I was scarred for life from this story. There are so many horrifying, heartbreaking, blood-curdling details. I stg every time I go on a ferry now I sit on the top deck right next to the lifeboats.
There's also another story of his about a huge air disaster in South America.
Fatal Distractions by Gene Weingarten in the Washington Post, on the topic of how it can happen that parents leave children in hot cars.
Fatal Distraction
Warning this article will never leave you but it could save a life
Completely agree. I read this before I had kids and it totally changed me. Because of this we were so careful to put things we needed in the backseat to remember. We never even had a close call but this article is what made the difference.
Now that I have young kids I’m not sure I could reread it
Have you read the article? I think it might illuminate what the commenter above you said and why. Of course the child is the most important thing in the car – I understand where you're coming from but the reality is that there are circumstances in which loving and attentive parents have left children in cars.
The article does a fantastic (and heartwrenching) job of describing how a quiet/sleeping child, distracted & exhausted parent, and especially a change in routine (e.g. if you usually drop your child off at daycare that day of the week, but for some reason haven't) can compound into tragedy.
Leaving other important things next to your child is actually a very good strategy to snap out of autopilot. One example might be your car keys – you will realise you've left someone and something behind as soon as you go to lock your car.
I'm not a parent but I read this article a long time ago and it really stuck with me, especially the way that it can happen to anyone. I honestly could not recommend it more, it's the article that got me into longform journalism in the first place.
Thank you, this is exactly what I mean. You put the child in their car seat, put your purse on the seat next to them. That way you have a double check because you will have to go back to the backseat to get your purse or whatever.
Yeah, I think this might be one of the most disturbing articles I've ever read. I first read it years ago, and it's stuck with me ever since.
I really, really appreciated how it re-framed the conversation about children left in hot cars. It's so easy to say "I'd never do that", but it shows how easily it could happen to anyone. Absolutely haunting.
I think about this article so often when I get to a certain point in my morning commute and realize I have no recollection of getting there. The drive is so automatic.
i’ve seen the documentary about this topic with the same name. Interesting watch. surprisingly, i feel like article is actually harder to read - thank you for the rec!
Coincidentally, I watched a documentary earlier today about how one of the cases from the Fatal Distraction article was cited by Russia when they banned international adoptions from the USA. The documentary goes into the corruption & geopolitical forces that actually precipitated the ban. The author of Fatal Distraction appears in the documentary.
To the Moon & Back (2016): “The shocking chronicle of the Russian Adoption Ban and the American father targeted by Vladimir Putin; A story of scandal, murder and innocent orphans held hostage in a political chess game.”
There is a series of deep dive articles about (not all) nail salons and the human trafficking that goes on to keep them running. Called Unvarnished by Sarah Nir. New York Times 2015 or 2016, can’t remember which.
Don’t neglect to click all the “related” links. Like this one https://www.nytimes.com/times-insider/2015/05/07/something-rotten-in-the-state-of-nail-salons/
Sorry, I have a headache. Posted too early and had to get my strength back to finish. This article is about the private prison system in the US, and it’s written by an author who spent years in prison in Iran.
It’s both amazing and sad to realize that I first learned about CCA and the private prison racket waaaaaay back in the late 1990s, when guest speaker and American icon Angela Davis ✊🏿gave a presentation on the topic at my university.
I was scandalized then, and things have only gotten worse. 😢
this one is beyond fascinating. I commend the investment of time and information this reporter did to give us the raw deal. I also can’t even begin to process that this type of shit is happening in our prisons and it’s not at the forefront of things to change with politicians but …. i guess i learned what ‘private’ prison really actually means now.
This story is insane and very well written. The detectives who worked the case were at some times quite impressive - and at others embarrassingly clueless.
The first part is about the death of a cheerleader. The 2nd part is about the aftermath, including questions of what really counts as justice and whether the punishment fit the crime.
Anything by Patrick Radden Keefe, especially: A Loaded Gun https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/02/11/a-loaded-gun
Also this article about a gang of wealthy Arizona teenagers https://archive.ph/2024.06.21-112339/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/07/01/how-a-homegrown-teen-gang-punctured-the-image-of-an-upscale-community
Not about murder like many other links, but this New Yorker article on uncovering one of the more prolific art forgers is great: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/26/the-giveaway
This guy is interesting and partly successful because he doesn’t sell his forged paintings… he just donates them. And seems to do it all for attention. Museums will wine and dine him, treat him like a VIP, etc because they think he’s some eccentric rich person. But he’s just been creating detailed forgeries himself, all to give them away, from a crummy apartment.
The dealers who buy and sell historic Texas documents move in a world of big money, big egos, and big mistakes.
The Legend of John Holmes Jenkins (2020): https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/john-holmes-jenkins-rare-books-texas/
He was a notorious dealmaker known for bringing priceless pieces of Texas history back to the state. He was a suspected forger and arsonist. But could he also have masterminded his own death?
cenimsaj | 22 hours ago
Texas Monthly is fantastic for long-form crime journalism: https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/
sebhouston | 22 hours ago
Especially anything b y Skip Hollandsworth!
frankcauldhame1 | 22 hours ago
over xmas i treated myself to a year's subscription just so i could binge their true crime archive
Pheighthe | 21 hours ago
I just bought his book.
socialmediaignorant | 21 hours ago
I am obsessed with Texas Monthly. I have been for over thirty years now. It’s just so damn good. And Skip is the crown jewel for me.
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 22 hours ago
Thank you! I was reading a Texas Monthly piece that sparked this post, perfect rec.
salliek76 | 20 hours ago
They do great podcasts as well!
towinem | 22 hours ago
One of the most riveting (and harrowing) articles I've ever read: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/05/a-sea-story/302940/
Archived link: https://archive.ph/QsjHD
sullafelix73 | 22 hours ago
So bleak and horrifying. He was an amazing disaster journalist; all his articles are worth reading.
egtved_girl | 22 hours ago
You will never recover from this one.
Adisaisa | 18 hours ago
I had to keep googling 'aft', 'heel', 'starboard' etc. and pretty sure visualized many things wrongly but it was devastating nonetheless.
Pheighthe | 22 hours ago
I love William L. articles.
theCurseOfHotFeet | 19 hours ago
I read this quite a while ago and I think about it, unprompted, so frequently. He was an incredible writer
Quouar | 5 hours ago
Highly recommend his article on Columbia as well. He's one of the absolute greats of aviation articles.
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 22 hours ago
thank you! diving in now!
relaxweredust | 15 hours ago
This is one of my favorite articles of all time! So pumped to see it as the top comment
Gigabub | an hour ago
I was scarred for life from this story. There are so many horrifying, heartbreaking, blood-curdling details. I stg every time I go on a ferry now I sit on the top deck right next to the lifeboats.
There's also another story of his about a huge air disaster in South America.
sharipep | 11 hours ago
Oooh. I just watched a doc on the Estonia a few months ago and have been weirdly obsessed with that disaster ever since. Def gotta read this one!
No-Stress-7034 | 10 hours ago
Do you mind sharing the name of the documentary you watched?
sharipep | 8 hours ago
Yes of course, it’s called Estonia or "Estonia: The Find That Changes Everything"— I watched it on HBO Max
hobobarbie | 20 hours ago
Fatal Distractions by Gene Weingarten in the Washington Post, on the topic of how it can happen that parents leave children in hot cars. Fatal Distraction Warning this article will never leave you but it could save a life
theCurseOfHotFeet | 19 hours ago
Completely agree. I read this before I had kids and it totally changed me. Because of this we were so careful to put things we needed in the backseat to remember. We never even had a close call but this article is what made the difference.
Now that I have young kids I’m not sure I could reread it
LadybugGirltheFirst | 19 hours ago
I would think the CHILD would be “thing” you need to remember.
SpaceCutie | 18 hours ago
Have you read the article? I think it might illuminate what the commenter above you said and why. Of course the child is the most important thing in the car – I understand where you're coming from but the reality is that there are circumstances in which loving and attentive parents have left children in cars.
The article does a fantastic (and heartwrenching) job of describing how a quiet/sleeping child, distracted & exhausted parent, and especially a change in routine (e.g. if you usually drop your child off at daycare that day of the week, but for some reason haven't) can compound into tragedy.
Leaving other important things next to your child is actually a very good strategy to snap out of autopilot. One example might be your car keys – you will realise you've left someone and something behind as soon as you go to lock your car.
I'm not a parent but I read this article a long time ago and it really stuck with me, especially the way that it can happen to anyone. I honestly could not recommend it more, it's the article that got me into longform journalism in the first place.
theCurseOfHotFeet | 18 hours ago
Thank you, this is exactly what I mean. You put the child in their car seat, put your purse on the seat next to them. That way you have a double check because you will have to go back to the backseat to get your purse or whatever.
No-Stress-7034 | 10 hours ago
Yeah, I think this might be one of the most disturbing articles I've ever read. I first read it years ago, and it's stuck with me ever since.
I really, really appreciated how it re-framed the conversation about children left in hot cars. It's so easy to say "I'd never do that", but it shows how easily it could happen to anyone. Absolutely haunting.
88secret | 9 hours ago
I think about this article so often when I get to a certain point in my morning commute and realize I have no recollection of getting there. The drive is so automatic.
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 18 hours ago
i’ve seen the documentary about this topic with the same name. Interesting watch. surprisingly, i feel like article is actually harder to read - thank you for the rec!
TigritsaPisitsa | 18 hours ago
Coincidentally, I watched a documentary earlier today about how one of the cases from the Fatal Distraction article was cited by Russia when they banned international adoptions from the USA. The documentary goes into the corruption & geopolitical forces that actually precipitated the ban. The author of Fatal Distraction appears in the documentary.
To the Moon & Back (2016): “The shocking chronicle of the Russian Adoption Ban and the American father targeted by Vladimir Putin; A story of scandal, murder and innocent orphans held hostage in a political chess game.”
ArpanMondal270 | 15 hours ago
There was a good piece on r/nosleep about this same topic. It was from the dad's point of view. "Autopilot"
pamplemousse0214 | 11 hours ago
This one is absolutely devastating
Pheighthe | 22 hours ago
There is a series of deep dive articles about (not all) nail salons and the human trafficking that goes on to keep them running. Called Unvarnished by Sarah Nir. New York Times 2015 or 2016, can’t remember which.
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 22 hours ago
appreciate it! found it! https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/nyregion/at-nail-salons-in-nyc-manicurists-are-underpaid-and-unprotected.html
Pheighthe | 21 hours ago
Don’t neglect to click all the “related” links. Like this one https://www.nytimes.com/times-insider/2015/05/07/something-rotten-in-the-state-of-nail-salons/
cryzinger | 20 hours ago
If you're on this sub then there's a good chance you've read it already, but just in case you haven't:
https://otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/
And a more "conventional" true crime story: https://www.wired.com/2010/12/ff-collarbomb/ / http://archive.today/ZoNp1
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 18 hours ago
true - I’ve read the death valley germans a few months ago. The collar bomb piece is so fascinating. I’ve never heard of that!! stranger than fiction.
thermalclimber | 3 hours ago
If you liked the Death Valley Germans, I'd also recommend this otherhand article: https://otherhand.org/home-page/area-51-and-other-strange-places/bluefire-main/bluefire/the-hunt-for-928/
Pretend_Guava_1730 | 18 hours ago
ProPublica. Here's one to start:
https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-st-peters-hospital-oncology
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 17 hours ago
after my time working for a crooked and unhinged plastic surgeon - i liked this one a whole lot. Justice for whistleblower Dr. Sasich
88secret | 18 hours ago
This series about a murder investigation in Tampa, Florida is excellent (and gut-wrenching).
Angels & Demons
sm09193 | 17 hours ago
This is literally one of the best long form articles I’ve ever read. It’s so beautiful and devastating. I’m gonna read it again.
88secret | 9 hours ago
I reread it again every few years and say some prayers for the Rogers family and their loved ones.
happilyfour | 12 hours ago
This one is so well done but the story is absolutely nauseating. This poor family.
Soggy-Speed-490six | 6 hours ago
This is the first one I thought of.
A_crybaby | 20 hours ago
This is old old, but it’s stuck in my mind for over a decade now:
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/06/cca-private-prisons-corrections-corporation-inmates-investigation-bauer/
A_crybaby | 20 hours ago
Sorry, I have a headache. Posted too early and had to get my strength back to finish. This article is about the private prison system in the US, and it’s written by an author who spent years in prison in Iran.
VarietySuspicious106 | 10 hours ago
Bookmarking this one for later.
It’s both amazing and sad to realize that I first learned about CCA and the private prison racket waaaaaay back in the late 1990s, when guest speaker and American icon Angela Davis ✊🏿gave a presentation on the topic at my university.
I was scandalized then, and things have only gotten worse. 😢
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 8 hours ago
this one is beyond fascinating. I commend the investment of time and information this reporter did to give us the raw deal. I also can’t even begin to process that this type of shit is happening in our prisons and it’s not at the forefront of things to change with politicians but …. i guess i learned what ‘private’ prison really actually means now.
informallyundecided | 6 hours ago
His book is well worth the read, too
previousinnovation | 17 hours ago
"The Missing Kayaker; What happened to Ryan Borgwardt?" By Jamie Thompson https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2025/12/wisconsin-kayaker-ryan-borgwardt-death/684631/
This story is insane and very well written. The detectives who worked the case were at some times quite impressive - and at others embarrassingly clueless.
Archive link https://archive.ph/rxMjR
KedyLamarr | 8 hours ago
What a great read.
Claircashier | 21 hours ago
https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/see-no-evil-3/ this one has stuck with me
liand22 | 20 hours ago
Can’t go wrong with Skip Hollandsworth.
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 19 hours ago
omg I just finished whoa 👁️👁️
sharipep | 20 hours ago
The Buzzfeed Russia UK assassination pieces are incredible, such as
From Russia with Blood: 14 Suspected Hits On British Soil That The Government Ignored
Pretend_Guava_1730 | 19 hours ago
Texas Monthly has amazing longform true crime articles. Anything Skip Hollandsworth writes in particular.
someoneelsewho | 17 hours ago
Love Skip Hollandsworth!
Severn6 | 16 hours ago
This article will haunt me for the rest of my life:
https://www.gq.com/story/truck-stop-killer-gq-november-2012
zeddoh | 7 hours ago
Thank you for sharing, that was indeed an extremely haunting read. An unsatisfying but totally fitting ending with nothing really resolved.
Jaded247365 | 20 hours ago
Check The Electric Typewriter
[OP] imnottdoingthat | 19 hours ago
saved
bookish-malarkey | 18 hours ago
The Tower, by Andrew O'Hagan.
No-Stress-7034 | 9 hours ago
One of my favorites from Texas Monthly: A Bend in the River
And the follow up: A Question of Mercy
The first part is about the death of a cheerleader. The 2nd part is about the aftermath, including questions of what really counts as justice and whether the punishment fit the crime.
positronic_robot | 6 hours ago
Anything by Patrick Radden Keefe, especially: A Loaded Gun https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/02/11/a-loaded-gun
Also this article about a gang of wealthy Arizona teenagers https://archive.ph/2024.06.21-112339/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/07/01/how-a-homegrown-teen-gang-punctured-the-image-of-an-upscale-community
OragamiGreenbean | 6 hours ago
I read The Bravest Woman in Seattle15 years ago when it was published and have never forgotten it.
88secret | 5 hours ago
That one sticks with me almost as much as the Rogers family (Angels & Demons, referenced in another comment).
pepperpavlov | 20 hours ago
The book True Story by Michael Finkel
CactusBoyScout | 9 hours ago
Not about murder like many other links, but this New Yorker article on uncovering one of the more prolific art forgers is great: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/26/the-giveaway
This guy is interesting and partly successful because he doesn’t sell his forged paintings… he just donates them. And seems to do it all for attention. Museums will wine and dine him, treat him like a VIP, etc because they think he’s some eccentric rich person. But he’s just been creating detailed forgeries himself, all to give them away, from a crummy apartment.
RemarkablePuzzle257 | 8 hours ago
Here are two that were published 31 years apart, yet share some interesting connections:
Forgery, Texas Style (1989): https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/forgery-texas-style/
The dealers who buy and sell historic Texas documents move in a world of big money, big egos, and big mistakes.
The Legend of John Holmes Jenkins (2020): https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/john-holmes-jenkins-rare-books-texas/
He was a notorious dealmaker known for bringing priceless pieces of Texas history back to the state. He was a suspected forger and arsonist. But could he also have masterminded his own death?
previousinnovation | 6 hours ago
"The Secret Pentagon War Game That Offers a Stark Warning for Our Times; The devastating outcome of the 1983 game reveals that nuclear escalation inevitably spirals out of control." By William Langewiesche https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/magazine/nuclear-strategy-proud-prophet.html
Free link https://archive.ph/JS7qU
f_6319 | 21 hours ago
The Lazy Reader has a few longform stories every Monday. Subscribe at
https://the-lazy-reader.beehiiv.com/