Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Crime Alert 03.20.24

Episode Date: March 20, 2024

Mom drowns baby for crying while she was enjoying a bath. Catnappers foiled: kittens Mitch and Marcus returned safely! For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Alert, I'm Nancy Grace. Breaking crime news now. The Minneapolis Children's Hospital calls police when Esperanza Harding claims her son Mateo died there. Hospital officials say the eight-month-old baby was never admitted. Harding eventually admits she killed Mateo at the hotel where they were staying. Harding says she was trying to enjoy soaking in a bathtub when Mateo started crying. Instead of comforting the baby, she drowns Mateo in the bathtub, stuffs him in a backpack, and throws him in a dumpster. Nancy, Harding was dating Edwin Trudeau, 18, who reportedly did not like the child and encouraged Harding to give him up for adoption. Harding texted with Trudeau throughout the incident, first telling him she was about to do something bad, then sending a photo of baby Mateo floating face down in the tub.

Trudeau then came to the hotel room where he allegedly tried and failed to resuscitate the boy. The couple then had sex in the other room before Harding dumped Mateo's body. Trudeau will face a charge of murder and aiding after the fact. Needless to say, Esperanza Harding charged with murder. The Tampa Bay Humane Society, familiar with cats but cat burglars, two potential adoptees, wander into the kitten nursery where kittens too young to be adoptive get extra care. The brazen catnappers are caught on surveillance stuffing two of the newest kittens, Mitch and Marcus,

in their backpacks and taking off. Two dedicated Tampa Bay PD officers track down the thieves and return the kitties back to the shelter safe and sound. The catnappers' IDs yet to to be released, charges are pending. More crime and justice news after this. Now with the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Limley.

We begin in Illinois as Chicago prosecutors charge a man with the stabbing murder of his ex-girlfriend's 11-year-old son. We hear more now from Sydney Sumner with Crime Online. Our friends with the Chicago Sun-Times are reporting that prosecutors say that the 37-year-old man now stands accused of murder, attempted murder, home invasion, and armed robbery in relation to the attack. In court, prosecutors claim that the man broke into his ex-girlfriend's residence, stabbing the woman and her 11-year-old son, Jaden Perkins, before running away. An area hospital later declared the boy dead. Based on information from the Chicago Tribune,

the four-month pregnant woman is anticipated to recover, and her unborn child will survive. The suspect had been granted parole in October and released from prison just the day before the attack. He had received a 16-year term for attacking a different ex-girlfriend in 2015. He is accused of showing up at Perkins' apartment after sending a menacing text to her mother in January. The man was sent back to prison by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, but according to a board statement, they decided there wasn't enough evidence to back up the accusations, so they released him. Kim Fox, state's attorney for Cook County,

says prosecutors are still looking into whether Perkins' mother's protection order against the man was in effect on the day of the attack. After reportedly killing three family members, carjacking vehicles, and eluding capture for hours while police mobilized in two separate states, a man is charged with murder in Pennsylvania and carjacking and

firearms offenses in New Jersey. Once again, Crime Online, Sydney Sumner. Court documents reveal that 26-year-old Andre Gordon Jr. is charged with three counts of first and second degree murder, aggravated assault, robbery, and other offenses in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Plattkin has released an announcement saying that Gordon is accused of first-degree carjacking and weapons charges in that state. It was on the morning of March 16 that police say Gordon carjacked a vehicle in Trenton, Pennsylvania, then drove to Levittown in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, where he killed his sister and stepmother. Investigators say he then killed the mother of his two children by driving to another location in Levittown. The victims were identified by Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Shorn

as the suspect's 52-year-old stepmother, Karen Gordon, his 13-year-old sister, Kara Gordon, and the mother of his two children, 25-year-old Taylor Daniel. In addition, he is accused of beating Daniel's mother with the assault weapon. The woman admitted to an area hospital for medical attention. Investigators say that it was at this point that Gordon stole a second vehicle in Morrisville and headed back to Trenton. He reportedly was able to escape before the police Gordon was put up, despite the fact that cops had surrounded the house for a number of hours, thinking the suspect was inside. When Gordon was seen walking down a street a few blocks away at approximately 5 p.m., police say he was taken into custody unarmed.

Pennsylvania officials say they're still unable to speculate on the attacker's motivation. Gordon had a few small run-ins with the law, but Falls Township Police Chief Nelson Whitney stated during a press conference that there was, quote, nothing that would indicate that anything like this would happen. Trenton Police Director Steve Wilson says Gordon is currently behind bars at the Mercer County Correctional Facility and will be extradited to Pennsylvania at some point. Thanks, John. Riley Strain joins a large group of Delta Chi brothers for a trip to Nashville

from the University of Missouri. The group goes bar hopping and just before 10 p.m. Riley leaves Luke Bryan's downtown bar. Riley steps outside Luke's 32 bridge and calls his friends to let them know he's heading back to the hotel. Riley's caught on CCTV footage twice and while he's headed toward the hotel the signal on his phone cuts out as he crosses the Cumberland River. The fraternity brothers don't realize he didn't make it back until late Saturday morning. They reported missing that afternoon. Riley Strain, 6'5", blue eyes, light brown hair, wearing jeans, boots, and a long-sleeved black and white button-up. If you have info on college student Riley Strain, now missing two weeks, call Metro Nashville PD, 615-862-8600. Repeat, 615-862-8600.

For the latest crime and justice news, go to CrimeOnline.com. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. This is an iHeart Podcast.