logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
1h 12m

Episode 292

Sword and Scale
About this episode
One morning, seven-year-old Adrian woke up to a confusing and upsetting scene at home. As he tries to understand what's happening, we learn about the hidden problems and growing conflicts among the adults in his life. This child's confusion turns into a harsh reality that will have a lasting impact on his world.

Get instant access to all episodes, including premium unreleased episodes, commercial-free at swordandscale.com
Up next
Jul 12
Episode 357
On a cold April afternoon in Milwaukee, two men walking along the Lake Michigan shoreline make a gruesome discovery: a human leg tangled in the weeds below a bluff. Within days, more body parts start surfacing across the city, and even across state lines. The remains belong to 19 ... Show More
1h 11m
Jun 28
Episode 356
In 2008, University of Wisconsin–Madison student Brittany Zimmermann was murdered in her apartment in the middle of the day, and then the trail went cold. An unlikely informant leads the police to search for two mystery men, a theory that would steer the investigation for years. ... Show More
1h 10m
Jun 17
Episode 355
When Virgil and Shirley Best were found dead in their home, investigators expected a familiar explanation. What followed instead was an investigation defined by uncertainty and a motive that challenged the idea that violence always comes from clear intent.Get instant access to al ... Show More
58m 14s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2020
Chapter 5: "He's hurt my daughter"
A family reckons with the consequences of long-kept secrets.  Subscribe to The Washington Post: washingtonpost.com/canaryoffer. 
33m 33s
Oct 2022
At War With My Teen
What happens when a household is in total meltdown and filled with constant battles? Meet a mother who is afraid of her 17-year-old son and the stepfather who says he's caught in the middle. But is the boy the only one to blame for the chaos in the house? For more information: h ... Show More
44m 42s
Apr 2025
The Day My Mother Never Came Home
Did a father use his six-year-old son as an alibi for murder? A son grapples with his parents' troubled past. Vlad Duthiers reports. 
40m 51s
Sep 2023
Heartbreak
On this episode of They Walk Among America… When people with children embark on new relationships, the children involved often require an adjustment period. This may involve adapting to new routines, becoming part of a blended family, and getting used to an entirely new dynamic. ... Show More
38m 21s
Nov 2022
Children Just Get in the Way (Ep. 7)
Life inside the cult at the center of this mystery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
43m 8s
Aug 2023
A Young Witness
A young girl peeks out of her bedroom to see blood on the floor and her mother in distress. As an adult she looks back on a night that changed her life. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant reports. 
42m 2s
Jan 2022
Escape Velocity
<p>Just as Adam approaches an exciting apex in his career, he receives life-shattering news which stems from a deep and painful family secret.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a><p ... Show More
58m 51s
Oct 2022
Apocalypse... now?
Steven Brosnan found himself in a bit of a rut, living at home and moving from job to job. Then, in 2012, on his 22nd birthday catastrophic events take place; rather than enjoying a pop concert with his brother he finds himself having to make apparent life-or-death decisions. Ten ... Show More
28m 29s