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Cruel Deception
Cruel Deception | Gregg Olsen
3 posts | 6 read | 4 to read
In and out of hospitals since birth, angelic nine-month-old Morgan Reid finally succumbed to what appeared to be Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Morgan's Texas-born mother Tanya, a nurse and devoted wife, pulled up stakes with her grieving husband Jim, and moved on. It was the best way to put the past behind them. Until their son Michael, a boy who by all accounts was terrified of his mother, began showing signs of the same affliction that stole the life of his baby sister... First, the suspicion: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. Then, Tanya was charged and convicted with felony child abuse of her son. She was later tried and ultimately convicted for first degree murder of Morgan. It would become a landmark trial that unfolded in a series of reversals and bizarre twists of fate as it gradually revealed another side of Tanya Reid--of her own troubling childhood and the dark secrets that drove a woman to the cruelest deception of all... Gregg Olsen tells the whole shocking story of this true crime in Cruel Deception.
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MonicaLoves2Read
Cruel Deception | Gregg Olsen
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Tanya Reid is a nurse and a mother. When her baby son, Michael, is taken to the hospital one to many times in a matter of months, the doctors and nurses start suspecting Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSbP). It's the late 1980's and this is a new term in the medical field. Soon, Melodee Hanes gets her Trauma Team in the DA's office to start an investigation.

Tanya, known as Tonto by family, says she's innocent. She would never harm her child⬇️

MonicaLoves2Read She swears it's seizures that Michael is having. Tanya tells her husband and family that Hanes is doing this for Hanes career, that she's innocent.

The Trauma Team and Hanes during their investigation learn that Tanya had a baby that died years before. The medical information on her is very similar to Michael. Then Hanes comes across even more shocking news.

A hard read for me bc I couldn't have children, nor adopt bc of health problems. To think that someone would hurt an innocent child upset me greatly. Of course, I cry when they talk about child abuse on the news. If you are like me, have the tissue handy.

Who knows if Tanya really abused her children with MSbP? Only she and her children do. Was Hanes out for her career? Didn't seem that way to me.

If you like True Crime and have never read a Gregg Olsen book, pick any of the dozen he has written and you are going to find: 1) A nonfiction book written like a story. Olsen is a storyteller and takes a different approach than most True Crime writers. Usually, True Crime books are written from a journalist POV, not his. 2) A well researched book. Olsen gets both sides of the story. He talks to everyone involved, or at least tries to, not all want to talk. 3) An interesting book. Everyone of Olsen's books as kept my attention through the whole book. I never once have gotten bored.

#truecrime #readaway2024
8mo
13 likes1 comment
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Connster
Cruel Deception | Gregg Olsen
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2021 has been far better for reading than 2020 was! Audible has helped a lot as listening to audiobooks whilst crafting has been my thing this year. Lots of true crime and mystery on the cards! I‘m really enjoying this routine I‘ve settled into.

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BlameJennyJane
Cruel Deception | Gregg Olsen
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More true crime! This one featured, surprise, another murderer with mental illness. This time is was Factitious Disorder (aka Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy). Much of this story unwinds less than a mile from my home. And I lived even closer at the time this all took place. Wild. The book was a tad dry, but well researched and captivating nonetheless.