Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Mom Finds Tot Dead After Leaving Children Home Alone Nearly 24/7 | Crime Alert 04.15.25

Episode Date: April 15, 2025

A mom who leaves her children alone nearly 24/7 to live with her boyfriend finds two-year-old girl dead. Sisters brawl at father's funeral, just feet from his casket! For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. Crime Alert, I'm Nancy Grace, breaking crime news now. Chantel Gardner has two children, ages two and four, at home, but she lives with her boyfriend. Gardner leaves the toddlers unattended practically 24-7, only coming home a few hours once a day to feed them. When Gardner returns home for a feeding, her four-year-old son comes to greet her, but the tot girl, Skylar, does not. Gardner finds the little girl under a dresser, cold and stiff. She runs outside, calls 911.

First responders say Skylar died from a large puncture wound on her neck. The rest of her body covered in bruises. Nancy, first responders have to wade through trash, rotting food, soiled items, and even things like steak knives to get to Skyler. Gardner admits the children are neglected and tells police she only bathes them about every two weeks, often finding them covered in feces when she returns home to feed them. Despite the neglected mission, Gardner denies physically abusing the toddlers and has no explanation for Schuyler's injuries.

Chantel Gardner, 33, now charged with child neglect causing death. Florida cops called when a fight breaks out at a funeral. Officers Fye Marine and Kathleen Deegan, 60 and 66, locked in a brawl just feet from their father's casket. After breaking up the fight, family explains the younger Deegan was upset that her daughter was left out of Kathleen's eulogy. The older sister, Maureen, reportedly chest bumped Kathleen, who responded by yanking her sister's hair. Maureen then began throwing punches at Kathleen until both women fall to the floor full-on wrestling. The Deegan sisters both booked into Clearwater County Jail on battery in order to have no contact. Well, rest in peace, Dad.

More crime and justice news after this. Now, with the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Limley. A former Colorado sheriff's deputy will serve three years in prison for the shooting death of a 22-year-old man in the midst of a mental health crisis. Andrew Buen, formerly of the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office, was convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the 2022 death of Christian Glass. Glass had called 911 for help after getting stuck near Silver Plume but refused to leave his SUV.

Prosecutors say Buen escalated the situation. The defense argued Glass had a knife and posed a threat. It was Buen's second trial. A previous jury convicted him of only reckless endangerment. Glass's family supported the retrial and later reached a $19 million settlement with law enforcement agencies, one that also led to changes in police response to mental health calls. Convictions like this are rare. Experts say juries often give officers the benefit of the doubt during crisis situations. A Kansas City man who was

falsely accused in the 2024 Kansas City Super Bowl rally shooting has died. Crime Online's Sidney Sumner has more. Denton Ludermill Jr., a 49-year-old resident of Olathe, Kansas, passed away recently, as confirmed by his attorney, LaRonda Lassiter Saunders. Details surrounding his death have not been disclosed. Ludermill's life took a tragic turn on February 14, 2024, during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally. A shooting outside Union Station left 43-year-old DJ Lisa Lopez Galvan dead and over 20 others injured, many of them children. In the chaos, Ludermill was briefly detained by police but was never charged. Despite his innocence, images of Ludermill in handcuffs circulated

online, leading to false accusations labeling him as a shooter and an illegal alien. He subsequently filed defamation lawsuits against three Missouri state senators and a Tennessee congressman who shared these misleading posts. However, the cases were dismissed due to jurisdictional issues. Attorney Saunders stated that Ludermill spent his final days under immense stress, striving to clear his name. She emphasized that efforts to restore his reputation will continue posthumously. Three men have been charged in connection with the rally shooting,

Dominic Miller, Lyndell Mays, and Terry Young. Authorities believe the violence stemmed from a dispute between two groups. Denton Loudermilk Jr.'s death underscores the profound consequences of misinformation and the challenges individuals face in reclaiming their identities after being falsely accused. His family is requesting privacy during this difficult time. Says he wants to run away and find mommy. Patrick's foster mom gets distracted by a phone call while Patrick helps her take out trash. Moments later, Patrick disappears. Police use canines to track the boy, but they lose his scent after just a few blocks. Police knock on 9,000 doors, interview 14,000 people, search over 200 buildings. There's no

sign of Patrick. If you have info on Patrick Alford, please contact New York Crime Stoppers 800-577-TIPS. That's 800-577-8477. For the latest crime and justice news, go to crimeonline.com. And please join us for our daily podcast, Crime Stories, where we do our best to find missing people, especially children, and solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert, I'm Lacey Grace. You're listening to an iHeart Podcast.