The Lethal Library

33. The Betrayal of Innocence: Jenkins and Ehrlick's Cruelty Unveiled

• The Lethal Library • Episode 33

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Welcome to another gripping episode of The Lethal Library. Dani and Stephanie dive into the heartbreaking true crime case of 8-year-old Robert Manuel, who mysteriously disappeared from a Boise apartment complex on July 9th, 2009. In one of Idaho's largest search efforts, the community rallied together, only to uncover a darker story of abuse, negligence, and systemic failures. Despite the desperate quest to find Robert alive, the tale takes a sorrowful turn, revealing the brutal realities inflicted by those who should've protected him. You'll witness the ultimate showdown in court, dramatic judge moments, and gut-wrenching discoveries. Warning: you're gonna want to punch something (or someone). We've got many F-bombs, scorching sarcasm, and the hard-hitting truth you crave. Buckle up!

Contact The Lethal Library at TheLethalLibrary@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok!

Stephanie:

Welcome back to The Lethal Library. I am Stephanie. And I'm Danny, and today we're here to tell you another true crime tale out of Idaho. So just an FYI guys. This is one of our first cases involving a child or children, which we typically don't cover just because it's not really our gig. But, we're in for the ride. And so Danny, what do we got today

Dani:

on a hot July 9th. In 2009, 8-year-old Robert Manuel vanished from a Boise apartment complex. His mom's boyfriend called 9 1 1, claiming Robert wandered off around seven 30 that evening. Within hours, the neighborhood was swarming with cops, helicopters, and volunteers. It became one of the largest searches Boise had ever seen. Wow. Tips poured in ponds were drained. Police combed through apartments and fields for days. The city was desperate to find Robert alive, but behind this massive search was a darker story, one of abuse, dysfunction, and a system that failed to protect a little boy who never stood a chance. Sources used today are articles from the Idaho Statesmen and K-I-V-I-T-V. All right, we're in for it. Yeah. So at 10:08 PM on Friday, July 24th, 2009, Daniel Ehrlich placed a call to nine one one to report Robert Manuel, age eight missing. He tells 9 1 1 that Robert has been missing since around seven 30 that evening from their Oak Park Village apartment in Boise, Idaho. And just so you have an idea of where this at, the apartment complex is located off of Vista, less than a half mile from I 84. Are you picturing it?

Stephanie:

I am.

Dani:

Okay. Ehrlich reports that he was last seen on the playground and that he hasn't been able to find him. Authorities arrive and immediately start the search efforts for the boy right. And the community is out in droves to look for this little guy. By Sunday, approximately 75 volunteers came out to search for Robert and with no luck, over a hundred volunteers Joined the search on Monday, which is a weekday Yeah, Boise Police Chief Michael Masterson said, quote, this is the most important investigation we have had in a long time. Police have received over 75 tips since that Friday evening. They even drained a pond in Oak Park, but no evidence was found. And

Stephanie:

that's, I mean, typically when this happens. There are, there's so many cases where ponds are nearby and a kid and canals

Dani:

are notorious here.

Stephanie:

We have tons of canals and large ones. Yeah. My dad worked for the, like, canal irrigation, irrigation department. And let me just tell you that probably one of the worst punishments and parents being disappointed in me was when me and my friends. Were decided we had a canal right in our backyard. We could go feed the ducks and everything, and there's like a little road that the canal, you know, irrigation service uses. so we'd go hang out there and feed the ducks and one day we decided we were gonna go wander and try to cross the canal in tires, like actual tires that were on the bank of the canal. yeah, that was a bad one. Okay, let's just say my parents went ahead and took everyone home and went and spoke to everyone's parents about the dangers of canals.

Dani:

They are very, very dangerous. Kids get

Stephanie:

found in them all the time, and what a terrible thing to find a kid in a canal

Dani:

and, and we live in a high desert here like we, but it's, there's fields everywhere. We have a lot of agriculture, but it's due to this complex. Irrigation system that we have.

Stephanie:

Yeah.

Dani:

to bring that mountain, snow, water, all the way down into the valley. and they're, they are literally in people's backyards. Mm-hmm. So, and, I remember growing up, they didn't even hardly like tend to them. They were all bushy, and you could literally stroll upon one and not even know that you were gonna be hitting a canal in a field. Right. Because it was. And now they spray everything. No more wild asparagus, uh, dang it. But, yeah, so they're very dangerous.

Stephanie:

and so that's one of the first places, absolutely. That people are looking in these little ponds that are in like neighborhoods and canals. And, because even at eight, oh, there's some of these, you know, you think about these

Dani:

toddlers. I mean, there's been several toddlers over the past few years that have wandered off and it's horrific, but. Even at eight years old, even a pond would let alone go canal, go

Stephanie:

swimming and get tired like water, dangerous. So I'm glad that they did drain it, but it sounds like it was immediate, the response, which is great to see.

Dani:

Police spokeswoman. Lynn Hightower said, quote, the family has said that he likes to sneak around and crawl into little places. He's an inquisitive little kid. The Idaho National Guard helicopter searched over the nearby New York Canal and the railroad tracks. Police are also interviewing registered sex offenders in the area. Yek

Stephanie:

sounds like they were hitting this at all angles, which is. Good to see.

Dani:

Robert lives with his father, Charles Manuel in New Plymouth full time. But Robert was on his summer break visiting his mother, Melissa Jenkins. At the time of his disappearance, Jenkins lived, with her boyfriend, Daniel Erlich and her other young son, Aiden, at the apartment complex. And Charles had custody of Robert since January of 2008.

Stephanie:

Okay. Jenkin, that's rare in this area, in especially in that, in that time too. Especially at that time. It's a default to the mother. And this is in general. but especially in that time, unless the mom is like shooting up at the, in the courthouse, right. The mom is going to get at least 50% custody, if not full.

Dani:

well, this all came about because Jenkins had been admitted to the hospital for early pregnancy complications and was unable to find care for Robert. Hmm. and I think that, that, I just think his dad was like my perfect chance. Yeah. Oh, you can't tend to him. Okay. I'll take him. Thank you. Bye. which good for him, but Jenkins does have visitation rights. Sure. the affidavit filed by Charles at the time said that Jenkins told him she was being abused by her ex-boyfriend, the father of the unborn child, and the hospital kept the admission of Jenkins, her room number. A secret because she was concerned that the ex-boyfriend might storm into the hospital and cause some drama.

Stephanie:

And hospitals will do that in these type of situations where they are not even listed there by name. They have an alias. You have to have a secret password and have Id sometimes to check in and it's very much under wrap. So they do this in, in a lot of different cases when whoever's in the hospital is in danger of someone coming to them.

Dani:

And Ehli was by her side the whole time she was in the hospital tending to her. So Ehrlich isn't her

Stephanie:

baby's father that she's carrying at this time? Correct. Okay.

Dani:

Correct. Okay. The community is asking why was there no Amber alert for Robert? I dunno if it's a fun fact, but fun fact, the US Department of Justice has rules regarding issuing an amber alert and I, I figured there were some right, but just a child disappearing, I think that would qualify. Okay. But apparently it didn't because I know

Stephanie:

there've been other cases and other like judicial cases maybe in our state or others where they're modifying because. Something slipped through the cracks because of the,

Dani:

I just think this would, this would be a reason to send out an amber alert. Yeah. but these, at the time, these were the rules. there has to be a reasonable belief. The child was abducted, the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death. There is enough descriptive information about the victim and the abduction that it will be helpful to release it. And the child has to be 17 or younger,

Stephanie:

so they don't know that it's an abduction for sure. Which, if anyone's gotten Amber alerts, it always has who they think it is or the car or what. Like there's always a good amount of information to be like. Look out for these, this car, or look out for a person that looks like this with a kid that looks like this plus this car. There's always car info. I didn't even realize that until you just said it, but there's almost always car info

Dani:

and they have an idea of who. Yeah. Had AB objected them. Them or who object to them, or at least, even if it's a complete stranger, somebody saw the child being abducted. Mm-hmm. I don't know. Maybe there should be another kind of an alert for just missing children. Right. You name it, Robert.

Stephanie:

Robert's alert,

Dani:

like Yeah, because how scary. I mean, and the possibility of him wandering off and getting hurt. Yeah. It's a real thing. But gosh, I'd want, I still want people looking for him. Right. If you don't know who took the kid or if he's just, if he fell into the canal.

Stephanie:

Yeah.

Dani:

You still want people keeping an eye out.

Stephanie:

Exactly. No, I a hundred percent agree.

Dani:

Police said the family is cooperating with authorities. Tricia Burrell, the family spokesperson and Robert's aunt set it at a press conference. We are a joined family. At this time in crisis, we are acting as one with one goal in mind to bring Robert back. And I'm just, from my reading, I'm ex, I am just telling you, Charles dad, I don't think had the utmost respect for Jenkins and vice versa. And so she's just saying right now. None of that shit. Letting bygones be bygones. Yeah, none of that shit matters. We're here to find Robert, which is good. during the investigation, the investigators talked to a neighbor Kimberly, who was seven. She told her parents that she was playing with Robert that evening. She said that she was on the green swing and Robert was on the red one, which is totally a 7-year-old thing to say. Yeah, very descriptive too. Kimberly said that Robert jumped off the swing and played on the playground motorcycle for a little bit, and then he headed to his mom's apartment. Kimberly left the playground shortly after, and her parents believed that she came home around seven 30 that night,

Stephanie:

and the phone call was at ten oh eight, right? Correct.

Dani:

Mm-hmm. But he did. Orli did say he, he was unable to locate him from around seven 30 that evening, so it could have been, yeah.

Stephanie:

And according to them, he likes to hide places and so I guess I, it's easy to look back and say,

Dani:

but

Stephanie:

yeah, still,

Dani:

I just like that. I, I, I believe, I don't know if that was the right timeline. But she definitely had enough description in there that that's something that is said. Mm-hmm. I was on this swing and he was on that swing. You know, I could totally see her.

Stephanie:

It's definitely

Dani:

believable. Six days after Robert was missing. On July 30th, a forensic team searched Jenkins and Erlich's apartment. They removed items from the home and towed a vehicle. And later that day, Charles Manuel choked back tears at a news conference. He said, quote, my heart goes out to the community for all the help and support we've received to find my lost son. He was

Stephanie:

heartbroken. Well, and seeing people come together, like you said, people, a hundred people were there on a Monday. people just wanting to try to give their time and help where they can.

Dani:

On Friday, July 31st, over 2300 volunteers join in the search, and police announced they have evidence indicating Robert May have been injured or could be a victim of a tragic event.

Stephanie:

Oh, no, that's not good news. Yeah. Especially given the recent search.

Dani:

but the community is coming out in force. Clearly

Stephanie:

2300 people.

Dani:

That's a lot of people. That's amazing. Yeah. Police also search the Hidden Hollow landfill, looking at the trash from the Saturday morning trash run. Like they're trying.

Stephanie:

Yeah. They're exhausting every possible way they can, it sounds like.

Dani:

police search the home of Evan Wallace near Five Mile Road in Ada County. Wallace is known by Erlich and Jensen and I never got like how well known they were if they were like besties or just friends. But for some reason that was an interest, right? Authorities dug up a portion of his backyard after Bloodhounds picked, sent at his house. That's not good, but this is kind of suspicious. So Wallace said his Chevy suburban. Was stolen Wednesday, July 22nd, two days before Robert disappeared, but he found it the Monday after Robert disappeared. Mm. Don't be suspicious for sure. Don't

Stephanie:

be suspicious. Don't

Dani:

be suspicious. That is very suspicious. so Five Mile Road. We all know long. So I just wanted to kinda give you an idea where this is at in town. It's at the end of Columbia where the only kink in five mile is. Do you know what I'm talking about? Yeah. There's like the little jog, a little jig jog in that neighborhood. Mm-hmm. That's where it was at, is that the jig jog? Jig jog on Monday, August 3rd. So we're like 10 days into this. Two people were walking along the New York Canal in South Ada County. When they saw a body floating in the canal? No. An 80 county deputy that was the first to arrive on the seam jumped into the canal and pulled the body to the side. More authorities arrived and they were able to pull the body out. This area of the New York canal's huge here. Oh, enormous. It's, it's like a little mini river. This area of the New York Canal is 14 miles downstream from the Vista area and the Oak Park apartments.

Stephanie:

Oh my gosh.

Dani:

14 miles. Yeah, because if you, if you look at an aerial map, the New York canal's almost running at some point, like by the freeway. Yeah, and their apartment complex was just like a half mile from the freeway, so it's right there.

Stephanie:

14 miles is a long ways. If you're driving 60 miles an hour, that's 14 minutes at that speed.

Dani:

Yeah, that's a long ways. I was surprised to find out that there are no gates or grates between the apartment complex and where the body was found. There is a only a single set of body gates at Cloverdale, but the canal company must lower them into place manually. And what these gates are for is to catch big things. Yeah. In the canal,

Stephanie:

because people throw all kinds of things into canals, couches, like truly. Yep. Mattresses. dead animals, sometimes small vehicles, lawnmowers, riding lawnmowers. You don't need it anymore. Just drive it into the canal. and every year, once the canals are empty, that's a huge part of their work is to go and get all the, they literally make an enormous pile, like a mountain of the trash that they get, and then try to recycle and distribute or whatever, it is huge. Amount of trash,

Dani:

but I would just think there would be more in a 14 mile stretch. Right? I think that there would be more gates. I

Stephanie:

know I wanna ask my dad about this now. what, what determines where the gates are and why can't they just push a button?

Dani:

Oh God, I know they don't do that. We're still opening S one and then your,

Stephanie:

then your irrigation costs are going to go up, and then everyone's mad. We can't forward that around here. We've gotta pay someone to go out there in person. Yeah. I'm also

Dani:

curious why they didn't even think of that. I mean, half mile away is not far.

Stephanie:

No.

Dani:

Why didn't they think about putting down the gates just in case? I mean, they're draining ponds.

Stephanie:

And then well. No, I think they should have because you will have to clear,'cause you have to clear BR brush. If it's all the weeds and brush are gonna go in there and they have to go out there with these fricking big rakes. It's just part of the job though. Yeah. If there's a kid missing, let's go anyway. Now I have something to ask my dad about.

Dani:

three hours later, after the body is found, Jenkins appeared to be crying as she left the Boise Police station. And on August 5th, the coroner positively identifies Robert's body with dental records. The autopsy showed Robert's death was not an accident. Mm, and they're beginning a homicide investigation, not good. Robert's funeral was held on Sunday, August 10th. Letters from Robert's father and Jenkins were read to the mourners. And I'm gonna round up really quickly, Charles. He was basically like, I'm gonna find you. I'm gonna get you. I love you son. Yeah. Kind of like a Batman style. Yeah, I'm sure. Yeah.

Stephanie:

I cannot imagine No,

Dani:

but Jenkins letter, I'm gonna read to you. Oh, let's hear it. I want to tell you I love you, Robert. I dearly miss you. My favorite time with you, you were just lying on the couch, watching Tom and Jerry watching you play on the swings, listening to you make silly wraps. How you could eat ice cream and not make a mess is still beyond me. My memory that I will hold tightly is of you in the ocean. You were frolicking in the waves and shrieking with delight when I called for you, and so mommy had to hold you and you screamed. So as you go and make your journey to a wonderful place in heaven, I will always remember you playing in the ocean shrieking with such delight and joy.

Stephanie:

Hmm. Uh, no comment so far.

Dani:

Robert was buried with his grandfather and his half brother because this isn't the first time Charles Manuel has faced tragedy.

Stephanie:

Yeah. What the hell is going on? You can't even write

Dani:

this. You in 1993. His wife, silky Manuel, during a fight and in the heat of passion stabbed their 4-year-old son Michael, in the chest.

Stephanie:

I wanna punch my, I I don't know what to do.

Dani:

What? Yeah, who gets what? I'm really mad I'm gonna kill our kid. What the fuck is wrong with you? Stabbed in the chest. This is just like. Heated passion. No, she's fucking crazy. she was charged with first degree murder, but ended up pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Louisiana.

Stephanie:

Oh

Dani:

god. She served 10 years in prison and was released in 2002.

Stephanie:

This should not happen.

Dani:

Who only gets 10 years for killing a kid Your own child.

Stephanie:

I, I don't even know.

Dani:

Look, I know men like some crazy women, but this is too crazy. That crazy. Another level. and to get only 10 years. Yeah. It's'cause she was a woman. I'm, I'm totally judging this right now. It's'cause she was a woman. I don't care. Or she had to be. And so many

Stephanie:

of the voluntary manslaughter things are so lenient.

Dani:

Yeah.

Stephanie:

I cannot believe they couldn't get a second. Like you couldn't get something else. 10 years is not enough. It's not taking a child's life. Your own child's life. Something's fucking wrong with you. If you can do that to someone who you grew and birthed, and I'm not even a mother of my own biological children. If you grew a baby and birthed it and could stab it at what? 4, 4, 4 years old? A 4-year-old little toddler around tiny child. Ooh, oh, I can't, Danny, like 10 years. That's like a tax evasion. Like, and I don't give a shit about people evading their fucking ta. I don't give a shit. I, I do care about people. Christy's

Dani:

got worse.

Stephanie:

Hello? Hello. No, that's wild. And just knowing that Charles. Already had one of his kids

Dani:

fucking, and so you know what? I bet you Robert was even more special. Special to him. Yeah. Because he had already lost a son and he got the custody and you wanna stab a motherfucker.

Stephanie:

I just wanna shake my microphone violently. Like, I wonder how much you can hear that. How good are our shock resistors? Let's test it. Oh, okay. I'm regulating my emotions

Dani:

regulate. Okay.

Stephanie:

Because you're so, if that pissed you off, it makes my skin prickly.

Dani:

Oh. Wait,

Stephanie:

I don't want to, Danny, I don't wanna even do it now. Like this is gonna fucking piss you up about to call it. Okay. Let's go.

Dani:

On August 18th, an ADA County grand jury indicted Jenkins and Ehrlich on charges of first degree murder. They're also charged with failing to report a death.

Stephanie:

So it's becoming very clear what's going on here.

Dani:

Staff, according to court documents, Robert was beaten over weeks and it escalated with his death from Blunt Force Trauma. And this is the biggest details I'm gonna give you. There was evidence of, because we just don't. It's horrible and sad.

Stephanie:

We, we don't usually get into all the nitty gritty and the details. That's just not us. That's not our podcast. You won't hear that really on any, unless we just need to explain what's happening and why it was important to a case. So there are probably podcasts out there that have the nitty gritty. It's not gonna be us.

Dani:

Not gonna be us, but there was evidence of blunt, blunt force trauma to his abdomen and head hands, knees and fists. Everywhere. Everywhere. These fucking assholes

Stephanie:

shake your

Dani:

microphone. It made me feel better. Let me tell you about'em. Let me tell you how Not only did they fail Robert, but a system put in place to protect children failed him as well.

Stephanie:

And we've heard that a few times before.

Dani:

Daniel Dick Ehrlich. Age 36 is a 260 pound piece of shit. He is a stay at home dad, but relies on his father for financial support. You mean you're a fucking loser who doesn't wanna fucking work? Oh, that's a good way to put it. Okay, thank you. Erlich's brother David said their father would quote, bail him out. So dad was there just trying to pick up the pieces for this guy. I don't want you to remember that. Okay. Noted in 1992, early, spent some time in prison for burglary, battery and possession of drug paraphernalia. And in 1998, Ehrlich was sentenced to another four years in prison. You fucking Dirtbag. He has spent nearly seven years on and off in the Idaho Correctional facilities and at least 10 years on probation. But the motherfucker had dreams.

Stephanie:

Of what? Like being a rapper or something like, I'm already that's, I'm already like, what were the dreams?

Dani:

Ehrlich wanted to be a wildland firefighter, but that was not going to happen due to his drug and legal problems. He did work as a wildland firefighter, as part of a prison work crew. Yeah, I was just gonna say, does that count as

Stephanie:

making your career dreams come true? Maybe for a time And listen. He, I'm, I'm gonna put in this point, and this isn't for criminals of this caliber, but there are so many where prisoners can do firefighting and especially prisoners where it's like a marijuana possession of a small amount or everything, and they go out and do the work. And they are the reason in California and a lot of places I West Coast. No, I agree. Mm-hmm. They are really, it's, it's a. It's a fuck ass job. You're dirty as fuck for weeks. It's a dangerous job. It's a hard labor job. But then because of their record, it isn't an option for them to ever even go into firefighting. Mm-hmm. As a career. So it's, for me, for criminals that are nonviolent, I feel like they should get some type of certificate or training that fast tracks that this is someone willing to do the work. Imagine if you were passionate about it and you sold some weed one time when you were 21 and you can't do it one of the hardest jobs. They should let them. Not really this fucker. Not this

Dani:

fucker. But no. Um, and I actually know somebody that, uh, was in prison and did the firefighter. He, and he said he loved it because you're not in a cell, like you're out there. Yeah. You're like one of the guys you have. And he, he said it was really hard work. He said it, you know, he is drained every day. Like it kicks your ass because it was, I loved it like I was out there and they do make a difference and it, and it is, you're caring

Stephanie:

for your community. Like maybe we're creating a sense of empathy here. Mm-hmm. A sense of I want to protect my town or these towns, or whatever. Why would you for nonviolent criminals not want to help them? Again? Is it about rehabilitation or not?

Dani:

No.

Stephanie:

It isn't. So anyway, just my 2 cents. Let's change that.

Dani:

court documents, from 2008 state, Jenkins visitation rights with her two and a half year old daughter. but that, that girl should never be left alone with Danny Ehrlich, which is Ehrlich, but it doesn't say why.

Stephanie:

Interesting.

Dani:

Hmm.

Stephanie:

Why would it not say why?

Dani:

Well, they're court documents.

Stephanie:

Sure, sure, sure. But, and you know, it's, it's enough. If I was

Dani:

rich and had a, you know, a forensic journalist out there pulling all these FOAs for me, we would, we would know, but we don't. So leave it at your own discretion to think why, but I'm telling you for. Some for that to be written in court documents that he can't be around a two and a half year old. Probably not. Kind of serious, kind of, kind of a big deal. Yeah. Yeah. but neighbors say that Ehrlich was a dotting father to Aiden, which is their baby, not their baby, but baby their

Stephanie:

youngest.

Dani:

Yes. The one that he,

Stephanie:

and I don't know where this is going,'cause Danny does his, I always come in blind, but. I am already sensing even before this, a lot of times in these very bad abuse cases like Gabriel Frees, and we even had a very similar one in Meridian, there is one child that's the target and even is encouraged by the other children and is basically the punching bag, the whipping boy or girl, and it's sounding like that.

Dani:

It and it is a psychological phenomenon. They don't understand it completely, but yeah. Mm-hmm. It's a real thing. Oh, I wish I could remember the name of it, but it is a real thing.

Stephanie:

No, and it's, it's with these really bad abuse cases with multiple children, it's almost always only one.

Dani:

The neighbor said that, Aiden, remember Erlich was a full-time dad, and I'm just telling you full-time, dad, this fucking cunt didn't have some important. Fucking career. She was all over the map with her jobs. She had no career of consequence. She was just work. So if she was, you know, a, a corporate, gal getting it done mm-hmm. And working 60 hours a week and could afford to pay the bills, that's not the case here. He was a lazy fuck, but,

Stephanie:

and she was slightly less lazy.

Dani:

Slightly as, sorry, that's my assumption. She, yeah, she, she went up and got, went to work a regular job. She could

Stephanie:

hold a job more than he could.

Dani:

That's basically it. and he was a convicted felon, so that probably, who cares? You can still get a job doing that. Maybe not the job you want. You can't be a wild land firefighter. You don't have to give up on everything. Go mow some

Stephanie:

lawns.

Dani:

God. But he was a dotting father to the, to that baby. That wasn't even his, by the way. And he knew that. He knew it. It was no secret that it wasn't his baby. but the neighbor said he was always, the baby was clean and he was very attentive to that baby. Like, that's great. I for the, for Aiden? Yeah, great. For Aiden. Was it though? My God. so let me just tell you about Melissa piece of shit. Jenkins. Let's hear it. She has had several quick relationships during her 30 years. She's 30? Yes. Flat. Flat. 33 0. Okay. And those relationships resulted in three children, Robert. A younger half-sister who was two and a half time, two and a half at the time, and younger brother Aiden, who is age one. Jenkins pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of injury to a child in October of 2008 due to an incident that left her infant son Aiden with a fractured skull. Court documents show that Jenkins did willfully inflict the wound by striking the child's head on a surface causing a fracture to the child's skull.

Stephanie:

What in the literal fuck striking a child's head of that age on a surface? What are we doing here? What, what, what,

Dani:

what, what, what? So court documents said that, and what, consequences happened when prosecutors said, when the parents brought Aidan to the hospital, the child had swelling to the side of his head. The side of his head was K kind of felt mushy and swollen, and he was in distress. X-rays revealed that Aiden had a three to four centimeter horizontal fracture to the side of his head. Neither Ehrlich or Jensen could provide a history as to what would cause that kind of injury. What could possibly do that? I don't know. Jenkins eventually told the police that she had been frustrated and tired because she was unable to take a nap.

Stephanie:

That is the hugest red flag.

Dani:

And, while she was burping the child, she flipped him over and hit his head on a table. Let me just tell you this. The baby was eight months old. Yeah. You're not aggressively burping an eight month old child versus like, well, and she says, I hit the head on a table, not

Stephanie:

like I was burping. My hand slipped. I accidentally hit the How, how is this? Are you throwing the child down? Like are you, like, did you jolt the child into a hard surface? No, she

Dani:

just flipped him over onto what? Oh. A doctor that examined the baby, set a great deal of force was needed to cause the fracture of that magnitude. So a great deal of force. And we all know that babies

Stephanie:

have tons more bones than we do.'cause they're more malleable. They're growing together, they're fusing together. So for a great deal of force to be needed, what in the literal fuck

Dani:

is going on

Stephanie:

here?

Dani:

After an agreement with prosecutors, she was sentenced to 29 fucking days of work release and fined$75 and 50 cents and was put on probation for two years. This is gonna sound callous, but for

Stephanie:

only$75 and 50 cents plus 29 days of community service. Yeah, you can, you can whack your baby's head on a, on any

Dani:

hard surface that you please. What the fuck? Yeah, we are moving on Stephanie's. Regulating emotionally. The prosecutor, Fafa Al Johnny, I probably butchered that. I know I did, said that she made the deal with Jenkins because she didn't have forensic evidence enough to disprove Jenkins' version of the story beyond a reasonable doubt, which I don't know, nobody was gonna testify against her, what she did. Right. It was her and her buddy, Eli. Yeah. The baby can't talk. Mm-hmm. Eight month old baby can't say, yeah, this bitch fucking whacked my dog in. What the fuck? The child was still in the care of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare until February of 2009. Jenkins and Erlich had to work to get the baby back. They were taking court ordered parenting and anger management classes. And earn their custody back in stages. So they earn custody. They can earn their custody back in stages, and commonly it starts with supervised visits away from their home. Mm-hmm. And then supervised visits at their home, which

Stephanie:

there are processes in place and there are times and circumstances where this is appropriate. My opinion is that it's not appropriate because why are you whacking a tiny baby's head on a hard surface? Because you wanna take a nap.

Dani:

And

Stephanie:

just

Dani:

so I Now, if, if you don't want, if you don't wanna be a mom and listen, I know that this

Stephanie:

is back further, if you don't wanna parent children, don't be a parent.

Dani:

It's totally okay. And there's, so you can end a pregnancy or you can give a child up for adoption to two wonderful people Yes. That are just waiting

Stephanie:

Yes. To raise a child. A hundred percent. And listen, I don't have any of my own children. I, I do have stepchildren and I view them as, as like part definitely my family. I've never wanted to birth children though. And I will say that one of the questions I get so often is, what do you think? If you'll regret it not having kids. I think that everyone should ask themselves that question. What if I regret having my kids having, especially if you're a piece of shit, my decision is not gonna hurt anyone else. Right. People that really regret having their kids. The likelihood of something terrible like this happens because you're regret

Dani:

it. You are not emotionally prepared to parent. Yes, go live your life. Don't do

Stephanie:

the parent thing. Like it's so much more consequences if you regret having your children. So if that's the risk I take,

Dani:

I don't give a fuck. Well, Ehrlich finished his classes first, so the baby was able to stay overnight with him, but only if Jenkins stayed somewhere else.

Stephanie:

This is so fucking weird.

Dani:

Oh, and just another fact of show. What a piece of shit she is. Jenkins met Robert's father, Charles. While he was dating her sister, Trish, sorry, my brain's having trouble keeping up. Trish is the aunt of Robert and also Jenkins's sister. So she stole her sister's boyfriend. What? Our lives can't play all her, but still, what's happening here still? Who does that? Who creeps in on their sister's van? Some, apparently, apparently pieces of shit. Literally the young and the restless was happening right here in Idaho.

Stephanie:

So sister's a boyfriend stealing bitch.

Dani:

Mm-hmm. But guess who was still there for the family when Robert was missing her sister? She was this family spokeswoman. Mm-hmm. The drama on September 3rd, Jenkins and Ehrlich did not enter a plea at their hearing, and this triggers an automatic, not guilty plea entered by the judge. Automatic default. Shortly after prosecutors announce they will not seek the death penalty for the pair. Mm. Separate trials were requested because Jenkins made incriminating statements against Ehrlich during the investigation. Oh, it wasn't me. Ehrlich asked for a change of venue due to the extensive media coverage. You mean the 2300 volunteers? Yeah. That were looking for your missing, yeah, the whole community banding together. Because you said that your son was taken from a fucking playground. The helicopters, the pond draining you fucking cock. earli is represented by defense attorney Mehin and Cahill. And if you recall, they've been represented in other, they've been, mm-hmm. Yeah. In other episodes, familiar names. March, 2010 LIC filed a motion asking for new attorney. In the documents filed, he said his public defenders quote lied and misguided me on my case. Earli is upset because they did not challenge the grand jury's findings after a closed hearing. Everything seemed cleaned up and early, continued with his current counsel. We've seen this before, other cases too. Yes. They try to raise a rup. They're not paying enough attention to, this isn't about you, motherfucker. Well, and you're gonna get what you get. And are you rich? Oh no you're not. You are a loser if you have a legitimate complaint. But when you're dealing with a public

Stephanie:

defender, whether you're guilty or innocent,

Dani:

they only are, and it's better than no attorney. Mm-hmm. Because we've seen that shit too. Or people that opt to be their own attorney. Yeah. Stop that. Isha and Cahill were very capable attorneys. Mm-hmm. They were prominent, experienced public defenders here. Mm-hmm. So, shut your fucking mouth. You get what you get and you don't throw a effect. Aw. It was discovered that three times a week for a number of weeks, employees of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare visited the home of er, Lincoln Jenkins in June and July of 2009. While Robert was staying there, there was a court order that banned Jenkins from living in the home with baby Aiden due to his injuries. This was simply not enforced, and Robert was never inspected for signs of abuse. I just have to say. If the state is saying that a man who is not the biological father, are they married? No unmarried, not the biological father, and he's the one that can see, can be in contact with Aiden. I, I do think, let me just, he assumed he told everybody he was the father. The baby had the father's name, so, but he wasn't really right.

Stephanie:

But I'm, I feel like since, since there was basically protection for her while she

Dani:

was pregnant, someone should have known, nobody knew on paper. He was the dad though. I hate this. All of it. I told you, be pissed. Well, Jenkins had been reported three times to the health and welfare department. The reports are called Child Protective Referrals, and the results of those reports were unsubstantiated, insufficient evidence or information and referral. These reports were made before health and welfare. Finally did something in 2008 after Aiden was hurt. So the, the fuckery and child abuse started before that baby was even born, and I'm sure, I'm sure

Stephanie:

that it did it again. People that are incapable of being around children just don't fucking do it.

Dani:

Aiden was placed in the custody of Ehrlich after he completed the required classes, but Jenkins did not have her rights restored. She was allowed to visit the baby, but not allowed to live at the apartment with Ehrlich and the baby.

Stephanie:

And I'm sure they were living together. That there the whole time.

Dani:

I know it. I know. It's just how it goes. The health and welfare workers knew about this order and they also knew Jenkins was living there. Oh, did they? They did. Did they Like fucking bridesmaids.

Stephanie:

Oh you do. Fuck

Dani:

my life. Contractors that work with health and welfare, that provided canceling and training for families knew of this order but could not enforce it. They're third party. Yep. They have no power. Yep.

Stephanie:

No matter what they, all they can do is recommend and advise and clearly the advice and recommendations weren't taken. Miss

Dani:

anybody home. Hello? Knock knock. During the visits from the health and welfare department, Jenkins and Ehrlich would hide Robert in a closet to prevent them from seeing bruises on him.

Stephanie:

Why aren't they asking where this child

Dani:

is if it's not school hours? Just weeks before the murder, Jenkins and Ehrlich told social workers that Robert had been sent home to his father's when he was actually being hidden in the home. Disgusting. And the department never followed up with Robert's father. Get eyes on the child. Like

Stephanie:

if you're gonna say, oh, he's at a friend's, he's spending the night, and it happens two or three times in a row. Great. Where's the friend? I just need to get eyes on him. Yeah. Just a quick little, how you doing, Robert?

Dani:

Jen?'cause it's a fucking cunt. You are gonna hear more. The trial for Eli is set for October, but is rescheduled due to the prosecution, missing deadlines for turning over evidence to the defense. Mm-hmm. And I'm just including that because, dude, get your fucking life to get, these people are horrible. People turn over the evidence. Let's go file the procedures. Like don't fuck around and not, not, not release things. Because what that cause is what a mistrial or an

Stephanie:

appeal, hand it over go by the book. You gotta be by the book or else you open

Dani:

it up for these fuckers. On January 31st, 2011, Jenkins pleads guilty to aiding and abetting murder of the second degree. And this is a plea down from first degree murder. She admitted to the court she failed to protect Robert from Ehli and hiding him from family members and the Idaho Health and Welfare Department. Jenkins said she saw Ehrlich hit Robert with his hands and aboard. Robert had told Jenkins that Ehrlich had trigger warning, had dropped a knee onto Robert's stomach. This punishment was called dead bugging. What? It's, it's so common. We have a name for it and that's what they called it. And so, and I've never heard that before. It's not like Pile driver where you're

Stephanie:

like, obviously anyone calls it that dead bugging.

Dani:

Yeah. the plea deal is for a 25 year sentence. Well, it's better than 29 days or 10

Stephanie:

years. I mean, I guess we're grasping for straws at this point.

Dani:

On May 17th, Erlich's trial began in opening statements. Prosecutor Jill Longhurst said Robert spent his final days with a man who beat and tormented him and a mother that didn't care. Ugh, sounds I, it's fucking awful, but real. She stated, Ehrlich forced Robert to sleep in a crib, in a junk room, in the family apartment, and made him eat food he hated and hid him with a board on his buttocks and back. Ugh. Robert would often throw up the oatmeal and raisins. He was forced to eat'cause he didn't like it.

Stephanie:

And I think we all know as a kid especially, and I was not a picky kid, I couldn't be, there was one or two things that I just couldn't do. And if you're forced to eat them, it is a traumatic thing. And what a fucking terrorizing thing to do to, how about

Dani:

you buy a different fucking flavor and oatmeal, you fucking dip or feed'em?

Stephanie:

What are the other kids eating? He, he, they were purposely feeding him foods that he hated.

Dani:

Yeah.

Stephanie:

This is intentional. I don't

Dani:

like cinnamon raisin oatmeal either, bro. And if it gimme some apple cinnamon, I'm down. Yeah. Brown sugar. I'm down. I'm not eating that. Get those fucking raisins outta my face. Warm raisins.

Stephanie:

What? You're like trying to rehydrate a dead grape at that point. Yeah.

Dani:

Stop.

Stephanie:

But yeah, it's, it's sounding a lot like other kids' cases that we've seen where a adults who are fucking sick in the head want to be creative in finding ways to harm. I'm gonna punish you by making a child.

Dani:

Yeah.

Stephanie:

Ugh. Taking out all of their disgustingness

Dani:

on a baby. Earli could told a health and welfare caseworker that Robert was a problem.

Stephanie:

Mm.

Dani:

The caseworker gave Ehrlich literature about how to be a better caretaker since he was the stay at home prize dad. But the caseworker became concerned when Robert was never home when he visited and ordered Jenkins and Ehrlich to have Robert home for a session so he could talk to Robert alone. And when the time came, the pair told the caseworker that Robert had been sent back to his father's house in New Plymouth and nobody checked. On June 23rd, Ehrlich told Jenkins he had a big blow up with Robert because he didn't eat his dinner, and the next morning there was a hole in the sheet Rock of the House and traces of FAU and it,

Stephanie:

we hear this again and again when it comes to child cases where it's not only. The parents provoking so they can punish. Yeah. They are doing things and have such a strict set of rules for this one kid that basically they're looking for any opportunity to just use this kid as a fucking punching bag. And that's what this is really fucking sounding like. I'm sorry for all the F words,

Dani:

but I am not. Okay. Defense attorney Cahill said this is a lack of proof case. There is no evidence Daniel did this trying to humanize the motherfucker. There is no confession or eyewitness. Daniel told anyone who would listen, he didn't do this. Wow. And that

Stephanie:

if someone is telling everyone who will listen that they didn't do it, that's the ticket.

Dani:

Innocent right away. Put the stamp on it. Evidence was presented of a note found in the home by police a few days after Robert was missing. And I just, I'm, the reason I'm telling you this is to visualize what the sick fucks were, the show that they were putting on. So the note stated, quote, Robert, please stay here and watch tv. We went looking for you. We will keep checking in. Mom and everyone loves you. We miss you. Love Mom and daddy Danny,

Stephanie:

when you dumped him in a canal,

Dani:

oh, I think this would be an appropriate time to show you their whiny crying pictures. Please show me. So there's Robert. He's so cute. I

Stephanie:

think I remember this now. Seeing him,

Dani:

oh. Okay, murders. Please look up on Google. These two fuckers, here they are

Stephanie:

with find Robert t-shirts on, holding hands in solidarity. We're looking for our son

Dani:

and that's his dad, Charles, and I believe that's his wife, but I, I'm, it might be her sister, I'm not sure. Oh, I think that's her sister. aw, crying. You are so sad.

Stephanie:

We wish we knew what happened to our son. Looking up. Just absolutely broken, puke, fucking cunts. Dude, please look at it. And, and we've seen this before. There's many people who have went and done interviews for their missing kids and you feel the same reaction where you look at it and you're like, you are just playing it up and.

Dani:

Wow. Writing fake notes to your son that are, that you know is dead. that's why I took snippets of those because I was like the fucking fuckery to put on such a facade. And how do these people still live with themselves? Robin Ehrlich Ehrlich's niece testified that their family was worried about Robert's weight loss in the summer of 2009. She said, Ehrlich's father. Daniel Sr. Offered twice to take Robert to the doctor. Children shouldn't be losing weight in a, at an alarming pace ever. Ehrlich and Jenkins refuse the offer saying that Robert was just vomiting on purpose to get attention'cause that's what kids do. Yeah, sure. Robin also testified that she saw a bruise on Robert's back. This is a fail a failure on so many levels.

Stephanie:

Yeah,

Dani:

I mean, I, the dad trying to get help, like the boy looks sick. Yeah. Well, I'll take him. Why is a child looking like a skeleton? And guess what? With Daddy Earli staying home and not having a job, I'm pretty sure they probably qualified for Medicaid. The bitch could have took her son to the fucking doctor if there was a reason she didn't

Stephanie:

because she knew what the problem was. Whatever she

Dani:

had early senior was like, who was basically grandpa at that point, right? Mm-hmm. It was like, I'll pay for him to go. And they're like, oh, no, no. He's just being a little brat. You know? Kids, they like to just projectile, vomit, vomit, vomit for attention, not likely. Robin also said that Rob, Robert would get in trouble for doing things like asking for a drink of water or to go to the bathroom and that he was always on restriction or grounded.

Stephanie:

Yep. This is a child that no matter what you do, cannot do. Right. A, a terrible existence, a fucking terrorized existence that they are literally have adults that. Are getting off on being pissed off because the kid is asking to go to the bathroom or get water. They're enjoying

Dani:

the punishment.

Stephanie:

Yeah.

Dani:

It's gross. A caseworker for Ida, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Angela Hudson testified that she observed Ehrlich tending to Aiden, but ignoring Robert. Big surprise. He felt like the daddy.'cause

Stephanie:

he was there before this baby was born. So he felt like he was the daddy.

Dani:

Well, and he had to win him so hard by taking all those classes. Yeah. It was his trophy. Mm-hmm. You know that that was fucking it. And this is the other

Stephanie:

kid that he never had that infant type of bond with. He couldn't. And you know what? He couldn't pretend that this was his kid.

Dani:

And Robert loved his dad. He didn't need or to be his daddy. And I bet you that pissed him off. Oh yeah. So Angela Hudson, department of Health and Welfare, she brought a game to the house during a visit so that she could observe the family, interact together, but Erlich refused to play Big Red Flag. Why? Yeah. Quote with Robert Ehrlich really didn't have much to do with him. There just wasn't a strong attachment. I think that's an understatement. He couldn't even fake it. No. That he's like, I'm not playing with that kid. Could you imagine even as a friend being like, let's all play this game. Like, oh no, Robert's here. No, I refuse. What? Jenkins and Ehrlich. Asked her for advice on how to discipline Robert, because he wasn't listening very well. Yes. We're just two very responsible parents just trying to raise this kid who's such a problem. What do we do? The caseworker referred them to a parenting program called Love and Logic, and suggested Erlich and Robert spend more one-on-one time to help them bond. Which is a stand away maybe like, I think that's like a standard. Yeah. You know, you're, you're not seeing the full picture. Like No, they just need to get like their bond going, right? Mm-hmm. But also remember there's, the reason that they're there is because there was an abused child. Yeah. So let's remember that. Cracked Noggins and all, in late June, Robert was not around during her visit. It's once the para said that Robert was too sick to attend and another time they said he was outside. And I've been like, go get him. Yeah. Cool. Let me just get eyes on him. Husband said she became concerned when Jenkins told her that Robert said he wanted the family to be just him and his mom. No, Aiden, no Ehrlich. Right. Okay. And that triggered Hudson to tell Jenkins to make sure that Robert was at the next visit so she could talk with him alone. Jenkins told her this huge red flag. Jenkins told her Robert wasn't the reason she was there. She was there because of Aiden. Listen, I didn't crack Robert's skull. So mind your

Stephanie:

business. I cracked the eight month old skull. You see the eighth month old

Dani:

mind, your business. What a fucking cunt dude. Hudson questioned why she wouldn't want me to meet with Robert alone. Yeah. What's the deal? What's the issue? Says I, I think I, Jenkins back down, agreed to let Hudson meet with Robert, but Hudson would never see him again. During the next several meetings, Jenkins said Robert was with Ehrlich at the pool or at the skate park. He wouldn't even play a game with him, dude.

Stephanie:

could you imagine being like, Hey, let's play Connect four, all of us. I'm not playing No. That little fuck's here. I know he didn't say that, but if it was that apparent that he. Would interact with the, with Aiden and not like, why could you not for show? Because that, that's what, when some, when CPS is visiting you, you better get whether you're guilty or innocent, obviously you're putting your best foot forward. when you're, if you have a landlord that needs to inspect, obviously you're not gonna be having a house party while your landlord has a scheduled. Mm-hmm. You know? So if you can't even play the part to a simple game, this isn't like, show me your parenting skills and what type of parenting?

Dani:

No. Just play a game with the kid. Yeah. We're just sitting here playing because Earli is a fucking bitch and

Stephanie:

you refused. What the fuck is going on here, Danny? Yeah.

Dani:

On July 17th, Jenkins sold Hudson that Robert had moved back to his father's house in New Plymouth, but nobody checked. Hey, pick up the phone. Just verify the phone. Just verify. Three different former girlfriends testified. All three said Ehrlich was prone to sudden fits of anger. He was controlling and emotionally abusive. All three said Ehrlich had choked them. Huge red flag. We've said it before. We'll say it

Stephanie:

again. Choking. Get yourself out of there immediately. You have like a 7 million cajillion. I don't even know what the percentage is. Does it matter if someone chokes you, their next step is to kill you?

Dani:

I think one of the big reasons that. These women weren't harmed further is because the motherfucker was in and outta jail consistently. Yeah. Remember. So they were able to like, oh bye. Not have the risk of Yeah.'cause he was going to fucking jail. Yeah. Consistently

Stephanie:

Put the motherfucker in jail. Y'all do not ever let someone do that to you without consequences. Build up your resources,

Dani:

get out, do what you need to do. Get out. a security officer for the Oak Park Village Apartments stated he saw Earli calling out for Robert on the night of his disappearance. And he was the one that was like, dude, why don't you call 9 1 1? So he said he encourag early to call the police Maybe. Yeah. You're out here at 10 o'clock at night calling for a missing kid. Don't you think it's, and it stays light here till 10 30 in the summer.

Stephanie:

Yes, we, it does. But dude,

Dani:

his desk, you've been looking for a kid for over two hours. Don't you think it's time to call the cops? He's like, it seems like you're putting on a play right now. Yeah.

Stephanie:

Love the performance. Great. No notes. what do they win at Tony? Is that for plays? I don't know,

Dani:

but don't ask me those fucking sophisticated questions, stuff. I'm not,

Stephanie:

I know the names. I don't know what they're for, but yes. A word for you. Maybe reach out to the authorities.

Dani:

You have an 8-year-old missing. I'm about to literally stab my notebook. Okay. Forcefully, several officers testified that the pair seemed off for having a missing child. Oh, Jenkins was stoic and Ehrlich was unstable. This fucking bitch, lemme just tell. He was sweating, agitated, and then he was angry. One minute and calm the next. He's eating at you. You can't, it's going to destroy you as it should. And in one report, I read like early, threw himself on the ground and like threw a temper tantrum. Fucking

Stephanie:

someone get us the footage. Mm. Y'all, if you can, if there is footage, please tag us in it. You post it. You post it, take it tag. Just let us know when you post it. Find, find the body buddy. I wanna see this tan because it's clear. This, this man is a, is an actor.

Dani:

Well, the primary investigator that night, Schlagel said that he was frustrated that Jenkins and Erlich seemed to wanna help with the investigation. They wish they could, they would not answer any direct questions. I wish I could help you. Ya. And he said they wouldn't, he, they wouldn't even look him in the eye. My kid. I haven't met the guy. And officers were like, suspicious. They're like, yeah, they fucking did it. Yeah. officer Rosson was out on the scene that night and he testified that Jenkins would not give him the phone number of her ex-husband, Frank, who's the baby daddy of the two and a half year old. The girl. Yeah. And didn't want her to call her sister or other family members to see if anybody maybe picked up Robert earlier. Yeah. I'm like, Hey, did we, I mean my plans, right? Like, did we make plans? Were you supposed to like, pick up? What is this? No, don't call my sister. They, they don't want any press. They're very famous. Don't what? Don't call my sister as a, as a mother. That's one of the first phone, my mother, my sister, my aunties. What a fucking ding bat. No, don't call. And because these people are acting so fucking shady. Three days after reporting Robert missing police. Put them under surveillance. Yeah. Watch'em. Because obviously they're fucking weird. You gave off weird vibes. You fucking psycho. Don't be fucking weird. I don't think they could have if they tried. Ehrlich's. Father Daniel Sr. Testified that he was investigated for the disappearance of Robert. Why? Because piece of shit Ehrlich said his father was involved. Oh. So not only are they just

Stephanie:

denying any involvement, they're actively pointing to other people that aren't

Dani:

involved, and they know that they, they aren't, but detectives had Daniel's timeline. Thank God. Thank God for receipts, literally. Right. he left the nursing home after visiting his wife at 6:30 PM that night, and then he stopped at the tobacco connection on State Street. Been there? Yep. Cameras. Well,

Stephanie:

yeah, probably

Dani:

He headed over to Erlich's apartment at 7:00 PM to help his loser son pay his electric bill.

Stephanie:

And this is before he's even missing, right? Yeah.

Dani:

Yep. And to help him pay that power bill. Daniel said he didn't see Robert while he was there. Nobody had and he was told he was playing outside. Receipts and video showed Daniel arrived at the WinCo at 7 39 and he left at 8:08 PM when he arrived home at his home on Bock, a neighbor helped him unload groceries around eight 30. Daniel then drove his neighbor down to the Maverick store and then brought her back. I think he rock. He's solid alibi. He's a, he's a good dude.

Stephanie:

He's helping many people. He's helping pay a power bill. Neighbors are helping him. He was

Dani:

visiting his wife at the nursing home

Stephanie:

and everything that he's doing has a video recede. Yeah. So how terrible for your own son to be like

Dani:

such a piece of shit. Maybe. I don't know who, who remember offered to take Robert to the doctor because he was so skinny. Yeah. Why is his kid so fucking skinny? then he left and went and pick up to pick up his other son, David, at a friend's house. And while he was driving, there was a phone call between Daniel and Ehrlich at 9:08 PM Ehli again, called his father again at 9 58 and told him Robert was missing. So I imagine this nine oh eight phone call was just to feel his dad out. Like I think he wanted to tell his dad that something had happened, but he didn't have the balls to do it'cause he's a pussy bitch and he couldn't do it. And he was clearly missing at

Stephanie:

this time. Like yeah, he'd been hollering all around the neighborhood. Yeah. And you didn't mention it to your dad. Not at 9 0 8. You waited till the 9 58? Yep. Interesting. so you didn't, you didn't tell him when you've been shouting around the neighborhood for a few hours, you didn't think to mention it to your father who was just there like, since you left, we found out that the kid's messing. We've been out here screaming for hours. No, not until everyone gets involved. Mm-hmm.

Dani:

When he was at Dyer's Trace, because he talked to his dad, it was 9 58. And what time did he call the police? Ten oh two. 10 0 8? Yeah. So interesting. I bet Dad said, you better call the police son.

Stephanie:

Yeah, son. you've been shouting for hours, just like the security guard told you, like, maybe fucking call the police. Maybe you should be calling

Dani:

the cops. It's fucking getting dark. Robert's father Charles testified that the night that Robert disappeared, Jenkins had left him a voicemail saying Robert's missing. Bye. Robert's missing you fucking weirdos. I have to tell you this, lemme just tell you. So she, Jenkins left work like at 9 45 or something. It was, she started work at two 30 and left at like 9 45. and said she had to leave because her child was missing. Meanwhile, I'm gonna tell you there is, and I didn't write this all down, uh, well I can 42 text messages that day between Jenkins and Ehrlich. Oh, I'm sure they deleted'em. So many of them. But there was a lot of conversation going on and the ones that weren't deleted were basic. I'm doing okay, love you, blah, blah, blah. but also a detective ended up fucking deleting some of the messages. So that's why I didn't put it in a detective ended up deleting some of the messages. Mm-hmm. So they were never like. By mistake. Yeah. but fun fact,

Stephanie:

since we're having so much fun here,

Dani:

one of our coworkers hated Jenkins so much that they called 9 1 1 to make sure that I was an actual child missing.'cause he didn't, or they didn't, I don't know if it was a male or female. didn't believe her when she said she had a child missing. Which red flag, if

Stephanie:

you're like, I've never, you've never even talked about this child. This is your oldest child.

Dani:

Sure. Is this some type of hoax? Wow. To have a coworker her be like, I'm gonna check this bitch out. She's lying.

Stephanie:

Even people that didn't want anything to do with her didn't wanna know about her. Like, something's fucking fishy about this. The red flags were red flagging

Dani:

at like a. they were fireworks in the air. So to have a coworker think so, less of you. That'd be like, she doesn't

Stephanie:

even

Dani:

have a kid that age. That'd be like, let me say, my mom's in the hospital. I need to go. And, and then they're calling the hospital to make sure my mom, I'm like, you really don't like me. Yeah.

Stephanie:

Like, we, I wanna get this bitch fired. No, we're gonna, I need to see some doctors notes. I need to see some police report receipts,

Dani:

please. And thank you. She's like, no, this bitch is weird. Wow. Wow. You, wow. so Charles and his wife, upon getting that voicemail message after 10 o'clock at night, right. They're like, we're coming to Boise to help find Robert. So Charles and his wife decided to drive to Boise to help find Robert. On the trip to Boise.'cause New Plymouth, that's 45.

Stephanie:

Yeah.

Dani:

55 minutes. Something like that. I mean, missing child is probably more 40 minutes, right? Yeah. But uh, Charles had called Jenkins twice on the drive to Boise and she discouraged him from coming. How Do not come here.

Stephanie:

Yeah, the kid's gone, but like, go,

Dani:

we got this. If you could go away though, like, I don't come here. Don't. And Charles was fully aware of what happened with baby Aiden. Oh. Because he also testified that he had spoke with health and welfare about Robert staying for the extended time with Jenkins. And they reassured him it was fine. Oh.

Stephanie:

Again, someone trying to do what they can in their power and it is

Dani:

overlooked. FBI, agent Jeffrey Blevins testified Erlich had stopped four interviews over the six days. Like, get up, walk out. That's not weird. It was all, when they were pressuring him about his timeline. And you know, when you motherfuckers lie, you know, you can't remember what you fucking lied about, especially when you're throwing yourself on the ground like a fucking toddler. Mm-hmm. And throwing a fit. But during that fourth interview, er told him that he would come back in the morning and tell him the truth. Let him know what happened. That's not weird, but that didn't happen.

Stephanie:

Of course it didn't.

Dani:

Instead, Ehrlich was hospitalized for a drug overdose the next day. Oh no. He spent more than a week at Intermountain Hospital, but refused to give urine samples to the nurse and became agitated when asked to do so. Hmm. But blood tests proved he fate, the overdose. Oh,

Stephanie:

I'm just dissociating, actively dissociating. I'm so sorry.

Dani:

So everybody was waiting for Jenkins to testify, right. Even the judge said that the prosecution could compel her to testify. Mm. But she didn't. Prosecutors and even her own defense attorney said she was a habitual liar. Wow.

Stephanie:

For a defense attorney to admit that, that's pretty severe.

Dani:

I think they didn't wanna muddy the waters'cause they felt like they had a good case and let's not, who knows what she was gonna say up there because she's a fucking fat mouth.

Stephanie:

Correct.

Dani:

The defense does call three different witnesses, and they state that they all saw Robert after 7:30 PM that night, but the prosecution was able to poke holes in their testimony, and two of the three were under the age of 18. Okay. So basically they had conflicting stories about the time, their timelines, when they saw Robert, just somebody in the waters again. Yeah. And they're like, and one gal, that testified was like, I saw him blah, blah, blah in the staircase. And then the prosecutor was like, you already told us you were at work at that time. That kind of stuff. Yikes. E. so yeah. And then, one kid had even talked to the media. And had told his story. And then in court he said a different story. So they were just poke, poke, poking, like, and it's sad'cause these kids probably really were trying to do their best and they might have believed and you know, and they were subpoenaed to testify and then they go up there and testify. Yeah. They weren't, they weren't rooting for Ehrlich or anything. They were just, they had to be there. Yep. And then this piece of shit testifies in his own defense. Brilliant. Attorney Cahill asked Ehrlich twice if he had anything to do with Robert's death or disappearance. And twice he said no.

Stephanie:

Well that does it, folks wrap it up.

Dani:

He told the jury how he was a stay-at-home dad while Jenkins worked. He said that Jenkins was the disciplinarian in the home and followed her direction. Oh, and prosecutor slammed him with questions regarding his con, his constantly changing stories, like he couldn't keep a timeline straight. He had lied so many times he didn't know up from down. So it takes the jury only three hours to find early guilty of first degree murder by torture and aggravated battery. And I'm telling you, I think this, trial lasted over four weeks and there was a hundred people that testified. Okay, they, he three hours. Well, he guilty

Stephanie:

by torture as we referenced earlier. We're not gonna get into the nitty gritty details, but, To have that kind of a conviction. It's well deserved.

Dani:

So go fuck yourself, Ehrlich. Yeah. Do your buddies know what you've done? Jenkins, quick shout out. Do y'all get podcasts in there? Let's go. What they've been like. Ask'em for their papers. I told I was, I, I read. Okay. I saw on TikTok that that was a thing. You can

Stephanie:

get what you need to get.

Dani:

Yep. They're assholes at his sentencing early. Didn't say a word. Mm. Gus Cahill asked that ear be eligible for parole after 10 years. No.

Stephanie:

No. Thank you.

Dani:

I love this. Judge. Are you ready? Yes. I'm so ready.

Stephanie:

Danny

Dani:

Judge Williamson said society needed protection from Ehrlich, who had been in trouble with a law since he was 12 years old. Judge Williamson said Earli did substantial pain to a 50 pound child during a time when there was no one there to love him or protect him. The kind of sentence that might be the most appropriate for Mr. Earli, I can't impose, I can't impose a sentence that would require that he endure the dead bug by somebody five times what he weighs. I can't impose occasional aggravated battery on Mr. Ehrlich, or is only once the court can impose. I love that. Like I just can't have somebody come beat your fucking ass every once in a while'cause you won't eat your fucking oatmeal and raisins. You fucking bitch. Unfortunately,

Stephanie:

I am

Dani:

unable to

Stephanie:

order people to rip your

Dani:

ass to shreds at will fucking her. The so much best I can do is I'm so, isn't that beautiful?

Stephanie:

This is one of the most, and for a judge to put it in legalese is where it's like, it's very proper. I just fucking love this shit When a judge does this where they're like, no, it's

Dani:

beautiful.

Stephanie:

If I could rip you from asshole to nose hole, I would.

Dani:

But they do it in a proper Wasn't that so Chef's kiss, chef's fucking Kiss. That

Stephanie:

was Williams, I think,

Dani:

right? Williamson. Judge Williamson. Judge Williamson, thank you. And she was a badass. She's like, Nope, this is the best I can do. I wish I

Stephanie:

could do more. Especially this specific thing to you.

Dani:

Oh man. E was sentenced to life and he cried like a fucking baby when leaving the courtroom. Oh no. Enjoy your life, bitch. Literally put those tears in my fucking cup.

Stephanie:

Cheers.

Dani:

Cheers. I'm just, wouldn't that be awesome though, if she really could have like random ass beatings? My

Stephanie:

sentence is that every inmate on your block has their cells open to yours and no one can see a thing. So whatever happens happens.

Dani:

Every morning it's Vegas baby. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. Every morning the biggest, baddest motherfucker on your block gets to roll some dice, and if he rolls a seven, you're getting your ass beat. Thank you. Wouldn't that be every single fucking day

Stephanie:

till the rest of your life? I'm sorry guys. I'm very like,

Dani:

wouldn't that be awesome all over this? Yeah. But gosh, in a perfect world, wouldn't it be great. Anyway, Hui love the judge. Yes. And later the same day, Jenkins. Has her sentencing hearing. Oh, does she? Yeah, because she had her little plea deal. Melissa, how you doing? Sis? Jenkins spoke to Charles directly. I would have wished that if I was Charles, I'd be like, no, thank you. You're fucking she said quote Chuck. I pleaded guilty because I didn't want to put you through another trial. I know. All I had to do was ask for help. It's my fault Robert is not with us anymore. I want to go back, but I can't. Chuck, please don't blame yourself. You need to blame me for not protecting Robert. I'm going to prison where I belong.

Stephanie:

I'm not often wordless. I was there for a split second. please don't blame. You didn't need to say that, sis. No one was you fucking, you think this is a Hallmark movie? You're writing a Dear John Litter. Hey, Chuck. Suck my dick. Sorry. That was, I've had, I've had some outbursts today and

Dani:

this is a case to be outburst. I'm not a

Stephanie:

professional journalist. I'm just, I hope y'all knew that. I'm gonna state it for the record here.

Dani:

but you're gonna love this judge again. You're gonna hurt her. Williams. What you got for me? Williamson? Yes. Said quote. You come into this courtroom in tears like, you are so sad about all of this. I am not buying it. That you have had all this remorse. I just don't think that that is sincere. I don't think that you cared. Parents would die for their children. Parents who love their children would do that. Charles Manuel would've done that for Robert.

Stephanie:

Get it. This, oh, I'm just,

Dani:

I'm, this is what

Stephanie:

every case, especially with children needs, but even of other murder cases where they, it's so clean cut sometimes when you hear the judge's verdict and you're like, couldn't you slice a little?

Dani:

Williamson is slicing a lot. Dicing. Boom. So Jenkins had pled guilty through a rule two plea agreement. That is a special arrangement with the prosecutors, where Jenkins agreed to plead guilty in return for a 25 year prison sentence. If the judge does not agree to follow that exact punishment, the agreement is over and it goes to trial. So with that in mind.

Stephanie:

Yes.

Dani:

Judge Williamson said, quote, you deserve the world of punishments for what you allowed to happen to Robert. The bottom line is, I'd like to impose a greater sentence than 25 years. No appeals are allowed under this agreement. Jenkins will have to serve all 25 years without the possibility of parole. Still not enough, but I love when a judge does this. Mm-hmm. Though, when they're like, I would sentence you basically, I think she would be like sending some them to both to death, like mm-hmm. If she could.

Stephanie:

She literally said, if I could have other inmates whoop your fucking partner's ass, I'd do it. Yep.

Dani:

Let's go every

Stephanie:

fucking day, bitch.

Dani:

Let's roll the dice. Williamson, you're that girl. Alright, so. In 2012 K-I-V-I-T-V obtained phone rec recordings of Jenkins in prison.

Stephanie:

Oh

Dani:

God. The report gave insight to the first six weeks that she was in prison in 12 hours of audio. Not once did she say she was sorry. No, she's not. She did complain that she did not have a photo of Robert, whom she called Boo. Why do you want a photo? You killed that baby. Yeah. He did not protect, even if she didn't do the final blow, she watched, she knew of the abuse and she hid and she knew that that motherfucker dropped that baby in the New York Canal. She knew she made it possible. Yeah. If she wasn't there, it would

Stephanie:

not have been possible.

Dani:

She said quote, I play cards and we walk and when we have rec, we can go outside and lay in the sun if we want to. We can walk outside, we can play volleyball, which I do. We actually get homemade baked breads, rolls. The cakes are actually made fresh every day. It's fun. I love it. Oh, do you?

Stephanie:

I hope they get podcasts

Dani:

in

Stephanie:

prison. I.

Dani:

Do those ladies know what you've fucking done? In September of 2012, Jenkins filed for a post-conviction relief. She said her attorneys Rob Chastain and Deb Crystal did not do a good enough job on her case. This is how this is. They never did. No. Just listen to the, this is verbiage. This is how she's a fucking idiot. They didn't do a good enough job. Jenkins said her attorneys did not tell her about DNA evidence that would've exonerated her and did not present good enough mitigating evidence during her sentencing. And they also didn't try hard enough to get her case moved to another county. Uh, ma'am. First of all, love your legal ease. Second of all, did you hear that? Judge? Were you in the same room? And guess what?'cause he gets to hear that post-conviction relief. Oh, our bitch Judge Williamson. in 2013, Jenkins asked for the petition to be dropped. Which, and look, you should have thought about that when you thought about the judge that was gonna be looking at your shit and it wasn't good enough. That's not legal. That's whatever. Go fuck it. You have to have some actual backing Yeah. To prove it. It wasn't good. You did a. But not good job. But she cannot file this post-conviction relief again. So you're fucked. Glad you wasted your fucking chance, cunt.

Stephanie:

Sorry guys. You know, we swear. I'm sorry to throw that out there. I'm

Dani:

not sorry for this one. You know, I'm not

Stephanie:

okay. I really am not. I really, we have, we have some of our followers that are like, I love listening to this around my kids. And I'm like, don't though. No, we don't. We don't want to, we don't want the the c word to be your kids. Next word. No. Take some you time, but sometimes you need some time for you sis.

Dani:

Um, and yeah, some people actually deserve the C word, and I can think of better candidates. You earned it sis 2015 early, appeals his conviction. But the conviction is upheld, go fuck yourself. Oh goodness. And in 2025, Ehrlich is 52 and currently residing at the Idaho Correctional Institution in Orofino. He's up North. Wonder why he's so special. You know, I love that though, because even if his family forgave him, all of his family's down in the valley, and so he's so lonely all by himself. Poor I I do think they do that on purpose. Fuck yeah. I'm in. I Well, we've had, see, don't feel bad. Yeah. Somebody's inmates shipped outta state. I'm like, I love this. I love this for me because your family's here and you get no fucking visitors. I don't know. Visit with yourself. Yeah. I bet you there's some cellies. I would like to visit you for murdering a fucking child. Yeah. Do you guys get any internet access? If you wanna subscribe, know about your cellmates. and Jenkins is 46 and living in the South Idaho Correctional Institution where Vallow is soon to return. I wonder if they have the little cult together. yeah. Oh, baby killers, you fucking assholes. Mm-hmm. Um, but she does have a release date, and that's August, 2034. Mark your

Stephanie:

calendars. Mm-hmm.

Dani:

And that's how an innocent 8-year-old boy slipped through every safety net. We like to pretend actually works. Robert didn't just fall victim to two garbage humans. He fell victim to a system that saw red flags and somehow still managed to fuck it up. Complete fuckery. Daniel Ehrlich will rot in prison for life, and Melissa Jenkins will be outta jail just in time to ruin everyone's 2034. You know, I've heard, I don't know

Stephanie:

for sure, but I have heard of people coming up on their release date and things happen that extend it. It would be a tragedy, but only time will tell.

Dani:

If you take anything away from this, it's this. Kids need people who will actually do something when they see a problem and not ignore the obvious.

Stephanie:

Yep.

Dani:

A hundred percent.

Stephanie:

And there was people that tried, there was, that only got a glimpse like the grandpa. Yeah. He, he did not see this kid all the time, but he saw enough to say, why the fuck aren't we taking this kid to the doctor? And you know, what's so

Dani:

sad is that, Charles, his dad was like, he loved his mom so much that, and that's really why he let him go, because he's like, he loves his mom so much because they're yearning for that acceptance. Yeah. all I can say

Stephanie:

is if you don't want kids, don't have kids, because regretting not having kids is a lot better than regretting having kids and something like this shit happens.

Dani:

And hey, Ehli Jensen, he shouldn't die. Bitch, please and thank you. Enjoy your dinner tonight. I hope

Stephanie:

it's full of rot. Anyway, thank you for listening. This was an incredibly traumatizing episode.

Dani:

Um, ten four rubber ducky. Fuck yeah.

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