Nobody Should Believe Me

Novelist Andrea Dunlop is looking for answers. When her older sister was first investigated for Munchausen by Proxy abuse more than a decade ago, it tore her family apart. This catastrophic series of events sent Dunlop on a journey to understand this most taboo form of abuse. In this groundbreaking podcast, she talks to some of the top experts in the world to explore the criminology and psychopathology behind Munchausen by Proxy and to reveal the wide swath of destruction these perpetrators leave in their wake. Along the way, she becomes captivated by the case of Hope Ybarra. Dunlop speaks to those most familiar with the case, from the reporter who broke the story, to the detective who investigated it, to the family who lived through it. In the dramatic finale, she’ll speak to Hope Ybarra herself.​ ​ (LM032423)

01:16:33 2024-03-28
During this look back at the 6th episode of our first season, we hear the story of twin sisters who survived Munchausen by Proxy at the hands of their foster mother. At the end of the episode, we get a visit from very special guest, Erica Blake (then Hand...
01:00:16 2024-03-21
This is the 5th episode of our look back at season one of the show. We revisit Andrea's conversation with two more dads who were a part of Munchausen by Proxy cases. At the end of the episode, Andrea gives a brief update on one of the dads and shares her ...
00:57:38 2024-03-19
Andrea connects with Dr. Jessica Pryce, an expert on the frontlines of child wellfare work, research, and reform. She talks to Andrea about her book, Broken: Transforming Child Protective Services, the child welfare system as a whole, and how her work app...
01:21:28 2024-03-14
During this re-aired episode, we revisit our conversation with 2 fathers affected by Munchausen by Proxy. At the end of the episode, we reconnect with George Hunnicut to discuss how life has been for him and his children after speaking to us on the show t...
01:25:24 2024-03-07
We take a look back at the third episode of the show. At the end of the episode, we catch up with Detective Mike Weber, friend of the show and expert in the investigation of Medical Child Abuse. *** Andrea speaks to Deanna Boyd, the crime reporter who bro...
00:48:09 2024-02-29
We take a look back at the second episode of the show. Stay tuned to hear Andrea share the story of how the show almost didn't air and what she learned from it.  To learn more details about Andrea's sister's case, check out "Megan".   *** We delve dee...
00:42:25 2024-02-22
We're going back to the beginning with an extended version of our very first episode! Be sure to stay tuned until the end for a special postscript with Andrea as she gives a behind-the-scenes look at how this show began. *** We meet accomplished novelist...
01:13:21 2024-02-08
In this bonus episode you’ll hear host Andrea Dunlop's full interview with Dr. Sally Smith’s son, Patrick. They discuss the impact of the slanted and sensationalized media coverage of Dr. Sally Smith’s work on him and his family. Patrick shares his ...
01:03:44 2024-02-01
In this bonus episode you’ll hear host Andrea Dunlop's full interview with Ethen Shapiro, lead attorney for John Hopkins All Childrens Hospital. Shapiro offers shocking insights into the trial and the media coverage of the Kowalski case, as well as what...
01:26:41 2024-01-25
In this bonus episode you’ll hear host Andrea Dunlop's full interview with friend of the show Detective Mike Weber.   Mike—who wrote the FBI guidelines on investigating medical child abuse—digs into the police report about Maya Kowalski and helps ...
01:22:07 2024-01-18
In the third and final installment of our exclusive interview with Dr. Sally Smith, she shares her side of what happened in the Maya Kowalski case, revealing how perilous Maya’s situation truly was when she originally arrived at Johns Hopkins All Chil...
01:06:53 2024-01-11
In the second part of our exclusive interview with Dr. Sally Smith, we discuss how the media coverage of her reached a fever pitch and turned her life and career upside down. We explore how not only the Netflix film but a high-profile piece in New York Ma...
00:40:35 2024-01-04
In an exclusive interview with Dr. Sally Smith, host Andrea Dunlop travels to Florida to speak to the embattled child abuse pediatrician about her life and work and the Maya Kowalski case that saw her cast as the villain of a Netflix film.   We get an i...
01:13:38 2023-12-28
In this bonus episode, host Andrea interviews regular guest and friend of the show Jordyn Hope, a survivor of Munchausen by proxy abuse. Jo shares their personal story of revelations of abuse and recounts the emotional toll of constantly having to prove t...
00:47:37 2023-12-21
This week Andrea examines how the harrowing and complex story of the Maya Kowalski case turned into a pop culture moment, and spread dangerous misinformation in the process.   We continue our conversation with Ethen Shapiro, lead attorney for Johns Hopk...
00:51:01 2023-12-14
Just when we thought the endless saga of Kowalski v Johns Hopkins All Childrens was over...it turns out it might only be beginning.  In this episode, lead attorney for the Johns Hopkins All Childrens defense team, Ethen Shapiro, offers an insider's per...
00:35:55 2023-12-07
We'll be back next week with five new episodes to close out Season Three! In the meantime, we're sharing a fascinating conversation between Andrea and podcaster and author Jo Piazza on her show Under the Influence, which is all about women and the intern...
00:46:00 2023-11-30
With the jury's stunning $242 million verdict in favor of the Kowalski family, host Andrea Dunlop looks at why this case has struck such a nerve on both sides of the political spectrum. She examines why some mothers accused of medical child abuse are view...
01:15:00 2023-11-22
As we continue to process the far-reaching implications of the shocking verdict in the Kowalski case, we take a closer look at Maya Kowalski’s testimony and what we know about her. She’s emerged as a divisive figure in the case: alternately being cast...
00:34:55 2023-11-16
Andrea checks in with lawyer and trial consultant Jonathan Leach hours after the Kowalski verdict comes down. They talk about the judge’s decision to disallow testimony from the defense on medical child abuse, what happened with this jury, and the chanc...
00:24:39 2023-11-10
Andrea and special guest Bex (aka our Florida pediatrcian friend) process the shocking verdict in the Maya Kowalski trial. After 9 weeks of testimony, the jury awarded the Kowalski family nearly $300 million in damages from Johns Hopkins All Children's Ho...
01:07:13 2023-11-07
With a verdict in the case days away, host Andrea Dunlop unpacks some of what’s happened so far in the Kowalski v Johns Hopkins All Childrens trial with lawyer and trial consultant Jonathan Leach. They analyze the dueling opening statements, consider wh...
00:56:50 2023-11-03
As the Kowalski v Johns Hopkins All Childrens trial barrels forward, new information comes to light each day about what really happened to Maya Kowalski during her time in the hospital. In part 2 of The Believers, Andrea digs into the testimony from the ...
00:57:34 2023-11-02
In today’s episode, Andrea seeks an outside perspective on the controversial Maya Kowalski case. Laura Richards, host of Crime Analyst and cohost of the Real Crime Profile podcast, joins Andrea to talk through the complexities and contradictions of the ...
00:23:07 2023-10-26
Host Andrea Dunlop and lead producer Tina Nole dive into listener feedback from season 2 of Nobody Should Believe Me. Addressing questions of gender issues and potential sexism around medical child abuse accusations, Andrea’s guest appearance on Real Cr...
00:37:04 2023-10-19
In the flattened version of the Maya Kowalski story that has dominated the headlines, Beata Kowalski is a mother who fell prey to age-old biases against women. This story attaches itself to the well-documented reality that women are all too often not bel...
00:49:08 2023-10-12
Note: This episode contains sensitive content related to child abuse and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.    Beata Kowalski’s tragic death by suicide in January of 2016 is at the center of the $220 million lawsuit Jack Kowalski has filed again...
00:46:51 2023-10-05
In our third episode, we look at a central piece of the story that was left unfinished at the time of Beata Kowalski’s death: the police investigation into her for medical child abuse.  Along with Detective Mike Weber and our anonymous Florida pediatri...
00:44:26 2023-09-28
As the Maya Kowalski case heads to trial, we dig into the massive trove of documents about this case and begin to unpack what we know about what really happened during Maya Kowalski’s fateful stay at Johns Hopkins All Childrens in October 2016.   The ...
00:50:00 2023-09-21
Warning: This content includes references to suicide and child abuse. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text 988 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7. You can also visit 988lifeline.org for addit...
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