In this delightfully absurd and thought-provoking episode, we dive headfirst into the chaos of escape scenarios with a twist—each one wrapped in a “Would You Rather” dilemma that blends trauma, healing, and hilarity. From dodging donut-wielding ex-cops to navigating the foster care system on a unicycle, we explore the wild ways people might choose to flee their circumstances… if only life came with a costume budget and a flair for the dramatic.

Highlights Include:

• Choosing between cat video spam or donut-stalking ex-cops
• Escaping toxic relationships via llama farming or mime therapy
• Facing court in a clown suit vs. deliberating among pool toys
• Tackling childhood trauma recovery in rhyme or in a chicken suit
• And yes, living in a taco-shaped tiny house while wearing a sombrero

Whether you're a survivor, a supporter, or just someone who appreciates the healing power of humor, this episode invites you to laugh, reflect, and imagine your own escape—one ridiculous choice at a time.

Tune in for a ride of empathy, absurdity, and escape artistry.

Resources & Links

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

On Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy

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Booby hatch? Bughouse? Hilarious names for serious places. The Escape Pod goes inside mental institutions of the past to share the tragic tale of Genevieve Pilarski who, essentially, was committed in the 1940s for being strong-willed and desiring independence, nothing more. But others had better fates – escaping the horrors of such places and turning their experiences into advocacy. Nelli Bly, for example, was an early “under-cover” journalist who intentionally got herself committed in order to expose what was really happening behind closed doors. Join the ladies of The Escape Pod this week for this great escape from the “bughouse.”

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

Topic #1 2:57 Intro to this week’s topic

Topic #2 4:43 Genevieve Pilarski

Topic #3 7:54 Evaluate this! The EP takes a detour

Topic #4 9:57 Patient expresses her concerns

Topic #5 18:14 Escape artists become advocates

Topic #6 24:05 Nelli Bly

Topic #7 35:44 Escapism, co-host-style!

Resources & Links

• Driving Her Crazy
• The Story of Gennie Pilarski
• Manteno State Hospital Blog
• Elizabeth Packard
• The Reporter Who Went Undercover at an Asylum

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

On Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos

In this episode, The Escape Pod takes us back to 1980 and the disappearance and subsequent murder of Candace Rough Surface, an 18-year-old member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Her case highlights a broader crisis: Indigenous people account for a disproportionate share of missing persons, and Indigenous women in particular face alarming rates of violence. This. Has. To. Stop. In South Dakota, Indigenous people account for roughly 60% of missing persons cases. Today’s story is about one of the rare cases that was actually solved.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

Topic #1 4:09 Intro to this week’s episode

Topic #2 8:03 August 1980: 18yo woman goes missing near Mobridge, SD

Topic #3 16:33 15 years later: This cold case gets reopened

Topic #4 31:08 Escapism, co-host-style!

Resources & Links

• Mobridge Man Who Raped and Killed Standing Rock Woman Granted Parole
• Man Who Raped and Killed 18-Year-Old Girl Released from Prison
• Suspect Finally Pleads Guilty After 16 Years
• Crime Junkie Podcast: Candace Rough Surface
• Seattle Times Archive March 17, 1996. Candace Rough Surface
• MMIP Cases in South Dakota Remain High—New Efforts Hope to Change That
• The Epidemic of Missing Indigenous Women

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

On Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos

A closer look at the case of Jeff Prible revealed a labyrinth of allegations, unanswered questions, and prosecutorial tactics that challenge the foundations of justice. This week, The Escape Pod delves into allegations of misconduct against the same prosecutor in several other cases and the broader implications for the justice system. Draw your own conclusions as we conclude this two-part series on the precarious balance between finding justice and risking a wrongful conviction.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

Topic #1 :01 Part 1 recap

Topic #2 5:09 Investigative reporters zero in on New Mexico cold case

Topic #3 13:17 The case of David Temple

Topic #4 20:15 Third case is the charm?

Topic #5 27:18 Revisiting Jeff Prible’s case

Topic #5 40:00 When the title strikes!

Resources & Links

• Federal Judge Orders New Trial for Texas Death Row Inmate
• Appeals Court Restores Death Sentence of Bank Robber Convicted of Murdering Five People
• Texas Federal Judge Overturns Death-Row Prisoner’s Conviction
• Cold Case Killer Kelly Siegler Is a True-Crime Celebrity. Did She Frame an Innocent Man for Murder?
• Texas Political Prisoner: The Case for Ronald Jeffrey Prible Jr.'s Exoneration
• The Intercept Newsletter
• Cold Justice S02E15 Sunspot Highway
• Land of Entrapment Blog
• Unreasonable Doubt: Did Kelly Siegler Really Railroad an Innocent Man Eight Years Ago?
• Prible v. Lumpkin: Amicus Curiae Brief of Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in Support of Petitioner
• Prible v. Lumpkin: Brief in Opposition

Ronald Prible Jr. Photo: Texas Department of Criminal Justice

• David Temple sentencing: Former HS Coach Sentenced to Life for Murder of Pregnant Wife

CBS News: Belinda Temple Murder Case

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

On Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/

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A man convicted of capital murder claims his innocence and points to suppressed evidence and manipulated informant testimony as factors in his conviction. A prosecutor renowned for her dramatic courtroom presentations and role on a true crime television show claims she got the right man. Draw your own conclusions as The Escape Pod launches a two-part series examining the reliability of circumstantial evidence and the ethical responsibilities of prosecutors.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

Topic #1 2:44 The importance of the narrative

Topic #2 6:18 April 1999: The crime

Topic #3 14:37 2001: A new prosecutor enters the scene

Topic #4 25:32 “Cold Justice”

Topic #5 30:30 Escapism, co-host-style

Resources & Links

• Federal Judge Orders New Trial for Texas Death Row Inmate
• Appeals Court Restores Death Sentence of Bank Robber Convicted of Murdering Five People
• Texas Federal Judge Overturns Death-Row Prisoner’s Conviction
• Cold Case Killer Kelly Siegler Is a True-Crime Celebrity. Did She Frame an Innocent Man for Murder?
• Texas Political Prisoner: The Case for Ronald Jeffrey Prible Jr.'s Exoneration
• The Intercept Newsletter
• Cold Justice S02E15 Sunspot Highway
• Land of Entrapment Blog
• Unreasonable Doubt: Did Kelly Siegler Really Railroad an Innocent Man Eight Years Ago?
• Prible v. Lumpkin: Amicus Curiae Brief of Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in Support of Petitioner
• Prible v. Lumpkin: Brief in Opposition

Ronald Prible Jr. Photo: Texas Department of Criminal Justice

• David Temple sentencing: Former HS Coach Sentenced to Life for Murder of Pregnant Wife

CBS News: Belinda Temple Murder Case

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

On Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos

A transgender teen tries to escape her own fears and anxieties to connect with a real person in the real world; instead, her solo venture to a London park gets cut cruelly short by an unimaginable act of brutality. The story of Brianna Ghey stands as a poignant reminder of the perils faced by those seeking only love and understanding. This week, The Escape Pod takes us back to February 2023 to unravel the harrowing details of Brianna’s final days and the profound impact her story has on the ongoing fight against hatred and prejudice.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

Topic #1 1:31 Escaping unfortunate typos

Topic #2 6:13 Meet Brianna Ghey

Topic #3 11:19 A fake friendship revealed

Topic #4 21:58 Brianna’s parents speak out

Topic #5 28:20 Escapism, co-host-style

Resources & Links

• 16-year-old killers of transgender teenager in England sentenced for 'sadistic' murder | AP News
• Jury convicts boy and girl in England of murdering transgender teenager in frenzied knife attack | AP News
• Brianna Ghey's teen killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe named and pictured - Mirror Online
• Brianna Ghey: teenagers fascinated with torture and death meticulously planned transgender girl’s brutal murder | The Independent
• Talk TV: “They WILL Face A Life Sentence”
• History of Jenkinson and Ratcliffe

Americans are certainly not the only people who mark major holidays by shooting explosives with pretty colors high into the air. Our friends in the United Kingdom have a rather unique holiday in the fall, Bonfire Night, which typically includes – you guessed it – bonfires, fireworks, and other festival-type activities. But in one particular U.K. community, the use of fireworks started to become more felonious than fun. How did the authorities there help the townspeople escape the chaos? Find out in this Escape Bite mini-sode!

Resources & Links

• Guy Fawkes background
• Historic Royal Palaces: Guy Fawkes info
• Bonfire Nights in Bristol
• Operation Hercules

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

On Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos

DISCLAIMER: Comments and stories shared in this episode are not intended to demean anyone, but – rather – to find a little “funny” in the extremely challenging work that is the human services field.

A popular Escape Pod guest is back – and taking us on a trip back to Left Field. This is where we go to find humor on hard days in the human services world because, as it turns out, humans coming out of crisis mode say and do the darndest things, and we’re here for it.

Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:

Topic #1 1:09 Chad returns!

Topic #2 8:27 The List: Documenting the comments that crack us up

Topic #3 22:35 Come on vacation, stay on ... WHAT?!

Topic #4 30:23 Escapism, co-host-style

Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.

https://www.escapepod.live

Do you have a story that you want to share with EscapePod? Or do you just want to reach out to us with your comments and thoughts?

General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live

Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live

On Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EscapePod.traumedy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escape_pod_podcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Escape_Pod_podcast/videos