Casey Parsons had tears in her eyes when she appeared, alongside her husband Sandy, on the Dr Phil show in 2013. They were pleading with the nation for help locating their adopted daughter Erica, who went missing at 13.
The story, as they told it, was bizarre. It was filled with inconsistencies and lies, cleverly hidden behind tears and pleading anguish.
Now, no one is very surprised – especially not Dr Phil McGraw who said at the time “it looks fishy to me” – that the pair have been charged with the first-degree murder of Erica, as well as felony child abuse; felony concealment of death; and felony obstruction of justice.
It’s a heartbreaking end to a truly wretched story.
Watch part of the Dr Phil interview in the video below.
The Parsons’ account to Dr Phil was that they’d sent Erica to stay with a woman who claimed to be her biological grandmother, named Irene Goodman, for a few weeks over Christmas in 2011 – more than two years before the television appearance.
“I knew she was safe and being looked after,” Casey said, when asked why she hadn’t tried to bring Erica home earlier, News Corp reports.
Casey did, however, admit to becoming suspicious after realising Erica had not taken a suitcase with her on the trip. And implied Goodman had a planned to kidnap the girl all along.