This is a Scream Queen production.

Serial City, USA. Sounds like a good time, right? This urban metropolis, located where the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo rivers converge, has a strange and fascinating history.

Named after a bloody battle between natives and 19th century land surveyors, Battle Creek was the birthplace of Seventh-day Adventists and a vital part of the Underground Railroad.

It was also home to the Kellogg's, a family of eccentric inventors and entrepreneurs who would go on to rule the world of breakfast foods.

But before their worldwide fame came the sanitarium, and the questionable deaths, and the

fires.

And after their downfall came, the complicated legacy that would continue to result in tragedy

for decades to come.

Serial is Battle Creek's lifeblood, but it's also been the root cause of bloodshed many

times over. I'm Jen Carpenter, root cause of bloodshed many times over.

I'm Jen Carpenter, the host of So Dead podcast. In this eight-part series, I will share with you

stories of murder and mayhem from Serial City. Some so outlandish, you'll find yourself choking

on your corn pops. Welcome to the serial killer chronicles, a so-dead miniseries.

Thank you for joining me for the very first episode of The Serial Killer Chronicles, a project I am so excited about because two of the great loves of my life are cereal and true crime.

Another is tacos, but that's a different podcast.

There is so much I have to tell you guys. I really had a hard time deciding where to start. So let's just start at the beginning.

Fair warning, this is one of those stories that's 100% stranger than fiction. So I am going to be

using a whole lot of words I'm not comfortable with. There is really just no way around it, and I apologize in advance for the awkwardness.

All right. Let's snap, crackle pop.

Part 1. The Mad Doctor.

John Harvey Kellogg was born on February 26, 1852, to John and Ann Kellogg, one of 17 children.

He was John Sr. and Anne's first son together.

...