Betrayal Weekly - Taylor | Betrayal Weekly

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

Her father was a beloved local coach. At home, he was a different person. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [e-mail] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod  To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey, I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance.

And then there's your body having its own program. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi listeners, I'm Anna Sinfield, host of The Girlfriends, Trust Me, Babe. I'm excited to share The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe story with you. And I want to let you know that you can get access to all episodes of season one, two, three, and four of The Girlfriends. and every single episode of The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe, 100% ad-free with an I-Heart True Crime Plus subscription. Available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Plus, you'll get access to all episodes of The Girlfriends Trust Me, Babe, one week ahead of everyone else. Available only to IHeart True Crime Plus subscribers. So don't wait, head to Apple Podcasts, search for IHeart True Crime Plus, and subscribe today. Hi, listeners. I'm Jamal Jordan. the host of Roershack, Murder at City Hall podcast.

In July 2003, Councilman James E. Davis, an ambitious rising star in Brooklyn politics, was murdered inside New York City Hall, shot to death in front of more than 200 people. The killer? His political opponent, a man named Neil Askew. The full story of this shocking public murder

and the relationship between these two men has not yet been told until now. I want to let you know that you can get access to all episodes of Rochak Murder at City Hall 100% ad-free with an I-Heart True Crime Plus subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Plus, you'll get access to all episodes of Rochak Murder at City Hall one week ahead of everyone else, available only to IHeart True Crime Plus subscribers. So don't wait. Heads Apple Podcasts search for IHeart True Crime Plus.

and subscribe today. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHeartMedia, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries

while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. Coming up this seasonal Math and Magic, CEO of Liquid Death Mike Sassario. People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower. It's really like a, stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining. Take to interactive CEO, Strauss Selnick, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Listen to Math and Magic on the IHeart

Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, Betrayal fans, I have exciting news to share. Season 3 of Betrayal is now a docu series on Hulu. It's the gripping story of Stacey Tyler and the doctor who betrayed them. See the voices you've come to know in Betrayal under his eye, streaming now, on Hulu. Within seconds, I get a Facebook message and he goes, is this about your dad? And I got like a chill down my back. And I responded with yes, with like a bunch of dots. And he immediately replied with, I know this because it happened to me too.

I'm Andrea Gunning, and this is betrayal, a show about the people we trust the most. and the deceptions that change everything. Recently, a listener were calling Taylor wrote into us. She grew up with her two parents and her older brother in a small Midwestern town. Very small town feel everyone kind of knew each other in some capacity. Had to drive about an hour to a decent mall. That mall was a place Taylor and her mom would go shopping together. We were kind of attached to the hip at one point.

she would always say that I had to go shopping with her because I was the only one who knew where she parked her car. Growing up, Taylor's mom was her best friend. My mom was very demure, if that's the trendy popular word to use. She was quieter and she was the stay-at-home mom for most of our lives. That gave her a lot of time to spend with Taylor. She was always the one that did pick up, drop-off. She was definitely the default parent.

She was a self-proclaimed bookworm. We both enjoyed reading together, playing with dolls. She taught me how to bake. She taught me how to cook. We always did things together. Taylor's dad was the head of the household. He was beloved in their family and in their community. Easy go lucky.

wore Margaritaville T-shirt, always had a smile on his face. Taylor's parents had been together since they were young. My mom was pregnant when she was 16. He was 20. She dropped out of high school and he moved her across the country to follow him to the Air Force. That military background became part of the family culture. It was a pretty strict household growing up. We definitely grew up with rules and one of the rules was do everything you're asked. Striving to be a good daughter was really important to Taylor. She respected her. her parents. She even shared her dad's name. My dad was Big Taylor and I was Taylor Lynn. Big Taylor was a big sports guy. Some of my happiest moments growing up revolver on sports. I always played a

sport ever since I was five. She started with her dad's sport, soccer. He was a well-known soccer coach in the area. My dad coached my brother. He coached me. He coached beyond both of us. Everyone in their small town adored Taylor's dad. He had the nickname of G.C., which stood for a goofy coach, because he kind of took the happy role in the coaching situation, the good cop role. I did not know a world that did not involve sports, but I loved it.

I got really involved in volleyball, especially travel volleyball. Quickly, the sport became her entire life. Being good at volleyball and trying to get a scholarship or trying to get a spot on a college team was my biggest objective in high school. She wanted to leave her small town and make it to a big state school. If I would have stayed at home and maybe even played at the community college, that was out of the question. I didn't even want to talk to the community college coach. Her dad could be hard on her, pushing her to get better on the court. My dad looked like he was the most supportive dad in the world because he would come

watched my practices, but if he thought I didn't play well enough, or if he thought I wasn't practicing hard enough, I would get pulled aside to a place where no one could hear or in the car on the way home or at home. And he would say how terrible I was and how I'm half-assing things and just be so mad at me. He'd had this dark side where he would just flip a switch where nothing could get him out of it. The pressure from her dad could be intense. By her senior year of high school, Taylor had made it onto one of the best volleyball teams in the area.

We were really good. There wasn't a lot for my dad to critique, so he kind of had to ease up there. Taylor's hard work paid off when she was accepted to a liberal arts college on a volleyball scholarship. The school was an hour away from her parents' house, so when she started that fall, her dad came to every game. my biggest cheerleader. He was being so great to me. He was being the dad that I always wanted. He came to everything. He never critiqued how I played, even when I didn't have the best game,

which he would have tore me apart when I was younger for some of that. And volleyball became like a happy space again. But that pressure to be the best didn't go away. After every mistake or lost game, she heard her dad's voice in her head. I still wanted him to think I was the best. So I still tried hard. I worked as hard as I could. Every summer, I would do all of the workouts, plus more, to try to be the best that I could. Her relationship with her dad had ups and downs, but her connection with her mom was steady. We had those little moments where we felt like best friends and people thought we were so fun together. They even worked together when Taylor was home from college. We both worked at T.J. Max, and it would be really funny to page her from the fitting room.

and say, mom, you need to come clear out the fitting room. By the time Taylor graduated, she had developed a real sense of self. I was finally figuring out who I was, and it took me all four years to do that. I came out such a stronger, independent, hardworking person who knew that sports wasn't all that I was worth. Once Taylor felt more secure in herself, she met a really great guy, someone who truly was, valued her. He is a babe, first and foremost. He's six foot five. I'm the people person, and he's more of the strong, silent type, but we really balance each other out. Taylor started a career in marketing and coached girls volleyball on the side. She and her boyfriend shared the same interests.

Their lifestyles just aligned. We both work really hard at our career. We both coached. I coached girls volleyball. He coached girls basketball. We worked out together. They got engaged and started planning a wedding. Our wedding was great. My mom helped me get ready with my bridesmaids. My dad helped walk me down the aisle, had my father-daughter dance. Taylor talked to her dad on the phone almost every day,

and the family spent long weekends together. As Taylor's husband started spending more time with the family, My husband would always mention how thick my dad laid it on with me. Man, he just gushes over you. It's kind of weird. It's kind of gross. And I would just be like, well, I'm the golden child. I'm the best.

And kind of justified as that. And it took a long time for me to understand my dad was just laying it on thick because he knew what he did to me. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. And then there's your body having its own program. I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans.

We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation. There is one finding that is consistent, and that is that our resilience rests on our relationships. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On a recent episode of the podcast, Money and Wealth with John Hope Bryant, I sit down with Tiffany the budgetista aliche to talk about what it really takes to take control of your money. What would that look like in our families if everyone was able to pass on wealth to the people when they're no longer here?

We break down budgeting, financial discipline, and how to build real wealth, starting with the mindset shifts. Too many of us were never, ever taught. Financial education is not always about, like, I'm going to get rich. That's great. It's about creating an atmosphere for you to be able to take care of yourself and leave a strong financial legacy for your family. If you've ever felt you didn't get the memo on money, this conversation is for you to hear more.

Listen to Money and Wealth with John O'Brien from the Black Effect Network on the I'd Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up? I'm Miles Turn. And I'm Brianna Stewart. And our podcast, Game Recognized Game has never been done before. Two active players giving you a real look at our lives and what we actually think on and off the court. Nothing's off limits.

We talk trade requests. What's the vibe of that when it's like your star player is like, well, I want to leave? And then actually now I'm going to stay. We talk tanking. I mean, honestly, like, I might get in trouble for this answer, but I think it's like definitely happening in the WBA. And yeah, we talk about our mistakes too. They pulled me to the side and was like, hey, man, we got a call last night, man. You can't be rolling around the city like this tonight before games, no, you know, doing this, doing whatever.

And of course, family stories. They'll be like, Mommy, why did you miss that? Mommy, do you play basketball? Check out Game Recognized Game with Stoian Miles on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, everyone. I'm Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild and Tiny and Tiny. the beautiful things. I'm excited to share that I have a new podcast called Mind Over Mountain. In each episode, I interview athletes, adventurers, and adrenaline seekers to discuss the inner

landscapes and life experiences that informed and inspired their extraordinary feats. I also bring a bit of advice into the mix so we too can better understand how to face our own seemingly insurmountable challenges. Do you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to pull out what you already have inside. We're coming into this world, fighting for our lives. All I'm going to do is pull out what you already got inside.

We're there to support and celebrate each other. And that's not like your story versus my story. You're going to walk up and over that dang mountain. You're not just going to put your mind over it. Yep, yep, exactly.

And if I can't walk up and over it, I'm going to go through it. Listen to Mind Over Mountain every Thursday on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Taylor and her husband were settling into married life and beginning to plan for a family of their own.

In 2016, my husband and I were actively trying to have a baby. We got a house together and just really getting excited for my professional career to really take off. And life was pretty great. At the time, Taylor had just started a new career in social media marketing. I always had to keep in mind what trending topics were. and how the brand could maybe resonate in some of those. The Me Too movement started trending in 2017, and it wasn't just a one-day trend.

Every single day, there were new trending tweets with the Me Too hashtag that showcase stories of abuse. Seeing these headlines just really put me in a dark place and put a dark cloud over my life. Taylor's husband started noticing a change in her. He thought maybe there was something wrong in our marriage or something that he did to make me upset. But I would go home from work and I just wouldn't want to talk. I would just kind of try to block everything out.

After a few months, Taylor's husband encouraged her to start therapy. And it was through therapy that really helped me understand why I was feeling so upset seeing the Me Too movement. That was a major thing that happened. to me that was not normal. I found a therapist and I first just start talking about my relationship with my husband. I think halfway into our first session, she asked me about my family life and I just blurted it out that my dad abused me growing up. It was a truth that she buried for years.

She knew it happened, but she kept those memories locked away to protect herself. That was until the Me Too movement brought them back into her conscious awareness. It was so far back in my mind. The memories and reminders would truly only come out every once in a while in very weird situations, whether it be a dream or when I was drinking with my friend or an episode of Law & Order SVU would just hit way too close to what happened. I actually have to stop watching that show. With the support of a licensed therapist, she began revisiting the memories she tried so hard to forget.

As a note to listeners, Taylor is about to describe her experiences of sexual abuse. If it's best for you not to hear this, you can skip ahead two minutes. The earliest time I can recall is around like three or four years old. And I just remember being in the dark with the TV on, laying next to my dad, and him pleasuring himself next to me. He referred to it as helping him out. And so the phrase ever since I can remember was, hey, I need you to come help me out. or how about you help me out? Or, well, I could probably convince your mom to unground you

if you come help me out. It was his code word. I was crying, like quietly, eyes shut, gritting my teeth, silent, stiff as a board. As soon as it would be over, I would get out of there out of that room as fast as I could and I would lock myself into my room. The sexual abuse was a constant threat she navigated every day. I dreaded being home alone with him at any instance, my whole entire childhood. Anytime I could go to the grocery store with my mom, I would go.

Anytime I could try to get out of the house, I would get out of the house. I would even bring tons of, like, food and snacks from the pantry and hide them in my room to try to avoid going in and out of my room, because there would be times where I would just walk past his room, and that's where I would get the request to help him out. I just knew growing up, the faster I could get it over with, the faster I could leave. He manipulated and threatened her into staying silent. When she started looking back on her childhood, her fixation with sports started to make more sense. It wasn't just about getting a scholarship.

Volleyball gave her an escape from her dad and her home. Sports were also a great way. to stay busy and not be in the house. Like, I always tried to sign up for as much as I could, and we had to do a lot of traveling with that. So the abuse wasn't as often, which was nice. It was a nice break. But volleyball wasn't always a reprieve.

The bad moods her dad would get in after she lost a game were used to control her. If I made a mistake, I was terrified what was going to happen when I went home. The only way for me to get out of trouble or not grounded was to help him out. I would help him out and then everything would reset and we would be completely back to normal. He would be an overly loving dad for that time period and I would go back to my room and be relieved. But at the same time, I would be counting down the days until I had to do this again. Every time, she hoped it would be the last time. But it went on, right up until she left for college.

I'd get mad at myself sometimes, which is really hard to deal with. I should have just called the police. I should have just told a teacher. But who knows if they would even take in me seriously? Because he was respected in the community. As soon as Taylor left for college, she buried the memories of her dad's abuse. It was a survival mechanism. because she depended on her parents.

And despite it all, she still wanted a connection with them. I relied on my family for a lot of things. And, you know, they supported me and they helped me buy my first car. Through years of abuse, she had been taught that love was conditional and that it was her responsibility to make her parents happy with her. That pattern of thinking stayed with her, even after the abuse ended. So when a memory would come up, or when I'd be in college and that definitely wasn't happy to me anymore.

And I would think of something I'm like, well, like, you know, now they're nice to me. Now my dad treats me like his best friend. And all those great moments in my mind at that time outshadowed some stuff in the past because, hey, that's done, that's over. And look at how nice he is to me now. And again, I would talk to my dad or my mom like every other. day and never at a time where we'd be talking would I be thinking about that because I was so focused on how good it was to have a supporting dad or loving dad. It was definitely everything

that I was craving growing up and I feel like I was trying to take full advantage of that as an adult. But as hard as she tried to keep it out of her mind, those memories sometimes came back up. There would be times all throughout my life where I would remember like, oh yeah, I remember that terrible stuff used to happen to you? I even remember this was probably 2014 living in a different city

and my friend and I were drinking, you know, just young 20s getting ready for a night on the town and I don't know what triggered it, but all of a sudden I just started crying and I've never told anyone after that point, and I told her what had happened to me. And she gave me the biggest hug, and we kind of just talked about it. But back then, Taylor wasn't ready to confront the reality of what her father had done to her.

And the next day, she was like, I remember what you told me if you ever need to talk to me, let me know. And I just kind of was embarrassed that I even brought it up. I didn't want anyone to look at me as a victim or think of me, like, as gross, you know, for that happened in me as, like, damaged, even my friends. Taylor felt like if she came forward, it would destroy her family. And I would quickly be like, well, your family is all that you have. Do you want to blow up your whole life? And I turned out okay.

So it really must have not been that bad. And if I'm going to bring it up, then I'm just being a drama queen or maybe people aren't even going to believe me. So why would I even bring it up? So that's kind of how I would talk myself out of it and kind of push those memories back down. By 2017, when she saw other survivors coming forward and being believed, something shifted for Taylor. She couldn't keep the memories at bay anymore. I would cry on my way to work

sometimes out of the blue because I started having those memories that were just unavoidable and I couldn't really push them back like I had been doing all those years. With the help of her therapist, she integrated those experiences into the story of her life. But she still wasn't ready to confront her parents. And then, my husband and I were trying to have our first child. And the minute I found out I was pregnant, I just wanted to keep this thing safe. I was getting very protective over my future baby and really was having a hard time and had to talk to my therapist about, do I wanted to have a relationship with my dad knowing what happened to me. Finally, my therapist suggested, well, have you ever talked to your mom or told your mom about

this? And that really opened the door to, I need to bring light to this or I don't know what's going to happen next. It was the last thing she wanted to do. But now that she had a baby on the way, she knew she couldn't interact with her parents without addressing her dad's abuse. She hadn't told anyone except her college friend and now her therapist. If she was going to confront her parents, she needed to tell her husband first. My husband and I were driving in a car and I was still not mentally in a great place that I said, okay, do you want to know why I am in therapy? And I said there was a family member that abused me, sexually abused me, growing up. And then I was able to tell him that it was my

dad and he instantly wanted to drive two hours to go see him and confront him. He was supportive a thousand percent of the way. He is a fierce protector. He would do anything for me.

But she wanted to do this on her own. He respected that and supported her as she made a plan. But in the meantime, she distanced herself. I definitely became a little bit more distant to them, you know, blamed like, oh, we're was really busy, hard, a lot going on. All my anger was directed at my dad, not my mom.

She knew her mom would be on her side. She was her best friend. One time when Taylor was young, her even asked her if something was wrong. I remember I was five or six years old, and she asked me if my dad ever touched me. And I remember saying to her just because I was so scared

that I said no and just kind of let it go. But now, as an adult, she was ready to answer that question honestly. A few months into Taylor's pregnancy, her mom invited her on a shopping trip. Taylor decided this was the time. I took my mom to just a little cafe

and I said, I have something to tell you. It's really hard for me. Growing up, dad sexually abused me, I'm now pregnant and I'm terrified that something's going to happen to this kid. And I just need you to know. And she immediately started crying and I started crying. And she said, you know, I really, there was this one time that he was holding you weird that I really thought maybe, but you told me it wasn't happening.

Why didn't you ever tell me? Like, she just kept crying and asking me that. and I just kept telling her dad told me not to. Like, he said I would get in trouble if I told you. She was just super upset. Gave me all the hugs, told me how sorry she was that that happened. And I went home to where I lived at the time. And she went home with the plan to confront my dad.

It was a huge relief, but she knew that confrontation would change her parents' relationship forever. I was in hopes that she was going to leave him. I offered her a place to live with us. We would help support her financially. Taylor didn't hear anything from her parents for a few days. The whole time, she was bracing for her dad's reaction. She and her husband prepared for her mom to move in. But Taylor was surprised when a few days later, she received a call from her dad.

My dad then called me and asked me to meet him. at a halfway point in like a Walmart parking lot. He said he wanted to talk and apologize. So it wasn't even like you, an angry call. It was a, we need to talk. I'm just so sorry. Can we please meet somewhere? Will you ever forgive me?

Taylor was hopeful that her dad would apologize, acknowledged the impact of what he'd done and get help. I thought maybe this could turn around into a story that had some sort of reconciliation. or some sort of alternate ending. So I wanted to be a little bit open there because I did love him. With that in mind, she agreed to meet him. So we meet at the Walmart parking lot.

For her own protection, she decided to document the conversation. I actually started recording with my phone, and he just starts going off on how sorry he is. And he doesn't get those thoughts. anymore and how good I turned out and could I ever forgive him. I didn't have an answer for him if I could forgive him. I said, I don't know. And he goes, do you still love me?

I said, yes, because that's my dad. They sat in her car for an hour, crying. His apology felt genuine. It was the first time he ever acknowledged what he'd done. Once they parted ways, I immediately called my mom and said, hey, I just met up with dad. He said he was so sorry.

Like, how did your conversation go? And this is when she told me that he denied it, denied everything, said I was crazy, said I was making it up for attention. And she didn't know what to believe anymore. And I said, Mom, I have a recording of him apologizing. And she goes, hold on. father's calling me. And so hangs up, calls me back. Yeah, he just said you admitted that you were lying.

The minute I got home, I sent her all the recording. It was like an hour long. And he never once in the recording said, I'm sorry for sexually abusing you as a child, but he said, I am sorry. Can you forgive me? I don't get these thoughts. And she said, well, he could have been apologizing about anything. She just flipped this switch completely to not believing me. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. And then there's your body having its own program. I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans.

We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation. There is one finding that is consistent, and that is that our Resilience rests on our relationships. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. On a recent episode of the podcast, Money and Wealth with John Hobriant, I sit down with Tiffany the budgetista Aliche to talk about what it really takes.

to take control of your money. What would that look like in our families if everyone was able to pass on wealth to the people when they're no longer here? We break down budgeting, financial discipline, and how to build real wealth, starting with the mindset shifts. Too many of us were never, ever taught. Financial education is not always about, like, I'm going to get rich. That's great.

It's about creating an atmosphere for you to be able to take care of yourself and leave a strong financial legacy for your family. If you've ever felt you didn't get the memo on money, this conversation is for you to hear more. Listen to Money and Wealth with John O'Brien from the Black Effect Network on the I'd Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, everyone. I'm Cheryl Stray, author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things. I'm excited to share that I have a new podcast called Mind Over Mountain. In each episode, I interview athletes, adventurers, and adrenaline seekers to discuss the inner landscapes and life

experiences that informed and inspired their extraordinary feats. I also bring a bit of advice into the mix so we too can better understand how to face our own seemingly insurmountable challenges. Do you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to pull out what you already have inside. We're coming into this world fighting for our lives. All I'm going to do is pull out what you already got inside. We're there to support and celebrate each other. And that's not not. like a your story versus my story. You're going to walk up and over that dang mountain. You're not just going to put your mind over it.

Yep, yep, exactly. And if I can't walk up and over it, I'm going to go through it. Listen to Mind Over Mountain every Thursday on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcast presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. Yeah. This is my best friend Janet.

Hey. And we have been joined at the Hipsons High School. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later We're still joined at the hip Just a little bit bigger hips Wider This is a podcast we're recording it as we tailgate

Our youth soccer games In the back of my Honda Odyssey With all the snacks and drink Sidebar Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? Oh they had a bogo Well then you got it Do you want a white color or something here?

Just hit it What are y'all doing? Microphones? Are you making a rap album? Oh I would Come on Could you imagine? I would buy it Cuts through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake.

That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic. You are. I'm lucky I'm not a killer. I love this team and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh. Listen to soccer moms on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

After confiding in her mom about the abuse she experienced as a child, Taylor's dad reached out. He said he wanted to apologize, so she met him in person. To her surprise, he took accountability and was apologetic. She recorded the conversation on her phone. But when Taylor sent that audio to her mom... She thought I manipulated the recording. She just flipped this switch completely to not believing me.

This began a painful back and forth. Taylor was desperate to prove the truth to her mom. I had multiple phone calls at lunch break at work trying to convince her that, yes, this happened to me. Sharing very specific instances or phrases that he would use, like, how do you not believe me? This went on for months. Throughout my whole pregnancy, my mom was going back and forth of believing me or not, which was extremely stressful for me. Because I wanted her in my life, I wanted her to be my son's grandma. As she got closer to her due date,

she tried to have one final conversation with her parents together. Probably halfway through my pregnancy, I did show up at their house, and they were both home. She stepped out of the room, and she's like, I need a minute. As soon as her mom left the room,

my dad was acting so weird and definitely scared. He went from remorseful to angry and said, I don't understand. You turned out great. This wasn't a problem when we bought you clothes. This wasn't a problem when we bought you clothes. a problem when we bought you a car. And I freak out and start crying and going,

so that was supposed to make it okay. My mom turns the corner. She goes, what's going on? I'm like, he's just justifying it with all of these reasons. And I left. And at that point, I quit trying. That was the moment she decided to cut her dad off. I have not talked to him, looked at him since that moment.

when I fully understood that he does not love me the way that he says he did. The stress took a toll on her health and her pregnancy. I was 37 weeks and my OB was like, hey, you don't really have a lot of fluid. You might want to go to the hospital because they might want to deliver the baby early. And this is my first kid. And I was like, what? My first instinct was to go to my work and get my laptop for some reason.

And I just started crying on the stairs at work and people at work were so nice. And I was like, I'm not ready to be a mom. And they're like, you're going to be great. She called her husband who met her at the hospital. They didn't even have their hospital bagpacked. A few hours later, their son was born. He was born perfect with blonde curly hair and just adorable and so loved. I had friends visit me in the hospital, my in-laws.

Her mom showed up too, but she was distant. The minute the baby was born, she gave my son a kiss on the forehead and said that she was leaving. Just extremely weird. Taylor and her mom barely spoke for months. That was until Taylor's grandma passed away. I went to my grandmother's house to pick up some things and help them move some stuff around. My mom was bringing up, like, happy memories. and trying to talk to me about the baby

and just trying to pretend like everything was normal. That's when I had the conversation with my mom, like, stop skirting around this. I gave her the ultimatum. I said, you either believe me and stand by me and you are in this child's life or I cannot have a relationship with you anymore. She just finally, straight up, her reaction was,

I don't believe you. And I go, okay, and I left. and that was the last time we've ever spoke, which was probably the hardest thing, hardest conversation her and I ever had. For Taylor, this was the ultimate betrayal. I truly believed after we talked in that cafe that she believed me.

It was also an incredible loss. It was very devastating to think of a world where I just don't have a mom. But Taylor had to protect her child, even if that meant cutting off her mom. And I feel so sorry for her because to this day, she's financially, emotionally. She's just everything is under the rule of my dad.

She has always been so controlled by my father. She could never have her own opinion. I never saw her hang out with friends unless they were wives of my dad's friends while my dad was hanging out with his friends. I truly think that there were times where I was her only friend and I definitely missed that friendship, but I also have to do what's right for my family.

Sorry, that one hit me kind of hard. It's funny, I'm angry about my mom, but I'm just, I'm like mourning the loss of my mom and she's not even dead. And I get so upset still when I see my friends and their moms are so involved with their kids. It's just not fair. For a while, this was something Taylor handled privately.

But over time, Taylor felt more empowered to share what happened to her. One day, I was on Facebook and there was just a post, and it was kind of like a meme style where it said, reason number like 300 and blah, blah, blah, why abuse victims don't come forward. and all I did was hit share. I didn't say like, yep, this happened to me. It was just like resharing a post.

Within seconds, I get a Facebook message, and it is from my older cousin. He's about 10 years older than me. He goes, hey, what's this about? It was a cousin she would see once or twice a year at family events. We'll call him Henry. She kept it big, told him it was something she was working through.

And he responds with, is this about your dad? I got like a chill down my back. And I responded with yes, with like a bunch of dots. And he immediately replied with, I know this because it happened to me too. It was like 11 o'clock at night. I'm in my bedroom. I just start crying.

And he proceeds to tell me that when he was young, around five years old, my dad sexually abused him and the exact same things that he used to say to me he said to my cousin Henry of helping him out my cousin said he never told anyone because he was so afraid we started talking like every other day on the phone and just sharing experiences and like support for one another

it was the first time she felt seen as unfortunate as it was that it happened to both of us It felt like I had someone who fully understood what I went through, believed me, and was equally as angry as I was in the sense of how much innocence that this person stole and that I just wasn't alone. My cousin Henry told his kids who are in their 20s, and before he could even say what family member did something to him, his daughter asked if it was Uncle Taylor,

because I apparently had a family event. He had groped her and told her not to tell anyone. And so this clearly isn't an instance where it was a one-off with one kid or another kid. There could be multiple victims out there. Even though Taylor wasn't speaking to her mom, Henry took it upon himself to message her. He Facebook messaged her probably a little over a year ago saying, when we were living in the Midwest, it was happening to me. by Uncle Taylor.

I thought it stopped once we moved away and he wouldn't do it to any other kid. But Taylor Lynn is not lying and I know this goes beyond just us. Never read it, never responded to him. So there's definitely been attempts even after that moment to try to snap her out of it and nothing has worked and I don't think anything will work.

Henry and Taylor took their information to authorities. He contacted the state where he lives because the groping of his daughter happened in that state. And unfortunately, they haven't really paid much attention. At first, she was told the abuse she suffered would be classified as second degree criminal sexual misconduct. And in her state, there's a statute of limitations for that. And it's extremely frustrating, but I'm choosing to accept that. Taylor and her cousin decided to do something together to symbolize what they went through. Henry and I got Medusa tattoos recently.

So Medusa, the lore is she was seduced by Poseidon and raped by Poseidon in Athena's temple. And Athena didn't believe her and chose to make her a monster. And that definitely spoke to both of us. of just fear of not being believed, and we're both in each other's corner still, being there for each other when there are some dark days or just reassurance that it wasn't our fault. Just recently, the district attorney has decided to re-examine the case.

They are reclassifying her abuse as first-degree criminal sexual misconduct, and there are no statute of limitations. Taylor and Henry hope they might see justice, In the meantime, she's focused on moving forward and raising her kids in a safe, happy environment. I have a career that I am chasing. I don't have time nor like the desire at this moment to potentially chase down a case that has anyone said that they don't believe me when I know the truth. I also have three beautiful voice that need all of my attention, all of my love right now. I have the best kids in the world.

They are fun, they are smart, they're goofy, and I know I'm their mom, so I have to say all of those things. She's sad that her mom doesn't get to see her boys grow up. I feel sorry for her in the sense that she's never going to know them and know how amazing they are. Last week I got a message from my oldest son's teacher. He's in first grade. It was interesting fact day,

and my son, all he knows about my parents, is that they are, I just say, you know, they're not very good people. And so that's why they're not in our lives. And I haven't elaborated. And my oldest son told his entire class that my parents are bank robbers and they stole money from a bank. And that's why he doesn't know them. So I think it's kind of hilarious that little kids' minds just are so imaginative. So one day I'll be able to tell them the real reason.

but for now they just know that the people who are in their lives are people who generally love them and will protect them. And I refuse to have it any other way. Throughout this whole experience, she's had the support of her husband. I know I have such a great life partner. He stood by me this entire time. And his family has stood by me the entire time. And that just has meant the whole world to me. And he's such a good dad.

He is so fully involved. and we are building this little family from scratch and starting this new legacy. We end every weekly episode with the same question. Why do you want to share your story? The first reason is I think this is a part of my healing journey, first and foremost, and provide myself some additional closure. A second reason is when I found out that my cousin Henry, this had happened to him, there was this sense of I'm not alone

and if I can give someone else this sense of them not feeling alone then I want to be able to do that and that's why I chose to say something on the next episode of Betrayal Weekly So we sat down and he was like he doesn't believe in NDA

so he's not going to ask for one of them and I was just like in India what the hell is going on here like what is happening And it was like, oh, do you know what, I think I need to tell you a little bit about my family history. Before we end the episode, I have some exciting news. Betrayal will be doing our first ever live show as part of the Virgin Voyages's True Crime Cruise. We'll be answering listener questions and discussing them live on stage with Stacey and Tyler from Betrayal Season 3, as well as Caroline from season 4.

So if you have a question for us, please. email us at Betrayalpod at gmail.com with the subject line listener question. And if you want to join us on the Caribbean cruise, there are still spots available. Search Virgin Voyages.com slash true crime. If you would like to reach out to the betrayal team or want to tell us your betrayal story, email us at Betrayalpod at gmail.com. That's Betrayal P-O-D at Gmail.com. Or follow us on Instagram at Betrayal Pod. You can also connect with me, on Instagram at it's Andrea Gunning. To access our newsletter, view additional content, and connect with the betrayal community,

join our substack at betrayal.substack.com. We're grateful for your support. One way to show support is by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts. And don't forget to rate and review betrayal. Five-star reviews go a long way. A big thank you to all of our listeners. Betrayal is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group and partnership with IHeart podcasts.

The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Jennifer Fasin. Hosted and produced by me, Andrea Gunning. Written and produced by Monique Laborde. Also produced by Ben Federman. Associate producers are Caitlin Golden, Olivia Hewitt, and Kristen Malkyrie. Casting support from Curry, our IHard team is Ali Perry and Jessica Kreincheck.

Audio editing and mixing by Matt Dalvecchio. Additional audio editing by Tamar. Robin's Betrayals theme composed by Oliver Baines Music Library provided by

Myb Music And for more podcasts from IHeart, visit the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and hosts of the podcast, a slight change of plans, a show about

who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long

the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. And then there's your body having its own program. Listen to a slight change of plans on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, listeners.

I'm Jamal Jordan, the host of Roarschat, Murder at City Hall podcast. In July 2003, Councilman James E. Davis, an ambitious rising star in Brooklyn politics, was murdered inside New York City Hall, shot to death in front of more than 200 people. The killer? His political opponent, a man named Neil Askew. The full story of this shocking public murder and the relationship between these two men has not yet been told. Until now. I want to let you know that you can get access to all episodes of Rochak Murder at City Hall 100% ad-free with an IHeart True Crime Plus subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.

Plus, you'll get access to all episodes of Rochak Murder at City Hall one week ahead of everyone else, available only to IHeart True Crime Plus subscribers. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search for IHeart True Crime Plus, and subscribe today. I'm Anna Sinfield, host of The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe. I'm excited to share The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe story with you, and I want to let you know that you can get access to all episodes of season one, two, three, and four of The Girlfriends, and every single episode of The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe,

100% ad-free with an I-Heart True Crime Plus subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Plus, you'll get access to all episodes of The Girlfriends Trust Me Babe one week ahead. head of everyone else. Available only to IHart True Crime Plus subscribers. So don't wait, head to Apple Podcasts, search for IHart True Crime Plus, and subscribe today. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHard Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from

the smartest minds in marketing. Coming up this season on Math and Magic, CEO, CEO, of Liquid Death Mike Sessario. People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower. Or it's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining. Take to Interactive CEO, Strauss Selnick, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Listen to Math and Magic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

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