Kalie Goodwin tells a friend that she’s planning to stay in Houston for a few days with a new  acquaintance called “Country.” Kalie says she doesn’t know him very well, but is looking forward to spending a few days in the city. “Country” arrives to pick up Kalie around 7:00, so her friend says her goodbyes as she watches Kalie get in the passenger seat of a grey sedan.   

The day after Kalie heads to Houston, mom Kaci Richardson, gets a call from an unknown number. When she picks up, a man says he has Kalie, and he’ll hurt her unless Kaci pays him $500, an amount he claims Kalie stole from his car. In the background, Kaci can hear Kalie crying and screaming for help—then she hears her daughter get hit... with something metal. Kalie cries out, “Help me mom! They’re beating me. My face is so deformed.”  

Kaci can hear someone continuing to hit Kalie, and eventually the caller tells them to stop. The caller tells Kaci to send the money to a Cash App account “1007Owens,” but until they receive the transfer, they will continue to hurt Kalie. When they hang up, Kaci frantically tries to call Kalie, but she isn’t picking up the phone.   

Unsure what to do, Kaci calls Baytown police and gives them every detail of the call. However, officers are not convinced Kalie is really in danger. They ask Kaci if Kalie is low on cash or using drugs, and while Kaci denies both theories, officers still believe Kalie might be trying to scam her for money, and tell her the ‘ransom’ phone call is likely an elaborate hoax. Kaci continues trying to get in touch with her daughter, but with no luck, reports Kalie missing the next day.    

Joining Nancy Grace Today: Kaci Richardson,  Mother 

• Wendy Patrick -  California prosecutor, President and Founder of Black Swan Verdicts, Author:   "Red Flags: Frenemies, Underminers, and Ruthless People" wendypatrickphd.com, ‘Today with Dr Wendy’ on KCBQ in San Diego, Twitter: @WendyPatrickPHD,
• Caryn Stark  - Psychologist, renowned TV and Radio trauma expert and consultant, www.carynstark.com, Instagram: carynpsych, FB: Caryn Stark Private Practice 
• Brian Fitzgibbons  -  Director of Operations for USPA Nationwide Security,  uspasecurity.com, Instagram: @uspa_nationwide_security, Former. Marine and Iraq war veteran
• Lauren Conlin - Podcaster/Reporter/Host- Co-Host of Primetime Crime on YouTube. Website: www.popcrime.tv & primetimecrimeshow.com X- @Conlin_Lauren, Instagram- @LaurenEmilyConlin, YouTube: @PopCrimeTV  

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