Fire Escape: The Crash EP1

Fire Escape: The Crash EP1

From Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

April 21, 2026 · 34 min · Season 17 · Episode 17

About this episode

Amika Mota shares her harrowing story of becoming a prisoner after a tragic car crash.

How did Amika Mota go from a midwife and mother of three to a prisoner inside one of the largest women's prisons on Earth? Handcuffed to a hospital bed, awaiting trial, Amika tries to come to grips with the tragic crash that cost one man his life and took her away from her children. Inside the Chowchilla prison walls, she faces the "green cops" and the threat of solitary confinement. Outside the walls sits Firehouse Five, the home of the legendary crew of incarcerated firefighters called the Fire Girls. This episode contains descriptions of a car crash & strong language. Sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, Amika Mota, for sharing your story with us! Fire Escape , the 6-part series is dropping weekly on the Snap Judgment podcast feed. You can access the bonus episodes here . Fire Escape is a production of Snap Studios at KQED , made in partnership with Audible (previously Wondery). This series was created, written and produced by Anna Sussman. Snap Senior story editors: Mark Ristich and Nancy López. Director of Production: Marisa Dodge. Original music by Renzo Gorrio and Doug Stuart. Doug Stuart also created the theme song. Sound design and engineering by Miles…

People in this episode

Hosts: Snap Judgment, Anna Sussman, Glynn Washington

Guest: Amika Mota

Topics covered

  • prison
  • motherhood
  • car crash
  • incarceration
  • firefighters
  • solitary confinement

Keywords

  • Amika Mota
  • prison
  • car crash
  • mother
  • firefighters
  • solitary confinement
  • Chowchilla
  • Fire Girls
  • Snap Judgment
  • Audible

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Snap Judgment, PRX, KQED, Audible

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