Inside the Mind of Shanda Vander Ark: Tortured Son Murder Trial

In testimony, Shanda Vander Ark detailed each of her mental and physical disorders trying to convince the jury she was not in the right mindset when her son died of alleged abuse. Will the jurors buy the story?
⚖️ What do YOU think? Tortured Son Murder Trial Day 2
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[@COURTTV]

MORE HERE: www.courttv.com/news/mi-v-shanda-vander-ark-tortured-son-murder-trial/?

[@360revolucion8]

The mother made her son torture his brother. That's also abuse. She abused and neglected all her children in different ways.

[@amandamiller7926]

100% FAKE!!!

[@karengreen5473]

Words are not adequate to describe the character of this woman. Her house was a mini landfill. All the children in her care were abused, Paul included. She's a liar manipulative bully! Horrific house of horrors.

[@suedumond4944]

Her education grad in top of her class n works for 2 judges.

[@theoryofpersonality1420]

This seems like a classic case of I did this to hurt them. Meaning the ex husband.

[@zmancan5290]

Fake tears, fake vomit, fake panic attack, fake excuses, genuine hatred for her son, genuine cruelty. Genuine monster.

[@gmalovescailyn]

My thoughts are the same. Finger down her throat? Pure evil there!!

[@Nicole-ky7ye]

​@gmalovescailyn, that's exactly what I was thinking. She bended down so far so no one could see her shove her finger down her throat. Think she is use to the fear she instills on her children and doesn't realize outsiders will see threw her bs.

[@traceygeer797]

Amen! I totally agree!

[@charmainedoughty244]

She wasn’t supposed to have that kid at all why didn’t they do a back ground check on her before she was hired as a court clerk

[@RLFinTX]

@@gmalovescailyn I thought that exact thing when she bent so far down. I could even hear that’s what she was doing. If you were really throwing up, would you mid vomit answer the judge saying you already have a garbage can?? This excuse for a human makes me want to vomit! 🤬

[@helenelee2119]

This is one of the most horrific cases of child abuse I've ever heard of. She literally tortured both of her sons -- now one is dead and the other is damaged for life. The woman must be locked away for life. I have ZERO compassion for her 😡😡😡

[@southerncaltattooedbiker3643]

And put in General Population so she gets the justice she deserves every one knows how people like her get treated since they no longer have the Death Penalty ☠️ if it was Arizona or Texas she would get it

[@sookiebyun4260]

There is another case where the couple.starved their child to death. The ironic thing is that the father was obese.

[@user-mg6in9cq9e]

Who has custody of the little brother or is he in child Protection Service.

[@ilovevivi7201]

@@sookiebyun4260 Baby Mary?

[@norshstephens2395]

​@@southerncaltattooedbiker3643. The ones in Florida didn't get the death penalty. They have it there also.

[@jennya9838]

It makes me so angry when people withhold food from a child, then say they "stole food." They tortured a child by starving them, then punished them for eating because they were starving. That is beyond disgusting.

[@Skipbo000]

well withholding food is actually a daily thing for responsible parents.

[@meowmachine9147]

​@Skipbo000 Sure, overeating is a problem sometimes. This is not the case. The boy literally died from being staved to death. He weighed 69 pounds when he died. He was 15 years old.

[@gregjayonnaise8314]

@@Skipbo000withholding food is only viable if you feed your kid consistently, like prohibiting cookies before dinner. From what we can see, Shanda was feeding her other two boys but withholding meals from Timothy aside from bread with hot sauce, and then punished him for sneaking food from the kitchen. It’s circular logic; Timmy starved because he was given no food, he stole food so he wouldn’t starve, Shanda would get angry because he was stealing food, and withheld food as punishment, but also withheld food because he wasn’t eating. No matter what Timothy did, he was misbehaving in Shanda’s eyes. There was nothing he could do.

[@lisabelle7553]

A: fake nausea B- makes her look worse as she is "vomiting" at the very sight of what SHE did to her son.

[@alisonmercer5946]

Right! I'm so glad she took the stand cause she did everything she could to make herself look as awful as she is. Lmao at that part. And is not even because she is nervous cause a beast like that doesn't ever feel nervous

[@LolaFawn]

Right

[@CatherinemarieHall]

Ye but she made sure she was hidden behind the stand so she could put her fingers down her throat to make herself sick and to sound like she was heaving with it too. If I say what I think she is will get me an indefinite ban from KZbin 🤬😡👊🏼

[@FrannieMaeB5150]

Why would you deliberately starve your child and then heave once you are in front of a jury. Did she really think that people would pity her for being such a dunce of a mother? If I had a dollar for every time she said “I don’t recall”….it’s like she forgot who she was once she sat in that chair. Why she even took the stand is a mystery to me she did herself zero favors. I’d love to be a fly on the wall in her previous the court house where she worked. I couldn’t imagine how they feel knowing that they were working with a freak of nature.

[@Elissa_Marie]

The father who knew she wasn’t suppose to have their special needs son but still had her take him, should be in trouble criminally. How careless and irresponsible of him to knowingly put his special needs son in harms way. She is pure evil. I hope the rest of her life is living hell.

[@Lonesome__Dove]

Agreed. And literally no one checked on his well being. No one. That's sad man. Not dad, not grandparents, not stepmother....like wow...thats ALOT of careless ppl

[@Bluemoonofky]

Yes

[@susiefoxy8130]

They can’t tell us why she wasn’t allowed custody of her son, wonder why, they don’t do that for no reason!

[@RLFinTX]

@@susiefoxy8130 Exactly. She probably failed the psychological exam that they gave her to determine who was best fit to have custody.

[@crossedwires2629]

i was thinking this too. and her stepfather could have called 911? not sure with the stroke but still ... and her throwing paul under the bus is classic.

[@eternity7477]

What saddens me most is how many kids are suffering right now with no one knowing. Just heartbreaking. This case reminds me of the child name "It".

[@cail171]

I remember that book, & the following after it. I cried so much during reading that.

[@garfield2439]

Yes

[@AshJae]

Yeah it just breaks my heart. I thought about Timothy tonight and everything he must have felt and gone through just trying to eat

[@bovinityleak2066]

Wait till the results of the corrupt scotus ( rVw reversal) start coming to fruition. Child abuse cases WILL increase very dramatically.

[@starlingswallow]

I am crying. This, what you said, is what gets me. All these children who are invisible, being locked away in homes with abusers and _nobody knows._ 😢😢😢

[@clareshaughnessy2745]

You could tell by the way she testified- by the FACT that she testified- that she thought when the jury hears how sneaky and dishonest her son was, they’ll understand why I had to do this. She STILL thinks she was right! I suspect that she’s a little mad at the child for dying and causing her all this trouble

[@sadrabbit53]

I don't think a little mad, I think she was a LOT mad

[@Janey-hn8jq]

She knows she EVIL only trying to find anything to get away

[@Auntijengen]

My mother was criminally abusive as well. When she was "too tired" to beat be, she would recruit my older sister to beat me. To this day, they blame me for their abuse of me. My mother also beat her animals. This is what happens when abuse is unchecked -so sad. Some people should not have children.

[@M-ly7hs]

I’m so sorry that happened to you :(

[@Auntijengen]

@@M-ly7hs Thank you-I'm okay The Crappy Childhood Fairy and DP helps.

[@ladygumshoe7402]

😢😢😢😢😢🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Afnanii]

Im so sorry that happened to you hope everything is ok now

[@Auntijengen]

Yes, thank you@@Afnanii. I have found a community of healing C-PTSD in the CCF.

[@QOGS]

She overdramatizes, makes excuses, blames others, unable to ‘remember’…

[@debswatching]

Yea, good comment. Shanda claims she’s unable to remember, yet she just passed the Michigan BAR exam on the first try. So that’s a load of crap.

[@eternity7477]

Yet she can clearly "remember" that she never looked at the pic her son sent her...until she is caught in her lie.

[@texasrefugee7888]

​@debswatching Holy moly she's a lawyer?

[@joannadechenne6368]

The female prisons are filled with what? Mothers. DEVOTED mothers. They will not tolerate her for a second. The inmates work in the kitchen. I bet she will see what starvation feels like. No question.

[@MKUltra42]

@@texasrefugee7888Yes and she graduated magna cum laude from law school. She’s perfectly capable of remembering every single thing she did.

[@bajacowgirl3170]

She's the parent. It is obvious from the text messages she was fully aware and in control. It wasn't up to Paul. She is 100% to blame. She is stupid for taking the stand.

[@misswildlife7905]

I disagree that she was stupid to take the stand; the jury needed to see the monster and listen to the monster.

[@Itsdestinysheree]

I think she's delusional enough to think people would actually believe her bullshit

[@Kelbel30]

@@misswildlife7905yeah but it was stupid. She is sealing her own fate.

[@pennyc11]

It is interesting. Her lawyer probably advised against but wouldn't put up such a fight. Seeing the horrible things she has done. Noting like hearing it from the horses mouth.😁 No matter how cruel. Lying to our faces after the reading of text mssg. She clearly was in control.

[@georgiasmathers4503]

She's a scary narcissist disgusting human . Shows no remorse whatsoever. Needs to be put in a prison and locked in a cell all alone. So phoney. If your child is 15 and only 69 lbs how do you not get medical help for him.

[@itsfunnybecauseitstrue3219]

She straight up BLAMED HIM for “hiding how thin he was from her” imagine just how sickening that is!

[@patriciawhitely8237]

It breaks my heart to think that there are other children out there who are getting abused behind closed doors , no help from anyone .

[@cosmicmuffin322]

Just another reason why homeschooling should be illegal or at least tightly regulated. When a kid is going to school, parents can't hide bruises and starvation to the point of death. Homeschooling gives abusers absolute secrecy and control.

[@jc9240]

You can’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case we’ll make an exception to that rule: She looks and projects Evilness and Sadism

[@ltee2261]

She looks totally evil through and through, demonic

[@tarah-nnosaurus-rx6474]

She does. Evil is projected so clearly through her face. I agree.

[@RLFinTX]

I thought the same thing. She is the epitome of an evil stepmother, but worse, she’s the real mother.

[@user-lk5tf5it9x]

I agree!

[@Ann-fm5pe]

Agree 💯 and I have ptsd I'm a single mom I've raised my kid's on own they are all grown now so these are all excuses that people use to hurt and abuse children 😢

[@tinaserrano8262]

She had a good enough memory to pass the BAR examine.

[@debswatching]

And on her first try to boot.

[@sharamusica]

She went to law school?

[@inthelandofmorethansmall7582]

​@@sharamusicaSupposedly she graduated 2nd in her class... But then why was she working as Court Clerk? (Or whatever her job title was?) But yeah, she can remember her defense but she can never remember the actual abuse - or telling the son to abuse the other son.

[@debbieschultz9768]

Selective memory loss

[@belleslettres354]

🤡 She says that she cannot help what she remembers.

[@alexthegreatestmusic]

I was born to 2 monsters like these and while I didn't die from it they did their best to break me mentally and physically

[@rachaelpate6778]

She reminds me of the mother from a book called “A Boy Named it”. It’s a true story about a little boy whose mom decides one day she doesn’t like him anymore. This “woman” seems as vile as she can be.

[@belladonna2104]

That's exactly what I thought of too. Unfortunately Timothy never got to tell his story 😪

[@Grammichal]

True! I’ve copied my comment a couple times: ​​Sadly, people are commenting their abusive parents often chose one child to treat cruelly & recruit other family members to join in. Read the famous book “A Child Named It.” There’s a hopeful sequel “A Man Named Dave.”

[@Grammichal]

@@belladonna2104 I made comments about that book as well. I’ve also read the hopeful sequel, “A Man Named Dave.”

[@belladonna2104]

@@Grammichal I will have to look out for that book too. I'm glad David had a better outcome than Timothy

[@carynmartin6053]

Exactly!🎉😢

[@nancyhampton7932]

Her bragging about being magna cum laude made her even less likeable - what a horrible idea to take the stand. She’s absolutely vile and still blames his behavior for all of it.

[@Claudia-lq3ns]

She thinks she's smarter than everyone else and thought she could talk her way out of this. Then she completely crumbled on cross and made herself look really guilty, even with the fake dramatics. Now she doesn't want to participate... because she's a selfish coward.

[@hollyk7052]

Imagine bragging at your murder trial, she’s dirt

[@DocBree13]

Yes - and it also hurt her by making her claim about having a horrible memory unbelievable.

[@Junitunes]

What does that mean? Magna what?

[@danielleburke87]

​@@Junitunesit's a frat

[@onelifedontwasteit8568]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone get so destroyed on the stand. She could have just gotten up there and stated “I purposely abused, starved and killed my child.”

[@ltee2261]

Exactly and sparing everyone the trauma of a trial is just not within their capacity 😢

[@karmaMatters123]

But she’s a lawyer. She will do amazing on the stand! 🙄 SMH at that stupid “dummy”!

[@ginag6209]

Yeah the prosecutor tore her a new one

[@dandylion9998]

Her lawyer said she didn’t know she was killing her son till he died. Huh? There’s no way she didn’t know there was significant issue with his weight.

[@DocBree13]

I agree

[@whiteroses47]

Day in and day out these evil persons watched that child die slowly but surely, living in a closet, eating hot sauce, in ice baths for long periods of time; down to 69 lbs!!! They are demonic!! They both got a charge out of abusing this child, and it makes me sick to my stomach. The death sentence sounds reasonable to me in this case! This case is so horrifying and heartbreaking! That poor, precious child! What he had to endure before he died! This is too much to bear!

[@hazeltillott944]

The brother knew exactly what he was doing he had so many chances to get him help he has no excuses they are both so disgusting😢😢😢😢god now will give Tim the love he has never had.

[@cleemcbride1]

She has taken no responsibility for what happened to her son.

[@eucliduschaumeau8813]

Not just in denial, but completely defiant. She thinks what she did was normal.

[@RLFinTX]

And never will. She’ll claim until she’s 92, with skinny, grey braids that he was ‘sneaky and deceitful’ and deserved punishment. 🙄

[@leighdavis9522]

She's narcissistic.

[@ontherocksinthesoilmichael6739]

Purely manipulative imo. She is extreemly cold and looked daggers at her son as he told the truth.

[@Tonya39420]

I saw her shaking her head when he was on the stand! 🙄

[@donnamorgan2522]

It was like he expected to be hit when he spoke 🥲

[@jennyatherton3820]

What a psychopath . I can't imagine the pain and torture poor Timothy went through absolutely heartbreaking 💔 😢

[@pamelarogers4598]

Well she instructed her oldest son to stick his finger down his brother's throat to cause him to vomit. So.... it's fair to say her vomiting "scene" in the courtroom was most likely self induced. I mean she "already" knew what her son looked like. She's so cold she has to fake any kind of reaction that would indicate she actually "cared at all". Not even a tear.

[@lisolette1]

It looks to me that Paul was her first torture victim and when Timothy got there she switched her focus, because Paul shows definite signs of abuse

[@HansonFan73]

I agree!! 💯

[@trudy__taylorandjorjamummy]

I watched the video of Paul on the stand, it seemed like every time the answer to the question was going to make her look bad, he would glance over to her in fear, like he was going to get punishment from her

[@DANIELA_1310_]

He was so sacred and always looking to her in pure fear...

[@mama_j1629]

This “selective amnesia” is awfully convenient

[@arisscene]

definitely, selective “crying” as well!

[@mrs.b.5864]

Just like Jodi Arias who also had selective amnesia.

[@sarahbressler5991]

Especially when she stated the bar exam took 400 hours of studies but scored so high. Then conveniently doesn't remember anything that incriminates her. Such bs

[@Nicki704]

There is a book “ A Boy Called It” . Everyone should read how a child could be singled out for torture by parents and involving siblings. It will never make sense to me how a child can be abused.

[@lisajeter9511]

This mother wasn’t destitute! She had a good job and I can’t imagine how she went to work every day knowing what was going on in her house every day! SMDH

[@koolkattysun1953]

I noticed when the son Paul testified, he continually looked to his right and seemed very frightened, to answer the questions because Shanda was there😮

[@soleil1758]

She knew she was killing him. She was blinded by her hate for her son.

[@sapphirine5346]

You’re just saying this for attention.

[@soleil1758]

@@sapphirine5346 you just said that for attention.

[@opaqueandbluefrommyphone4339]

It’s obvious she believed he was an inconvenience to her, so he had to go and her older son had to do it

[@y2ksurvivor]

​@@sapphirine5346projection is a helluva drug, eh?

[@scottinnh88]

She new dam well what she was doing. I have a five year old son non verbal son on the spectrum. He is an angel in my eyes. The sweetest loving boy I’ve had and I have two other sons that are not autistic. I’ll say this my autistic son is much more loving and sweet then his brothers.

[@PinkyakaAyannaj]

20:08 Her heart breaks for Paul😮 Just wow..... Dies anyone remember the 10 year old girl who faced murder charges for jumping on a infants head at daycare? I remember that. So many people wanted her tried as an adult because they said that she knew right from wrong. I'm sure this "expert" felt the same. How is Paul any different than that? Honestly, Paul was not raised by this monster lady. He was only in the home for one year before Timothy got there. Does anyone really believe that Paul couldn't ask for help at his job? He had use of a cell phone. He could have called for help at any time. Paul is just as guilty...if not more so. He took the plea hoping to avoid jail. He knew exactly what he was doing which is why he got scared when he realized that Timothy was probably going to die. Hes a nasty piece of work along with his nasty mom

[@KikiLee15]

Absolutely correct! A grown adult with the option to stop this, but instead, chose to participate in the slow vicious excruciating and humiliating torture and ultimately, the death of an innocent boy. It makes me so sick. They both are disgusting and I'm so tired of reading comments saying Paul was a victim, Paul was brainwashed, Paul was too scared to tell .. People should really stop making excuses for an accomplice to murder. They both deserve life in prison!

[@drips1030]

I remember that. Do you know what happened to the girl???

[@PinkyakaAyannaj]

@@drips1030 I don't know what the outcome was

[@ladygumshoe7402]

These Paul sympathizers forget...if they had not got caught he would still be torturing hus brother!!!😢😢😢😢 They don't think if that though. They are just as sick as thus mom and son!!

[@shefalimaurya3747]

I do sympathize w paul a bit just cuz it does seem she did have a hold on him by only bonding w him over the torture of his brother. Adults can be emotionally manipulated, and he probably was a victim of that. The way he hid that he fed his brother shows that he was scared of telling her. But that doesn't excuse the way he participated in the torture and he has to be punished for that. In the case of timothy, Paul is NOT a victim and has to go to jail. He def knew right from wrong, but desiring a connection w someone and only getting it when he participated in torture of his brother def made him numb to it. And Shanda knew it. She was smart enough. Not an excuse but could provide an explanation. Doesn't mean he should be spared. But it can mean that he can be reformed, albeit does not deserve a short sentence. As for shanda, she can't. She never saw her children as human beings. Not even when her children were giving a statement, not once did she glance over. She disgusts me. I am not defending paul, but giving a possible explanation. Adults can be manipulated, specially by close ones. But that doesn't mean they are innocent when inflicting violence. I sympathize with him being manipulated, but I do not sympathize with him participating in this torture.

[@handmade-everything9528]

I love how the prosecution made it clear that they showed her this photo a week prior and she didn’t react like this at all

[@gingerleamcwow435]

I am just now learning about this case. It makes me absolutely sick. I can't imagine how confused and scared that poor boy must have felt. The ONE person you should always be able to rely on to love and care for you, and all he had was a complete monster. Throw her in prison with the other women. They'll make sure she gets to experience pain and fear every chance they get. Serves her right.

[@joannadechenne6368]

100%. What are the prisons filled with?? MOTHERS. They will take care of her.

[@moosehead4497]

its so sad.. there was another case of kid locked in a garage but he was fortunate to survive

[@penguinp3079]

Unfortunately, she’ll never know that fear and suffering on earth. She’s an emotionally detached psychopath. However, you can rest assured knowing she won’t be praying to God to save her. God is not in her heart and psychopaths don’t believe they need to be saved, or that anything is wrong with them. She’s not just going to jail for life, she’s going to the deepest pits in the lake of fire to be treated the way she treated her son and worse, for eternity.

[@moosehead4497]

they dont take kindly to kid killers@@joannadechenne6368

[@zazasnruntz7505]

Whites have always done stuff like this in America

[@evilqueenyiayia]

Paul was under surveillance. She had cameras monitoring his and Timothy's every move. That poor boy. 💔

[@angelmission]

But, Paul also had freedom to go to work and to stores, he had opportunity to tell someone, get food for Timothy. But he did not! This is why I say he should face some kind of criminal punishment as well. He was a grown man. He failed his brother.

[@vjc1902]

Bad people flourish when good people do nothing.

[@evilqueenyiayia]

@@angelmission My guess would be you couldn't have listened to the testimony of the Son or the Mother. Her influence was pervasive, insidious and all encompassing. He had to Obey. She watched him on camera. The texts proves she dictated his every move. He is being charged. He also has remorse. Tell a DV Victim just leave. I hope he gets help. 💔

[@evilqueenyiayia]

@@vjc1902 I don't know who did nothing. The Mother controlled everything. Her intelligence was used in a corrupt way. 😔

[@angelmission]

@@evilqueenyiayia I did. This is why I said he had opportunity to help his brother. He had opportunity to feed his brother. He did some things on his own without his mother's orders. I realize he has some issues himself, and that his mother abused him to some degree as well. But, that does not release him from responsibility fully. I do think he deserves some time for his part in his brother's death. He was the link that could have saved his brother. He could have fed him and kept him alive. He could have called for help. He could have told someone at his work. So many lost opportunities to save his minor brother. He was also an adult.

[@katieb9330]

The 8 year old son wasnt shielded to protect him, it was to protect her from being caught doing these despicable things. An 8 year old is more likely to tell somebody what they're seeing because they are taught to do so.

[@jenn7669]

She's a sadist mother. I don't have any kids but I couldn't even imagine treating your own flesh and blood like that. The Judge was wonderful. He said that Timothy won and not her. Justice was finally served.

[@guywebster8018]

She reminds me of my stepmother who also used her power over my siblings to abuse and humiliate me. One time she had my siblings strip my clothes off, held me down naked and put a diaper on me. I was 9. Aside from the damage it did to me imagine the damage it did to my brother and sister. Thats cruelty folks. These people exists. Its evil. Truly. Sadly here we are in the 21rst century. In this day and age where these things are known. They can be stopped. Yet here we still are.

[@adimartinez_realtor]

❤❤❤❤

[@gabrielamartiniuc6322]

Your siblings could have said no. They chose to protect themselves over protecting you.

[@saskiaehlers5273]

I'm sorry that that happened to you. You are wonderful and deserve to be loved and protected.

[@debabade1591]

​@@gabrielamartiniuc6322 you are sick. How old where siblings? How can you say that about children? Can't blame them retard. Theirs step mom is sick and twisted individual

[@ABANDONEDBUFFALONY]

So sorry that your childhood was ruined by such a vile person:(

[@alfobootidir2474]

She says he stole pop tarts. So his options were starve to death or steal pop tarts live a little longer to be tortured and starved to death.

[@sukhivirdee144]

I was diagnosed with D.I.D. many years ago by 3 different psychiatrists who didn't know each other, at different times inside 2 years. I also haven't been able to work due to the seriousness of the condition and have spent most of my adult life in psychiatric hospitals. Weird how Shanda can work as a Judicial Clerk, & keep her job! She's obviously lying. She's also very confident.

[@angelfrankenfine]

So disturbing. I cant help but feel so dang sorry for that boy that he was given this family in this life.

[@alfobootidir2474]

What’s with the reaction? NOW you realize how bad it was? Not when he was dying before you ? The pictures make you sick now but the dying person’s suffering body made you angry when he was alive…

[@DVD927]

Absolutely sick to make one child abuse another. An even worse level of abuse.

[@baublesanddolls]

I can’t even comprehend this.

[@reesebrindle1809]

There was no love for that child. You don’t do these things to anyone and love them! Disgusting. May she get life in prison without parole! Blame the son Paul as her defense? She loves no one but herself. She’s disgusting.

[@jgirlinluv55]

Paul looks like he has some mental delay or abused himself

[@RLFinTX]

@@jgirlinluv55 I agree. I hope Paul gets serious help. Being raised by a psychopath generally doesn’t bode well for that child, but his body language does reflect shame and remorse. As much as I hate to say it, his future looks bleak to me. She ruined her children. Thank goodness the youngest one will be spared.

[@Claudia-lq3ns]

Agree re: Paul. She had him totally brainwashed.

[@martha9292]

@@RLFinTXagree! I think Paul is about as much of a victim as his brother by this psychopathic and narcissistic monster of a mother. I hope he finds Jesus, gets delivered of the demonic influence he’s been exposed to and heal. I do feel sympathy for him. But if she gets life or death sentence, it’s just!

[@RLFinTX]

@@martha9292 I hardly think about this for a person, but the death penalty would be best for everyone, so that she can no longer abuse others.

[@shaunamerbouhi8053]

Paul clearly also abused.. jury please get this right.. She needs to go away before she damages her other kids further.. Would love to know what happened in Oklahoma

[@missbevpowers]

oh... she's going away for the test of her worthless life. I hope Paul is imprisoned for at least 20 years

[@bbe3034]

She moved from Oklahoma to Michigan. It’s absolutely shocking that the child protective services in Oklahoma did not contact Michigan child protective services! She was in the system in Oklahoma!! She is absolutely evil!! 😡😡

[@mistressofmayhem616]

​@@bbe3034sadly these monsters are smart enough move states away to escape repercussions by authorities.

[@yvonneeaster]

She saw him every day. Why a photo should have that effect on her doesn’t make sense. In fact, it makes her look guiltier instead of minimizing it.

[@mneube58]

I can feel your emotions as you are reporting this story!

[@designerdiva87]

I can’t believe they could find an attorney willing to represent her

[@baublesanddolls]

Anything for money.

[@jonesing225]

@@brittany6191of course everyone does and they always will, it’s just crazy. Just like everyone deserves to live and be loved but not everyone will just like Timothy❤

[@luyandauthandomakhanya7813]

It's required by law. Not having defense deters the carrying out of justice and leaves the case vulnerable to appeal or straight up dismissal, wasting state funds and worse not getting justice for the victim. When you sign up to be a lawyer you're required to put your personal bias aside. All human beings have a right to an attorney and remember, attorneys are required to treat everyone as innocent until proven guilty.

[@jonesing225]

@@luyandauthandomakhanya7813 omg we know???? Someone literally just said that. I just said everyone does and will

[@WeTheGreatest]

It's not enough money in the world to have me represent someone so evil. I would rather quit practicing law.

[@joehurt9281]

Paul looks tortured as well. Demanding a young man torture his brother. And blame him when his brother eat something from the kitchen. What is food? This woman from Idaho did the same to her kids. Whats happening to natural love and care? Feed strangers starve your own?

[@ltee2261]

It's like an epidemic of parents killing their kids 😢

[@freddymars2014]

Yeah the older son looked very emaciated, from years of malnutrition and abuse no doubt.

[@RLFinTX]

@@freddymars2014 I thought the same thing. His dark eye sockets and his sunken in cheeks. That was heart breaking. I think it’s reasonable to conclude that if there had been no investigation after Timothy’s death, that she would start torturing either her youngest son or to finish off Paul. People like her need an outlet for their abuse, they don’t just stop.

[@vjc1902]

Wasn't Paul 17 or 18 when Timothy came into the house? If that's the case, I have no sympathy for Paul. Unless he's diagnosed with a mental disorder, I hold him responsible as well.

[@RLFinTX]

@@vjc1902 I think I heard him say he was 19, but I think she kept him there to work to help pay for the household, at least that is how it was said. I’m not sure how long Timothy was living with them, but I have a feeling that she had been abusing Paul for a very long time. You don’t get in the shape he’s in over the course of just a year.

[@JosannaMonik]

I feel that a very important part is being overlooked other than starving one son, is the emotional abuse of forcing the older son to torture the younger one. That should warrant another 25 years in prison right there. How will that boy ever get over that?

[@inketc.presents5584]

I really enjoyed watching your channel . I was impressed with your professionalism ,your interviewing style and I love the fact that you have a sense of humor, the "crocodile heaving", was exquisitely brilliant.

[@karmaMatters123]

I watch a lot of these horrible trials, and I am so horrified by this monster. She fakes an anxiety attack. Then she gets a break?! All of the things she did to Timothy and he never got a seconds break, yet she is given that relief for listening to a few of her OWN text messages!? And now she’s “vomiting” when she looks at an image of what SHE systematically did to her son for months? I think we all know she was not vomiting but the ironic part is, if what she did made her throw up, then it just proves how horrific the torture was that she committed to this poor child. “Dummy”! I can’t wait until she gets the prison justice after her fellow inmates see the trial and/or hear about all of the disgusting things that this witch did to a child. Then after she endures that torture for the rest of her miserable life she then goes to hell where she finds out that hell is actually her receiving all of the punishments she did to this innocent child. Welcome to your eternity witch! I am so glad that Timothy is in a place where nobody can hurt him anymore. He is free to run, laugh, love and eat all the brownies cookies and pizza could ever dream of. 🙏🏼 👼🏽 ❤

[@susiefoxy8130]

She had the cheek to say that for the first month in jail she couldn’t eat due to the stress, the woman has no self awareness!

[@loriegosnell9355]

12:55 wow you pretty much covered everything I was thinking and more… may she feel some of the same things she inflicted on her son. If she’s such hot💩 magma cum laude $ maker them I don’t understand why she didn’t get a special needs helper to reduce stress on her and make his life easier too. She had options to make her home a healthier atmosphere for her family but she chose to torture instead?

[@whoopsydaisy6389]

I don't imagine Paul will ever recover from the psychological torment his mother used against him that resulted in the slow horrific murdering of his own sibling. He's always going to wish he'd been strong enough to stand against his mother and get his brother and himself some help.

[@bedazzlejuju]

The shame emanating from him was palpable and heartbreaking.

[@RLFinTX]

I just made the same comment. It’s so terribly sad. I doubt this jury will be out for longer than it takes them to fill out the paperwork.

[@rmaria517]

Doesn't it look like he wasn't being fed either?

[@PaulineKroeger]

@@rmaria517 that is exactly what I thought! He is only skin and bones...no excuse for not helping his younger brother but he seems desperate to satisfy his monster-mother. No room for feelings only survival mode.

[@wrestlingwithart]

​@@PaulineKroegerhe took the stand 18 months after he helped kill his brother with methods of torture he came up with. She hasn't had any "control" over him for a year and a half now.

[@marykrebs5952]

I would like to hear the victim’s father’s take on all of it

[@mazmaz6905]

This makes my blood absolutely boil. That poor boy.

[@peetiebird4678]

And to think I thought the "Boy In The Box" episode was cruel and inhuman! Now this comes along and dwarfs that by a long shot. This woman is a psychotic sociopath, in addition to being a sadist. My heart breaks for that innocent little kid. The pain and suffering he had to endure at *HER* hands!

[@Grammichal]

⁠Sadly, people are commenting their abusive parents often chose one child to treat cruelly & recruit other family members to join in. Read the famous book “A Child Named It.” (There’s a hopeful sequel.)

[@SummerMayDay]

She’s not psychotic. She is completely in touch with reality.

[@southerncaltattooedbiker3643]

We watched Him testify this afternoon and you could see the fear in His eyes every time he had to answer you could tell that he was very scared of his Mother and only did what he was told so he would not be abused. She should get the Death Penalty for what she put these kids through. And she is the person who dictates the trial. She made me sick and I truly felt sorry for the son who was forced to carry out her torture on both children 😠‼️

[@agapelove2853]

1000% SPOT ON DEATH PENALTY PERIOD …. WHY THE HELL IS SHE EVEN GIVEN A PRIVILEGE TOO BREATHE IN THIS TRIAL …

[@Kelbel30]

Yeah I was thinking that while it doesn’t excuse him I bet he was thinking if he didn’t do it he was next.

[@ltee2261]

To use the brother as a weapon against his sibling is just sickening 😢

[@ltee2261]

​@@Kelbel30true he looks as if he's been starved as well 😢

[@FCUK-]

Idk his texts were cruel too 🫤. I mean i get she influenced him but he played his part too.

[@paw2g]

Thank you for shedding light

[@theavanrensburg8196]

She said Paul had to help her, she had no other choice. Paul had a horrible life, as if he’s under his mother’s spell! He’ll need ongoing therapy for a long time.

[@LaPlaztique]

Paul doesn’t deserve jail. He should be in intensive therapy and it will be a very long time for him to get through this horror he was put through!

[@misswildlife7905]

She was capable of getting a degree with all the alleged "issues"..not believeable.

[@luzvaldes1030]

Thanks for bringing on Ms. Driver, Vinnie. She’s very good with her assessments

[@catsmith233]

That poor brother could easily turn out to be a serial killer. His mom forcing him to do those things would really mess with his mind.

[@tatianagranger2427]

This is absolutely horrible. That poor child didn’t deserve this.

[@Wildcat221]

None do.

[@Lonesome__Dove]

That boy was dying for two days, completely unresponsive and they put a pizza pocket in his nose to see if hed respond and still didn't feed him! This was an intentional murder....both of them. The older brother is mentally fit to know right from wrong idc how brainwashed or abused he was...he knew it was wrong you can tell by the things he said. It would of been NOTHING to make an anonymous call from work to get help for your dying, unresponsive brother who was sitting in an ice bath for hrs. No. He went to work that day after his brother had been in that ice bath unresponsive already for 4 hrs and he DID NOTHING. That young man is a threat to society, period.

[@BabyGirlTiny]

You clearly don’t know if he was mentally well at all with that type of mother

[@Lonesome__Dove]

@BabyGirlTiny I do know by his responses. You could clearly see in his face and his body language he knew what he was doing was wrong.

[@alwaysforever8294]

Abuse and trauma to that degree is gonna have serious consequences and changes to the brain. That mother is clearly controlling and probably has been since he was a child. You can see the fear he has for her because he continues to look at her but avoids looking in her eyes. Imagine the fear he had when he has a camera on him while being told to do these things. Not saying he did anything right and deserves to walk free but he does deserve alittle compassion for what he has probably been through since a child because of that devil. He needs therapy and help. He never had a normal life to be able to think normally like you can.

[@pamelawalton1643]

Great analysis

[@stlucys1961]

Thanks for sharing

[@07CS]

She reminds me of the movie Mommie Dearest. That young man Paul was a victim of her psychological, emotional and mental abuse too; he needs therapy not jail. He did not voluntarily torture his brother, he complied bc of fear and intimidation. Paul is not an accomplice, he is collateral damage, he got caught in cross fire.. She used him to carry out her perverse acts of torture while she was at work. Paul obviously suffers from a disability as well as Tim and she knew how to manipulate his thought process. In reality she was torturing both, Paul and Timothy. Controlling and sadistically torturing her disabled children triggered a dopamine rush for her. Beyond terrible.

[@annelane8646]

Paul looks like he has been starved or denied enough food as well. He’s likely been abused his whole life as well and didn’t know he could say no to his mother

[@pennicochrane8886]

Paul has a long road ahead of him, extensive therapy. She kept saying, "Paul's Idea"

[@annelane8646]

@@pennicochrane8886 The fact that she keeps blaming her son for the ideas shows how conniving and manipulative she is. I do feel so terrible for Paul, he probably felt like because she is his mom, he needed to obey

[@07CS]

@@annelane8646 yes most definitely Paul has experienced her cruelty; sleep and food deprivation himself, probably things he is not even disclosing right now since the case is about his brother

[@kirstenwright3755]

He was an adult. I’m a survivor of CSA and I certainly wouldn’t let my parents away with hurting any of my siblings. I don’t have any thankfully

[@AugustBug56]

I don’t think that was a legit puke I think she gagged herself whether she actually puked or not. Still psycho.

[@HeatherDanielle1981]

My name is Heather from Pensacola, Florida. I would love to introduce myself. I just came across your channel, and I am so intrigued. Love your videos!!! Thank you so very much for all of your hard work ❤

[@SacredDreamer]

.. its a crying shame that she didnt have to sit through this trial with her hands in cuffs raised up above her head - that person needs to FEEL what she made her son endure. To see her constantly sipping on her water and chewing gum really contrasts the privilege she was given in this trial.

[@ohheyykristina]

The prosecutor was genius when he said Timothy weighed 108lbs! Even after she corrected him and saying he’d written it down correct, he said it wrong AGAIN. She fell for it AGAIN hook line and sinker. He KNEW that wicked witch would correct him bc she totally lacks self awareness and is too self absorbed to realize that correcting him about something so insignificant as a 4lb weight difference, 4lbs LESS than he said on such a horrific subject would make her look more sadistic to the jury. Her pointing that out just shows how petty her massive her ego is. Most people would realize the seriousness of the situation and how horrible it is to starve your teenage son down to 108lbs that they wouldn’t want to correct them over such a small difference but dang sure wouldn’t correct them with something even LOWER! It’s ridiculous that THATS where her mind was in that moment. Correcting the prosecutor even if it meant making herself look bad. Her delicate ego couldn’t let it go…she HAD to correct the prosecutor so her ego was stroked just a bit and that allows her to feel slightly better in this situation. She’s a weak, insecure piece of trash. The prosecutor let me down when he missed his chance to ask her right when she stepped on the stand if she was stressed or if being on the stand was stressful to her? That way every time she claimed when she got the slightest bit stressed she “blacked out” without blacking out, got tunnel vision or disassociated, he could remind her that she said she was also stressed there on the stand but she seems to be answering questions just fine as long as they didn’t require her to recall anything unsavory she did. I think she messed up taking the stand but life would be way less exciting if we didn’t have complete buffoons like this out there.

[@Lonesome__Dove]

And not to mention it highlighted how she remembered but didn't remember any of the texts.

[@ironmaven1760]

oooooo good points! Total complete NARCISSIST. Worse than Casey Anthony!

[@kimberlypullen7468]

Phenomenal point and I couldn't agree more! This monster was a law clerk who passed the BAR! That in itself shows me that her ego and the level of narcissism is so high that she truly thought she could get on the stand and manipulate the situation in her favor. This is one of those cases that should be studied heavily.

[@Cazza1206]

I can't believe she took the stand, what a stupid move. But obviously very glad she did as no one can believe any of that bs.

[@bridgetteague5874]

Oh,very,very well said 👏

[@DeeIsFierce]

She's so fake she wasn't throwing up as she was torturing her little boy, She's a evil monster.😢😢

[@Junitunes]

I think she was putting her finger down her throat

[@moniquegoss5778]

She wasn’t throwing up here either

[@trudy__taylorandjorjamummy]

How can she home school the children if she is out of the house from 6am until 6pm?!!

[@Leelee-xw1yh]

Behind the leafy subhurbs, behind the flowers, behind the oak door door are kids being tortured to death. I hate to think how many are dying behind these doors. Rest in paradise Timothy

[@amberchase7959]

Poor Timothy. He is now with Jesus forever ❤️

[@Susan18762]

She was showed compassion during her testifying - that she didn't deserve and NEVER showed her tortured, now dead, son!!

[@truthseeker1649]

I love this guy. He reports with so much emotion. What a horrific case! R.I.P Timothy✨️🙏💖 ♾️ You are loved by millions and will never be forgotten. Rest now little one. We've got you! ❤In the arms of Angels rest in eternal peace❤

[@marcusherrin897]

Why do they feel bad for Paul? Did they not listen to the judge he was a willing participant and one of his younger siblings said”He was a bully who liked to pick one Tim”

[@mama_j1629]

I blame the entire family, the kid was 68 pounds!! No way no one noticed how sick he was, the kid was fully able to speak so I have no doubt he didn’t say something about being starved to death, and no one listened!! No one cared to check on this kid?!! What kind of monster people are they? ALL OF THEM!! That poor child suffered a horrible horrible life and more horrible death

[@bbe3034]

Exactly! Where were the aunts, uncles, dad, and grandparents? She is totally EVIL!! 😡😡😡

[@Lonesome__Dove]

I agree wholeheartedly. Dad, stepmother, grandparents, uncles/aunts....like what nobody said How's Timothy? Cmon.

[@bidencrimefamilymottof-cky953]

Didn’t the two other boys, Paul and G, sleep in the room where the closet was?

[@sjohnschafer]

Well I’m not sure how well he could speak because he was autistic. And some Autistic children do eat non stop. But he needed treatment and counseling not punishment and torture. It breaks my heart that his brother was able to stick his finger down Timothy’s throat and make him throw up. If that had been me at 15, I’d have bitten his finger off and got at least a knee to the groin in. But evidently both boys had been cowed by her… which is probably a whole other story.

[@mama_j1629]

@@sjohnschafer they said during the trial he was verbal and he was on grade level so no intellectual delay at all, regardless of autism or no autism there’s no excuse for her neglecting that kid or abusing him. She deserves to be treated in jail the same way she treated Timothy

[@linnylin3580]

She's an absolutely disgusting, evil, monster. It was extremely obvious to me that her tears & gagging over the trashcan was an act IMO. Didn't sound like anything even close to being a real reaction to seeing the pictures of what she did to her own child. She's an absolute monster. It takes an extremely sick & disturbed individual to do what she did to her children.

[@renee8813]

Jeanine Driver is amazing. Totally agree with her. My heart breaks for Paul, and I think he’s going to need a lot of therapy throughout his life because of what he has suffered at the hands of his mother🙏

[@brighteyedbeauti]

Why is she throwing up.... NOW? 😡 She is SO overly sensitive seeing a picture of him, but when hes alive in front of her she has no regard for his life. It's horrifying she couldn't show her own son the same understanding and mercy she expects the jury and judge to have for her. She could be released somewhere extremely cold with not a thread of clothing on her back and with no chance at survival and she'd still be getting off easy.

[@sixxygrrl]

Uhm... I have PTSD and have never experienced "black outs" like she describes.... And I would/have NEVER treated another person the way she did. Also, she sheilded her 8 year old because she didn't trust him to keep it a secret. 8 year olds tell everyone everything. She was trying to not get caught.

[@ChevyGirl-1984]

Same, I also have ptsd, and haven’t had “blackouts” I may dissociate for a minute, especially if triggered, but when I dissociate it’s only for a short spell, and I remember what goes on during that time.

[@kerryonmaui1213]

I have CPTSD. I space out( disassociate ) but I know exactly what’s going on. May this women get the same treatment that she gave her poor son.

[@lisbethsalander1723]

Just came across a similar documentary on Hulu's " Deadly women". The first episode - a mother targeted her 15 yr old daughter in a ferocious way as Shanda did with the same tragic end result. These people starve and torture their scapegoat child in a similar way!

[@dbelle3397]

I believe she is a sadistic Sociopath and all her children are victims when a mother has this personality defect. I would like to see the ex-husband to take some responsibility for giving his son back to the mother who is barred from having sole custody. This case is horrid and awful to see a mother do this to their child. I hope and pray that Paul is able to forgive himself and heal mentally. Rest in perfect peace Timothy🕊️.

[@monicascott2354]

If she was so messed up with PTSD or whatever, then how could she keep a job in the court system? Gmafb.

[@LaPlaztique]

Passing the BAR exam on her first try? Yeah, no problems with memory. I call BS!

[@justbrandy8520]

They didn't want the little boy knowing they were abusing Timothy because that baby went to his grandma and could tell on them

[@kirstenwright3755]

What a monster. My parents were very bad to me. Until about age of 10. Broke my heart. RIP wee man xx

[@hollyk7052]

You can’t get physically sick (disgusted) by your actions and also act normal in the same questioning. Scary.

[@josephrapp]

One does not treat his pet rat this bad. The Ferriters look angelic by comparison. Poor baby boy. And the other son is tormented too.

[@fauxpas881]

No they don´t. They (the Ferriters) got caught in time.

[@mischiefmanaged9873]

She makes Tim Ferritter look like Father of the Year. Straight up sadistic!

[@DocBree13]

Yep

[@Scrapfan]

I said the same thing! At least she knew not to wear a cross necklace to show how innocent she was.

[@Mawmoo878]

My heart breaks for this young man. What he did was horrific but what is so much worse is the manipulation and mental abuse he must have been suffering under her constant watching. Evil evil evil woman. This prosecutor is trying to but all blame on him. Evil just sickening.

[@trayle1220]

Just when I think I don’t do enough for my kids. Just wow!!!! How could a mother do this

[@yesseniaayala2664]

She couldn’t remember any of the text message she sent. How horrible, she could have ask the state to take him, and they would have. RIP, now you’re in peace.

[@starlingswallow]

And it's quite convenient for Tim to be on a "food strike". He wasn't on a food strike, _food was being withheld from him!_

[@AleisterCrowleyMagus]

Paul is also her victim. She is an absolute monster - she can’t hide her glee when she talks about how poor Timothy was “dishonest” because he was starving and would try to get food

[@LiminalStatesPhotography]

Ayyy hello from Grand Rapids!

[@catherinetownsend3266]

what concerns me is how many more children are being abused. Its disgusting.

[@michellebattersby8585]

This case is so heart wrenching 😮