The Mother I Wish I Knew
48 Hours
CBS News
4.1 • 7.8K Ratings
🗓️ 26 January 2026
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A mother goes viral on TikTok demanding justice for her murdered daughter. Natalie Morales reports.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Deborah Atropes was 30 years old. |
| 0:11.0 | She was a young mother. |
| 0:15.0 | I didn't get to have my mom growing up. |
| 0:20.0 | It was this mystery. didn't get to have my mom growing up. My old boy kid. |
| 0:22.6 | It was this mystery that has never been solved. |
| 0:28.6 | Rie, Rih, Rihanna. |
| 0:31.6 | My name is Rihanna, and I am referred to in the story as the baby. |
| 0:38.3 | Rhee-Re. |
| 0:39.3 | The eight-month-old baby who lost her mom. |
| 0:42.3 | Yeah. |
| 0:47.3 | So you believe on November 29, 1988, |
| 0:53.3 | this was the last known location where she probably came. |
| 0:58.0 | We believe that she drove alone on this very rural road, and that was the last drive that she took alive. |
| 1:05.0 | The car is found on December 1st. |
| 1:10.0 | I knew she was strangled and she was found in her trunk. |
| 1:14.6 | There was just so much unknown. |
| 1:16.6 | Who did this? Why did this happen? |
| 1:19.6 | We focused pretty early on on Robert. |
| 1:23.6 | Hands. |
| 1:24.6 | Like me? |
| 1:26.6 | No. Bob Aetrops was married to Debbie A.Trops. |
| 1:30.3 | They've been married for a year or so, and they were struggling, having issues in their |
... |
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