Episode 122: Sereniti Deserves Justice

Suffer the Little Children

Suffer the Little Children Pod

True Crime, Social Sciences, Science, Society & Culture

4.6 • 937 Ratings

🗓️ 3 August 2022

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Two years ago in episode 21, I told you the story of one-year-old Sereniti Sutley, whose mother found her gravely injured in her crib on the morning of October 7, 2017. Sereniti was rushed to the hospital in Conneaut, Ohio, where she was pronounced dead.

Although almost five years have passed since Sereniti’s death, the man accused of her murder, Joshua Gurto, still has not faced a jury for his crimes. In July of 2022, Ashtabula County Prosecutor Colleen O’Toole filed a motion with the court to dismiss six of the eight charges against him and to drop his remaining murder charge to mere involuntary manslaughter.

In this episode, you’ll hear my conversation with Sereniti’s great-aunt, Bobbie Blankenship; grandma, Melissa Sutley; and dad, Brandon Sutley, who shared with me their frustration over the length of the court process and the unwillingness of the current prosecutor to seek justice for the little princess they lost almost five years ago.

Sereniti deserves justice.

Links discussed in this episode:

Justice for Sereniti rally: https://www.facebook.com/events/5610584922294505

Contact Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost: https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/contact

Contact Ohio Governor Mike DeWine: https://governor.ohio.gov/contact

Write to visiting Judge Patricia Cosgrove c/o April Daniels, Clerk of Courts: https://courts.co.ashtabula.oh.us/clerk_of_courts.htm

Contact Ashtabula County Prosecutor Colleen O’Toole: https://www.ashtabulacounty.us/directory.aspx?EID=13

OUR VIEW opinion article: https://www.starbeacon.com/opinion/our-view-lesser-charges-against-gurto-do-not-represent-justice/article_9d520d54-0b9b-11ed-baab-8f19e1a1e3ce.html

Article about family’s reaction: https://www.starbeacon.com/news/local_news/serenitis-family-reacts-to-possibility-of-lesser-charges-for-gurto/article_065093b6-0e8f-11ed-b98d-272ed2900542.html

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Ah, she's brilliant. Miss, I finally got plans out the group chat. We get it. Four votes for a festival,
0:05.9	three for a city break. It's hard to adhere to everyone's needs. There's Betty with her
0:09.6	oversized tent. Sarah and her six foot eight boyfriend.
0:13.0	All right.
0:14.0	Roger Junior and his dog, Roger Senior.
0:16.0	And don't get us started on Mel.
0:19.0	But, like a marriage counselor, she's the one keeping things together.
0:22.0	All aboard, Miss I finally got plans out the group. a marriage counselor, she's the one keeping things together.
0:22.6	All aboard, miss, I finally got plans out the group chat.
0:25.6	Keep everyone's plans alive when you travel with us.
0:28.0	P, and O'Ferees, there is another way.
0:31.6	Oh, he's cute, Mr. I can never sleep when I'm traveling. He's hugging his pillow like a sloth on a branch.
0:40.0	He couldn't sleep before. Now listen to him him sounds like an elephant with a chest infection
0:46.0	Well they call him a dreamer and now they're right all aboard mister I can never sleep when I'm traveling.
0:53.0	Find all the comfort you need in the quiet lounge.
0:56.0	Piando Ferries, that is another way.
0:59.0	This podcast contains descriptions of violence against children and adult language
1:04.4	and is not suitable for all audiences.
1:06.8	Listen or discretion is advised. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, uh, uh, uh, uh, oh, uh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Hi everyone and welcome to suffer the little children the true True Crime Podcast, giving voices back to the victims of child abuse,
1:55.9	and shining a harsh spotlight on the parents, guardians and caretakers who silenced them.
2:01.5	I'm your host, Lane, and this is episode 122, Serenity deserves justice.
2:07.0	Two years ago, in episode 21, I told you the story of one-year-old Serenity Sutley, whose mother found her gravely injured in her
	...

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