These podcast episodes cover some of the most harrowing true crime cases ever documented — cases where children were the victims of murder, abduction, or prolonged abuse. The episodes below have been selected for their depth of reporting, emotional integrity, and the importance of the cases they cover. From Danish court cases to international investigations, each episode sheds light on a crime the world must not forget.
---
1. Mørkeland
→ Marc Dutroux and the Belgian Child Abductions in the 1990s — click to read about the episode
This episode revisits one of Europe's most disturbing criminal cases — the Belgian pedophile Marc Dutroux, who abducted, tortured, and murdered multiple young girls in the 1990s. The episode examines how Dutroux operated, the failures of the Belgian justice system that allowed him to continue, and the massive public outrage that followed the eventual discovery of his crimes and surviving victims.
---
2. Darkland
→ Marc Dutroux, accomplices, and the imprisoned victims in Belgium — click to read about the episode
Darkland takes a deep investigative look at Marc Dutroux's network of accomplices and the full scope of the horror inflicted upon his young victims. The episode explores how Dutroux kept children imprisoned and how authorities missed repeated opportunities to intervene. It is a sobering examination of institutional failure and the devastating consequences for the victims and their families.
---
3. Where Is Daniel Morcombe?
→ Episode 1: Bus 1a — The disappearance of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe — click to read about the episode
On a sunny Queensland afternoon in 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe waited at a bus stop and was never seen alive again. This opening episode traces the circumstances of his disappearance and the devastating impact on his family. It sets the stage for one of Australia's longest and most emotionally charged missing child investigations, ultimately leading to a murder conviction years later.
---
4. Where Is Daniel Morcombe?
→ The search for 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe in Queensland — click to read about the episode
This episode follows the years-long search for Daniel Morcombe after his disappearance from a Sunshine Coast bus stop in Queensland, Australia. Investigators, volunteers, and Daniel's parents refused to give up hope, and the episode documents the painstaking efforts to find answers. It explores the emotional and logistical challenges of keeping a cold case alive and ultimately pursuing justice for a murdered child.
---
5. In the Dark
→ The Jacob Wetterling Case and the Investigation's Fatal Errors — click to read about the episode
In 1989, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted at gunpoint near his home in Minnesota and vanished for 27 years. This award-winning episode from In the Dark exposes the critical mistakes made by law enforcement in the initial investigation — errors that allowed the perpetrator to go free for decades. It is a landmark piece of investigative journalism that directly contributed to re-opening the case.
---
6. Uncover: Calls From a Killer
→ Uncover: Calls From a Killer investigates Clifford Olsen's murder of 11 children — click to read about the episode
Clifford Olson was one of Canada's most prolific and predatory child killers, murdering at least 11 children and young people in British Columbia in 1980–81. This episode investigates how Olson selected his victims, how the RCMP eventually closed in on him, and the controversial deal struck to locate the victims' remains. It is a deeply troubling portrait of a calculated killer who preyed on the most vulnerable.
---
7. Uncover: Calls From a Killer
→ Clifford Olson and the RCMP's Hunt in 1981 — click to read about the episode
This episode focuses on the RCMP's desperate hunt for Clifford Olson in 1981, as children continued to disappear across British Columbia. It examines the investigative challenges facing police and how Olson managed to evade suspicion for so long. The episode also addresses the moral and legal controversies surrounding the deal made with Olson to reveal where he had buried his young victims.
---
8. Mørkeland
→ Episode 307: Two cases of extreme neglect and murder in a shed — click to read about the episode
This episode confronts two deeply disturbing cases involving extreme child neglect and ultimately murder. One case involves a child who was kept isolated and died in horrifying circumstances inside a shed. The episode explores how abuse and neglect can escalate into lethal violence and examines the societal and systemic failures that allowed these cases to reach such tragic ends without earlier intervention from authorities.
---
9. Danish Murder Cases
→ A 16-Year-Old Boy's Murder of a 5-Year-Old Girl — click to read about the episode
This episode covers a deeply unsettling Danish case in which a 16-year-old boy murdered a 5-year-old girl. It explores the circumstances leading up to the crime, the investigation, and the legal challenges of prosecuting a juvenile offender for such a serious crime. The episode raises difficult questions about youth criminality, the limits of the justice system, and what it means to seek accountability when the perpetrator is a child themselves.
---
10. Darkland
→ The Unsolved Disappearance of a Six-Year-Old Boy in 1953 — click to read about the episode
In 1953, a six-year-old boy vanished without a trace — a case that has never been officially solved. This Darkland episode revisits the cold case decades later, examining what was known at the time, what clues were overlooked, and whether modern investigative methods could shed new light on the mystery. It is a haunting reminder that some child victims are still waiting for justice, even generations later.
