Justina Pelletier Part 1 (rebroadcast)

Nobody Should Believe Me

True Story Media

Society & Culture, True Crime, Personal Journals

4.2 • 3.3K Ratings

🗓️ 1 January 2026

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As 2025 comes to a close and we look forward to season 7, we’re airing the first part of Andrea’s coverage on the Justina Pelletier case—the case that opened the Pandora’s Box of medical kidnapping coverage in the media. *** Case Files is back with the first episode of a multi-part series on the Justina Pelletier case. Andrea and Dr. Bex covered this case in the subscriber feed, but, due to popular demand, decided to bring it to the main podcast. Justina Pelletier was a 14-year-old girl whose hospitalization at Boston Children's Hospital sparked a significant legal and media frenzy. Andrea and Dr. Bex’s discussion covers the medical background of Justina's condition, including mitochondrial disease and somatoform disorder, the treatment plans proposed by the hospital, and the escalating conflict between her family and medical professionals. *** Links/Resources: Listen to Justina Pelletier Part 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/case-files-03-justina-pelletier-part-2-with-beau-berman/id1615637188 Listen to Justina Pelletier Part 3: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/case-files-04-justina-pelletier-part-3-with-beau-berman/id1615637188 Listen to Justina Pelletier Part 4: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/case-files-05-justina-pelletier-part-4/id1615637188 The Battle for Justina Pelletier: https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/the-battle-for-justina-pelletier/5657866397468499112 Read about Justina Pelleiter in The Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2020/01/12/pelletier/0I2dQrYlZFJ9tNzscaXdAO/story.html Join Patreon for a look at Andrea and Dr. Bex’s previous coverage of the Justina Pelletier case: https://www.patreon.com/collection/507935 Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show! Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content. Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop Buy Andrea's books here. To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content. For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	True Story Media.
0:09.4	Hello, it's Andrea, and it's 2026. We made it. It's a fresh new year. I hope that you are curled up
0:17.5	somewhere today, relaxing, recharging, eating snacks, watching movies,
0:21.9	maybe nursing a hangover. I am likely recovering from celebrating New Year's Eve on East Coast
0:27.1	Time because I'm a parent and I'm old. We are re-airing an episode today about a case that has
0:32.5	been very top of mind for me while I've been working on our upcoming season, which is coming soon,
0:37.3	get excited,
0:38.3	and that is the Justina Pellateer case. This is the medical kidnapping case that walked so that
0:44.6	Kowalski v. Johns Hopkins could run. If you don't know anything about this case, I think it's a really
0:49.7	interesting precursor to our current medical kidnapping moment. It's a fascinating saga, and today's episode is the first in a four-part series that includes
0:58.1	my interview with Bo Berman, the journalist who broke the story.
1:02.0	Dr. Bex and I also covered the docu series, The Battle for Justina Belitier, which you can check
1:06.6	out on the subscriber feeds.
1:08.4	I hope your year gets off to a good start.
1:11.8	Here's hoping that 2026 will be better than 2025. Whatever happens, we'll get through it together, and I will be back
1:18.8	with a new episode next week. Happy New Year. Are you thinking about starting a podcast?
1:26.6	I hope that you are, and here's why. Number one, most of you are women, and we really need more women in podcasting. This gender disparity is something our industry is grappling with right now. I know, shocking, that men are a little more assured that their voices matter. Can't imagine why that is. Number two, I hear from a lot of you,
1:45.6	so I know how smart, thoughtful, and interesting you all are. I am truly honored to have the
1:51.6	audience I have. Your takes are consistently good, so go get them on the mic. Number three,
1:56.8	podcasting is so much fun. My particular niche is challenging in many ways, but I really love this job.
2:03.5	And while the podcasting industry is crazy, it is generally crazy in a pretty fun way. And there are so
2:09.7	many people out there who are making exciting, wonderful, unique, weird stuff that finds a passionate
	...

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