Transcript

8-year-old girl kidnapped and buried in concrete by family friend

From True Crime News · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 41 min · 6,652 words · 176 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "8-year-old girl kidnapped and buried in concrete by family friend", an episode of True Crime News published December 31, 2025 (41 min, about 6,652 words). It mentions 12 people, works and ideas, including Crime Watch Daily, Dr. Donald Klein, Lelle Nance, Magro Cunningham, Elizabeth Smart.

What this episode is about

The content revolves around two shocking criminal cases: first, the revelation of a fertility doctor who misled his patients by using his own sperm instead of their partners', resulting in widespread feelings of betrayal among the mothers. The narrative then shifts to the harrowing ordeal of an 8-year-old girl who was kidnapped and buried alive by a family friend but miraculously survived, leading to a dramatic rescue and her courageous recounting of the trauma.

Key takeaways

  • When trust is misplaced: a fertility doctor turns miracle into nightmare, fathering over 50 unsuspecting lives.
  • Genetic revelations can be shocking; one high school lesson forever alters a family narrative and identity.
  • Lab coats and deceit: in the '80s, fertility science birthed innovation—and, regrettably, betrayal.
  • Virtual rape: redefining trauma as victims seek closure from a doctor they believed was a savior.
  • From hopeful parents to sibling surprises, DNA can create connections—and chaos—beyond blood and intention.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Crime Watch Daily, Chris Hansen, Elizabeth Smart, Dr. Donald Klein
  2. – 10:00: Elizabeth Smart, Jacoba Ballard, Julie Mains, Crime Watch Daily
  3. – 15:00: Jacoba Ballard, Dr. Donald Klein, Angela Gnote
  4. – 20:00: Crime Watch Daily, Dr. Donald Klein, Lelle Nance, Chris Hansen
  5. – 25:00: Crime Watch Daily, Lelle Nance, Magro Cunningham
  6. – 30:00: Lelle Nance, Magro Cunningham
  7. – 35:00: Magro Cunningham
  8. – 40:00: Norman Macintosh, Lelle Nance

Notable quotes from "8-year-old girl kidnapped and buried in concrete by family friend"

  • I'm Chris Hansen right now on Crime Watch Daily from here in New York.
    about Crime Watch Daily · at
  • Documents to using his own sperm with his patients, not once or twice, but as many as 50 times. Our Elizabeth Smart is here now with our allnew investigation.
    about Elizabeth Smart · at
  • This, is, the, shocking, phone, call, from, Dr.
    about Jacoba Ballard · at
  • According, to, the, probable, cause affidavit, Klein denied everything telling investigators, I can emphatically say that at no time did I ever use my own sample for insemination nor was I a donor. [snorts].
    about Dr. Donald Klein · at
  • It's truly disgusting what Dr. Klein is accused of, but will he serve any time for it? Here to break down the case is criminal defense attorney Mike Cavaluti.
    about Chris Hansen · at
  • Lelle, Nance, has, gone, missing, in, the, dead of night. Her mother losing hope by the minute.
    about Lelle Nance · at
  • Barry Magro's, lawyers, claim, he, has, the mentality of a seven-year-old and didn't know right from wrong.
    about Magro Cunningham · at
  • Norman was just 23 when he was charged with this grizzly murder, shooting dead a gang rival and wounding another on the south side of Chicago.
    about Norman Macintosh · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Dr. Donald Klein — Person · Primary subject (accused fertility doctor) · 3 mentions · first at
    Central figure in the first major story: accused of using his own sperm to inseminate patients and later charged with obstruction of justice.
  • Lelle Nance — Person · Victim / survivor interviewee (second story) · 5 mentions · first at
    Survivor of a 2004 abduction and assault; provides first public interview describing the crime and recovery.
  • Magro Cunningham — Person · Perpetrator in second story (convicted attacker) · 5 mentions · first at
    Identified by victim Lelle Nance as her attacker; later convicted and sentenced (later reduced) for the assault and attempted murder.
  • Elizabeth Smart — Person · Special correspondent / on-scene reporter · 5 mentions · first at
    Leads the investigation segment on Dr. Klein, interviews affected families, and confronts Klein at his home.
  • Jacoba Ballard — Person · Adult child / key complainant (Klein case) · 4 mentions · first at
    Identified as one of Matt's half-sisters; records a phone call where Klein admits donating his sample; shares recording with prosecutors.
  • Chris Hansen — Person · Host · 3 mentions · first at
    Anchors the episode, introduces segments, interviews correspondents and a legal analyst.
  • Norman Macintosh — Person · Wrongful-conviction subject (third story) · 3 mentions · first at
    Featured as an exoneree who spent 15 years imprisoned before release; story centers on proving innocence before his father died.
  • Julie Mains — Person · Adult child / alleged daughter (Klein case) · 2 mentions · first at
    Another alleged biological child of Klein; discusses risks to her children and discovers Jacoba is her half-sister via DNA testing.
    And that's the sentiment from Julie Mains, another of Dr. Klein's alleged daughters. She says she worries about the impact on her own children.
  • Matt — Person · Adult child / donor-conceived individual (Klein case) · 1 mention · first at
    Son of a patient; discovers numerous half-siblings via DNA testing after seeing a news report about Dr. Klein.
    Matt says he never tried to learn his biological father's identity until he saw this news report on TV.
  • Angela Gnote — Person · Referenced investigative reporter (affiliate station) · 1 mention · first at
    Credited with the long-running local investigation that surfaced the Klein allegations and triggered broader reporting.
    In, an, investigation, that, spanned, more than a year and a half, Angela Gnote uncovered Dr. Klein's alleged fraud.

Products & tech

  • 23andMe — Product · Case study · 3 mentions
    Used by one of Dr. Klein's alleged children to discover their biological relationship to him and other siblings.
    Matt says after watching that report, he did his own DNA test, he sent it to the online testing site 23 andme.com, so named for the 23 chromosomes in a human cell.

Media & podcasts

  • Crime Watch Daily — Media · Broadcast · 7 mentions · first at
    The primary media platform where the investigative report on Dr. Klein's fertility fraud is being aired.

Full transcript with timestamps

I'm Chris Hansen right now on Crime Watch Daily from here in New York. He was the miracle man of Indianapolis the top fertility doctor who gave hundreds of women the gift of life. Little did his patients know he was really Dr. Evil.

I'm, a, rape, victim., A, virtual, rape victim. Dr., Klein, not, only, got, them, pregnant,, he did it with his own sperm.

As, you, would, expect,, these, mothers, feel angry and they feel violated by the fertility doctor that they trusted.

Yes,, I, do, feel, violated., He, was, my doctor. Crime, Watch, Daily, special, correspondent Elizabeth Smart with the stunned people who just learned about their secret sibling.

It, was, very, mind-blowing, and, shocking, to say the least and, demanding, answers, from, the, doctor himself.

Hi. Hi., I'm, Elizabeth, Smart. Then, an, adorable, 8-year-old, girl abducted from her home and callously entombed in a virtual coffin.

Her, little, body, was, buried, under, 200, lb of concrete. He, left, her, dad, to, die.

Her, family, gets, the, grim, news,, but, then an astonishing discovery. Lieutenant, Matthews, said,, "I, just, saw her finger move." She was still alive.

Like, I, kind, of, like, lost, hope., I, just thought I was going to die. In her courageous first interview with our Jason Mata

no, one, should, go, through, what, you, went through. Michelle, Nance, reles, her, nightmare, at the hands of this monster.

I, don't, know, how, I, got, the, idea, to, like fake my death right, now. Andrea, Iser, with, Crime, Watch, Daily.

Jason, Mater, with, Crime, Watch, Daily. This, Michelle, from, Crime, Watch, Daily. Anna Garcia from Crime Watch

is, Crime, Watch, Daily., Stay, off, my property. We'll, find, you, again., We, always, do. Welcome to Crime Watch Daily, everyone. I'm Chris Hansen. We start today with a fertility doctor accused of blindsiding his own patients, confessing in court documents to using his own sperm with his patients, not once or twice, but as many as 50 times. Our Elizabeth Smart is here now with our allnew investigation. Elizabeth, thanks for being here. Chris I can't even imagine the horror of finding out that the man you trusted with something so special as having a baby was allegedly committing a horrible betrayal behind closed doors.

This, is, a, family, reunion, no, one, ever expected. I, used, to, beg, my, mom, for, a, sister, every year for Christmas to give me a baby sister. And I have a boy. adults who only recently learned the shocking news. They're related. Their bond is written not in blood or love, but in the laboratory.

When, did, you, find, out, that, you, were, a donor baby? Approximately a month ago.

They, all, claim, they're, donor, babies, sharing the sperm of one man their mother's fertility doctor.

I'm, a, rape, victim., A, virtual, rape victim. That's a stunning accusation from Liz White. She's one of several moms making the sensational claim that Dr. Donald Klein artificially inseminated them with his own sperm.

It, gives, me, creeps, that, when, he, left, the room after the initial coming in and putting on the drape that he went out saying he was going to go get the donor's sperm and then what occurred outside the room that was disgusting. You wouldn't think a story like this could come out of America's heartland Indianapolis Indiana. Back in the early 80s, fertility science was still in its infancy. And in Indianapolis, Dr. Klene was the expert. Liz says he was the only fertility specialist for miles around.

How, did, you, find, out, about, Dr., Klene? I, worked, at, a, hospital, and, so, obviously I worked with a lot of physicians. He was the top infertility specialist in Indianapolis. I clearly remember him sitting behind his desk and he's looking at my husband and he says, "Oh, you have dark hair and you have dark eyes and you're about six foot. Okay, I'll look for a donor around that type." And um he was very hopeful and I was took his hope as hope

and, you, went, in, for, 15, treatments. 15, treatments., So, that's, five, months three times each month. Liz says Klein told her medical students would provide a fresh donation because frozen sperm was not an option.

We, were, told, that, they, were, going, to, be residents from interns at the hospital across the street and that our payment of cash or check was to protect the anemone of that person. I think if he said, "Well, I'm going to donate my semen to you." I would have like been creeped out. I was 29 years old. but he had the expertise of being the very best fertility physician in Indiana. He was the only one practicing with Life Sperm.

After, several, tries,, Liz, became pregnant. How, did, you, feel, when, you, finally, found out you were pregnant?

I, was, ecstatic. 9, months, later,, Liz, gave,, birth to a healthy baby boy she named Matthew.

I, just, kept, looking, at, Matt, with, just such joy on my face. It was a blessing. and I named him Matthew, which is gift of God.

Fast, forward, 15, years, later., Matt, is, in high school biology class learning about human genes. He says the real lesson he learned would change his life forever.

How, did, you, first, find, out, that, your, dad wasn't your biological father?

It, was, when, I, came, home, one, day, from, uh school uh from high school. We were in science class learning about Punet squares and probabilities of blood types, what my blood type was based upon my parents. And so when I brought that topic up to ask them what their blood types are, um that's when they they they told me

"Was, that, shocking, for, you?" I, just, felt, bad, for, my, dad, that, he couldn't have kids. He has always been my dad, will always be my dad. Matt says he never tried to learn his biological father's identity until he saw this news report on TV.

Sisters, born, here, in, Indiana, uncover, a family secret. It, was, the, explosive, investigation, into the claims about Dr. Klene from our Indianapolis affiliate WXIN.

I, immediately, looked, up, where, his, office was. I remember my mom and I driving by saying, "Yeah, that's the office building I got pregnant with you in. Matt says after watching that report, he did his own DNA test, he sent it to the online testing site 23 andme.com, so named for the 23 chromosomes in a human cell.

And, I, went, to, the, certain, section, to look at the relatives and just having a whole laundry list of half siblings is you know, kind of kind of shocking.

Do, you, remember, how, many, siblings, it said you had or half siblings? I think the total confirmed unconfirmed account is 13 right now.

Jacob, Ballard, says, she's, one, of, Matt's half sisters. Like Matt, Jacob did her own DNA saliva test.

What, did, they, tell, you?, The, first, set, um proved that there were I had seven siblings. That's not counting my half sibling for my mom nor um Dr. Klein's four children, which I didn't know at the time. Some of my other siblings and I started researching because we knew something didn't add up. One, he had told all of our mothers the same thing that he used a medical resident.

When, Jacob's, mom,, Deborah,, read, the results, she was floored. He's, the, father., Uh,, yes,, I, do, feel violated. He was my doctor. And you just don't do that to your patients. That's not morally right at all. It's not ethically right. And that's the sentiment from Julie Mains, another of Dr. Klein's alleged daughters. She says she worries about the impact on her own children.

Your, greatest, concern, for, them, is, that they might date or have relationships or even marry one of their first cousins.

If, it, comes, to, that, point,, I, think, I would have to ask their parents personal questions, which is really difficult regarding if they were artificially inciminated. Julie did her own DNA test and says the results showed Jacoba is her half sister.

When, I, clicked, on, DNA, relatives, and, then an entire page showed up of half siblings says, "Wait a minute, I only have one sibling and he's adopted." It was very mind-blowing and shocking to say the least.

Julie, reached, out, to, Jacoba, and, says, it was almost like looking at herself in the mirror.

We, look, so, much, alike., So,, it, was, kind of surreal. Now, that, the, family's, secret, is, out, what can be done? Next, the dramatic phone call that will change everything.

I, only, donated, my, own, sample, maybe, nine or 10 times. The, confession,, the, excuses,, the accusations.

It, sounds, to, me, like, you're, trying, to, do harm to me. And we confront the alleged fertility fraudster face to face.

Elizabeth, Smart, from, Crime, Watch, Daily. It's, supposed, to, be, one, of, the, most special moments of a couple's life. But several Indiana women say their visit to a fertility specialist ended in an absolute nightmare when they found out the doctor used his own sperm instead of a donor. Elizabeth Smart is back now with their stories. Elizabeth

as, you, would, expect,, these, women, are angry. They feel violated by the doctor they trusted. So, I decided to track him down and see what he has to say to his alleged victims.

Dr., Donald, Klene, is, the, alleged fertility Frankenstein. He's the physician sensationally accused of using his own sperm as many as 50 times in women who had no idea.

It's, a, violation, of, us., And, I, don't think he realized that when he was using his sperm to impregnate us.

Until, last, month,, Julie,, Matt,, and Jacoba were total strangers. They could have run into one another on the street at the store, or they may even have dated without ever knowing they might share the same biological father Dr. Klene himself. You know, I think one of the scariest things is that the potential for unknown siblings to kind of hook up and you know there there are several of us that are in relatively close proximity to one another and are generally of the same age. That's that's pretty scary really if you think about it. and I don't want my kids to possibly marry one of their first cousins or any of their, you know, distant relatives.

Julie's, mom,, Diana,, says, she's, still coming to grips with the revelations.

We, now, know, that, he, was, the, father, of all our babies. And I mean, that's it's just something that is hard to comprehend.

Matt, reveals, his, deepest, fear., He, says when he and his wife had difficulty conceiving a child, they considered seeing Dr. Klene. A thought that he says now creeps him out.

There, is, a, very, plausible possibility that we could have gone and seen him as our fertility specialist.

If, you, found, out, your, son, was, your, half brother. Yeah,, that's, that, that, that's, recently crossed my mind.

The, secret, might, have, died, with, a 77year-old Dr. climb if it wasn't for the hard-hitting reporting by our Indianapolis affiliate WXIN.

In, an, investigation, that, spanned, more than a year and a half, Angela Gnote uncovered Dr. Klein's alleged fraud.

First, appearance, in, court, today., Dr. Klein is accused of using his own sperm on his patients.

When, that, report, aired,, it, apparently upset the grandfatherly fertility doc. Now, this is Dr. Klein.

This, is, the, shocking, phone, call, from, Dr. Klein to Jacob. In this call, which she recorded, Clyde admits he donated his own sperm on several occasions.

You, know,, I, thought, I, was, doing, the right thing. I only donated my own sample maybe nine or 10 times. And it had to do with blood typing. And at the time, there was no sperm banks. that I could refer the couples to.

Klein, then, tells, Jacob, his, marriage, is on thin ice and asks her to try to stop the TV station from reporting the allegations.

Um,, my, wife, and, I,, uh,, after, 57, years, of marriage, um, we have had a great deal of problems over this. She considers this adultery.

Mhm. I, donated, my, sample., I'm, going to, lose my wife. our marriage will be over. Can you help?

Um,, I, mean,, there's, nothing, I, can, do., I can't stop them from doing, you know anything.

It, sounds, to, me, like, you're, trying, to, do harm to me. I, not, wish, that, up, on, anybody.

I, regret, what, I, did. Yeah. But, I, can't, go, back, and, change, it. One, of, my, favorite, scriptures, was Jeremiah 15. Mhm.

If, you'll, [clears throat], remember,, it says, "Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you."

The, most, disturbing, thing, about, this whole message is how he's trying to turn it back on you. He's trying to make you feel guilty for it.

It, makes, me, angry., You, know,, when, he when he brought up religion and was reading the Bible verse to you, I really was taken aback because what he was doing to you was exactly what my capttors did to me. I mean, anytime they wanted to hurt me anytime they wanted me to force me to do anything, he would pull out the Bible. I mean, cuz you can tell I tried to be nice.

But, for, Jacoba,, the, time, to, be, nice, is over. Jacob, shared, the, recording, with prosecutors.

In, my, 10, years, of, practicing, law,, I'd definitely put it in the top 10. According, to, the, probable, cause affidavit, Klein denied everything telling investigators, "I can emphatically say that at no time did I ever use my own sample for insemination nor was I a donor." [snorts] The state did an independent DNA test which shows a 99.9997% probability he is Jacob's biological father. Prosecutors concluded Klein lied to investigators he was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice. He denied that he was the father uh when in fact he was. We think that this sends a clear message that you don't lie uh when you're confronted with an official investigation.

We wanted to get Dr. Klein's side of the story, so Elizabeth tracked him down at his home.

I'm, on, my, way, up, to, Dr., Klein's, house, to ask him some questions. Klein, is, retired, and, lives, in, seclusion in an estate at the end of this long driveway.

Who, is, it? Elizabeth, Smart, from, Crime, Watch, Daily. Hi. Hi. I'm, Elizabeth, Smart., I'm, from, Crime Watch Daily. I had the opportunity to speak to a couple of your children and I heard, their, side, of the, story, and, I wondered if you wanted to share your story.

Thank, you., You'll, have, to, speak, to, my attorney. Oh,, we, tried, to, reach, out, to, her., She wouldn't respond.

Well,, I, can't, do, that. Don't, you, at, least, want, to, share, a little bit?

No,, ma'am. Don't, you, don't, feel, like, you, apologize. I just wanted to give you an opportunity to share your side.

Klene, has, pleaded,, not, guilty, to the charges. He reportedly has asked God for forgiveness. But for this half-brother and his halfsister, forgetting is something that isn't in their DNA.

What, would, you, like, to, say, to, Dr., Klene? Dr., Klene,, tell,, the, truth., Just tell the truth. DNA don't lie.

And, since, that, interview,, Elizabeth,, I know that more people have come forward claiming Dr. Klene is their father.

Yeah,, Chris,, it's, staggering., The, count is up to 16 now, but it seems more and more people are coming forward every day.

And, beside, the, obstruction, of, justice charges, it seems there's civil liability here.

The, families, are, saying, that, they, want to wait until the current legal case is over before pursuing any civil cases.

Elizabeth,, thanks, for, joining, us, as always. I appreciate it. And what about that criminal case against Dr. Klein? And will he ever serve any time behind bars? We bring the legal fight to the streets of New York next. Tomorrow on Crime Watch Daily, love and violence.

Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Trisha, Todd, and, her, Air, Force, veteran husband had a rocky relationship, that's for sure. But things appear to be headed in the right direction until she suddenly vanished. Where did she go? We couldn't come up with any answers.

Our, Jason, Mata, has, new, details, on, the shocking case. Teeth,, fingertips,, power, saws,, and, a plastic tub filled with acid. This guy went to the extreme ends of the earth to do the most violent thing he could do.

And, how, Trish's, own, words, would, help detectives find her killer. That's tomorrow. Today, we've been talking about an Indiana fertility specialist accused of using his own sperm as many as 50 times with his patients. No doubt it's truly disgusting what Dr. Klein is accused of, but will he serve any time for it? Here to break down the case is criminal defense attorney Mike Cavaluti. Mike, thanks for being here. I appreciate it very much. Good

to, be, here., How, do, you, defend, this, case? First, of, all,, it's, a, question, of, timing. Back when the doctor is accused of having inseminated his patients this way, it actually was very common and there was nothing known as designer sperm where women were actually choosing the profile of the person whose sperm using it.

You're, saying, this, was, a, common practice. This, was, this, was, a, common, practice, in those days. Regulations have changed and become far stricter. If a doctor were to do something just like Dr. Klein did now, they would face absolutely criminal charges. What about civil liability? Could one of the children or one of the mothers sue him?

Highly,, highly, unlikely., Clearly,, the women purchased something that they weren't really getting. However, they would have to show that they were damaged by this behavior, and it doesn't appear that they were.

Ultimately,, what, do, you, think, happens, in this case? Ultimately,, the, doctor, stays, out, of jail. He pleads to some sort of low-level offense and gets probation.

Mike,, thank, you, very, much, for, your insight. I appreciate you being here today. We'll be sure to follow the story as it moves forward. You can go to crimewatchdaily.com for updates. Also coming up, an 8-year-old terrorized by a monster and left for dead. Her little body was buried under 200 lb of concrete. Now, Lelle Nance tells her terrifying story of survival publicly for the first time.

I, remember, screaming,, like, fighting,, but it was like I kind of like lost hope.

That's, next. They are two sides of one horrible crime. There's a monster with murder on his mind and then a young victim with an unstoppable will to live. Our Jason Mata just interviewed the so-called miracle girl.

A, senseless, crime., Cruelty, beyond belief. He, put, her, head, first, so, she, wouldn't, be able to get out.

Lives, torn, apart., I, couldn't, face knowing that I let this happen. You know,

this, monster, terrorized, an, innocent 8-year-old. And it was her family that invited him in

to, be, that malevolent. He deserves worse. Much worse. But, there, is, someone, speaking, out, and standing up to him. The little girl he left to die. Now she's all grown up and for the very first time telling only Crime Watch Daily her story of inconceivable terror and unbelievable courage.

Like, I, kind, of, like, lost, hope, cuz, I, I thought you know no one can hear me. Sorry.

This, adorable, child, is, Lelle, Nance. Precocious whips smart with a photographic memory.

She, had, a, great, mind., She, could, remember anything. If she saw someone, if she one time if she saw them again, she knew who they were. She knew them by their name.

Beloved,, not, just, by, her, mom,, but, her godmother too. Whatever, she, needed,, I, was, there. Whatever she wanted from me, I had to give her.

Michelle, and, Lisa, are, best, friends., With their kids, they form a tight-knit family in Lakew Worth, Florida. And in the spring of 2004, that family would grow. His name is Magro Cunningham, a teenager from the Bahamas shuffled from home to home, Lisa takes pity on Magro and invites him into her house with open arms. We treated him just like he was family. It's our nature.

We,, did, bring, him, some, clothes and shoes that we had for my boyfriend that he wasn't using anymore because he really didn't have anything.

Malagro, soon, blends, right, in. He, was, a, regular, kid., He, played, games, on the TV, played with the other kids, went out with them.

No, one, knew, there, was, a, monster, hiding within. It's a typical Saturday night for Lelle a sleepover at her godmother's. Lelle shares a bed with Lisa's one-year-old grandson. The house is quiet until just after midnight when a new day of terror begins. About 1:00 that morning, my middle daughter, Danielle, came in and she told me that um she didn't see Lelle.

They, searched, the, house., Lelle's, shoes sit neatly by the front door, but no LE. Lisa calls the little girl's mom in a panic.

She, initially, asked, me,, "Did, I, pick, her up?" And I told her, "No." She said "Well, we can't find her." And I told her, "I'm on my way. Lelle is nowhere to be found. Police arrive to assist. That's when Malagro tells Lisa and Michelle an incredible story. He was awakened by a white man abducting Lelle from her bedroom.

And, he's, telling, us, this, story, about, how he was in the living room and someone burst inside my house and they had taken her out of the house. Something just wasn't right. He described a car uh station wagon with a dent in it, which was exactly the car that was parked in the driveway. And he said some guys took her and he tried to chase him. He ran almost maybe eight blocks behind the car. It just didn't make sense.

In, his, statement, to, police,, Magro, says when he catches up to the station wagon the white man jumps him. Three other white males joined in the attack, he tells officers, knocking him to the ground, kicking and punching him in a beatdown that lasted approximately 20 minutes. The story is far-fetched. Investigator Mike Driscoll says he wasn't buying it.

He, may, have, had, a, torn, shirt,, but, uh, he he hadn't really sustained any injuries from the beating.

So,, this, guy, says, he, was, beat, up, by, up to four individuals, and yet he had no physical markings showing that.

Correct., So, right, there,, it's, a, red flag. It's, a, big, red, flag. One, thing, police, are, sure, of,, Lelle, is missing.

There, were, dozens, of,, law enforcement personnel that searched the area for Lelle.

Officers, canvased, the, neighborhood, searching parks, a local cemetery, every square foot around Lisa's house including this landfill just blocks from where Lelle was taken. It's just an area where a lot of bad things tend to happen sometimes. If she was going to be somewhere, it was probably going to be in the landfill.

Sergeant, Michael, Hall, and, his, partner scan the landfill's access road, unsure of what they'd find.

As, we, start, driving, through, the, access road, one of the first things we see is a pair of underwear laying on the road. Um, couple feet away from that, I believe it was a pair of shorts. And at that point, I think we both realized that she's going to be in here somewhere. To the right of the road, two large construction dumpsters.

Inside, the, dumpster, was, just, a, lone recycling bin on wheels. I kind of open the lid and observe large pieces of broken concrete in the bin.

Stuffed, beneath, the, concrete., A heartbreaking sight. And, as, I'm, looking, closer, into, the, bin, I see a hand and a foot.

It's, Leelle., The, sergeant's, heart, sinks. Um, I then get on the radio. I notified the command post that in fact we found her. Um, it did not look good. I did not think she was alive. At Lisa's house the family gets awful news that Lelle's body had been found.

He put her head first so she wouldn't be able to get out. And he put concrete on top of her and he left her. [snorts] He left for there to die. First reaction was I passed out. I couldn't face, you know, be right there and knowing that I let this happen, you know,

and, we, got, word, that, the, dead, body, was found in the Lakew Worth landfill. So, we immediately responded to that location.

As, officers, secure, the, crime, scene,, the story takes a shocking twist. It, was, faint,,, but, it, was something you you just wouldn't miss. Next, she was upside down in a fetal position. A sick crime uncovered.

You, don't, just, throw, somebody, away, like that. And I, just, stopped, crying., Just, stopped moving.

A, young, girl, recalls, a, night, of, terror in the hands of a monster. I, just, thought, I, was, going, to, die.

Lelle, Nance, has, gone, missing, in, the, dead of night. Her mother losing hope by the minute.

Where, is, my, child?, What, happened, to, her? The, young, man, who, lived, with, Lelle's godmother says he was beaten up by the little girl's abductors when he tried to save her.

Did, you, believe, Malag, girl, story? At, first, we, did,, but, then, there, were holes in it. Something just wasn't right.

8, hours, later,, the, story, takes, a terrifying turn. Police found 8-year-old Lelle Nance here at this landfill. She was stuffed in a recycling bin. She was thrown in a dumpster like trash. Her little body was buried under 200 lb of concrete.

She, was, upside, down, in, a, fetal, position. Chunks of concrete on top of her. I mean, heavy chunks. Like some of them weighed as much as 30 lb.

Officers, begin, the, grim, task, of recovering Lelle's body, but nothing prepares them for what happens next.

When, we, looked, in,, Lieutenant, Matthew said, "I just saw her finger move." So instantly we jumped into the dumpster and began removing large chunks of concrete off of her.

How, close, was, she, to, death? I, heard, the, doctor, said, she, was, within 10 to 20 minutes of all her internal organs shutting down.

10, to, 20, minutes. 10, to, 20, minutes. Amazing. Lelle barely clings to life, but the weakened 8-year-old still gathers the strength to whisper the name of the man who tried to kill her. Was Magro. He did it. He did it.

This, is, Michelle, Nance, today,, 12, years older. And after a long physical rehabilitation, back on her feet, she's finally able to tell her whole terrifying story publicly for the first time. We want to warn you, it's graphic and disturbing. So, I know this is going to be really difficult for you because no one, let alone an 8-year-old girl should go through what you went through but if you can take me back to that early morning when you were in bed.

I, remember, waking, up, to, like, someone touching me. So, I woke up and then it was Magro. Magro Cunningham, the same guy Lashelle's family took in off the streets, now concocts a story to lure Lelle outside where evil awaits. So, I get up and I had on no shoes. Like, I had on no shoes. I just had on the clothes I slept in.

As, soon, as, Lelle, is, out, of, the, house, Magro attacks. And, that's, when, he, grabbed, me, and, shut the door. And he was saying, "If you scream, I'mma hurt you. If you scream I'mma hurt and he was like walking me towards he walked me over to the landfill.

There, a, few, blocks, from, the, house,, Lelle says the real nightmare begins. Magro slams her to the ground, punching her senseless, then viciously rapes her. I remember screaming, like fighting, but it was like it was so little. So, it got to the point where like [snorts] like I kind of like lost hope cuz like I thought, you know, no one can hear me. Oh, no. I just I just stopped crying. Just stopped moving. I just laid there because I don't know. I thought I didn't think no one would hear me. So, I didn't [snorts] Sorry.

And that's when like he grabbed me and started choking me. Lelle, is, no, match, for, Magro's, brute strength. So she takes a gamble and plays dead.

When, he's, choking, me,, I, don't, know, how, I got the idea to like fake my death. So I just like when he threw me down on the ground the last time, I just held my breath. And when he called out to me like I just didn't make any movement. I just laid there with my eyes closed. Then Lelle says Magro tries to permanently cover up his crime.

And, then, he, finally, grabbed, me,, threw, me over his shoulder [snorts] and he walked further down. We got to like I guess one of the dumpsters and he threw me inside the dumpster. Then he closed it and I remember him rolling the dumpster and I guess that's when he got near the rocks. So he put the the cement, you know, on top of me and it was like I didn't really understand it like at first, but as I got older it's just like how such a, you know evil person he was cuz like as he was throwing the rocks on top of me, he was saying sorry, sorry, and laughing after each rock like sorry and just laughing throw them on top of me. I don't know. I really thought I was going to like die.

I really thought I was going to die. Trapped, under, cement, close, to, four, times her weight, the little 8-year-old girl can't move. All she can do is lay there for eight agonizing hours. Then, just as she feels her life slipping away, Lelle hears faint voices.

I, kind, of, thought, it, was, a, dream., I, just remember the officers pulling the rock the rocks off me and I think one was crying. I'm not really sure which one it was, but one of them was crying. I remember that

four, years, after, he, brutalized, Lelle, Magro Cunningham goes on trial and Lel's mom is there to make sure he pays one way or another for what he did to her daughter.

I, wanted, to, hurt, him., I, wanted, to, hurt him. He's sitting there. He's got this smile on his face is smiring and you just want to get up and beat the hell out of them, but you know they're not going to let you. It was very difficult. Barry

Magro's, lawyers, claim, he, has, the mentality of a seven-year-old and didn't know right from wrong.

He, knew., I, knew, he, if, you, take, the, time to put rock after rock after rock, it's almost 200 lb of concrete on top of her.

Jurors, agree, and, reject, his, insanity defense. In 2009, he's sentenced to four life terms in prison. But just a year later, the US Supreme Court gives Magro the mercy he never showed Lashell. A 2010 ruling throws out life terms for juveniles for crimes other than murder. At the time of Magro's vicious attack he was 17, 10 months shy of being an adult.

You, mean, to, tell, me, you, don't, have, the mental capacity to know right from wrong? I I think it is a horrible decision. I I think he should spend the rest of his life in jail. Magro's public defender asked the judge to reduce the sentence further, citing his serious heart and kidney problems. Lelle decides enough is enough.

Listening, to, him, like, make, excuses, like for what he did like kind of like got me mad. So I was like I just have to like just stand up for myself because like what he did was not right.

She, testifies, at, Magro's, hearing bringing the fight to him. He, took, my, chocolate., He, took, my, wife. What was it like to see him at the re-sentencing hearing? Any signs of remorse?

No., Like, no., Like, none., He, just, sat there like he just here cuz he had to show up.

Judge, Charles, Burton, ultimately, reduces Malabro's sentence to 50 years, which may turn out to be a life sentence after all.

He's, on, dialysis., He, had, to, have, a pacemaker put in. He was 27 years old. It's karma. That's common.

There, is, a, possibility, he, could, get, out someday. That possibility exists, but I feel confident that he'll probably die in prison. As for Lelle, she's now taking her recovery many steps further, starting a nonprofit called Many Girls Like Us to help other victims of assault. with a lot of girls like a lot of them have my phone number and like you know texting them talking to them when they're going through like you know hard times like a lot of kids like didn't open up to anybody and just to like know that they feel comfortable enough to confide in me it's like it's really good.

It's, absolutely, outrageous, that, this brave young woman would have to relive this nightmare three times in court. And believe it or not, it may not be the last time. Under the new state law in Florida, Cunningham sentence will be reviewed again in 11 years. Still to come, wrongly convicted in racing against time.

I'm, thinking, I'm, in, prison, and, he's going to, die, and, I'm, not, going, to, spend any time with him.

One, man's, fight, to, get, out, of, jail before his father loses his battle with cancer. Coming up

149., That's, how, many, people, were exonerated last year, freed after serving time for crimes they didn't commit. A record that could be broken this year. Our Nerissa Knight is here now with the story of an Illinois man who wasn't sure he would ever taste freedom again.

Chris,, how, many, times, have, we, heard, an inmate say they're innocent? They've got the wrong guy. Well, in the case of Norman Macintosh, that's exactly what he said for 15 years until finally finding himself in an agonizing race against time to prove his innocence before his ailing father died.

Now, I'm, thinking,, I'm, in, prison, and, he's going to die and I'm not going to spend any time with him. Norman was just 23 when he was charged with this grizzly murder, shooting dead a gang rival and wounding another on the south side of Chicago.

They, saying, that, they, supposed, to, rob, me earlier in the day and there was retaliation for it.

Norman, insisted, from, the, beginning police had the wrong man and even provided them with an alibi. Early that morning, I checked into a hospital and got treated for illness and was at my girlfriend's house for the rest of the day.

But, Norman, would, be, wrongfully, convicted of first-degree murder and other charges and sentenced to 45 years in prison.

And, I, just, couldn't, believe, that, it happened knowing that I didn't commit a crime.

Did, you, know, that, one, day, you, would, be free? At some points, I felt like I'll be free one day. Then at some points, I felt like I'd never get out.

Then,, after, more, than, a, decade, behind bars, the victim's brother recanted evidence that had helped convict Norman saying cops had coerced him into misidentifying Norman in a police lineup.

The, police, said,, "Look,, if, you, don't testify and if you don't say it's him we're, going to, put, your, brother's, murder on you." With that, Norman's dying dad hired Jennifer Black, an attorney who specializes in wrongful conviction cases, and she tracked down other witnesses who had also falsely identified Norman in a lineup.

I, found, the, two, 12-year-olds., They, both recanted and told me the same story. I was like, "Did Norman do it?" They're like "I don't know who did it, but James told us who to pick." And he said "Pick the guy in the red shirt." But at the same time, Norman got news that his father, Norman Senior, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had only months to live.

You, sitting, in, a, cell, thinking, about, it like, "Am I going to get a call tomorrow that he's passed away?"

His, dad, stood, by, him, and, believed, in Norman's innocence from day one. He's, been, there, from, the, moment, I, was arrested till now. and Norman's hope of being freed and seeing his father again jumped when Jennifer tracked down that alternate suspect linking his fingerprints and car to the crime scene.

I, was, actually, able, to, refute, all, the evidence entered against Norman at trial, point to an alternate suspect and practically prove it was the alternate suspect.

See, how, steady, now? And, just, last, month,, Norman, Macintosh walked out of prison. What's up, man?

into, the, waiting, arms, of, his, overjoyed family. You, don't, think, it's, true., You, just hoping that it's that's really happening. It's unbelievable. And until you out and away from the prison, then you start believing, okay I'm really out now.

Norman, at, last, got, to, hug, his 14-year-old son, Hassan, who was born just months after Norman was locked up. I can touch him but without being in prison.

And, he, would, have, a, tearful, reunion, with his ailing dad, Norman Senior. I, wasn't, supposed, to, be, here,, but, but, I am.

Norman, Senior, would, die, just, weeks later, peaceful and content after seeing his son finally free.

I, think, he, held, on, as, long, as, he, did, just so he could see me home.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "8-year-old girl kidnapped and buried in concrete by family friend"?

Chris Hansen (Host), Elizabeth Smart (Guest), Michelle Nance (Guest), Mike Cavaluti (Guest), Magro Cunningham (Guest).

What is "8-year-old girl kidnapped and buried in concrete by family friend" about?

The content revolves around two shocking criminal cases: first, the revelation of a fertility doctor who misled his patients by using his own sperm instead of their partners', resulting in widespread feelings of betrayal among the mothers. The narrative then shifts to the harrowing ordeal of an 8-year-old girl who was kidnapped and buried alive by a family friend but miraculously survived,…

What is mentioned in this True Crime News episode?

12 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Crime Watch Daily, Dr. Donald Klein, Lelle Nance, Magro Cunningham, Elizabeth Smart, Jacoba Ballard. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "8-year-old girl kidnapped and buried in concrete by family friend"?

The episode runs 41 min; the transcript is about 6,652 words in 176 timestamped sections.

More from True Crime News

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.