Today is Wednesday, March 18th, 2020.

On this day in 1980, 12-year-old Frank Gotti was run over by a neighbor as he played outside his home in New York City.

But Frank was the youngest son of John Gotti, the future head of the Gambino crime family and the mafia wouldn't let the story end there.

Welcome to today in True Crime, a parcast original.

I'm Vanessa Richardson and today I'm joined by our guest host Chelsea Weber Smith,

host of the podcast American Hysteria.

On American Hysteria, Chelsea dives into urban legends, mass panics,

and conspiracy theories to try to uncover why we believe these rumors and the real truths

the wild stories are covering up.

Hey everyone, thanks for having me.

Absolutely, happy to have you.

Chelsea's here to discuss some of the historical aspects of today's story, while I'll cover

the narrative.

Yeah, I'm fascinated by the story of Frank Oddie's death and no one knows how to execute a cover up like the mafia and in this case a single tragedy spawned a web of suspicion.

It's fascinating. That said, due to the graphic nature of today's crimes, listener discretion is advised.

Extreme caution is advised for listeners under 13.

Let's begin in the Queen's neighborhood of Howard Beach on March 18th, 1980, sometime in the late afternoon. 12 year old Frank Gotti was having a great day.

Earlier he'd found out that he'd made the school football team.

Initially he was told that he hadn't made the cut, but

after his mobster father, John Gotti, went to have a word with the coach, a spot had opened up. Frank didn't know what his father had said,

but he didn't much care.

He was just glad to be on the team.

...