This week's episode about the murder of 15-year-old Akita Irvin should come with a warning.

When I try to tell you what to be aware of, I'm having trouble deciding how to frame it,

because there are so many hot button topics in this week's episode, child sexual assault,

child abuse, child neglect, drug use, promiscuity, addiction.

We will touch on several disturbing themes this week.

And listeners, please note that I have changed the names of many of the witnesses and people

surrounding the case for their own privacy and protection. I waited a long time for access

to Akita's case. Her death has been on my radar for years, but there isn't much available

publicly. Only a couple of news stories from the weeks immediately following her murder.

Then one or two follow-up stories in later years, and then nothing.

The White Lake Police did have a post about her on their website under cold cases,

but I think that page went away the last time their web page was revamped.

In the spring of 2019, I approached White Lake Township Police asking for access to her file.

Their initial reaction was to deny the request, and honestly, I get it. This is an open and

unsolved murder. So I called back after my request was denied asking to speak to the detective,

or maybe the chief. Because yeah, I get it. It's an open and unsolved murder,

but no one has come forward with information. The press is not featuring her case in retrospectives.

Her mother and father are not badgering the police or the press for more coverage or for answers.

And that, that in and of itself stood out to me. That the murder of a teenage girl goes

unsolved for so long, shouldn't her mother and father, the people who love her more than anything

in the world, be advocating for her? So the back and forth with the department went on for months.

And again, I understand their hesitation. This is a murder case. You need to protect the evidence

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