Coffee and Cases Podcast

Over the past two episodes, we followed a story that almost refuses to be believed: a newborn taken from Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, a toddler found abandoned outside a department store in Newark, and a man raised as Paul Fronczak who later learned through DNA that he was not the baby everyone believed had been returned. After decades of questions, genetic genealogy finally gave him the name he had been born with: Jack Thomas Rosenthal. But that answer opened another mystery, because Jack had not been born alone. Fourteen minutes before him, a baby girl entered the world too. Her name was Jill Lynne Rosenthal. And unlike Jack, Jill was not found abandoned in Newark. She was not placed into foster care under another name. She did not grow up inside someone else’s story. She simply disappeared—without headlines, without a public search, without a childhood photograph, and without the world even knowing it should be looking for her. Today, in the final episode of our coverage, we turn fully toward Jill: a little girl who was born, a little girl who had a name, and a little girl whose disappearance was hidden so thoroughly that silence nearly became the final word. This is the final episode in our three-part coverage of the case of Jill Rosenthal. I want to again thank Paul Fronczak and Tracy Hastings again for trusting us with this story and for taking the time to speak with me. Please listen to their podcast, The Fronczak Files, because they are telling this story from the inside—not just as a mystery, but as a lived experience involving identity, family, loss, silence, and the ongoing search for answers. You can find their work at https://www.thefronczakfiles.com/. And if you are caught up on our regular Coffee and Cases episodes and want more content, join us on Patreon, where we cover a solved case each month as part of our state-by-state spotlight: https://www.patreon.com/coffeeandcases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before sunrise on April 18, 2016, in Midlothian, Texas, Terri “Missy” Bevers arrived at a church to lead an early morning fitness class. But within minutes, something went terribly wrong. What happened inside that building in the quiet hours before dawn? Why does this case, years later, still feel filled with unanswered questions? Was this a random act—or something far more intentional? And how can a case with so much attention still have so few answers? Nearly a decade later, Missy’s story remains unresolved… and someone, somewhere, knows the truth. Please also consider supporting Coffee and Cases by joining us over on our Patreon page! Are you up-to-date on all our regular content?! Be a part of the C & C Fam by going to https://www.patreon.com/coffeeandcases to register! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before the Hollywood dolls that haunt our dreams, there was one (not so) quietly closed in an attic in a Key West home causing quite a stir for anyone with whom he came into contact. As his notoriety has grown and with his placement in a permanent museum display, the reach of that contact has grown tremendously, as has the number of letters he receives from people pleading with him to release them from whatever curse he has placed upon them. This episode is the history of Robert the doll. If you’d like to read more about Robert the Doll, check out David Sloan’s book, found HERE. AND, if you are interested in bonus content for our show or in getting some Coffee and Cases swag, please consider joining Patreon. There are various levels to fit your needs, all of which can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/coffeeandcases Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meghan Marohn was a poet, a teacher, an advocate, a friend, and a soul who saw the interconnectedness of life in all its fragile intricacies. However, this woman who fought tirelessly against all that is wrong in the world went missing on Sunday, March 27th, 2022 in Lee, Massachusetts. Her remains were located a little over five months later-- on September 1st. Was her death the result of an tragic accident, or was she the victim of foul play? Patreon: Up to date on all our regular content? Consider joining our Patreon for additional content! https://www.patreon.com/coffeeandcases Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices