# 246: Takoda Collins

An episode of [Morbidology](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1463979546), 4 Mar 2024, 1 h 01 min.

Audio: https://prefix.up.audio/s/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/s.gum.fm/s-610c47a4222ada0024acb2d8/pscrb.fm/rss/p/prfx.byspotify.com/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/2IMk17EdnEqyRhJTIpIU/claritaspod.com/measure/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/58739310/morbidology_246_takoda_collins.mp3

Upon receiving a call regarding an unresponsive child in Dayton, Ohio, detectives promptly arrived at the home from which the call originated. Despite the outward appearances of tidiness within the home, they were horrified upon inspecting the attic. Evidence suggested that somebody had been living there, and a camera had strategically been installed to watch their every move… SPONSORS - 4Patriots: In times of uncertainty, it’s crucial to be prepared. Many people worry about the possibility of enduring prolonged periods without essential resources like electricity or even food. Get all of their deals at: https://4patriots.com/morbidology Aura: Aura scans the internet for your email addresses, passwords, social security numbers, and other sensitive information, and they can request it to be removed. Get a 14 day free trial plus a check of your data: https://aura.com/morbidology Nutrafol: Hair thinning affects approximately 1 in 2 women, but you're not alone. Nutrafol is the leading dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement. Get $10 off and free shipping with the code "MORBIDOLOGY" at: https://nutrafol.com/ SHOW NOTES - https://morbidology.com/morbidology-the-podcast-246-takoda-collins PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/morbidology Audio Credit: Epidemic Sound Evening of Chaos - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Empty Reflections - ErikMMusic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgq4SPKHlyI A Mothers Sacrifice - OurMusicBox - https://ourmusicbox.com/ Dark Tranquility - Anno Domini Beats - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6mBav72Ak Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/morbidology--3527306/support.

## Transcript

[0:34] This boy jumped out the window before out, just straight out the window.
[0:39] There is no stopping them. I'm afraid. I've been telling people I was
[0:42] afraid, but at the same time it was nothing I can do. Danton
[0:54] is a city in Ohio that is steeped in a vibrant history, rich culture.
[0:59] I'm what a spirit of innovation. It was founded in seventeen ninety six
[1:04] and named after the Revolutionary War figure Jonathan Dayton. Over the years, Dayton's
[1:11] claim to fame came in the form of aviation, as the birthplace of the
[1:15] Wright Brothers war villain Wilbur who invented and flew the first successful motor operated airplane.
[1:23] In the College Hill area of Dayton lies the residential neighborhood of Kensington Drive.
[1:32] It's just on the outskirts of the city, close to the Miami Valley
[1:36] Golf Club, various strip malls, and schools. This tree lined street is
[1:42] made up of single family homes, each adorned with wood paneling and offering convenient
[1:48] off street parking. The home at number one, nine three four was just
[1:53] as unassuming as the rest of them, with its white wood paneling and a
[1:57] lean to attic built to the left side. Nothing about this home stood out
[2:02] among the others. But at around two thirty pm on the thirteenth of December
[2:08] twenty nineteen, nine one one call came into the dispatch center from this unremarkable
[2:15] home. It was from a man named al Mutahann MacLean, who told the
[2:21] operator that he had found his ten year old son, Dakota Collins, unresponsive.
[2:27] Location of your emergency, Yes, my son is I responsive right now?
[2:36] What's your dress? What's the address where he is? Nineteen thirty four,
[2:46] nineteen thirty four, Kensington. So you said your son, you said
[2:50] your son is As the nine one one operator asked for more information, McLean
[2:55] blurted out that his son had medical issues. He child with a lot of
[3:01] medical issues. So what do you do? Is here you stop determine it?
[3:07] How old is he him? Twelve eleven years old? In three days?
[3:15] He's done responsibility breathing, Yeah, but bare we have an he got
[3:22] game call. The operator told McLean to lay the code of down on the
[3:25] ground and watch his chest for any signs of breathing. Okay, he's laid
[3:30] down on his ground now. Okay, he's on his back. Yeah,
[3:35] okay, So I need you to just check the sea. If his chest
[3:38] is rising like look at it, and if you is it rising up and
[3:42] down, rising and falling like he's breathing, check that and then let me
[3:46] know. And also if you can feel or hear any breath out of his
[3:50] mouth or nose not not rising up and down. The clean reported the Dakota's
[3:57] chest wasn't moving and sept that they're there with something coming out of his moist.
[4:01] He got something coming out of his mouth. Okay, what's what do
[4:08] you think is coming out? I'm not sure what it is? Okay,
[4:12] I want you to turn him on the side, turn him on his side
[4:15] that way in case he vomits, he doesn't choke on it. So go
[4:16] ahead and turn him on his side. Okay, Okay, I did.
[4:21] Can you clean that out of his mouth a little bit and take your fingers
[4:25] and clean it out of his mouth just so he doesn't choke on in.
[4:29] Okay, now let me know when you've done that. Okay, yes,
[4:33] ma'am. Whatever it coming out very very rotten. As the operator took McLean
[4:40] through CPR, he commented, the Dakota's breath smelled real rotten. Yeah,
[4:49] ok and the ants out of his summy has McLean performed CPR. He could
[4:56] be heard ratching in the background of the phone call. When the operator pressed
[5:00] for more information, mac Lean again said that Dakota was suffering from mental health
[5:05] conditions. I mean mental behaviors that hurts itself all time and wake up,
[5:12] don't get away, blamed hay eating. They never d He said that the
[5:19] sun often harmed himself and slammed his head against the wall if he didn't get
[5:25] his own way. When both paramedics and police arrived at the home, they
[5:30] were shocked to see the condition of Dakota. Not only was he unconscious on
[5:34] the floor, but he stunk of feces and urine. He was also covered
[5:41] from head to toe and bruises. But this was only just the beginning.
[6:00] Dakota Collins was born to parents al Mutahan McLean and Robin Collins on the eighteenth
[6:05] of December two thousand and eight. Robin grappled with drug addiction, prompting her
[6:13] to seek assistance from her friend, Anita Brettison. Shortly after Dakota was born.
[6:18] Anita agreed to care for the infant while Robin endeavored to overcome her struggles.
[6:25] For the next eleven months, Dakota fund sauliz in Anita's family, where
[6:30] he blossomed into a cheerful and contented baby. Despite sporadic visits from Robin,
[6:36] it was evident that she still wasn't equip to provide full time care for Dakota.
[6:43] The situation then took a dark turn when during one visit when Dakota was
[6:47] eleven months old, Robin lashed out, prompting intervention from Child Protective Services.
[6:56] Subsequently, Robin relinquished custody of Dakota and she he was convicted and sentenced to
[7:00] approbation. In the aftermath, Dakota found himself in the foster care system and
[7:08] move between several temporary homes over the following years. Despite the instability, Dakota
[7:15] maintained connections with his family, particularly his maternal grandmother, Kelly Sandoval. Kelly
[7:24] fondly recalled to Coda as a bright, funny and a compassionate child, always
[7:30] eager to lend a helping hand. Kelly tried herself to get custody of Takota,
[7:36] but she was turned down because she was already raising other children in the
[7:40] family. Dakota's uncle, Stephen Crabtree, liked to take him fishing with his
[7:46] own children instead of him. He was a very sweet, loving little kid.
[7:51] He always had a smile and would warm anyone's heart. Among Tdakota's cherished
[7:57] memories was Halloween, a hollow that he eagerly anticipated each year. He loved
[8:03] dressing up and embarking on trigger trading adventures through the neighborhood alongside his family.
[8:11] Initially, al Mudham MacLean was absent from his son's life, and, as
[8:16] Anita recalled, he never called. He never saw Dakota until he got with
[8:22] I suppose human Services or child support would have gotten hold of him. It
[8:28] wasn't until a DNA test showed that McLean was Dakota's father that he became involved
[8:33] in his life. At the time, Anita and her fiance were in the
[8:37] process of trying to get custody of Dakota in the hopes that they could formally
[8:41] adopt him in the future, But after that DNA test proved that MacLean was
[8:48] to Cooda's father, the four year old was uprooted from his familiar surroundings and
[8:54] sent to live with his father in Wisconsin. At the time, McLean was
[8:58] living with its fiancee Amanda Hinsey and her sister Jennifer Ebert. Shortly after Dakota
[9:07] arrived at the hum, McLean was arrested after hitting Hinsey in the face with
[9:11] the pipe, dragging her by her hair to her car, and then punching
[9:15] her in the face. The charges against McLean were later dropped, and in
[9:20] twenty fourteen, McLean in the family moved over to Union City in Tennessee without
[9:26] informing Robin. She wrote to the Wisconsin court. He ripped him out of
[9:31] school and left. I have no idea what's going on without child protective services
[9:37] involved in any information. I'm not even sure how he is. Hair thinning
[9:46] effects approximately one in two women, but you're not alone if you're experiencing it.
[9:52] Join over one million individuals who are taking action with neutrophil, the leading
[9:58] dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement, with more than a million people experiencing thicker,
[10:03] stronger and faster growing hair with reduced shedding. It's the ideal solution. Recognizing
[10:11] that everyone's hair is unique, Nutrifil offers multiple formulas tailored to your specific needs.
[10:18] I've personally been using their vegan supplements. My hair has never been healthier
[10:24] Neutrifol addresses the root causes of thinning, including stress, hormones, environment,
[10:28] nutrition, lifestyle, and metabolism. Building a hair growth routine with nutrifoil is
[10:35] simple. Purchase online without a prescription and take the first step towards visibly thicker
[10:41] hair. For a limited time, Nutrifol is offering Morbidology listeners ten dollars off
[10:46] their first month subscription and free shipping when you go to nutrifoil dot com and
[10:52] enter the promo code morbidology. Find out why over four thousand, five hundred
[10:58] healthcare professionals and hair stylists recommend neutrofil for healthier hair. Neutrifault dot com spelt
[11:05] nut r A f O L dot com promo code morbidology. That's neutrifall dot
[11:13] com promo code Morbidology. Later that same year, McLean filed with the Wisconsin
[11:22] court his intention to move with Dakota to Pennsylvania, and Robin signed a notarized
[11:28] letter agreeing to the move. However, just days later, Robin wrote a
[11:33] handwritten letter in which she said she was pressured into signing that first letter.
[11:41] Ultimately, the court ruled that McLean could move with Dakota to Pennsylvania, but
[11:45] instead they moved over to Dayton in Ohio, where McLean's fiancee, Amanda Hinsey,
[11:50] purchased the house on Kensington Drive. In Dayton, Dakota enrolled at Horaceman
[11:58] Elementary School, where teachers fondly described him as an energetic and playful child.
[12:05] Despite the upheaval in his life, Dakota continued to thrive in his new environment,
[12:11] adapting to the challenges with resilience and determination. But trouble was burying at
[12:18] home, and in March of two thousand and sixteen, Hinsey called police and
[12:22] said that mc lean was drunk and refusing to leave the home. When police
[12:26] arrived, Takota was asleep in his bedroom, but mc clean was intoxicated and
[12:33] argumentative. Police advised Hinsey of the eviction process and then went on their way.
[12:41] Just two months later, Hinsey called police again and reported that mc lean
[12:45] had punched her in the face and wouldn't leave the home. Once more,
[12:50] police responded to the call, but once more they left again without filing charges.
[12:56] Then, in July, mc clean called police and reported them he had
[13:00] been assaulted by a woman, but then he abruptly hung up and no investigation
[13:05] took place. The following month, McLean was served with the civil probation order
[13:11] after a woman he met locally reported him for assaulting her. However, the
[13:16] protection order was dismissed because the incident didn't meet the threshold for an order.
[13:26] After McLean called nine to one one to report that Dakota was unresponsive, both
[13:31] paramedics and police arrived at the home. The first he arrived was Officer Clinton
[13:37] Evans, and he was met outside by McLean. He immediately told the officer
[13:43] that Dakota had a history of misbehaving, rolling around in his own excrement in
[13:48] urine, and said that he had hurt himself with a broken chair leg.
[13:54] As he took the officer inside, he showed him the broken chair leg and
[13:58] then said he took that away from him and put him in the shore.
[14:03] He said that he found Dakota unresponsive, but when Officer Evans approached the ten
[14:07] year old, he was stunned. Not only was Dakota unresponsive, he was
[14:15] covered with cut some bruises from head to toe, and the putrid smell was
[14:18] coming from his mouth. Paramedics soon arrived and they began performing CPR before quickly
[14:26] bundling Dakota into the ambulance and speeding off towards the hospital. When Dakota arrived
[14:33] at the hospital, doctors and nurses were horrified to see the condition of his
[14:37] body. While he had cut some bruises from head to toe, they were
[14:43] especially on his torso, back and buttocks. His entire body was purple and
[14:50] there was a noticeable bruise to his forehead. As doctors raised against the clock
[14:56] to try and get Dakota stabilized, detectives were the family's home with his father.
[15:03] MacLean told the detectives the same thing he told the nine one one operator,
[15:07] the Dakota had mental health problems that manifested in self harm. While they
[15:13] spoke, Kinsey and Ebert arrived with three year old Josiah Nichols, who was
[15:18] McLean's half brother. A's aChn custody of him after his mother said that she
[15:24] didn't want him anymore. During the routine investigation, detectives meticulously combed through the
[15:31] home, documenting their findings with photographs. They noted a well furnished downstairs area
[15:39] equipped with running water and a stocked fridge. A security system had been installed,
[15:46] evidenced by a life feed displayed on the living room television, offering a
[15:52] glimpse of the exterior surroundings. As detective surveyed the walls adorned with family photograp
[16:00] a glaring omission called their attention. Not a single photograph of Dakota could be
[16:07] found among the displays featuring Josiah and pets. Moving through the main floor,
[16:14] they encountered a master bedroom particulously kept in order, alongside a second bedroom designated
[16:19] for Hinsey's sister Ebert. Adjacent to these rooms lay a child's bedroom, unmistakably
[16:27] belonging to Josiah, furnished with age appropriate toys and clothing suitable for three year
[16:33] old boy. However, the absence of a designated space for Dakota became increasingly
[16:40] evident as detectives continued their exploration. The lack of clothing fitting a ten year
[16:47] old and the absence of toys suitable for his age underscored the disconcerting reality that
[16:53] Dakota's presence within the home was not acknowledged. Basement, there was a fourth
[17:00] room made up, but it was for the family's dogs. Excrement peppered the
[17:07] floor, while several cages were placed up against the walls. Returning to the
[17:14] living room, detectives were directed by McLean to a door supposedly leading to the
[17:18] attic. Despite maclean's apprehension, the detectives insisted on exploring this area as part
[17:27] of their investigation. Ascending the stairway, they were met with an overpowering odor
[17:34] of urine and faces. The araic, which was shrouded in darkness strewed aboard
[17:41] it up windows, was illuminated only by the beams of the detective's flashlights as
[17:48] their lights swept across the space, then encountered a grim sight, filth,
[17:56] excrement, and bugs scattered across the floor, void of any semblance of comfort
[18:00] or humanity. In a further exploration, detectives came upon a locked door in
[18:07] the attic and compelled MacLean to unlock it. What they discovered inside left them
[18:14] stunned. Within the confines of this hidden room lay a bloody tarp stirring across
[18:21] a filthy lawn chair, likely serving as a makeshift bed. In a corner,
[18:27] they found a disassembled video camera, suggesting surveillance or documentation of some kind.
[18:36] It became unmistakably clear to the detectives that this dismal space was where Dakuda
[18:42] had lived a very bleak existence. Despite the best efforts of the medical team
[19:02] at Dayton's Children's Hospital, Dakota's fragile body succumbed and he was pronounced dead shortly
[19:07] after he arrived. The solemn task of preparing his body for autopsy felled a
[19:14] deputy coroner, doctor Brian Caste, who meticulously documented the evidence of both recent
[19:21] and older injuries. Among the disturbing findings was a peculiar branding on Dakota's back,
[19:29] consisting of four letters, with the first letter appearing to be a tee.
[19:34] This branding was located in an area that was inaccessible to Dakota, disturbing
[19:40] any possibility of self infliction. Further examination revealed deep bruising, both externally and
[19:48] internally, particularly concentrated on his back and neck. The internal bruising, extending
[19:56] through all layers of the neck muscle and directly over the spine, was reminiscent
[20:02] of injuries typically seen in individuals involved in severe vehicle accidents. Dakota's head bore
[20:10] severe bruising, including hidden bruises beneath his hair, as well as on the
[20:15] right side of his forehead, chin, and within the upper and lower left
[20:18] lip and nasal cavity. Upon reflection of Dakota's scalp, the pathologist noted deep
[20:26] bruising throughout all areas of his head. Moving down his body, Doctor Castowan
[20:32] covered further evidence of trauma. Bruising was evident on Dakota's chest, both internally
[20:38] and externally, extending to his stomach. His back and bodocks displayed signs of
[20:45] severe external and internal injuries, indicating sexual assault, most likely with some kind
[20:52] of object. The autopsy revealed disturbing findings in Dakota's lungs fluid accumulated, suggesting
[21:02] submersion in water. Additionally, his pruned hans further supported this hypothesis. Numerous
[21:10] rib fractures hinted at further violence inflicted upon him. Then, the examination of
[21:17] Dakotah's digestive system yielded troubling results. Contrary to expectations, The contents of his
[21:23] stomach and boils were identical, indicating that he had consumed feces. The cause
[21:30] of Dakota's death was determined to be blunt force trauma, combointed by compressive asphyxia
[21:37] and water submersion. The pathologist unequivocally classified his death as a homicide, leading
[21:44] to the prompt rest of his father by detectives. While being transported to the
[21:49] police station, MacLean appeared to be nervous. You can't He asked about the
[22:07] death penalty, but the officer informed him that that would be up to the
[22:11] prosecutors. Are you ready for unexpected emergencies? Many wonder about being left without
[22:21] electricity or food for extended periods. That's where four Patriots steps in, offering
[22:26] a range of products tailored for such situations, tools that you can use now
[22:33] that might just save your life later. Take for instance, their Patriots Power
[22:37] Generator two thousand X, Harnessing the bondless power of the sun. This ingenious
[22:44] device can par everything from your TV to crucial medical equipment, or even your
[22:48] refrigerator. And then there are their top selling survival food kits, delicious and
[22:55] designed to last for twenty five years. No electricity, no problem, simply
[23:00] boil water over a fire, simmer and serve. With over two million satisfied
[23:06] customers, four Patriots has become a trusted source for preparing you for any disaster.
[23:12] I had the folks at four Patriots set up a special page for you
[23:15] at four patriots dot com slash morbidology so that listeners of this podcast can see
[23:22] this week's discounts and deals before they go away. Go to four patriots dot
[23:27] com slash more bidology, but hurry, these deals won't last long. Save
[23:33] more and get peace of mind now by going to four patriots dot com slash
[23:37] morbidology. As detective's dealth deber into the case, a disturbing pattern of abuse
[23:48] inflicted upon Dakota began to emerge, spanning back to twenty and fifteen, when
[23:55] Dakota was just in the first grade. It was during this time that his
[24:00] father initiated a campaign of physical and psychological torment, often subjecting Dakota to confinement
[24:08] in his bedroom without access to food. Evidence of Dakota's suffering became increasingly apparent
[24:15] to those around him. Despite his young age, he bore the unmistakable signs
[24:21] of neglect, arriving at school each morning smelling of old urine and faces.
[24:27] Dakota's art teacher, Jenny Watson recalled, Dakota was at the heart a really
[24:37] really sweet little boy. He you know, we have a few little issues
[24:42] of acting out and stuff. I think now we know why he was starved
[24:48] for any attention, whether good or bad attention, he frequently smelled. Dakota
[24:59] also arrived at s Sporting bodily executed haircuts that had been administered by McLean in
[25:04] a form of punishment. He's botched haircuts, coupled with the smell emineating from
[25:11] him, made Dakota an easy target for bullies, exacerbating his already dire situation.
[25:18] When Dakota showed up at school one day with head injuries that had become
[25:21] infected, child protective services were alerted. Adam Pockard, one of Dakota's teachers,
[25:27] said of him, he was he was a very emotional child. I
[25:36] wouldn't say he was necessarily violent in any way. He would definitely get down
[25:44] on himself and be really sad. He did tend to cry quite a bit,
[25:51] but I mean he was he was one of the sweetish children. He
[25:56] loved to make people laugh, love to make people left, and just happy,
[26:03] go lucky all the time, which is something that kind of reflected on
[26:06] over these past couple of weeks, and what an amazing kid he was to
[26:10] be so happy, go lucky every day and then find out what he's going
[26:14] home to every day. I just the baffled me. The principal, Sherry
[26:18] Moss, recollected pretty much Takota was a I would say, a well browned
[26:26] student here at school, friendly, helpful, He wanted to just kind of
[26:34] please people. So anything that he can do to help out. Teachers at
[26:38] Horace Mind Elementary School recognize that Dakota could benefit from assistance, and they do
[26:45] needed him clothing and washed his own clothing for him, and then I know
[26:49] that there was it was not as far as with body odor, because he
[26:55] would come to school and cold, stealthy and just reached beyond just your normal
[27:02] boys being musty type thing. And so with making sure we keep extra clothes
[27:08] here for students, extra under underwear, you know, things like that for
[27:15] students to change if need be, but they will have to come down to
[27:18] the office to change clothes. And then one or the other things that I
[27:22] can say is that as far as with extra food during breakfast or lunch,
[27:27] Dakota would you know, have extra food because he was hungry. After receiving
[27:33] offers of assistance from the skill staff, McLean's reaction was one of fury and
[27:38] resistance, and he attempts to intervene in his parenting methods was met with all
[27:45] position, with MacLean vending his anger by calling the skill and breading them for
[27:51] meddling in his affairs. In his quest for control, McLean demanded dally updates
[27:56] on Dakota's behavior, Yet he was setting in possibly high standards. Any deviation
[28:03] from perfection would result in severe punishment for Dakota. These punishments were not only
[28:10] physically brutal, but also psychologically damaging, designed to instill fear and compliance on
[28:18] such punishment involved Dakota standing in the living room holding a loaded book bag,
[28:23] a ritual that he repeated daily from the moment he returned home from school until
[28:29] bedtime. Failure to meet his father's expectations would extend the punishment throughout the entire
[28:37] weekend. Maclean's methods of discipline were not confined to conventional means. He resorted
[28:45] to shocking Dakota with a taser or striking him with the metal spatula. Rather
[28:51] than protect Dakota, both Hensey and Ebert actively encouraged the abuse, ensuring that
[28:57] any deviation from them and their expectations was swiftly reported to MacLean, perpetuating the
[29:03] cycle of violence and fear within the household. Following Josiah's arrival at the home,
[29:11] Dakota was banished to the attic and he was forced to witness the affection
[29:15] lavished upon the newcomer while enduring abuse and neglect himself. The stark contrast between
[29:22] the care shown to Josiah and Dakota's mistreatment only deepen the wounds of his already
[29:30] traumatized existence. Then, on the eleventh of May two thousand eighteen, MacLean
[29:37] informed the school that Dakota was unwell and wouldn't be coming in that day.
[29:42] Given the school's previous concerns regarding Dakodah's welfare, they promptly contacted police to conduct
[29:49] a welfare check. Suspicions of abuse were also reported to Child Protective Services,
[29:56] prompting further investigation. However, the response from police fell short when nobody answered
[30:04] the door at the family's home, resulting in the case being closed without further
[30:10] inquiry. Over the subsequent year, despite additional calls to child Protective Services,
[30:18] McLean remained one step ahead, meticulously orchestrating his family's responses to investigations. Each
[30:26] time authorities visited, McLean prepared his household for scrutiny, coaching Dakota and the
[30:32] others on how to behave. These calculated efforts ensured that any investigations were futile,
[30:40] allowing McLean to continue his reign of terror unchecked. To go aboard the
[30:45] brunt of McLean's fury, subjected to brutal physical assaults that left him with injuries
[30:51] carefully concealed under layers of clothing, its interference from child protective services persisted.
[31:00] Clean reached a breaking point. He abruptly withdrew nine year old Dakota from school
[31:06] under the guise of home schooling. While skill had its own challenges for Dakota,
[31:12] the sanctuary it provided from the horrors of home life was abruptly stripped away.
[31:18] McLean fabricated educational plans, falsely claiming that Hinsey would oversee Dakota's education,
[31:26] further perpetuating the facade of normalcy. Under the regulations of the time, all
[31:33] communication was conducted by a meal, effectively rendering Dakota completely isolated from the outside
[31:40] world, cut off from any potential witnesses. The abuse inflicted upon him by
[31:45] MacLean escalated, unchecked With no one to monitor's actions, MacLean felt emboldened to
[31:53] subject Dakota to even more horrific treatment. Over the course the course of the
[32:00] following year, Dakota endured confinement in the cramped and dimly lit attic, where
[32:05] his suffering reached on imaginable depths. Initially granted freedom within the attic, Dakota's
[32:12] desperate bid for escape in November of two thousand and eighteen culminated after he launched
[32:17] himself through the attic window. He was rushed to hospital for medical attention,
[32:24] and his injuries prompted concern, although no allegations of abuse were formally reported.
[32:31] Despite the offer of psychological counseling, MacLean declined to follow through with making appointments,
[32:37] opting to maintain control over the situation. Instead, MacLean pursued alternative avenues,
[32:45] inquiring with Juvenile Court about services available for children under ten. Upon learning
[32:52] that these services were primarily therapeutic in nature and posed no risk of Dakota's removal
[32:59] from their cust yesterday, McLean chose to foreco this option. Upon Dakota's return
[33:06] from the hospital, Mcleanhinsey, and Ebert took drastic measures to tighten their grip
[33:10] on him, they sealed up the attic window, confining Dakota to a small,
[33:15] lightless portion of the attic behind the locked door, stripping him of every
[33:22] shred of dignity. They discarded all of his clothing, leaving him naked and
[33:27] vulnerable. Further adding to his torment, they forbid him from using the restroom
[33:32] downstairs during the day, forcing him to defecate and urinate in the attic where
[33:37] he lived. One afternoon, Dakota crept downstairs to use the restroom, but
[33:44] he was spotted by Josiah. Dakota was only allowed downstairs to the restroom at
[33:51] nights, when Josiah was asleep in his bedroom. While Dakota had only been
[33:57] trying to use the restroom and was nude because his clothing had all been through,
[34:00] nut MacLean accused him of trying to show off his naked body to Josiah.
[34:07] After this incident, McLean began hurling homophobic slurs at his son and calling
[34:14] him girls' names. Dakota wasn't allowed to just exist in the attic either.
[34:21] McLean forced him to stand naked and cross legged and bent over, sometimes for
[34:27] up to twenty ars per day. A video camera had been installed in the
[34:31] attic so that McLean, Hinsy, and Ebert could monitor Dakota from the comfort
[34:37] of the living room. If he ever moved out of one of the poses,
[34:42] McLean would storm up to the attic and inflict a barriage of abuse on
[34:45] Dakota, punching him and kicking him. With each day that passed, Akoda
[34:52] became more hungry and more drained from the abuse and neglect. But things only
[34:59] got worse for Dakota as his father began forcing him to eat his own faces.
[35:06] He had no other option than to defecate in the attic since he was
[35:09] forbidden from using the restroom during the day. The first time that had happened,
[35:15] Dakota refused, but McLean responded by putting on a glove, lifting up
[35:20] the excrement, and forcing it into Dakota's mouth. After that, Dakota knew
[35:25] that he was expected to eat his feces or face further punishment from his father.
[35:31] Another chance to see of Dakota came on the fourteenth of May twenty to
[35:36] nineteen, when his mother, Robin, called police and athened to conduct a
[35:40] welfare check. Robin was supposed to see her son four times a year and
[35:46] speak with him on the phone at least once a week, but she hadn't
[35:50] seen him, and she had only spoken to him a handful of times.
[35:55] She told the Name one one operator that MacLean had just called her up and
[35:59] told her that she needed to take Dakota bach, telling him how angry he
[36:02] is with him, and how if I don't come and get him, something's
[36:06] gonna happen, and he's going to take him to a group home and drop
[36:08] him off, and how when he's acts up, how he disciplines him with
[36:13] a belt and to lock him in the room. McLean told Robin that he
[36:15] here a Dakota and told her that he often disciplines him with a belt or
[36:21] locks him in a room. I believe that his father is abusing him and
[36:23] hurting him, and that he's too scared to tell anybody because his father won't
[36:29] let him talk to anybody. I've been trying to work with him to talk
[36:30] to my son, and he gave me a bunch of things that are very
[36:35] concerning. He locks him and locks him in his room. He tried to
[36:37] jump out a window. He sent him to his school on a diaper.
[36:39] He's full of matter school. He whips him with a belt, just a
[36:43] bunch of stuff. That's very concerning to me. By now, I Robin
[36:45] was much more stable. She had overcome her drug addiction and she was living
[36:51] in a comfortable home with her eight year old daughter. She wanted to regain
[36:55] Costaday of Dakota, but it wasn't that simple because of her previous abuse conviction.
[37:01] Police did pay a visit to the family's home, but they closed on
[37:06] the case after noting Dakota is being taken care of and he still has behavioral
[37:13] issues. Outside the House of Horrors in the neighborhood, Takota was so isolated
[37:25] that most of the neighbors weren't even aware that a child had been living there.
[37:30] There was constant barking coming from inside the home, so they knew that
[37:35] there were dogs. That the entire home was devoid of any evidence that a
[37:38] ten year old child lived there. There were no toys outside, no bike
[37:45] propped up against the home, and nothing to indicate that a little boy was
[37:49] slowly withering away in the dark attic. It's one neighbor Eliah Fisher said to
[37:54] New Center seven, it's just so sad. It's something that's so close and
[38:00] no one really even knew about it. While neighbors were unaware of the abuse
[38:05] behind the door of one nine three four Kensington Drive, there was some evidence
[38:09] that something was amiss within the family other than the multiple calls to child protective
[38:15] services and police. Back in twenty and sixteen, an ane yearal boy was
[38:21] discovered wandering around the streets nearby. When police approached him, he said that
[38:27] his father had forced him to hold a heavy book bag and do squads as
[38:30] a form of punishment. His father was none other than al Mutahan MacLean,
[38:37] but the child wasn' Dakota. It was one of his half brothers. The
[38:44] little boy had just recently been sent to live with his father after behavioral problems
[38:49] arose while he was living with his mother. He told police that he wanted
[38:53] to return to his mother and that his father had monitored him with cameras both
[38:58] inside and outside of the home. Thankfully, this little boy was able to
[39:02] get away from McLean, but Dakota wouldn't be so lucky. Have you ever
[39:12] googled your name? Brace for at shock? Your personal data from addresses to
[39:16] phone numbers is often freely available harvested by data brokers. That's where our steps
[39:23] in to protect you. Or A scans the web for sensitive information such as
[39:29] emails, passwords, and social security numbers. You can receive real time alerts
[39:35] if anything is found. Aura also advocates for your privacy by removing your data
[39:42] from broker sites, putting you back in control. Are you tired of spam
[39:46] calls and junk mail? While Aura has you covered and if you're a victim
[39:52] of identity theft, their fraud resolution team provides white glove assistance. With Aura,
[39:58] safeguarding your digital identity is easier than ever. For a limited time,
[40:01] Aura is offering Morbidology listeners a fourteen day free trial plus a check of your
[40:07] data to save if your personal information has been leaked online, all for free
[40:13] when you visit Aura dot com slash morbidology. That's Aura dot com slash morbidology
[40:19] to sign up for a fourteen day free trial and start protecting you and your
[40:23] loved ones. That is are a dot com slash morbidology. Certain terms apply,
[40:31] so be sure to check the site for details. On the day before
[40:38] Dakota died, MacLean had been out drinking and when he returned home intoxicated.
[40:45] He turned his attention to Dakota. From one of the bedrooms in the home,
[40:51] Ebert could hear Dakota crying and begging no more, but this was a
[40:55] common sound within the home at the time. Hindsey was asleep on the sofa,
[41:02] but she awoke to find McLean punching Dakota hard on his stomach. The
[41:07] next morning, before Josiah awoke, Ebert called Dakota down from the attic to
[41:14] use the restroom. She observed that he was walking, but he was unsteady
[41:19] on his feet and held on to the wall. He stumbled several times,
[41:23] but managed to get back to his feet, only to be elbowed hard on
[41:28] the back by McLean. Once back in the attic, Dakota was ordered to
[41:32] put away his folding chair where he slept at night, and was then forced
[41:37] to bend over in what had become his signature pose. Dakota was struggling to
[41:44] move because he didn't act fast enough. McLean ordered him to lie down on
[41:49] his stomach. After he laid on, McLean stood on his back and raised
[41:53] his hands to the ceiling so that he get pushed on on. Dakota with
[41:58] all of his weight. Dakota was then told to stand in the punishment pose
[42:04] as McLean went downstairs to the living room to watch television. As he sat
[42:10] in the living room, he yelled up to Dakota, calling him a mama's
[42:15] girl and hurling homophobic slurs at him. After a while, McLean went back
[42:21] up to the attic with a bottle of hot sauce that he planned on pouring
[42:24] on Dakota's rectum, a punishment that he did quite frequently. After this,
[42:30] McLean then grabbed Dakota and threw him around the attic forcefully. He grabbed him
[42:37] by his ears and then dragged him downstairs. He forced Dakota into the bathroom
[42:43] and ordered him to clean his shorts, but when Dakota didn't move fast enough,
[42:47] MacLean told him that he was going to drown him. He filled up
[42:52] the bathtub and forced Dakota's head under water several times. Dakota was then sent
[42:59] back up to the ad and from the monitor in the living room, Ebert
[43:02] watched on as Dakota lay down on the lawn chair in the fetal position.
[43:07] She observed MacLean punching Dakota repeatedly on the bottom before breaking off a chair leg
[43:15] and using it to sodomize Dakota. McLean then came back downstairs and bit the
[43:22] chair leg. Dakota never made another sound from inside the attic. When MacLean
[43:37] was interrogated in the ours after Dakota died, he feigned ignorance. We are
[43:44] going to be interviewing you in regards the crime of a homicide. Homicide.
[43:52] That's like, couldn't mat say it. Holicide is kind of to catch all
[43:58] for somebody that died more than likely not of natural causes. Makes sense,
[44:05] That kind of covered a lot of things. It could be murder. It
[44:07] could be. That's the thing. I don't know. I don't even know
[44:09] why my child is dead. Hearing I still don't know if your child's dead.
[44:15] No, they just told me he did, but they didn't tell me
[44:17] what killed him or anything like that. Hear me. The detectives os McLean
[44:22] wild had happened over the course of the day leading up to Dakota's death.
[44:29] Well, this is what happened. I ain't slept him about three days,
[44:31] right. He can't keep falling down the stairs, keep knocking his head around.
[44:37] It looked like something was wrong with his stomach last night that I noticed,
[44:43] and I gave him some water to throw up, you know what I
[44:46] mean. I had him drink like several cups of water because it looked very
[44:51] odd normal, and I know that he used to eat and his own with
[44:54] shit, so I just wanted to make sure that he was okay. So
[45:00] uh, he drunk the water. That was it, and uh, alright,
[45:06] I guess he goes back upstairs and acting out some more. I mean,
[45:08] jumping off the banister, U shitting everywhere, pissing everywhere, the usual
[45:15] might I act, I've been dealing with this for probably like since he was
[45:21] two years old. He'd been doing this. Clean once More claimed the Dakota
[45:24] had inflicted all of the injuries on himself and said that the bruises came from
[45:30] him ruling himself do the stairs or banging his head against doors and walls.
[45:37] I saw, I'm very tired, I ain't slepting through days. Saw him
[45:39] just sitting there, and uh, here he come rolling downstairs again, padoom,
[45:44] badoon. So uh I tell him go back upstairs. A little while
[45:50] later I go up there, I see a stick in his ass like a
[45:55] chair lad. So I asked him what is he doing, And he's just
[46:00] steady, you know what I mean, they steady doing what he do.
[46:04] This ain't the first time he tried something like that. So, uh,
[46:07] I see blood on the ground. I asked him to pull it out,
[46:12] you know what I mean. Blood squirted immediately. Now I'm freaking out.
[46:15] Might carry out me to get downstairs so I can get you in the shower,
[46:19] you know what I mean, and see what's going on. So at
[46:23] the time, I ain't think not that. I just see that he bruised
[46:28] up as usual, seeing the young lady that he never stopped. He'll find
[46:30] anyway, any type of way, anything to use just to put a ruise
[46:36] on his body. So as a parent, I just put him in the
[46:39] shower. I mean, I put him in the bathtub. They try to
[46:44] you know, get some of this swelling to go down or or whatever the
[46:46] situation they had. Then you know, clean him up, make sure he
[46:50] was good. So I'm sitting on the couch. He like Dad, come
[46:55] here, you know, he like dad helped, So come up the stairs
[47:00] to help him. And that's when I nevous his body was cold, very
[47:05] very very cold. So I took him downstairs and try to rank them off,
[47:09] you know, to see if he had shaked out of it wake up.
[47:12] I mean, I had no clue of knowing that he was sick to
[47:17] that instant or that or yeah, or that that this is gonna go anywhere
[47:28] near the as far. I mean, I just figured he was doing his
[47:31] normal acting out. I mean, he was kind of tweaking a little bit,
[47:35] you know what I mean. He said that Dakota eventually fell unconscious,
[47:38] but said that he suspected he was somehow to blame as if he had inflicted
[47:44] the injury himself detectives. Of course, we're not buying the clean story.
[47:51] First of all, he had marks all over his mind. It's every day
[47:55] now sometime I had to sink his behind just to prevent him from hurting myself.
[48:00] This boy jumped out the window before out, just straight out the window.
[48:06] There's no stopping him. I'm afraid. I've been telling people I was
[48:08] afraid, but at the same time, it was nothing I can do.
[48:13] Clean then admitted that he had moved to Coda to the attic. It said
[48:16] that it was because he couldn't control his bile functions. Yeah, well,
[48:24] let me ask you this. He stayed upstairs, did he stay up there?
[48:30] Did he stay up there right when you talking about him? Yep?
[48:35] Like but na nah, We never locked him up there like the lots went
[48:39] on the house. Since we had the dogs when they were smaller, they
[48:43] would get into fights. He just never took the time to take them down,
[48:45] you know what I mean. But we got pitt boys there and wing
[48:50] separated. Made to be blood all over everywhere, you know what I mean.
[48:54] So that's what the lops is for. Like he would come down,
[48:58] I would invite him to watch TV. He's my signing. He's handsome,
[49:00] you know, just latin, you know what I mean. And I would
[49:05] invite him to sit down and watch TV and this, that and the third,
[49:08] and he was just shit in case. I mean, the smell was
[49:12] so loud. I can go up there and clean it every day. In
[49:16] five years from now, you'll probably smell it after McLean's entire gish. And
[49:22] he called hensy from jail. Like I said, I don't know what's mong
[49:25] becoming is you're already know. Audi only time ever did anything to always try
[49:30] to get him to control itself. That's the story. Stick to it,
[49:35] man said, You hear me every time we say something they flipped the words
[49:39] and make it see that. Yeah, don't let them flip it. Just
[49:44] two days before Christmas, McLean was charged with numerous coins of child and dandermine.
[49:49] These included rip of a child, fuluonious assault, and foreign dandering children
[49:53] coins. The reason for the lasser charges was because the Couda's all tops he
[49:59] had not yet finalized, but once it was, McLean was charged with misdemeanor
[50:04] involuntary manslaughter. After more details about the abuse of Dakota became apparent, both
[50:10] Hinsey and Ebert were arrested as well. They were originally charged with endangering children,
[50:17] but this was then upgraded to misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter. Maclean's charges were later
[50:24] upgraded to four kinds of murder along with the other felony charges. Eber quickly
[50:31] pleaded guilty to all of the charges against her, but sentencing was scheduled for
[50:37] a later date. After the charges were handed on, McLean requested a mental
[50:43] competency evaluation, but it found that he was competent to stand trial. Both
[50:49] he and Hinsey subsequently pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against them.
[50:54] After details of Dakota's horrific life made headlines. Questions raised about how more wasn't
[51:00] done to protect him. Both police and child protective Services had received numerous reports
[51:07] that he was being abused, but time and time again these were closed on
[51:12] without a proper investigation. In an effort to spark change, Dayton Public Schools
[51:16] employees roe to Ohio leaders seeking a change in state law to better protect children
[51:22] who are at risk of abuse and who are removed from school. Johnie Watson,
[51:29] who taught art at the school Takota was enrolled in, explained the legal
[51:34] change they were seeking. If a child is pulled out of a public school
[51:39] who has had any reports to child services concerning abuse or suspected abuse, then
[51:45] there needs to be something additional put in place to ensure that the child is
[51:49] checked on. Meanwhile, state lawmakers announced that they were requesting an independent review
[51:54] into the handling of the case. Quanti illustrator Michael Colbert announced that an internal
[52:02] review had been launched, which would be separate to the criminal investigation. The
[52:08] purpose was to see whether there were any missed opportunities to save Dakota. Dayton
[52:15] Police also announced that they too were conducting an internal review of all the interactions
[52:21] they had with the family. Dakota's grandmother, Kelly, thought that the review
[52:25] was pointless. She stated, why waste the time on doing it. We
[52:32] already knew it happened. She said that it was evident that nobody had followed
[52:37] up diligently on the numerous concerns for Dakota's welfare. She commented, so that's
[52:45] how it fell through the cracks. They just glanced at him. Oh he's
[52:49] okay, no problem, Let's close the case. Or not even be able
[52:53] to get a hold of him. Oh well, he's not at home,
[52:57] Let's close the case. She said that everybody had let Dakota down, including
[53:04] herself. Dakota's mother, Robin, felt the same way and stated, I
[53:09] failed him. My family failed him. We have to take some of that
[53:15] responsibility with his mother. I have to take that responsibility. I feel guilty
[53:21] as hell. On the twentieth of January, around one hundred people gathered for
[53:27] a memorial service for Dakota. It was held at the Presbyterian Church in Dayton
[53:32] and was organized for the community, while the family had a private funeral.
[53:37] The organizer, Polly Parks, said that while Dakota may be dead, he
[53:43] would never be forgotten. In Dayton, she said to the group of mourners,
[53:49] It's comforting to me to know that Dakota is no longer suffering. He
[53:52] is free of all that chaos and confusion. He is free from all the
[53:58] physical mental pain of abuse. Dakota is at peace. The next month,
[54:04] Montgomery County Children's Services were granted custody of Josiah maclean's half brother, who had
[54:09] been living with Dakota de Biels and the family wanted costody of him, including
[54:15] his mother, Tamika. The investigation into the agencies involved in the family ultimately
[54:32] found that they had failed to share information with one another, which is permitted
[54:37] under law. When Child Protective Services investigated the family, they were unaware of
[54:44] McLean's criminal background and unaware of the numerous times police had come out to the
[54:49] family's homes to investigate various reports. A list of recommendations was unveiled to impose
[54:55] child abuse investigations, and most of these addressed the lack of communications. It
[55:02] was also recommended that all relevant parties should be interviewed and the caseworkers need to
[55:07] review all prior histories of adults in the home. Dakota's the state subsequently filed
[55:15] a lawsuit against the county and Montgomery County Children's Services, accusing them of failing
[55:21] to perform in their duties. Michael Wright, an attorney for the family,
[55:25] stated to be brief, he was tortured, he was starved, he was
[55:30] beaten, he was raped. Just the most horrific things a child could go
[55:36] through. To Koda went through, and this was all preventable. He said
[55:42] that if one person had have done their job, then to Koda would still
[55:45] be alive. The family also sued Dating Children's Hospital and said that a social
[55:52] worker at the hospital had failed to assure Dakoda's safety after he was brought to
[55:57] the hospital a year before he died after launching himself from the attic window.
[56:04] According to the hospital, they had been led to believe that Dakota was sleepwalking
[56:07] when he jumped and severely injured his foot. However, when Dakota was at
[56:13] the hospital, he had told this social worker that he was scared at home,
[56:17] and it was noted that he had numerous cuts across his body. Despite
[56:22] this, they sent him back to the home, where he was ultimately killed.
[56:27] Just a year later, the estate settled their lawsuit with Montgomery County for
[56:34] three point two five million dollars. Then, in February of twenty twenty one,
[56:39] changes in the law were finally made to ensure another child not to offer
[56:45] the same fate as Dakota. The new bill HB number four with strengthen requirements
[56:51] and oversight of child abuse and neglect reports. Under the new bill, all
[56:55] public child serving agencies in Ohio would be required to promptly report any complaints they
[57:01] receive regarding abuse or neglect to law enforcement. On the eighth of September,
[57:09] both McLean and Hinsey pleaded guilty to all of the charges against them. McLean,
[57:15] Hinsey, and Eber returned to court on the twenty eighth of September to
[57:19] be sentenced for the murder of Dakota. Before the sentences were imposed, Prosecutor
[57:24] Matt Henk detailed the life of abuse that Dakota had experienced. He said that
[57:30] the only thing more horrific than the facts of his death were the facts of
[57:36] his life that he was forced to live. McLean's defense attorney, Michael Burr,
[57:40] was seeking leniency, telling the judge the story that al is a monster
[57:45] who abused his son for years is simply false. He said that despite all
[57:52] of the evidence, he didn't believe that Dakota was abused for years, as
[57:58] if that would make the situation any better. Judge Dennis Adkins turned to McLean
[58:04] and said, what you did was pure. You provided no mercy to your
[58:10] son, and you served no mercy involved at the school. He then sentenced
[58:15] to McLean to life in prison with a minimum sentence of fifty one years.
[58:21] Hinsey was sentenced to twenty two to twenty seven and a half years in prison,
[58:25] while Eber was sentenced to eight to twelve years in prison. When it
[58:32] comes to safeguarding children, child protective services and police play crucial rules. While
[58:38] these organizations are entrusted with the vital responsibility of intervening in situations of abuse,
[58:45] neglect, or danger, they are not infallible. The murder of Dakota Collins
[58:51] served as a stark reminder that when they failed to do their job, it's
[58:54] innocent children who pay the ultimate price. Well, Bessie's that is it for
[59:20] this episode of Morbidology. As always, thank you so much for listening,
[59:23] and I'd like to say a massive thank you to my newest supporter up on
[59:29] Patreon, Leslie as you all know Morbidology is a one woman team, so
[59:34] the support up on Patreon seriously go such a long way, and it really
[59:38] helps to keep independent shows such as Morbidology running. If you'd like to support
[59:45] me up on Patreon, the link is in the show notes. In exchange
[59:47] for your support, upload ad free in early release episodes, bonus episodes of
[59:53] Morbidology plus that aren't on the regular podcast platforms, and I also send out
[59:59] a handra and thank you note along with some cool merch such as stickers,
[1:00:04] pins, t shirts, and fridge magnets. If you'd like to support the
[1:00:08] show in another way, please consider leaving me a rating and review on Apple
[1:00:14] Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you may be listening. Ratings and reviews
[1:00:19] are a super easy way to support a show that you enjoy, and I
[1:00:22] genuinely do appreciate all of the feedback. Remember to check out more biology dot
[1:00:28] com for more information about this episode and to read some true crime articles.
[1:00:32] Until next time, take care of yourselves, stay safe, and have an
[1:00:37] amazing week.

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.