
AS EVER, THE INTERNET GIVES HER
EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDS,
SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT.
Dunn: AT THAT POINT,
LACEY SPEARS WAS UNAWARE OF THE FACT
THAT WE HAD DISCOVERED
THAT SHE CAUSED HER SON'S DEATH.
Narrator: SO WHILE LACEY
PLAYS THE GRIEVING MOTHER
FOR HER ONLINE COMMUNITY,
DETECTIVES SET
ABOUT SEARCHING FOR EVIDENCE
THAT WILL TIE HER TO THE CRIME.
I KNEW LACEY SPEARS
WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE DEATH OF GARNETT
AND NOW WE HAD TO PROVE IT.
Narrator: IF THEY DON'T,
LACEY JUST MIGHT GET AWAY
WITH THE MURDER
OF HER OWN SON.
Carfi: WE DECIDED TO INTERVIEW
EVERYONE IN THIS CHILD'S LIFE
HOPING THAT WE WOULD FIND
SOMETHING
TO PUT THIS CASE TO BED.
Narrator: A FEW DAYS LATER,
THEY INTERVIEW A NURSE
FROM THE FELLOWSHIP.
DURING THE CONVERSATION
WITH HER,
SHE ASKED US IF WE EVER LOOKED
AT THE VIDEO ON THE EEG MACHINE.
Dunn: I HAD NEVER BEEN
INVOLVED WITH A CASE
THAT INVOLVED
AN EEG MONITOR BEFORE.
I WAS UNAWARE
THAT A VIDEO WAS ON THE MACHINE.
Narrator: THIS COULD BE
THE LAST PUZZLE PIECE
THAT WILL PUT
GARNETT'S KILLER BEHIND BARS.
BUT NOTHING WILL PREPARE THEM
FOR WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO FIND.
IT WAS THE WORST THING
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
Narrator: DETECTIVES
INVESTIGATING LACEY SPEARS
FOR THE MURDER
OF HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON, GARNETT,
HAVE JUST LEARNED
THAT AN EEG VIDEO
MIGHT HAVE RECORDED
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUNG BOY
IN HIS FINAL MOMENTS.
IF THERE'S ONE THING
IN THIS WHOLE INVESTIGATION
I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO,
IT WOULD'VE BEEN
TO WATCH THAT VIDEO.
THAT VIDEO'S GONNA STICK
WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
I'VE LOST SLEEP OVER IT.
IT'S STILL VERY EMOTIONAL.
Narrator: DETECTIVES SCAN
THROUGH THE VIDEO TO THE MOMENTS
BEFORE GARNETT'S
FINAL FATAL SEIZURE.
Budnick: LACEY TOOK GARNETT
OUT OF THE BED...
WALKED INTO THE BATHROOM
OFF THE SCREEN.
AND THEN LACEY'S SEEN WALKING
PAST THE FOOT OF THE BED
TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM
AND COMES BACK
WITH A CONNECTING TUBE
FOR THE FEEDING TUBE.
SHE WENT BACK INTO THE BATHROOM.
A LITTLE WHILE LATER,
LACEY TAKES HIM
OUT OF THE BATHROOM
AND PUTS HIM ON THE BED.
AND THEN, SHE JUST LOOKS AT HIM.
AS IF SHE WAS WAITING
FOR SOMETHING.
AND THEN HIS BODY STARTS SHAKING
AND THEN SHE REACHES BACK
AND SHE PUSHES THE BUTTON
FOR THE NURSE FOR THE CALL.
HE WAS TRYING TO VOMIT,
BUT HE COULDN'T.
HE'S RETCHING IN PAIN,
HE'S HOLDING HIS HEAD.
AND AT SOME POINT,
HIS BODY JUST GOES STIFF.
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
THAT GARNETT WAS ALIVE
AS FAR AS I COULD SEE.
WHATEVER SHE DID TO HIM
IN THAT BATHROOM
IS WHAT KILLED HIM.
IT WAS THE WORST THING
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
Narrator: ON JUNE 17TH, 2014,
LACEY SPEARS
IS ARRESTED AND CHARGED
WITH THE MURDER
OF HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON, GARNETT.
LAB RESULTS REVEAL
THAT THE FEEDING BAG LACEY ASKED
HER FRIEND, VALERIE TO DESTROY
CONTAINED MORE THAN 20 GRAMS
OF SODIUM --
THE EQUIVALENT
OF 69 RESTAURANT SALT PACKETS.
IT WOULD APPEAR, LOOKING AT THE
FACTS OF THE LACEY SPEARS CASE
THAT SHE WAS SUFFERING
FROM A DISORDER
WE REFER TO
AS MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY,
WHICH IS A PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER
WHEREBY THE INDIVIDUAL
THEMSELVES MAKES SOMEONE
WHO THEY TAKE CARE OF SICK,
WHICH GETS THEM A LOT
OF ATTENTION AND SYMPATHY.
HE'S GONNA BE OKAY, YOU KNOW,
HE'S A STRONG, LITTLE MAN.
INITIALLY SHE WAS THE VICTIM...
[ BABY CRIES ]
BUT THEN SHE REALIZED SHE COULD
GET ALL OF THAT SAME ATTENTION,
BUT EVEN MORE SO,
IT WAS MAGNIFIED
BECAUSE IT WASN'T HER,
IT WAS HER POOR, HELPLESS CHILD.
AND SO SHE STARTED
MAKING GARNETT
SICKER AND SICKER AND SICKER.
[ BABY CRIES ]
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS TROLLING
THROUGH GARNETT'S BRIEF LIFE
ARE CONFRONTED WITH
THE BLEAKEST OF TRUTHS.
NOT ONE OF THE PAINFUL SURGERIES
HE ENDURED WAS NECESSARY.
Carfi: THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE,
OTHER THAN WHAT LACEY
WAS DOING TO GARNETT,
OF THAT CHILD
BEING SICK IN ANY WAY.
Narrator: MEDICAL RECORDS ALSO
REVEAL THAT GARNETT SUFFERED
A PREVIOUS HIGH SODIUM EPISODE
BACK IN ALABAMA.
LACEY HAD BEEN
POISONING HER SON WITH SALT
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
I THINK THE INTERNET CREATES
A NEW DIMENSION IN THIS CASE
THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
THE INTERNET BECOMES
A GIANT ECHO CHAMBER,
WHEREBY,
YOU'RE NOT JUST DEALING
WITH YOUR IMMEDIATE CIRCLE
OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY,
BUT YOU'RE DEALING
WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
SHE COULDN'T STOP.
SHE WAS GETTING SO MUCH OF
WHAT SHE NEEDED PSYCHOLOGICALLY
THAT HER SON JUST BECAME A PROP
IN THAT HORROR SHOW OF LIFE
THAT SHE CREATED.
AND IN THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL WORLD
OF THE INTERNET,
WHERE PEOPLE ONLY KNOW
WHAT YOU TELL THEM,
SHE COULD LITERALLY
GET AWAY WITH MURDER.
Narrator: BUT IN THE VERY REAL
WORLD OF A NEW YORK COURTROOM
ON MARCH 2nd, 2015,
SHE IS FOUND GUILTY
OF GARNETT'S MURDER
AND IS SENTENCED
TO 20 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON.
DESPITE ALL LACEY'S LIES
ABOUT HER OWN FATHER,
HE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT HER
THROUGHOUT HER TRIAL.
A PATERNITY TEST LATER REVEALED
THAT GARNETT'S REAL FATHER
WAS CHRIS HILL,
A NEIGHBOR OF LACEY'S
FROM ALABAMA.
SHE HAD TOLD HIM
THE BABY WASN'T HIS.
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW
AND LOVED LITTLE GARNETT,
THE WOUNDS
WILL NEVER FULLY HEAL.
Philipson: WHEN THE ATTENTION
WAS ALL ON LACEY,
THERE WAS NEVER
ANY TIME TO QUESTION
IF ANYTHING WAS GOING ON
WITH GARNETT.
ALL YOU SAW WAS GARNETT.
HE'S JUST BUBBLY AND HAPPY.
Lynch: HOW DO YOU EVEN TRY
TO ACCEPT THE FACT
THAT SHE DID THAT
TO HIM ON PURPOSE?
IT'S JUST REALLY HARD
TO ACCEPT
HOW MUCH PAIN AND SUFFERING
THAT LITTLE BOY WENT THROUGH.
I JUST WON'T EVER UNDERSTAND.
A STRESSED OUT MOTHER...
YOU HAVE TO PROMISE
NOT TO JUDGE ME, OKAY?
...GRAPPLES WITH
HER DESPERATELY SICK SON...
I TOLD LACEY I'LL DO ANYTHING
TO HELP HER.
Narrator:...ON THE RUN FROM
THE BLACKEST OF SECRETS.
IT'S MY DAD.
WHAT SHE WAS SAYING TO ME
IS THAT THIS KID WAS POISONED.
Narrator: SHE REACHES OUT
TO THE WEB FOR HELP...
I THINK THE INTERNET
CREATES A NEW DIMENSION.
IT BECOMES LIKE
A GIANT ECHO CHAMBER.
Narrator:
...ONLY TO FIND...
Philipson: EVERYTHING
THAT LACEY HAD BEEN TELLING ME,
IT WAS SHOCKING.
Narrator:
...UNSPEAKABLE TRAGEDY.
IT WAS THE WORST THING
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
Narrator:
19-YEAR-OLD LACEY SPEARS
LIVES IN THE HEART
OF THE BIBLE BELT,
IN DECATUR, ALABAMA.
SHE GOES BY
THE NICKNAME LACEYBUG.
THE FIRST TIME I MET
LACEY WAS AT A DAY CARE.
MY KIDS STARTED GOING THERE,
AND SHE WAS A WORKER THERE.
HI, LITTLE BUDDY.
LACEY HAD A SWEET PERSONALITY.
HOW WAS YOUR DAY TODAY?
HE WAS VERY GOOD.
WE JUST KINDA GOT EACH OTHER
AND WE KINDA CLICKED.
Lacey: LOOK AT YOU!
Narrator: AFTER WORK, LACEY'S
APARTMENT BECOMES A REGULAR HANG-OUT
FOR SHAWNA
AND HER TWO SONS.
I'M GONNA TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU
WITH THOSE SQUIRRELS.
OH, THAT LOOKS SO NICE.
SHE TOOK CARE OF MY KIDS.
MY KIDS ADORED HER,
AND THEY HAD FUN WITH HER
WHEN SHE WAS THERE.
ALL RIGHT, GO PLAY.
GOD, LACEY, YOU'RE MORE
LIKE A MOTHER THAN A BABYSITTER.
LACEY DID TALK TO ME
ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE A BABY.
THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT SHE REALLY WANTED.
Narrator: BUT LACEY SEEMS
TO WANT TO SPEND ALL HER TIME
WITH SHAWNA AND HER KIDS,
INSTEAD OF FINDING SOMEONE
TO SETTLE DOWN WITH.
SHAWNA STARTS TO SENSE
THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG.
MORNING!
Lynch:
IT HAD JUST GOTTEN TO THE POINT
WHERE SHE WAS STAYING
AT MY HOUSE A LOT AT NIGHT.
WHEN I ASKED HER
IF SHE WAS GONNA GO HOME,
SHE WOULD GET KINDA SCARED
AND BE LIKE,
"NO, I'M JUST GONNA STAY HERE."
I WAS JUST WORRIED THAT
MAYBE SOMETHING WAS GOING ON?
NO, I -- I'M FINE.
ARE YOU SURE?
IT'S JUST -- LISTEN.
I'M LIKE,
"YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PLACE,
BUT YOU WANT TO STAY HERE.
YOU KNOW, SEVERAL, THREE
OR FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK, YOU KNOW,
WHAT'S GOING ON?"
IF I'M OVERSTAYING
MY WELCOME...
I'LL GO.
- NO, LACEY, PLEASE.
- NO, IT'S FINE.
I'LL JUST GET MY THINGS
AND GO.
SHE JUST JUMPED
ON THE DEFENSIVE,
GOT VERY UPSET.
SO I KNEW SOMETHING
WAS GOING ON.
BUT I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT TO THINK ABOUT IT.
Narrator: NOT LONG AFTER,
LACEY REACHES OUT TO SHAWNA
WITH SOME SURPRISING NEWS.
SHE SENDS SHAWNA A PHOTO
FROM AN ULTRASOUND.
OH, MY...
[ RINGING ]
LACEY?
YEAH, IT'S ME.
I KNEW IT!
OF COURSE, I WAS HAPPY FOR HER,
YOU KNOW, I KNOW
THAT'S WHAT SHE HAD WANTED.
THANKS.
IT'S NICE TO FINALLY SAY IT
OUT LOUD.
TELL ME THE WHOLE STORY.
Narrator: LACEY IS HAPPY
TO TALK ABOUT HER BABY.
BUT THERE'S ONE THING
SHE WON'T TALK ABOUT.
I WAS CURIOUS
ABOUT WHO THE DAD WAS.
BUT SHE NEVER COMMENTED ON IT
OR SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO I FELT LIKE IT REALLY
WASN'T ANY OF MY BUSINESS.
Narrator: GARNETT-PAUL THOMPSON
SPEARS IS BORN AT DECATUR HOSPITAL
ON DECEMBER 3rd, 2008.
HE'S A HEALTHY 6 POUNDS,
13 OUNCES.
[ BABY CRIES ]
HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE
LISTS HIS FATHER AS UNKNOWN.
SHE WAS OVER THE MOON
WHEN SHE HAD GARNETT.
Narrator: BUT STRANGELY, HER JOY
QUICKLY FADES WHEN HER PARENTS ARRIVE.
Lynch: THE TIMES THAT I WAS WITH
LACEY WHEN SHE WAS AROUND HER FAMILY,
YOU COULD TELL
THERE WAS SOMETHING
A LITTLE OFF WITH THEM.
SHE WAS KINDA STANDOFFISH,
YOU KNOW.
Narrator: LACEY DOESN'T SEEM TO
WANT HER PARENTS' HELP WITH GARNETT.
LACEY SEEMED FINE WITH BEING
ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF A CHILD
AS A SINGLE MOM.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT
SHE WOULD HAVE ANY PROBLEMS.
[ BABY CRIES ]
Narrator: BUT SOON ENOUGH,
LACEY FINDS SINGLE MOTHERHOOD TOUGH.
GARNETT'S NOT EATING,
AND HE'S NOT PUTTING ON WEIGHT.
DESPERATE FOR SUPPORT,
SHE TURNS TO THE INTERNET.
PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS
OFFERING ADVICE TO LACEY
THROUGH HER FACEBOOK POSTS.
I MEAN,
SHE WOULD POST QUESTIONS,
AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD FLOOD
HER POSTS.
YOU KNOW, ANYTHING
THAT WOULD HELP HER OUT
WITH ANYTHING THAT SHE POSTED.
Narrator: DESPITE RECEIVING
A TON OF ADVICE,
GARNETT DOESN'T IMPROVE.
ANYTHING LACEY MANAGES
TO GET HIM TO SWALLOW,
COMES RIGHT BACK UP.
POOR BABY.
AT 4 MONTHS, LACEY'S SON
IS IN CONSTANT DISTRESS.
[ BABY CRIES ]
HE KEEPS CRYING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
A DOCTOR DIAGNOSIS GARNETT
WITH FAILURE TO THRIVE
AND ORDERS SURGERY
THAT WILL MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HIM TO VOMIT.
Lynch:
I FELT HORRIBLE FOR LACEY
THAT SHE WAS HAVING
TO GO THROUGH THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW,
I FELT HORRIBLE FOR GARNETT
THAT HE HAD TO GO
THROUGH THAT MUCH PAIN AND --
AND, YOU KNOW,
ALL THE ISSUES THAT HE HAD.
Narrator: THE MONTHS PASSED,
BUT GARNETT STILL
ISN'T GAINING WEIGHT.
DOCTORS DECIDE TO TAKE
A DRASTIC STEP
TO MAKE SURE HE ABSORBS FOOD.
THEY INSERT A FEEDING TUBE
THROUGH HIS ABDOMEN.
[ BABY CRIES ]
AS HER SON STARTS
HIS LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY,
LACEY DOCUMENTS
EVERY MOMENT ONLINE.
NOTHING IS TOO PERSONAL.
Lynch: YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE
LOOKING ON YOUR FACEBOOK
AND SEEING A BABY
SPRAWLED OUT ON A BED.
THAT'S JUST HARD TO LOOK AT.
I JUST DON'T THINK
I WOULD'VE POSTED
IF THAT WAS MY SON.
BUT IF THAT'S WHAT SHE FELT
LIKE SHE NEEDED TO DO
TO GET THE SUPPORT
THAT SHE NEEDED THEN, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S WHAT SHE COULD DO.
[ CRIES ]
Narrator: IN SEARCH OF
AN EVEN LARGER SUPPORT NETWORK,
LACEY JOINS ONLINE FORUMS
FOR MOTHERS WITH SICK CHILDREN.
MESSAGES OF ENCOURAGEMENT
POUR IN.
THE NEW FEEDING TUBE
MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.
GARNETT STILL ISN'T THRIVING.
OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
LACEY GOES FROM DOCTOR TO DOCTOR
AND CONTINUES TO RECORD
HER STRUGGLE ONLINE.
LACEY ALWAYS HAD
A BRAVE FACE ON HER.
YOU KNOW, SHE SAID
THEY WOULD GET THROUGH THIS
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY
WOULD MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT
AND DO WHAT SHE HAD TO DO
TO TAKE CARE OF HER SON.
Narrator: ULTIMATELY, DESPITE
ALL OF THE ONLINE SUPPORT,
LACEY CAN'T COPE.
SHE DECIDES
SHE HAS TO GET OUT OF ALABAMA.
LACEY TOLD ME THE REASON
THAT SHE WAS MOVING TO FLORIDA
WAS TO HAVE
A BETTER LIFE FOR GARNETT.
SHE SAID THE WEATHER
THERE WAS BETTER
AND THAT HE WOULD
BE BETTER OFF THERE.
LACEY AND 2-YEAR-OLD GARNETT
MOVE IN
WITH LACEY'S GRANDMOTHER, PEGGY,
IN SUNNY CLEARWATER, FLORIDA.
PEGGY IS GLAD
TO HAVE THEM THERE.
AND FOR LACEY, AN EXTRA PAIR OF
HANDS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
SWEETIE PIE!
WHO'S THAT LITTLE CUTIE?
THIS IS MY GRANDSON.
Narrator: SOON LACEY, MAKES FRIENDS
WITH THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET.
KIM, THIS IS
MY GRANDDAUGHTER, LACEY.
HI, I'M KIM.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SON.
ISN'T HE LOVELY?
Philipson:
FIRST DAY I MET LACEY,
I COULD TELL SHE WAS
VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH HER SON.
JUST DOTED OVER HIM
AND SEEMED REALLY HAPPY
LIVING IN FLORIDA.
Narrator: INSPIRED BY
HER NEW SURROUNDINGS,
LACEY STARTS A BLOG TO SHARE
HER SON'S PROGRESS.
SHE CALLS IT
"GARNETT'S JOURNEY."
AND IT'S NOT JUST HIS MEDICAL
PROBLEMS SHE BLOGS ABOUT.
LACEY DIDN'T SPEAK AT ALL
ABOUT WHO GARNETT'S FATHER WAS.
I JUST FIGURED
SHE'S A SINGLE MOTHER.
Narrator: SHE KNOWS
SHE CAN'T AVOID TELLING HER SON
WHO HIS FATHER IS FOREVER.
GARNETT STILL HAS
HEALTH PROBLEMS,
BUT DESPITE THIS,
LACEY'S HAPPIER IN CLEARWATER
THAN SHE'S EVER BEEN.
ALL THAT CHANGES WHEN
HER PARENTS COME FOR A VISIT.
Man: HEY, LACEYBUG.
Philipson: LACEY'S FATHER WOULD
COME TO CLEARWATER AND STAY.
WHEN HE DID, LACEY
WOULD JUST HIDE IN THE HOUSE.
I WOULDN'T SEE HER DURING
THE TIME HER DAD WAS THERE.
HE WAS ALL OVER GARNETT.
PLAYED AND PLAYED
WITH GARNETT OUTSIDE,
WHILE LACEY WAS NOWHERE
TO BE FOUND.
IT JUST STRUCK ME AS VERY ODD.
Narrator:
A FEW WEEKS LATER,
KIM NOTICES LACEY
IS EXTREMELY ANXIOUS.
SHE WONDERS
IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO
WITH ANOTHER UPCOMING VISIT
FROM HER PARENTS?
Philipson: I COULD TELL
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
AND THEN THE DAY CAME
WHEN SHE WAS EXTREMELY UPSET.
HEY, ARE YOU OKAY?
WHAT IS IT,
WHAT'S GOING ON?
SHE LOOKED
REALLY BESIDE HERSELF.
VERY UPSET.
AND THAT'S WHEN SHE
OPENED UP AND SAID...
IT'S MY DAD.
HE'S ABUSING YOU,
ISN'T HE?
YES.
SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD BEEN
SEXUALLY ABUSED,
FOR A VERY LONG TIME
AND IT WAS STILL GOING ON.
AND IT GETS WORSE.
AND THAT'S WHEN
THE SECOND SHOCK CAME.
YOU HAVE TO PROMISE
NOT TO JUDGE ME, OKAY?
OF COURSE,
I PROMISE.
SHE SAID GARNETT'S FATHER
WAS...
HER OWN FATHER.
Narrator: SINGLE MOTHER LACEY SPEARS
AND HER 2-YEAR-OLD SON, GARNETT,
HAVE MOVED FROM ALABAMA
TO FLORIDA
SO THEY CAN LIVE
WITH HER GRANDMOTHER, PEGGY.
LACEY HAS JUST TOLD
HER NEIGHBOR, KIM,
A TERRIBLE SECRET
ABOUT HER OWN FATHER.
HE'S GARNETT'S DAD.
OH, GOD.
AT THAT MOMENT, I FELT SO SICK
AND I FELT SO SORRY FOR GARNETT.
IT WAS SO DISGUSTING.
I JUST WANTED TO PROTECT HIM.
AND...
IT KIND OF EXPLAINED PROBABLY
HIS MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
DOES YOUR MOM KNOW?
YES.
I TOLD LACEY I'LL DO ANYTHING
TO HELP HER.
I'LL MAKE THE POLICE REPORT.
I'LL TAKE GARNETT
TO THE DOCTOR --
WHATEVER I COULD DO.
AND LACEY SAID,
"NO, NO YOU CAN'T TELL.
YOU CAN'T TELL."
YOU PROMISED.
YOU CAN'T TELL ANYBODY,
ALL RIGHT?
IT'S NOT GARNETT'S FAULT.
Narrator: SWORN TO SECRECY,
KIM FINDS HERSELF
IN AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION.
Philipson: LACEY'S FATHER
JUST CAME AND WENT.
MAYBE EVERY TWO OR THREE WEEKS,
HE WOULD STAY FOR A COUPLE DAYS.
IT WAS HORRIFIC.
- KIM.
- ARE YOU OKAY?
HOW ARE YOU?
I'M NOT OKAY.
CAN I STAY WITH YOU?
WHEN LACEY'S FATHER
WAS VISITING AGAIN
LACEY WAS EXTREMELY UPSET.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
WHAT'S GOING ON?
LAST TIME
THEY WERE HERE,
I I-I JUST DIDN'T
WANT TO TELL YOU,
BUT I GOT PREGNANT.
AND I -- I --
I HAD A MISCARRIAGE.
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.
NO, KIM,
YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
NO, I'M STOPPING THIS.
NO, PLEASE, STOP!
DON'T GO!
I FELT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING
TO HELP HER.
I CONFRONTED LACEY'S MOM.
I JUST BENT DOWN
AND I SAID,
"YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR ASS BACK
TO ALABAMA WHERE YOU BELONG."
AND TELL YOUR HUSBAND
TO NEVER COME HERE AGAIN
OR I WILL CALL
THE POLICE!
OH!
OH!
MA, SHE'S THREATENING ME!
SHE WAS EXTREMELY UPSET.
PLEASE, KIM,
YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE,
OR MY GRANDMA
WILL SEND US BACK TO ALABAMA.
PLEASE, PLEASE!
[ SIGHS ]
SHE SAID,
"PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE
BECAUSE OTHERWISE
I WON'T BE ABLE TO STAY HERE."
Narrator:
KIM CAN SEE LACEY IS TERRIFIED,
BUT SHE'S COME TOO FAR
TO STOP NOW.
LOOK, PEGGY, I AM SORRY
I UPSET YOUR DAUGHTER.
BUT THERE ARE THINGS
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
WAIT. JUST --
IT -- IT --
NO. STOP.
OKAY? JUST STOP.
Philipson: LACEY WAS LOOKING
AT ME JUST SHAKING HER HEAD
THINKING, "DON'T SAY ANYTHING.
DON'T SAY ANYTHING."
AT THIS POINT, I --
I KNEW MS. PEGGY NEEDED TO KNOW
WHAT WAS REALLY HAPPENING.
LOOK,
LACEY'S FATHER ABUSED HER.
- NO.
- HE RAPED HER.
NO! NO!
- HE GOT HER PREGNANT.
- IT'S NOT TRUE.
SHE MISCARRIED
IN YOUR OWN HOME, PEGGY!
LISTEN!
YOU LISTEN TO ME!
I DON'T WANT
TO HEAR ANYTHING, OKAY?
- LOOK...
- NO, STOP.
OKAY? JUST STOP.
SHE WASN'T GONNA HEAR OF IT,
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Narrator: PEGGY TELLS KIM
SHE WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT GO
TO THE POLICE
ABOUT LACEY'S DAD.
Philipson:
THAT WAS THE END OF ANY CONTACT
WITH LACEY AND LACEY'S FAMILY.
IT WAS THE END.
I HAD HAD ENOUGH.
Narrator:
OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
LACEY'S DAD CONTINUES TO PAY
REGULAR VISITS TO HIS DAUGHTER.
LACEY ONCE AGAIN
TURNS TO THE INTERNET,
THIS TIME ON A DESPERATE SEARCH
FOR A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.
IT TAKES MONTHS TO FIND
WHAT SHE'S LOOKING FOR,
BUT IN THE FALL OF 2012,
SHE HAS A STROKE OF LUCK.
IT'S A LIVE-IN JOB OFFER.
AND THE BEST PART IS
THAT IT'S 900 MILES AWAY
IN NEW YORK STATE.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE ANSWER
TO ALL HER PRAYERS.
A FEW WEEKS BEFORE
GARNETT'S FOURTH BIRTHDAY,
LACEY SETS OFF
FOR CHESTNUT RIDGE, NEW YORK,
EAGER TO START A NEW LIFE
AND LEAVE HER OLD ONE BEHIND.
THEY'RE HEADED
FOR THE FELLOWSHIP,
AN ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE
COMMUNITY CARING
FOR THE ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE.
AS SOON AS LACEY
LEADS GARNETT UP THE PATH,
SHE'S CONVINCED
SHE'S FOUND THE RIGHT PLACE.
LONG-TIME RESIDENT
VALERIE JOHNSON WELCOMES THEM.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU, LACEY.
O'Brien:
VALERIE WAS FRIENDLY WITH LACEY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I WOULD CALL THEM FRIENDS
SO MUCH AS I WOULD SAY
VALERIE'S MORE FRIENDS
WITH GARNETT.
GARNETT, IT'S SO NICE
TO MEET YOU.
GREAT TO HAVE
SOME LIFE AROUND HERE.
I THINK THERE'S A FEW THINGS
THAT PROBABLY ATTRACTED LACEY
TO THE FELLOWSHIP.
IT'S ISOLATED FROM THE OUTSIDE
COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO HIDE
FROM WHATEVER
YOU'RE HIDING FROM.
Narrator: LACEY AND GARNETT FOLLOW
VALERIE TO A LARGE APARTMENT
IN A BUILDING
CALLED TULIP HOUSE.
SO THIS WILL BE
YOUR PLACE.
OH, IT'S GREAT!
OH, HOW DO --
THERE'S --
THERE'S NO LOCKS.
OH, NO.
WE DON'T BELIEVE IN LOCKS HERE.
BUT YOU'LL GET USED TO IT.
NOW WHAT CAN WE DO
TO MAKE GARNETT FEEL AT HOME?
HOW ABOUT
SOME HOMEMADE ICE CREAM?
IN THE COMMUNITY,
THERE'S VERY LITTLE PRIVACY.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A HOME.
YOU HAVE A ROOM.
BUT YOU CAN'T LOCK YOUR HOUSE.
INHALE, UP.
Narrator:
THE FELLOWSHIP MAY BE STRANGE,
BUT LACEY AND GARNETT
DIVE IN HEAD-FIRST.
AND THEY SETTLE IN QUICKLY.
BEAUTIFUL.
THERE WAS POSTS
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
THAT SHE WAS LIVING IN.
YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT
THE WAY OF LIFE
THAT THEY WERE
TRAVELING DOWN NOW.
AND SHE SEEMED TO BE
HAVING A GOOD TIME.
EVERYBODY LOOKED AFTER GARNETT
'CAUSE THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
BUT THERE WERE CERTAIN PEOPLE
WHO SPENT MORE TIME
WITH GARNETT THAN OTHERS.
VALERIE, OF COURSE,
WOULD BE ONE OF THEM.
AND GARNETT,
JUST BEING THAT HAPPY KID,
WAS KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE CHICK
IN THE HENHOUSE.
Narrator: BUT AS HAPPY AS LACEY
AND GARNETT ARE AT THE FELLOWSHIP,
GARNETT IS STILL PLAGUED BY
THE MYSTERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS
HE'S HAD SINCE BIRTH.
YOU ALL RIGHT THERE,
BUDDY?
INFLUENCED BY HER NEW FRIENDS,
LACEY DECIDES TRADITIONAL
MEDICINE HAS FAILED HER SON
AND MAYBE HOLISTIC MEDICINE
CAN HELP INSTEAD.
AS SHE TELLS HER ONLINE FRIENDS,
THE NEW HOMEOPATHIC APPROACH
SEEMS TO BE WORKING.
BUT GARNETT'S IMPROVED HEALTH
WILL BE SHORT-LIVED.
JUST WEEKS AFTER
HIS FIFTH BIRTHDAY...
[ SIREN WAILS ]
HE HAS A SEIZURE AND IS RUSHED
TO NYACK HOSPITAL.
THE CAUSE OF HIS ATTACK
WILL ROCK THIS COMMUNITY
TO ITS CORE.
Narrator:
FIVE-YEAR-OLD GARNETT SPEARS
HAS BEEN RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
AFTER A SEIZURE.
[ MONITORS BEEPING ]
DOCTORS HOOK HIM UP TO AN EEG,
THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF TESTS
THEY HOPE WILL EXPLAIN
WHAT CAUSED THE ATTACK.
LACEY'S UPDATES
ABOUT HER SON ON FACEBOOK
ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY
MATTER-OF-FACT AND HORRIFYING.
Lynch: EVERY TIME LACEY WOULD
POST SOMETHING ABOUT GARNETT,
I WOULD POST IT ON MY NEWS FEED
AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "THIS FAMILY
NEEDS A PRAYER RIGHT NOW."
Narrator: PRAYERS POUR IN.
AND WHEN FRIENDS FROM THE
FELLOWSHIP VISIT THE NEXT DAY,
THEY ARE RELIEVED
BY WHAT THEY FIND.
HI, GARNETT!
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU!
YOU'RE LOOKING REALLY GOOD!
PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED
AT HOW WELL GARNETT
SEEMED TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL.
JOHN AND MATT ARE OUTSIDE.
OH, I'LL GO SAY, "HELLO."
ALL RIGHT.
THE PEOPLE WHO SAW HIM JUST
THOUGHT HE WOULD BE BACK HOME.
HOW'S MY
MINT-CHOCOLATE-CHIP BOY?
READY FOR SOME SPRINKLES
ON TOP THIS TIME?
Narrator: DOCTORS ARE ENCOURAGED
BY GARNETT'S IMPROVEMENT
AND CAN FIND NO OBVIOUS CAUSE
OF THE SEIZURE.
THEY TELL HIS MOTHER THEY PLAN
TO RELEASE HIM THAT DAY.
NO, NO.
HE SEEMS FINE NOW, BUT
I'M TELLING YOU, HE'S NOT OKAY.
LACEY IS ADAMANT THAT THE
DOCTORS HAVE MISSED SOMETHING.
YOU NEED TO HELP HIM!
DON'T LEAVE!
ALL TOO SOON, THE DOCTORS
WILL REALIZE LACEY'S RIGHT.
GARNETT DOES NEED
THEIR HELP, URGENTLY.
[ ALARM RINGING ]
GARNETT, ARE YOU OKAY?
I TOLD YOU.
I TOLD YOU!
HE'S NOT ALL RIGHT, HELP HIM!
PLEASE HELP HIM.
PLEASE, DO WHATEVER!
Narrator:
GARNETT STOPS BREATHING.
HE IS AIRLIFTED TO A SPECIALIZED
INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
IN VALHALLA, NEW YORK,
HIS MOTHER BY HIS SIDE.
GARNETT IS
IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
BUT AS DOCTORS
TRY TO STABILIZE HIM,
THEY STILL HAVE NO DIAGNOSIS
OF HIS NOW LIFE-THREATENING
ILLNESS.
THEY DECIDE THEY HAVE
TO CALL IN THE POLICE.
DOCTOR CANTER?
DETECTIVE CARFI WITH THE
WESTCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Carfi: DOCTOR CANTER ADVISED
THAT THE CHILD IN QUESTION,
GARNETT SPEARS,
HAD SUFFERED
A MAJOR BRAIN TRAUMA
AND WAS CURRENTLY
ON LIFE SUPPORT.
Narrator: DOCTOR CANTER
TELLS DETECTIVE DAN CARFI
THAT SHE BELIEVES
GARNETT'S CONDITION
IS TIED TO A SPIKE
IN HIS SODIUM LEVELS.
SHE FELT THAT THERE WAS
NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION
FOR THE AMOUNT OF SODIUM
IN THIS CHILD.
WHAT SHE WAS SAYING TO ME
IS THAT THIS KID WAS POISONED.
I WALKED BY THE CHILD'S ROOM.
AND I SAW GARNETT WAS HOOKED
TO LIFE SUPPORT.
AT THAT TIME,
I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO LACEY
AND ASKED HER IF SHE HAD
A FEW MOMENTS TO TALK.
EXCUSE ME, LACEY.
DETECTIVE CARFI,
WESTCHESTER PD.
DO YOU MIND IF I ASK YOU
A FEW QUESTIONS?
LACEY APPEARED TO BE UPSET
AND REALLY DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER SON.
MIND ME ASKING,
HAVE YOU BEEN GIVING HIM
ANY MEDICATIONS AT ALL?
LACEY STATED
THAT SHE HAD RECENTLY,
IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO,
GOT INTO HOLISTIC MEDICINES
THAT SHE LEARNED FROM A DOCTOR
FROM THE FELLOWSHIP.
GOD, DO YOU THINK
THAT ONE OF THE MEDICATIONS
COULD'VE CAUSED THIS?
I COULD GIVE YOU A LIST
IF YOU'D LIKE.
THAT WOULD BE GOOD
BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING INTO
EVERY POSSIBILITY
RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: THAT NIGHT, GARNETT IS
STILL STRUGGLING ON HIS RESPIRATOR.
DETECTIVE CARFI IS JOINED
AT THE HOSPITAL
BY KIRK BUDNICK AND GREG DUNN,
DETECTIVES FROM
THE RAMAPO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TOGETHER, THEY NEED TO FIND OUT
WHAT'S BEHIND
GARNETT'S MYSTERIOUS COLLAPSE.
Carfi: WE STARTED GOING
OVER WHAT WE HAD.
DO WE HAVE
A MEDICAL MALPRACTICE?
DO WE HAVE A HOSPITAL THAT MAYBE
MIXED UP SOME MEDICATIONS
OR HOOKED THE WRONG BAG
TO THIS CHILD?
DID WE HAVE A MOTHER
WHO WAS USING HOLISTIC MEDICINES
AND DOESN'T QUITE KNOW
HOW TO PREPARE THEM
AND CAUSED THIS ACCIDENTLY?
DO WE HAVE
SOME SORT OF ACCIDENT HERE?
OR DID SOMEONE
INTENTIONALLY POISON THIS CHILD?
Narrator:
DETECTIVES BUDNICK AND DUNN
DECIDE TO SEARCH
LACEY'S APARTMENT.
Dunn:
WE ENTERED INTO THE APARTMENT.
THE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED.
WHEN WE WALKED IN,
I FOUND IT VERY ODD
THAT NOTHING WAS OUT OF PLACE
BECAUSE LACEY HAD LEFT
HER HOUSE IN AN EMERGENCY
BECAUSE HER SON
WAS HAVING A SEIZURE.
IT APPEARED THAT THE HOUSE
WAS CLEANED UP AND SPOTLESS.
YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S TOO NEAT.
IT'S TOO TIDY.
THERE WAS SOMETHING
THAT SAID, "THIS IS NOT RIGHT."
I THINK I FOUND
THE MEDS.
THERE WERE OVER
150 HOLISTIC MEDICINES
THAT WE RECOVERED
ON THAT SEARCH WARRANT.
Narrator: THE DETECTIVES GATHER UP
ALL OF LACEY'S HOLISTIC MEDICINES
AND TAKE THEM
TO THE LAB FOR TESTING.
AND THEN THEY WAIT.
THE NEXT DAY DAWNS WITH TRAGEDY
AND LACEY SHARES
DEVASTATING NEWS ONLINE.
ALL HOPE FOR LITTLE
GARNETT'S RECOVERY IS GONE.
Lynch: I SAW THE FACEBOOK POST.
IT WAS HEARTBREAKING.
WHEN YOU READ SOMETHING
LIKE THAT, IT HURTS YOUR HEART.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A PARENT,
YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT HAPPENING
TO SOMEBODY THAT YOU KNOW.
Narrator: LACEY NOW FACES
EVERY MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
SHE WILL HAVE TO MAKE THE CALL
TO TURN OFF HIS LIFE SUPPORT.
AS LACEY AGONIZES, DETECTIVES
ARE NO CLOSER TO FINDING OUT
WHAT CAUSED GARNETT'S
SODIUM LEVELS TO SKYROCKET.
LAB RESULTS ON THE ITEMS
COLLECTED FROM LACEY'S APARTMENT
SHOW NO TRACES OF SODIUM...
...AND THERE'S A GOOD REASON
FOR THAT.
UNBEKNOWNST TO DETECTIVES,
SOMEONE ELSE
HAS GOTTEN THERE FIRST.
Narrator: DOCTORS SUSPECT
THAT SODIUM POISONING
CAUSED THE BRAIN DEATH
OF 5-YEAR-OLD GARNETT SPEARS,
WHO IS NOW ON LIFE SUPPORT.
BUT THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
OF MALPRACTICE AT THE HOSPITAL.
AND DETECTIVES HAVE SEARCHED
GARNETT'S MOTHER,
LACEY'S APARTMENT
AND FOUND NO SODIUM
IN THE ITEMS THEY COLLECTED.
STILL, THE SEASONED
INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE
SOMEONE IS HIDING SOMETHING...
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
...AND DECIDE
IT'S TIME TO BRING IN
THE ENTIRE SPEARS FAMILY
TO GET SOME ANSWERS.
NOW, LACEY, I NEED YOU
TO THINK REALLY HARD.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING,
OTHER THAN THE THINGS
THAT YOU'VE TOLD US ABOUT,
THAT MAY HAVE
BEEN A FACTOR?
THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM HER.
WELL, I THOUGHT THAT WAS ODD.
AS WE STARTED TO LOOK
AT LACEY'S FAMILY,
I FELT THE RELATIONSHIP
THEY HAD WITH LACEY WAS STRANGE.
NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF.
OUR GUT FEELING WAS
THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG HERE.
Narrator: TROUBLED AFTER THE
MEETING AND ACTING ON A HUNCH,
DETECTIVE CARFI
STARTS CALLING PEOPLE
CLOSE TO THE SPEARS FAMILY
TO SEE IF THEY CAN SHED
ANY LIGHT
ON THEIR BIZARRE BEHAVIOR.
HIS HUNCH IS ABOUT TO PAY OFF.
MAY I SPEAK
TO KIM PHILIPSON, PLEASE?
HI, I'M KIM.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
I TOLD THE POLICE EVERYTHING --
WHAT'S GOING ON?
IT WAS, UH, QUITE DRAMATIC.
...WHAT SHE TOLD ME
ABOUT HER DAD...
HE'S ABUSING YOU,
ISN'T HE?
YES.
...ABOUT THE ABUSE...
NO, KIM,
YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
...ABOUT WHO
GARNETT'S FATHER WAS...
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.
...HOW I CONFRONTED
HER GRANDMOTHER...
LACEY'S FATHER ABUSED HER,
HE RAPED HER.
NO!
SHE MISCARRIED
IN YOUR OWN HOME, PEGGY!
STOP!
...AND HOW SHE LOOKED ME
SQUARE IN THE EYE
AND SAID...
"LACEY HAS
A TRUTHFULNESS ISSUE!"
AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW,
EVERYTHING WAS A LIE.
IT WAS --
IT WAS SHOCKING.
EVERYTHING THAT LACEY
HAS BEEN TELLING ME,
ALL OF THE PROTECTION
I WAS TRYING TO GIVE HER,
ALL OF THE ATTENTION
I GAVE HER...
EVERYTHING WAS A LIE.
I SAID TO MYSELF, "UH OH."
IS LACEY INVOLVED
IN SOMETHING HERE?
NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF.
Narrator: FOR DETECTIVE CARFI,
ALL BETS ARE OFF.
HE KNOWS HE HAS TO TAKE
A CLOSER LOOK AT LACEY.
WAS PEGGY TELLING KIM THE TRUTH
ABOUT HER GRANDDAUGHTER?
WHAT DETECTIVE CARFI UNCOVERS
IS ASTONISHING.
Carfi: THE FIRST THING THAT
JUMPED OUT TO ME WAS THE FACT
THAT SHE HAD THREE DIFFERENT
PROFILES ON FACEBOOK.
AND THREE DIFFERENT AUDIENCES,
ONE FOR EACH PROFILE.
IT BECAME READILY APPARENT
THAT THE REASON
FOR THESE MULTIPLE SITES
WAS TO DECEIVE HER AUDIENCES.
Budnick: SHE CLAIMED ON THE
INTERNET THAT SHE WAS A WET NURSE
AND THAT SHE'D DONATED
BREAST MILK TO WOMEN
THAT COULDN'T GIVE MILK
TO THEIR CHILDREN.
NOT TRUE.
SHE WAS A PARENT WHO HAD LOST
A PREVIOUS CHILD...
NOT TRUE.
SHE HAD A BRAIN INJURY
WHEN SHE WAS A CHEERLEADER
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
NOT TRUE.
Dunn: A TERRIBLE BLOOD DISORDER
THAT REQUIRED
MULTIPLE TRANSFUSIONS.
NOT TRUE.
Budnick:
SHE CLAIMED THAT HER HUSBAND
WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED
IN A CAR ACCIDENT...
IN A TERRIBLE MOTORCYCLE
ACCIDENT.
HE WAS A FORMER POLICEMAN
HIT BY A CAR.
EVERYTHING
SHE WAS TELLING WAS A LIE.
IF SHE COULD LIE
LIKE THAT SO METHODICALLY,
SHE COULD BE HIDING
SOMETHING
DIRECTLY RELATING
TO GARNETT AND HIS CARE.
[ MONITORS BEEPING ]
Narrator: DETECTIVES NOW REALIZE
THEY ARE DEALING
WITH A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR.
BUT THEY ARE STILL NO CLOSER
TO FINDING AN EXPLANATION
FOR GARNETT'S SODIUM POISONING.
THEN SUDDENLY, THE INVESTIGATION
TAKES ANOTHER TURN.
[ CELLPHONE RINGS ]
BUDNICK.
Budnick: THURSDAY MORNING,
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL.
OH, REALLY?
I IMMEDIATELY
TOLD DETECTIVE DUNN,
"WE NEED TO GO OVER
TO THE FELLOWSHIP COMMUNITY."
THAT'S WHEN EVERYTHING STARTED
TO COME TOGETHER REAL QUICKLY.
I DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO BEGIN.
Narrator:
VALERIE TELLS THE DETECTIVES
THAT AFTER GARNETT WAS RUSHED
TO THE HOSPITAL,
SHE WENT TO LACEY'S APARTMENT
AND REMOVED SOMETHING
SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE.
BUT IT'S HER REASON FOR DOING
SO THAT'S TRULY SHOCKING.
I GOT A CALL FROM LACEY.
I need you to let yourself
into the apartment
and get rid
of Garnett's feeding bag.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
PLEASE CAN YOU JUST
GET RID OF IT?
AND DON'T TELL ANYBODY.
PLEASE, PLEASE.
OF COURSE.
OF -- OF COURSE, LACEY,
Whatever you need.
WITH VALERIE'S REVELATION,
THE DETECTIVES MAY HAVE
THEIR FIRST PIECE OF EVIDENCE,
ALONG WITH THE PRIME SUSPECT.
WE HAD A PUZZLE
THAT WAS THROWN UP IN THE AIR.
AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO PUT
ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER.
AND NOW IT'S STARTING
TO POINT MORE
TOWARDS LACEY DID SOMETHING
WRONG TO HER SON.
Narrator: THEY RUSHED
THE FEEDING BAG TO THE LAB.
WITHIN THE HOUR,
CARFI GETS A CALL.
THE LAB TECHNICIAN CALLED ME.
HE SAID, "DANNY, SOMEBODY
PUT SALT IN HIS FEEDING BAG."
THE SODIUM LEVELS
ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.
I -- I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT,
"BOY, OH, BOY, THIS GIRL
JUST POISONED HER SON."
Narrator: BUT WITH NO LOCKS ON
THE DOORS AND THE SCENE DISTURBED,
THE DETECTIVES HAVE NO WAY
TO PROVE LACEY PUT
THE SODIUM IN THE BAG.
THANK YOU.
[ MONITOR BEEPING ]
LATER THAT MORNING,
LACEY FINALLY ORDERS
GARNETT TAKEN OFF LIFE SUPPORT
AND SHARES THE NEWS THAT
HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON IS DEAD.
[ MONITOR FLATLINES ]
AS EVER, THE INTERNET GIVES HER
EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDS,
SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT.
Dunn: AT THAT POINT,
LACEY SPEARS WAS UNAWARE OF THE FACT
THAT WE HAD DISCOVERED
THAT SHE CAUSED HER SON'S DEATH.
Narrator: SO WHILE LACEY
PLAYS THE GRIEVING MOTHER
FOR HER ONLINE COMMUNITY,
DETECTIVES SET
ABOUT SEARCHING FOR EVIDENCE
THAT WILL TIE HER TO THE CRIME.
I KNEW LACEY SPEARS
WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE DEATH OF GARNETT
AND NOW WE HAD TO PROVE IT.
Narrator: IF THEY DON'T,
LACEY JUST MIGHT GET AWAY
WITH THE MURDER
OF HER OWN SON.
Carfi: WE DECIDED TO INTERVIEW
EVERYONE IN THIS CHILD'S LIFE
HOPING THAT WE WOULD FIND
SOMETHING
TO PUT THIS CASE TO BED.
Narrator: A FEW DAYS LATER,
THEY INTERVIEW A NURSE
FROM THE FELLOWSHIP.
DURING THE CONVERSATION
WITH HER,
SHE ASKED US IF WE EVER LOOKED
AT THE VIDEO ON THE EEG MACHINE.
Dunn: I HAD NEVER BEEN
INVOLVED WITH A CASE
THAT INVOLVED
AN EEG MONITOR BEFORE.
I WAS UNAWARE
THAT A VIDEO WAS ON THE MACHINE.
Narrator: THIS COULD BE
THE LAST PUZZLE PIECE
THAT WILL PUT
GARNETT'S KILLER BEHIND BARS.
BUT NOTHING WILL PREPARE THEM
FOR WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO FIND.
IT WAS THE WORST THING
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
Narrator: DETECTIVES
INVESTIGATING LACEY SPEARS
FOR THE MURDER
OF HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON, GARNETT,
HAVE JUST LEARNED
THAT AN EEG VIDEO
MIGHT HAVE RECORDED
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUNG BOY
IN HIS FINAL MOMENTS.
IF THERE'S ONE THING
IN THIS WHOLE INVESTIGATION
I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO,
IT WOULD'VE BEEN
TO WATCH THAT VIDEO.
THAT VIDEO'S GONNA STICK
WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
I'VE LOST SLEEP OVER IT.
IT'S STILL VERY EMOTIONAL.
Narrator: DETECTIVES SCAN
THROUGH THE VIDEO TO THE MOMENTS
BEFORE GARNETT'S
FINAL FATAL SEIZURE.
Budnick: LACEY TOOK GARNETT
OUT OF THE BED...
WALKED INTO THE BATHROOM
OFF THE SCREEN.
AND THEN LACEY'S SEEN WALKING
PAST THE FOOT OF THE BED
TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM
AND COMES BACK
WITH A CONNECTING TUBE
FOR THE FEEDING TUBE.
SHE WENT BACK INTO THE BATHROOM.
A LITTLE WHILE LATER,
LACEY TAKES HIM
OUT OF THE BATHROOM
AND PUTS HIM ON THE BED.
AND THEN, SHE JUST LOOKS AT HIM.
AS IF SHE WAS WAITING
FOR SOMETHING.
AND THEN HIS BODY STARTS SHAKING
AND THEN SHE REACHES BACK
AND SHE PUSHES THE BUTTON
FOR THE NURSE FOR THE CALL.
HE WAS TRYING TO VOMIT,
BUT HE COULDN'T.
HE'S RETCHING IN PAIN,
HE'S HOLDING HIS HEAD.
AND AT SOME POINT,
HIS BODY JUST GOES STIFF.
AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
THAT GARNETT WAS ALIVE
AS FAR AS I COULD SEE.
WHATEVER SHE DID TO HIM
IN THAT BATHROOM
IS WHAT KILLED HIM.
IT WAS THE WORST THING
I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
Narrator: ON JUNE 17TH, 2014,
LACEY SPEARS
IS ARRESTED AND CHARGED
WITH THE MURDER
OF HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON, GARNETT.
LAB RESULTS REVEAL
THAT THE FEEDING BAG LACEY ASKED
HER FRIEND, VALERIE TO DESTROY
CONTAINED MORE THAN 20 GRAMS
OF SODIUM --
THE EQUIVALENT
OF 69 RESTAURANT SALT PACKETS.
IT WOULD APPEAR, LOOKING AT THE
FACTS OF THE LACEY SPEARS CASE
THAT SHE WAS SUFFERING
FROM A DISORDER
WE REFER TO
AS MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY,
WHICH IS A PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER
WHEREBY THE INDIVIDUAL
THEMSELVES MAKES SOMEONE
WHO THEY TAKE CARE OF SICK,
WHICH GETS THEM A LOT
OF ATTENTION AND SYMPATHY.
HE'S GONNA BE OKAY, YOU KNOW,
HE'S A STRONG, LITTLE MAN.
INITIALLY SHE WAS THE VICTIM...
[ BABY CRIES ]
BUT THEN SHE REALIZED SHE COULD
GET ALL OF THAT SAME ATTENTION,
BUT EVEN MORE SO,
IT WAS MAGNIFIED
BECAUSE IT WASN'T HER,
IT WAS HER POOR, HELPLESS CHILD.
AND SO SHE STARTED
MAKING GARNETT
SICKER AND SICKER AND SICKER.
[ BABY CRIES ]
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS TROLLING
THROUGH GARNETT'S BRIEF LIFE
ARE CONFRONTED WITH
THE BLEAKEST OF TRUTHS.
NOT ONE OF THE PAINFUL SURGERIES
HE ENDURED WAS NECESSARY.
Carfi: THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE,
OTHER THAN WHAT LACEY
WAS DOING TO GARNETT,
OF THAT CHILD
BEING SICK IN ANY WAY.
Narrator: MEDICAL RECORDS ALSO
REVEAL THAT GARNETT SUFFERED
A PREVIOUS HIGH SODIUM EPISODE
BACK IN ALABAMA.
LACEY HAD BEEN
POISONING HER SON WITH SALT
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
I THINK THE INTERNET CREATES
A NEW DIMENSION IN THIS CASE
THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
THE INTERNET BECOMES
A GIANT ECHO CHAMBER,
WHEREBY,
YOU'RE NOT JUST DEALING
WITH YOUR IMMEDIATE CIRCLE
OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY,
BUT YOU'RE DEALING
WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
SHE COULDN'T STOP.
SHE WAS GETTING SO MUCH OF
WHAT SHE NEEDED PSYCHOLOGICALLY
THAT HER SON JUST BECAME A PROP
IN THAT HORROR SHOW OF LIFE
THAT SHE CREATED.
AND IN THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL WORLD
OF THE INTERNET,
WHERE PEOPLE ONLY KNOW
WHAT YOU TELL THEM,
SHE COULD LITERALLY
GET AWAY WITH MURDER.
Narrator: BUT IN THE VERY REAL
WORLD OF A NEW YORK COURTROOM
ON MARCH 2nd, 2015,
SHE IS FOUND GUILTY
OF GARNETT'S MURDER
AND IS SENTENCED
TO 20 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON.
DESPITE ALL LACEY'S LIES
ABOUT HER OWN FATHER,
HE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT HER
THROUGHOUT HER TRIAL.
A PATERNITY TEST LATER REVEALED
THAT GARNETT'S REAL FATHER
WAS CHRIS HILL,
A NEIGHBOR OF LACEY'S
FROM ALABAMA.
SHE HAD TOLD HIM
THE BABY WASN'T HIS.
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW
AND LOVED LITTLE GARNETT,
THE WOUNDS
WILL NEVER FULLY HEAL.
Philipson: WHEN THE ATTENTION
WAS ALL ON LACEY,
THERE WAS NEVER
ANY TIME TO QUESTION
IF ANYTHING WAS GOING ON
WITH GARNETT.
ALL YOU SAW WAS GARNETT.
HE'S JUST BUBBLY AND HAPPY.
Lynch: HOW DO YOU EVEN TRY
TO ACCEPT THE FACT
THAT SHE DID THAT
TO HIM ON PURPOSE?
IT'S JUST REALLY HARD
TO ACCEPT
HOW MUCH PAIN AND SUFFERING
THAT LITTLE BOY WENT THROUGH.
I JUST WON'T EVER UNDERSTAND.