TRUE CRIME ROUNDUP: Why are these crimes that target young victims sometimes overlooked?

**Charlene Rochard** (0:04)
I started modeling when I was 12 years old, and like so many young girls, I dreamed of traveling the world and building a successful career, and modeling gave me incredible opportunities, but it also exposed me to environments where young people weren't always protected. So Jeffrey Epstein understood those vulnerabilities, and he used Promises Opportunity, Influential Connections, and access to gain trust to exploit children.

**Lauren Barry** (0:34)
This is a True Crime Roundup from The On Deadline Podcast. We explore crime stories reported on by Audacy's radio newsrooms across the country. I'm your host, Lauren Barry. This week, we're focusing on crimes that target children, adolescents, and young adults. Crimes that are often overlooked. These aren't grisly murder cases. They're incidents that often happen in a pattern, seemingly right before our eyes.
Young athletes pushed beyond their limits until they die.
Curious teens extorted to the point where they take their own lives.
Jeffrey Epstein's systemic abuse of girls. That voice you heard at the top of the show belongs to model Charlene Rochard. She's an Epstein survivor. We'll hear more from her, as well as from Kansas City journalist Sam Zeff, on a trend that's been claiming the lives of student athletes. And we'll also hear from crime and terrorism expert Brad Garrett, on sextortion scams that have been leading to teen suicides.
First, we have some quick true crime updates, including an update on the Charlie Kirk assassination case, an update on the Lynette Hooker disappearance, and a Michigan crime that's become the inspiration for a novel. We'll start with a case out of Audacy Station WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:13)
Thirty-five-year-old Jasmine Laws is accused of holding fifteen-year-old daughter underwater on the 4th of July on a lake in Otter Tail County. According to court documents, Laws claims she took her daughter's phone and threw it in the water, which started a physical fight. She claims she acted in self-defense and the teen's head was never submerged, but multiple witnesses disputed her account. Laws is scheduled to appear in court for her next hearing on August 26th.
Mark Frey News Talk, 830 WCCO.

**Lauren Barry** (2:39)
In the Philadelphia area, Audacy Station, KYW Newsradio provided an update on a recent shooting death.

**SPEAKER_4** (2:47)
A 38-year-old Philadelphia man was arrested and charged in connection with a shooting in Pensacan last week. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office says Khalif Armstrong beat the victim with a bat before shooting him on Haddonfield Road last Thursday. The victim was listed in critical but stable condition. Armstrong is charged with first-degree attempted murder, aggravated assault and related offenses.

**Lauren Barry** (3:09)
Audacy station KCBS Radio in the Bay Area reported on an attempted murder case.

**SPEAKER_5** (3:15)
From Oakland, Damian Clay is facing a charge of attempted murder, Mike.

**Mike DeWald** (3:21)
We'll see that here and gets underway in just about 25 minutes here at Alameda Superior Court. The incident happened just after 1.3 in the morning, May 2nd on 18th Street after the monthly first Friday gathering in Oakland. Damian Clay allegedly running on foot after hitting and injuring eight people. He was only just arrested last week.
Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones-Dixon calls the incident a, quote, intentional act of extreme violence. Legal analyst Stephen Clark.

**Stephen Clark** (3:48)
I think a big factor will be reverse engineering what led up to this incident to determine whether this was reckless driving or an intent to kill.

**Mike DeWald** (3:58)
Oakland has stepped up security at first Fridays and Oakland Interim Police Chief James Peirce says most issues don't happen within the scope of the event itself.

**Stephen Clark** (4:07)
In fact, it occurs after the event is completely done.

**Mike DeWald** (4:11)
An attempted murder conviction could carry up to a lifetime sentence. Reporting live in Oakland, Mike DeWald.

**Lauren Barry** (4:17)
Audacy Station WWJ Newsradio in Detroit reported on multiple developing crime stories this week, including an incident that broke out at a gas station.

**SPEAKER_8** (4:28)
Taylor Police attempted to pull over a stolen U-Haul on Monday morning around 1130 The driver eventually pulled into the gas station where authorities say he allegedly pointed a gun at officers. The officers fired at him and he was taken to a local hospital for treatment. 38-year-old Sisquindery Smith was arraigned today on multiple charges, including fleeing and eluding, felon in possession of a firearm and resisting at obstructing a police officer. His bond was set at $75,000.
Smith's bond conditions include not leaving the state, surrendering his driver's license and passport, and wearing a GPS tether.

**SPEAKER_9** (5:06)
Then WWJ reported that, a Detroit man has been arraigned on first degree murder and felony gun charges in connection to the fatal shooting of his girlfriend at their home.