Episode 51: Poppie Van der Merwe (Part 2)

Explicit content warning

02/24/21 • 54 min

1 Listener

In episode 50, I began telling you the story of a three-year-old girl named Poppie Van der Merwe, whose utterly preventable death shocked the nation of South Africa. After multiple reports that Poppie and her five-year-old brother were being abused, social services became involved, but the family moved to avoid the investigation. Three weeks later, Poppie was dead, and in this episode, I’ll go over the events that followed the arrests of both her stepfather and her mother.
This is the story of the murder of a blonde, blue-eyed little doll whose smile stole the hearts of an entire country. It’s also a sadly familiar story of the failure of an agency tasked with protecting children despite countless warning signs and multiple reports from those close to the family.
This is part 2 of the heartbreaking story of Poppie Van der Merwe.
Francois Nolte’s short film based on Poppie's story, Porselein, can be viewed here. (https://filmfreeway.com/Porcelain013)
Huge thanks to today’s sponsor:
Smile Brilliant provides teeth whitening and oral care products customized just for you! Visit their website here.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, TikTok, and Pinterest. My Linktree is available here.
Visit the podcast's web page at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
For more stories like Poppie’s, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from www.AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.

Previous Episode

Episode 50: Poppie Van der Merwe (Part 1)

In this episode, I cover my first ever South African case, that of three-year-old Poppie Van der Merwe. Poppie and her five-year-old brother were frequently seen by teachers, doctors, neighbors, and others with bruises and other injuries. When social services became involved, her mother and stepfather moved the family overnight to avoid the investigation, and the physical abuse escalated exponentially. Three weeks later, Poppie was rushed to the hospital, unresponsive, and declared dead on arrival.
This is the story of the murder of a tiny, blonde-haired, blue-eyed doll whose smile stole the hearts of an entire country. It’s also a sadly familiar story of the failure of an agency tasked with protecting children despite countless warning signs and multiple reports from those close to the family.
This is part 1 of the heartbreaking story of Poppie Van der Merwe.
Huge thanks to today’s sponsors:
Every bag of gourmet coffee purchased from Free Lunch Coffee provides 10 meals to hungry children! Visit their website here.
Smile Brilliant provides teeth whitening and oral care products customized just for you! Visit their website here.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
Visit the podcast's web page at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
For more stories like Poppie’s, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from www.AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.

Next Episode

Episode 52: Damian Sutton (Part 1)

On August 21, 2013, 26-year-old Ronald DiMambro Jr. called 911 to summon an ambulance to his family’s lavish home in Washington Township, Michigan. Ronald said a little boy in his care, 2-year-old Damian Sutton, was having an asthma attack, but later that evening, after giving a detective multiple versions of his story, Ron confessed to shaking the toddler and was charged with felony child abuse. After Damian died on August 27, Ron’s charge was upgraded to murder.
In this episode, you’ll hear the story of a little boy with enormous blue eyes whose light was snuffed out by a man pretending to be his mother’s boyfriend, and you’ll hear how that man’s barbaric actions dragged Damian’s family through not one, but two murder trials. Next week, you’ll hear my interview with Damian’s maternal grandmother, Tara Thompson, who Damian called “Na-na.”
This is part one of the gut-wrenching story of Damian Sutton.
Huge thanks to today’s sponsors:
Jay Shifman created the Choose Your Struggle Podcast to educate listeners on the issues of Mental Health, Substance Misuse & Recovery, and Drug Use & Policy, and in doing so help end the stigma around these topics. Visit his podcast website here.
Smile Brilliant provides teeth whitening and oral care products customized just for you! Visit their website here.
Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also follow the podcast on YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, TikTok, and Pinterest. My Linktree is available here.
Visit the podcast's web page at www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.
Please help make the show my full-time gig to keep the weekly episodes coming! By supporting me, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive gifts!
This podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.
For more stories like Damian’s, visit Suffer the Little Children Blog.
Music for this episode is from www.AudioJungle.net.
Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, or your favorite podcast listening platform.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support.