The Letter That Cost Two Lives

THE LETTER THAT COST TWO LIVES A mother cried in front of the cameras for nine days asking for her children to be returned, while she knew exactly where they were: at the bottom of a lake, inside the car she herself released. How could a woman sustain that lie, and what wounds truly led her to do what she did? This case is the collapse of a life built on abuses that no one wanted to see in time. In this episode, you will discover how a traffic light brought down an impossible alibi, how a rejection letter became a documented trigger, and why Susan Smith spent nine days acting desperation while her two young children remained 36 meters underwater. You will learn about the hidden side of Union, South Carolina, where a family shattered by suicides, sexual abuse, and rejections would turn October 25, 1994, into a date that would forever change the concept of what a mother can do when everything falls apart. Case Details Victim: Michael Smith, 3 years old, and Alexander Smith, 14 months old Date: October 25, 1994 Location: John D. Long Lake, Union, South Carolina, United States Status: Susan Smith sentenced to life in prison; eligible for parole in 2025 - The traffic light where the "assault" occurred only activates red if another car is passing - none were recorded that night, making Susan's version physically impossible - Tom Finley's letter explicitly rejected Susan because her children were an impediment, a documented trigger days before the crime - Susan woke the children, dressed them, and took them to the lake, then got out of the car and watched for 5 minutes as it sank - premeditated accomplice, not impulsive suicide - Two separate alibis were denied by those involved: her friend did not see her that night, nor did they remember her at the supermarket How does a woman who attempted suicide twice before decide to kill her children instead of ending her own life? mother infanticide 1994, Susan Smith South Carolina crime, news true case, John D. Long Lake, detective investigation, child sexual abuse victims, severe depression crime, trial death South Carolina, true crime Spanish podcast If you want to listen to this podcast without ads and have access to premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written authorization from OBOMEDIA. For permissions, licenses, and business inquiries, write to: [email protected] listen ad-free and access premium episodes, start your 30-day free trial at obomedia.comOBOMEDIA presents true crime storiesa true crime podcast built on real cases.Every true crime story in our crime files follows the crime investigation from the missing person report to the trial: investigators and police building a murder case, a police investigation gone cold, justice for the victim and those who survived.We open the unsolved murder, the cold case reopened decades later, the mysterious death, the disappearance, the serial killer, the family murder, the murder mystery; the missing persons  a missing woman, a missing girl, a missing man found dead and the missing and murdered.From the infamous case to the unsolved case, from classic true crime to dark true crime and disturbing true crime: true crime reports, real crime stories, real murder cases, true murder stories and unsolved mysteries one true crime case at a time, from the OBOMEDIA true crime vault.© 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text and related materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited. For permissions, licensing and business inquirie