Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall Season 2 Episode 8 Foster Fiction

In season 2 episode 8 of Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall, titled Foster Fiction, Tamron Hall focuses on the case of Kelsey Smith-Briggs, a 2-year-old who was abused and killed by her stepfather, Michael Porter, in 2005. The episode chronicles the events leading up to Kelsey's tragic death and the failures of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) to protect her.

Kelsey and her mother, Raye Dawn Smith, had a tumultuous relationship with Michael Porter. Porter reportedly abused Kelsey and Smith but DHS failed to investigate the allegations. Furthermore, DHS failed to discover that Porter had previously been convicted of child abuse, a critical piece of information that could have prevented Kelsey's death.

The episode interviews experts in child welfare to discuss the flaws in the system and how Kelsey's death could have been prevented. Tamron Hall also speaks with Kelsey's father and stepmother, who had been fighting for custody of Kelsey in the months leading up to her death.

As the episode progresses, Tamron Hall delves deeper into the psychological aspects of child abuse and how the children involved often suffer in silence. She also discusses how the tragedies of Kelsey's case spurred changes in Oklahoma's child welfare laws.

The episode highlights how Kelsey's death could have been prevented and is a poignant reminder of the importance of child welfare and the need for better protection of vulnerable children.

Overall, Foster Fiction is a powerful and thought-provoking episode that sheds light on the heartbreaking consequences of child abuse and the urgent need for reform within the child welfare system.