I had no clue how bad it was. Oh my god. >> This is 43-year-old Shanda Vanderarch. Hysterical, sobbing, and playing the role of the grieving mother. >> And I said something. I didn't see him wake up. And I shook him and didn't respond. >> Was he on the bed when you came down there? >> Yes. >> She claimed her 15-year-old son, Timothy Ferguson, had simply fallen from his bunk bed. But when detectives stepped into what would soon be called the house of horrors, the truth told a very different story. Handcuffs. >> Handcuffs here. >> Hot sauce. >> Hot sauce. >> What the hell? >> Webcams. >> This is everything in there. Weird. There's webcams all over the place in the basement. >> Closet with a tarp. And then the lifeless body of Timothy Ferguson. >> That's right here. He's 50 lb. His condition eerily mirrored that of another victim, 3-year-old Takakota Collins, but only this time, the orchestrator of such atrocities was his own mother. Evidence was everywhere. And just when it seemed it couldn't get worse, Shanda's eldest son came forward and revealed the sickening truth about what really happened inside that house. >> She asked you to handcuff your brother, pour hot sauce in his mouth. She asked you to pour hot sauce on his Your mother asked you to do those things cuz she cares so much. She puts you in that spot. >> Before the truth about Shanda Vander Arc unraveled in the interrogation room, all anyone saw was a grieving mother. Through her tears, she claimed her 15-year-old son, Timothy Ferguson, was unresponsive after a tragic accident, just a fall from his bunk bed. >> And I asked if he's okay, and I asked if he hit his head. He said, "No, I think I hit my my my knees on my chest. I think he couldn't obviously he couldn't tell me how he fell." Um, oh my god. That's why I asked him to eat last night cuz his face started looking a little thick. I'm like, "Okay, enough." And he wouldn't show. I'm like, "Let me see. Hold your shirt up." And he wouldn't hold his shirt up. He wouldn't do anything. >> But beneath the surface of her performance was a reality far more disturbing. One that officers would uncover as they stepped deeper into the home. An overwhelming sense of dread settled in when in the basement they discovered Timothy's frail, malnourished body, lifeless and broken. His condition was a heartbreaking reflection of months of torment and neglect. What had gone so horribly wrong? The truth surfaced sooner than expected when investigators sat down with Shanda's eldest son, Paul. His interrogation will shed light on the depth of this monstrosity. What he's about to say is graphic and can be overwhelming for some. Viewer discretion is advised. >> You came down here with a lot of officer Steph. >> Yes. >> How did that kind of all transpire? I don't know how it ended up here. >> I was from my I know that my mother had come I think down here. >> Okay. >> Or something. I think it was in the corner. I don't exactly know the full details. >> Okay. Paul sits curled up in the chair, knees pulled to his chest like a little kid seeking comfort. This self soothing posture signals distress, a subconscious attempt to make himself smaller. Unlike a suspect who leans back in defiance, Paul's closed off position suggests powerlessness. Whether he admits it or not, his body language already reveals the weight of what he knows. So these are your random rights, right? Do you understand that? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Um, when we talk about I just jump right into it. >> I know that we talked yesterday and I know that not everything that we talked about was the truth yesterday. That's okay. You don't have to feel bad. You don't have to feel guilty about not telling the truth to me. Okay? I want you to just focus on yourself right now and think about what's best for you and and try to get to the truth of what really happened with you, brother, cuz he deserves that. >> Um, I mean, there's clearly a lot of messages about stuff that you guys are doing with him, about what he's eating, about restricting his food. How did that how did that all work? Like, what was he allowed to eat? We stopped the food restrictions recently because we had noticed a thin. We wanted to get that back on. We didn't want any of this. We never wanted him to be injured or hurt. So, you stopped the food restriction. When did that kind of happen? Like ballpark that for me? 2 weeks approximately. We We were hoping that we could get enough where he would be safe and then we could continue to add it back to where we wouldn't have to worry and we could What were the What were the restrictions? We made sure that it was still something that gave him enough calories and everything. We It was rice or bread. And like I said last week, he got pizza. Okay. >> Before Paul even entered the room, detectives had already uncovered something disturbing. Text messages and call recordings that shattered Shanda's carefully crafted image of a grieving mother. But these messages didn't just expose her cruelty. They hinted at Paul's role in the nightmare. And as he makes his first unsettling statement, it reveals a punishment so brutal it left Timothy starving for even a single morsel of food. >> What were the What were they in place for like in the first place? Sneaking food over and over and over. We We've tried everything. We were nice. We tried different consequences, but he just he never listened. What were some of the other types of consequences like >> like prior to prior to like are we talking like we did take away his devices? >> Okay. >> Because that was also because he wouldn't stay on his school sites and would just go and try and play games or watch YouTube. >> Okay. >> But he was the thing is he should have been held back so much. >> Yeah. But he passed all of his final exams. So I don't think it was my stepmother. My stepmother was amazing, >> but I believe it was my father's doing it. >> Okay. >> This isn't the first time Paul shifts the blame onto his father, and it certainly won't be the last. To fully understand the family dynamic, we need to take a step back and examine the history that led to this tragic moment. Timothy and Paul Ferguson's biological father is Eric Ferguson. After Eric and Shandanda Vanderarch's divorce, the boys were thrust into a turbulent environment exacerbated by their struggles with autism spectrum disorder. Both children required specialized care, and Shanda's ability to provide that care proved to be deeply flawed. Multiple reports to child protective services eventually led to Eric gaining custody of Timothy and Paul between 2009 and 2012. But despite the temporary relief, the boys were returned to Shanda's care, a decision that would set the stage for Timothy's rapid decline. However, there was a time when they lived far away from all the chaos in Oklahoma, where they were cared for by their father and stepf, according to Paul was a nightmare. >> What is that? You kind of told me about it yesterday, but you said there was some sort of problem that he had that caused that or >> Yeah. I mean, I don't know. >> Honestly, no. I just that's what I've assumed. >> Okay. >> Cuz it's I'm pretty sure it's been basically his whole life since this has been happening. >> And it's not just that. He's urinated in places back in Oklahoma in his closet, dressers, everything. >> Okay. He's uh what type of like disorders does he have that you're aware of? >> I know he has ADHD. I believe he has sensory processing. >> Okay. Um, I was never there for any sort of autism spectrum test, but from what I've seen, I know that that probably was a thing. I also know he was motor and speech impaired. He couldn't run right and talk right. I think when he was younger, he had to have a surgery on his ears to have tubes put in because he has heightened hearing that was very loud noises could be painful. >> So, too much. >> Yeah. The fact is if you could hear my mother, my stepmother talking with a friend about going to a movie with the TV when it was on really high volume cuz one of those sort of pointers. What about you? You have any of those sort of things or anything? Uh >> I have ADHD. >> Okay. >> And I think they said I was diagnosed with sensory processing, but from what my mother has told me that that's that's just no. >> What is that? I'm not there. What's sensory processing? It's basically when you overreact to things way too much. >> Yeah. >> And I guess loud noises and things and bright lights are disturbing. >> For me, that's there's not really any of that. The only problems I have is when someone's music has a lot of bass drumming in it. >> Okay. >> For me, that'll feel like someone's smashing my ribs with a mallet. >> Okay. That's why I don't hardly listen to music very high if it's got uh bass drums because it hurts. >> Yeah, that would make sense. Um, did you go to school? >> Yes, I went to the school back in Oklahoma. I graduated from Santa Fe High School. >> Okay. >> I still I gave him the diploma and I stand in my room. >> Okay. He graduated from high school. What you kind of do after that? Um I think I know that my father had kicked me out after like in I think May 2 years ago or so. So like 20 May of 20. Yeah. And due to co the graduation had been postponed to July and I'd been man I managed to get my biom's number at that point and was capable of talking to her and telling her how all of this had happened. >> Yeah. And I also asked some of the things that about what dad had told me, the whole did he did you really not care, >> right? >> And from what he told and I'm pretty sure it's scientifically impossible that she had her tubes undone for Gabriel, which from what I'm guessing, that's an impossibility, isn't it? >> Okay. >> He's a miracle. He's a little miracle child. >> Fair enough. >> He is a blessing to this world. >> Yeah. >> Does your mom feel like that? certain that he's a blessing. >> Of course, she loves him so much. >> She loved every single one of us. But my dad's controlish, freaky nature was just he didn't want her having any contact and screwing all of his control up. >> Okay. >> It's only been a few minutes and one thing is already painfully clear. Paul resents his father. But despite his hostility toward Eric, Paul still seems to favor his mother. However, to Shanda, there was only one child who truly mattered. Her so-called miracle child, Gabriel. Unlike Paul and Timothy, Gabriel never faced the same level of neglect or cruelty. Shanda pampered him, shielding him from the horrors his brothers endured. While Timothy was starved and abused, Gabriel was given everything he wanted. And as Paul sits in the interrogation room, it becomes evident his loyalty to his mother may have come at a cost. And there was a thing back in Oklahoma where I had to I had problems with emotional release. I I was so terrified of him that I didn't ever want to release any of the negative emotions I ever had around him. It was there were times where I wanted to say no, but I was so terrified that I just couldn't. >> Yeah. here. I can release my anger and I do it in the right ways. I never do it any in any way that I'm not supposed to. Okay. >> Paul claims he used to take his anger out in all the right ways. But we're about to find out exactly what those right ways were. And it's far from what anyone would expect. And if I unintentionally cop an attitude with my mother, I I realize it and I apologize telling you that I did not mean to, that I just slipped a small amount and I'm going to go and do something to calm down. >> Would there be any sort of testing your mom if you slipped up with her attitude was or how that worked? Um, there were times when I would cop an attitude that was unnecessary and she would have me get off devices for maybe 15 minutes cuz usually that was what it was revolved around because I I'll be honest, I have a I have an addiction to my devices. >> Okay. >> It's not something I can really do without. I guess you know I I never had very much of that back in Oklahoma. >> Yeah. >> My dad was strict. He didn't even give me a phone. My my sister and my steps sister had phones before I did and that was due to the fact that he could not raise a male, >> right? And at first he thought not that the ADHD was just ADD because like my mother I could hyperfocus which is actually a symptom of ADHD, right? >> And then so now you're in work and we talked yesterday about how you're paying bills and >> Yeah. And unlike >> Yeah. And unlike my step, my father, >> she doesn't force me to give her half of my paycheck. He forced that on me. >> Yeah. >> And I was working basically minimum wage >> at both. >> Yeah. That's tough. >> It was nightmarish. And the thing is that my stepmother didn't even know about that until after I had moved and I had told her. Okay. >> And she apologized so heavily because she she was just going to want some stuff to help with rent at times. >> Yeah. And when he has to borrow money, he never paid it back. And my mother has paid it back every time. Whether it's in a way like paying for the bike payments for my electronic bike cuz you know we put a down payment and then we have to do the consecutive payments for it. more. >> Was that your first Would you consider that like your first big purchase on your own your electric bike or have you purchased more expensive things? >> More expensive than that? I don't believe so. No. >> What about PCs? You spend a decent amount of money on computers or just piece them together or >> We spent good amounts because >> Minecraft is something I I've always loved. >> Yeah. And cuz for me for the ADHD being able to build and be creative is just something that I absolutely adored. >> Okay. >> And I also it also was something that I liked doing for YouTube. I have a YouTube channel myself. It's not popular or anything, but okay. >> It is very >> it's something that I was inspired by. And Preston plays in the recently passed Technoblade. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Everything Paul says here is disturbing. He's a 20-year-old man with a job. Why would his devices being taken away be a concern? The only way to interpret this is through the lens of control and manipulation. Shanda abused Paul just like she abused Timothy, but the methods were different. Instead of physical torment, she used financial dependency and emotional coercion. Paul didn't have to split rent with her like he did at his father's place. But in return, he was made to feel like he had to shoulder the household's expenses because he was the man of the house. And to keep him under her thumb, she would reward him by buying him gifts like an ebike. In every sense, Paul's loyalty to Shanda was outright bought. But this is only the beginning. Paul's justifications will soon take an even darker turn. >> So Timothy comes up here. What's life like immediately when he just hugged you? >> It was good at first. The thing is it's this has happened before. Not like moving up from somewhere, but for the whole thing where I think he said back in Oklahoma, I think once or twice he had said something about being >> okay. And we had put him in in my mother, my stepmother and father agreed on this that he should have he could be institutionalized. >> And when he got back, the first couple of weeks were good. He didn't misbehave. But then after that, it just reverted back to what he was doing before. >> Okay. >> The destructiveness and everything. >> What you explain that like >> he it was very dangerous. He would pull the outlet covers off. He would screw it to light fixtures. It was >> okay. >> Our house in Edmond was his room. It was He'd pull the studs out of the wall, rip off the painting, the paint. I mean, >> it was Yeah. >> If Paul's statements seemed questionable before, what the detectives say next will flip the narrative entirely. It's a reality Paul was least expecting to confront. >> Were you able to have a conversation with him like you and I are having like a back and forth conversation or he wasn't able to talk like that? >> Uh he could talk but the thing is that it would mostly be hard to understand. >> Okay. >> Because of the speech imperation I think it's called. I don't know what that word is. >> Speech impediment. >> Yeah. There we go. That's he was in therapy for that and the motor. >> Were you up here? >> No. in Oklahoma. >> Do you know being in any therapy or anything up here? >> Um, no. >> Okay. Do you know if you ever went to the doctor at all here? Um, no. Honestly, we never until I don't know. We We man since we stopped the last hunger strike and managed to get him back to a safe weight. We were we were hoping and praying that he wouldn't need any sort of assistance at that point, which he didn't. He was he was fine. But then this whole ordeal happened and >> right >> I honestly feel like we should have taken him to the doctor sooner. We we could have done something, but we with all this that this happened. It's just >> Yeah. >> I mean, how long ago do you think probably should have taken him to the doctor? Honestly, if I'm going to be honest, I'd say the day after the divorce, finally we got the message about the divorce. And the thing is that my mother can't even face my father right now, we she doesn't want to call him because the one thing that she and I both know is that he's going to hurl every ounce of blame that he can at her. Right. >> So, what when was the when was that divorce? Like July? I think it was exactly a week ago today or tomorrow something like that. >> So about a week ago you >> Yeah, we >> I saw I saw on your phone that you had sent a couple pictures to your mom. >> Yes. >> Pretty skinny. And you said, you know, hey, he's nothing but skin. But >> yeah, I was I was very concerned. It just I >> Yeah. What do you think that maybe would have been a good time to take him to the doctor or? >> Yeah, honestly that probably would have been one too. I just I don't know. >> And then you sent a picture of like his legs that were just basically gone, right? No wonder he can't stand or something along the lines. >> Yeah. But the thing is before yesterday and I think the day before he could walk. >> Yeah. You might need a little support every so often, like he'd put his hand against the wall or grab the rail of the stairs, but after a couple of seconds, he'd let go and be fine. >> Okay. >> It was never anything major. >> When was like the last time he was really like talking to you, like able to have a conversation or at least try to have a conversation? Um, last time he actually talked was 3 days ago, but the day before or the day after that, the day before yesterday, he could talk as he talked a small amount in the morning, but then he just sort of was making groans and moans and it concerned me. I was as my mother was driving me to work, I I recommended that maybe we should take him to the hospital. >> Okay. >> I'm not sure if that ever happened or not. I >> What did she What did she say about that when you when you made that recommendation? >> I I don't know. I think after that I think that was like as I was getting out of the car and shutting the door. >> So, we're talking So, today's the 7th. Yesterday the 6th. What day are we talking about the last day? Was really kind of talking outside of the room. >> The 5th. He He talked some in the morning. He was responsive. >> Yeah, >> that much I know. What's the deal with the photograph in the bathtub of his face? Like zoomed in on his face. >> Uh he he's been taking a bath. >> Okay. >> And I went in there to check on him at one point and he was just kind of laying there. I'm like, "Bud, you okay?" He didn't respond, but he was looking around. So, and he was breathing. I know that much. >> Yeah. >> So, okay. So, at that time, but he wasn't talking at that time. >> No. And it it did it's it started to concern me. I I'm not sure if I texted mama about it or not. Well, you sent a picture to her. >> Yeah, I probably should have said something about the ER at that point on D. >> Well, I certainly stupid. >> You have to think about it like this, right? She's she's grown at all. And if she she sees that, that's not all on you, right? You you made from what I see, you made numerous attempts to say, "We need to do something different about this. >> We need we can't keep doing this thing." I know she's a good person. I just >> It is that fault. >> I don't think I don't know if this is both of our faults, if we should have done something sooner. I know we both could have. >> They absolutely could have, but they chose not to because their intentions were never to save Timothy. And as heartbreaking as it sounds, Paul wasn't just a passive spectator. He was an active participant in the suffering that led to Timothy's tragic fate. It's also critical to note his body language. He no longer sits curled up in his chair. Instead, his legs are down and his elbows rest on the table. This shift speaks volumes. He's no longer withdrawn. He's engaging, possibly even justifying. But whether this change signals honesty or yet another layer of manipulation remains to be seen. >> I mean, I think you have to think about this. Right now is not a time about blaming people, but it's a time to try to figure out, you know, when when could we have changed things? What could we have done differently? How did we get to the point where we were at? Because, you know, clearly where you guys got to, when you say you was in the bath, that wasn't a nice enjoyable bath, though, right? That was a punishment bath, >> right? That's a cold ice cold bath. >> And and that doesn't that's hard to >> I did wash. He did. He I did tell him that if he wanted to wash up and he did, but then in the middle of it, I think he the whole laying there in days happened. When he's getting these ice masks, I know there's numerous of them, right? I mean, cuz I've read through the messages. >> How How are you getting the ice? Like, where's it coming from? >> We have an ice machine upstairs. It's not a lot. It can barely create any. It's enough to make it a fullon >> butter. But it's a cold bath. >> Yeah. And you're putting ice in there like One one dump ice dump dump. Yeah, maybe that much. >> And And then you're just running cold water or what type of water? >> Uh it the water doesn't exactly feel cold. >> It says there's a cold button, but it's basically sort of lukewarmish. >> How many times would you ask me to ask cold bass as a punishment for navigating or whatever? Whatever for whatever reason. I think for punishments it was I don't exactly know the number but it wasn't a lot. Are we talking like five 10 20 every day every other day? Like any idea? >> Five. >> Whose idea was it to give him a cool bath as a punishment? >> It was my mother's. I I wasn't sure if it would do if it would be a punishment effective or not. I don't >> Do you remember the first time you guys did it? Like why why like what did he do? >> Not exactly. >> What did he do on that day that you sent the photo that made you have to give him a gold bath? Um, >> I think it was that he not only peed but also pooped in bed and my mother wasn't too happy because it absolutely rire. >> Yeah. When we talk about bed, I understand we've been to the house and been through all the messages. >> Yeah. >> Do where did you sleep most of the nights? In that closet. >> Yes. >> When did that kind of start happening? >> Um, >> or had he always been staying in there? >> No, he hadn't always. Okay. >> But the thing was the loft bed, if you've noticed. >> Yeah. >> Just screws and stuff. That was his doing. >> Okay. >> And we couldn't get it safely back. >> Yeah. >> So, he didn't sleep out of the closet. >> Yes. We made sure that it was cleaned. He had a mattress in there, but then he decided to rip off the uh cover, like a sort of plastic cover we put on there to keep it from getting smelly and >> disgusting. We wanted We always wanted what's best for him. >> And this was what they thought was the best for Timothy. >> So, you guys decided to move him into the closet. There's an alarm on the door. Is that So, what's that for? when he would try and sneak because if you notice there was also one in the garage door. That was also because yeah there's some food in there that he would try and sneak, >> right? >> And it wasn't just that he was hungry at some points for those. It was that he wanted something sweet. He just >> And yeah, at times he would be taking steps that was going to have plans for actual fruit. >> Yeah, I agree. I see exactly what you're saying and it I don't know about the whole I don't know just spread at some points but we did start giving him actual better food. >> Paul's audacity is both baffling and infuriating. If they were truly providing Timothy with better food then a 15-year-old wouldn't have been reduced to just 69 lb. But it wasn't just food that Timothy was deprived of. Because where he was forced to sleep reveals an even darker level of cruelty. And at the center of it all was the one person that was meant to protect him, his own mother. >> When when we talk about the bedroom being moved into that closet, is that your idea or is that your mom's idea? >> That was my mother's. >> Yes. >> And uh so how long do you think he was staying in that closet for? um uh couple of weeks maybe. I think it's I think we truly had started activating the alarm on the door every night after he we had found that he would sneak out and get back up on. >> Yeah. to his loft bed where like I said that thing was dangerous at that point because he had been screwing around with the bolts and screws and at any point it could have given way and he could have gotten seriously injured. >> Right. Yeah. So he moves into there. There's a tarp in there. Is that just to prevent What is that for? >> That was after we I think we had gone to like three plastic covers that he had shredded. >> Yeah. before we decided to put down the tarp. >> And honestly, I had expected him to complain, but he didn't. And I don't know, I just So, there's first Krishna on food. He talked about bread. For how long was he just eating just bread? A week or two. What was he kind of eating before that? Um, we do ramen sandwiches and I think at some points we actually give him like a meal. What uh why was it that you couldn't have meals? I mean the whole sneaking I just >> cuz he was sneaking food >> a lot. Yeah. We over and over and over. >> There literally be times where I would be sitting on the couch playing. >> Yeah. >> And then I'd look up and he's there grabbing something. >> Yeah. So, whose idea was it for him to just eat bread? Is that your idea? >> No. >> Whose idea was that? My mother's. Tell me about the hot sauce. I know that that was you who says both the punishment and it was put on the bread. Was it always on the bread? Not always. No. But the thing is, it still hardly did anything for him. >> There would be times where it would do something for me because I'd accidentally rub my eye after I put it on there. It was Ow. >> Yeah. So, you're putting are you what what dictates whether or not there's hot dogs that he's eating? What What decides that? >> I I don't know. I just whenever my mother told me to put hot sauce on it, I did. It was normally a thin layer to make sure that it wouldn't be too much because from what I know goat the ghost or the California reaper is what 2,000 Scoville or 2 million Scoville. What does that mean? It's the hot sauce or the hot the heat index basically. Okay. And that's pretty high. Very. So, how long have you guys been using the hot sauce for? Um, almost a month maybe. >> Okay. And was that when we got bread or was that on other stuff too? >> Uh, I think one time we put it into some rice. >> Okay. >> But after that, I don't think we did that again. >> What was it? What was it used for? Right. Cuz you're giving him bread. You know, what's the purpose of the hot sauce? I know it was punishment, but honestly, I don't think it was that useful because like I said, he had no feeling in his tongue. He He totally bit a hole in it at one point and didn't even feel it. Was he eating the spread of the hot sauce or was he >> Yeah, he was. Is that really the only things he had to eat those days or would he get other things to eat? >> Um, from the bread and rice, others are not. Not that I know of. >> Okay. >> So, for how long do you think he just ate rice and bread and hot sauce? >> Maybe 4 months maybe one month. Sorry. >> I was thinking 4 weeks and we totally understand. I understand what you're saying. So, maybe about four weeks. >> Yeah. Did you see a decline in him during that four weeks of losing even more weight or being even less responsive or did what what changed when you moved into doing that? >> Um I think it was that there would be times where it would take him a moment to respond. At first, I thought it was just him acting, but then I was getting concerned. I think a week or so, maybe. >> As sickening as these claims are, the suffering Timothy endured was beyond comprehension. He was a child with special needs, yet even his most basic needs for survival were ignored, and he wasn't even treated as a human, forcing him to consume Carolina Reaper hot sauce, which has 2.2 2 million Scoville heat units on an empty stomach would have caused excruciating pain with intense burning sensations, severe nausea and stomach irritation. The fiery heat would have ravaged his insides, leaving him in unimaginable distress with no empathy from those supposed to care for him. But what's even more twisted is the lie Paul is about to tell. As a matter of fact, I think you mentioned that to your mom multiple times, right? That that he doesn't seem to be responding, that he can't walk very well, that he's stumbling. I think you mentioned those things. >> Do you What was her response to those things? >> Um I think she was thinking because there was one point where he did that, but it was before he was thin. >> Yeah. >> And it scared the crap out of me. But then he admitted to my mother later that day while I was at work that it was an act. >> Okay. >> So I guess we made the mistake she made the mistake of believing that that was what it was. I don't I know that he's done stuff like that back in Oklahoma, too. He would he would do something that would scare the crap out of us >> to make us believe that something was wrong. And several times here he faked seizures. I've seen it because and I've also seen what happens because back from Oklahoma he had seizures from medication problems. >> Okay. But but yeah, I know that I can tell the difference. And at one point he nearly Gabriel had just barely walked back into the parents into mom and Adam's room. moment out of the stro when he tried it again. Had Gabriel been there, he would have been even more terrified than he already was because like we said, he was there for the stroke and the seizure. So, yeah, the uh the hot sauce. Whose idea was it to get hot sauce as punishment? Is that your idea? I don't I honestly don't remember that part. I don't remember whose it was. I know that before we were using the California, we were using ghost pepper sauce. But where where did these sauces come from? >> Um I think it was it was either Amazon or Walmart apps. >> Okay. Did you ever go to the store and buy any? >> No, we didn't ever >> Did you ever order any of those yourself or who was ordering that stuff? My mother is, but she would ask if I could help her pay for it, which >> Okay. >> Like I said, she's been amazing. She's never demanded money. >> Yeah. >> I saw a message that Yes. >> So, I knew that, >> right? >> She wasn't just going if >> if I said it not that moment, she would have understood unlike my father. >> Yeah. So the so the hot sauce on bread, if you ever put hot sauce on it, was ever your own decision to put hot sauce on bread? And then also sometimes you were left in charge of the two kids, right? >> Yes. >> How often was that that you were? >> Um sometimes it was during the mornings where she would go to work, but around 3ish I would have to go to work myself. She would be home after around 6:00 from work. And at that point, she would ask me to have them both go to Gabriel and Timothy to go to their rooms, which yeah, for him at that point was the closet and Gabriel's was downstairs as well. Gabriel would take his tablet because if there's one thing we both know, it's that he's also very dependent on that. It's something that keeps him calm and collected. So, mom is when mom's not there, is she monitoring the cameras? Is that what the cameras in the room are for? >> Yes. >> And how does she communicate with you? >> Uh, text. Via text. >> From her phone to your phone or >> Yes. >> Okay. And how does she communicate with the other kids? >> Uh, through the alarms cuz they do have that two that dual way uh talking. But >> so she can talk to them through the alarms. >> Yeah. It's camera. It's not alarms. The alarms don't have Sorry. >> You don't have to be sorry. Don't have to be sorry. >> So, I just I can't. >> So, you're She's able to communicate with them that way. She's communicating with you via text. >> Yes. Timothy doesn't have anything to text with. He does, but I don't think cuz he's we can't we couldn't trust him on devices, so we couldn't exactly >> This wasn't about trust. It was about control. Moreover, Paul's claims of Timmy faking seizures isn't just ridiculous, it's cruel. Seizures aren't something you can turn on and off like a performance. They're a neurological crisis and not a tantrum. But instead of getting him the help he desperately needed, his own mother and brother turned his suffering into entertainment. >> So, you have uh her kind of monitoring everything? >> I do sometimes at some points. Yes, I I will log into the cameras and make sure that I don't have Gabriel's app because normally before I leave he's upstairs in her room. He's been like that for a while. >> Timothy's or Gabriel's? I >> I don't know about that one honestly. >> Do you know Atlas? Uh what app was Timothy's? >> Uh the one for his room. I think mama had that one. I know that when we talked yesterday in front of your mom, you know, she was lying about some stuff, right? I know that she's a good person. I'm not doubting that at all. >> She never wanted any of this. >> But you you also are you also noticed like I know that some of the things that she was talking to was about the truth, right, about she said she didn't know there was a camera in the bathroom, but the fact of the matter, she asked you to put the camera in the bathroom, right? Didn't she send you a text message that says, "Put the make sure that the camera's in there and and and take the shower curtain down so I can see him." Didn't she ask you that the day that the day before he passed away? >> Yeah. >> So, we talked about some of that stuff. Remember how come and I said, "I know this pepper's forest for punishment." And what did she say? She said, "I didn't know anything about that." Right? Why do you think she's saying those things? She doesn't want to appear like a bad person. She doesn't want to be the bad guy in this. We never wanted any of this. >> We want We We wanted to be healthy. I know that for a fact. We just We should have been so much We should I should have at least put my foot down on something. >> But, you know, it's not that I'm afraid of her. I I can't fear her because she doesn't she's not the type to instill fear. >> Yeah. I don't know if that's also what caused him to sometimes lie about things as well was that he still had this fear of dad and then he thought she would be the same. >> Yeah, >> that could very well be the case. >> She's not she's nothing like him. That much I know. She's like >> Paul's statements about his mother expose a deeply disturbing pattern, one that's common among those raised in abusive households. Abusers rarely see themselves as villains. Instead, they twist reality, convincing themselves that their actions were justified. Even acts of cruelty disguised as love. And for victims raised in this cycle, the line between love and abuse becomes so blurred that they often repeat the very horrors they once endured. Unfortunately for Paul, he fails to realize the damage Shanda has done to their family. And worse, he's about to continue her legacy in the most horrifying way. Well, but she knows that you shouldn't be using hot sauce as a punch, right? She knows better than that. And you know better than that, too, right? >> I think that anybody with some common sense knows that hot sauce is not something used to punch a child for for eating food that they're not supposed to eat or for disrespect or for not following orders. We know those things aren't okay. I know that. We've we've tried so many different things. We just were running out of options of trying to find a punishment that would actually work. And even that did nothing, >> right? And we still kept trying though. I don't know why. So you have the hot sauce. Tell me about the handcuffs. I know that once again, she took no for that, right? And who did she put it all on? She put it all on you. She said that that was your idea and that those were yours and that you did those things. But I think that's not the truth from what I read on here. What's the real truth out of that? We would have him against the wall at some points and he would try to move and at one point we'd actually put motion sensors on him to stop that. But >> on him itself. >> Yeah. Like they were vibrations. But the thing is he's learned to trick them by moving so slow or they'd be on his door and they'd be moving so slow that it wouldn't set off. So you get away with stuff. Okay. >> Paul frames it like Timothy was being deceptive, like he was tricking them. But the truth is far more heartbreaking. Timothy wasn't playing games. He was fighting to survive. And calling him a victim would be an injustice to his resilience. Because that word doesn't capture the fire he had inside him. He wasn't just enduring. He was standing up to his abusers every day. With every step, every slow movement past the sensors, he was waging a quiet war for survival. Starved, isolated, and tortured, he still never gave up. He fought for every morsel of food, every moment of freedom. Timothy wasn't just a victim. He was a warrior. But unfortunately, his quiet resistance wasn't enough for them as they used every means to crush that. >> So you're saying standing still, was that like a punishment that he was forced to >> on the wall? Yeah, against the wall. He was having was that regular that he had to do that? Like how how often was he having to stand against the wall? >> Um, since 2 weeks ago, it wasn't very often. Okay. just because he couldn't physically stand against the wall anymore. >> No, it was I guess that it just didn't work because if he wouldn't set it off when he was against the wall, he would then like it it'd be on his it'd be on a belt around him. He'd stuff it in his pocket and then just sit down on the ground or lay down and stay like that. So, so he was punished by trying to make it stand, but then he would lay down. Did you guys ever wake him up on purpose cuz he wasn't supposed to be sleeping? >> Yeah. And we also know one thing about him was that if he slept during the day, he was going to be up all night. >> Okay. So, you wouldn't let us sleep during the day essentially. If he wanted maybe an hour long or 2hour nap, we would, but anything longer, we knew that it would start screwing with his actual sleeping. So, who's monitoring this all the time? Like, who's making sure he's not sleeping during the day? Who's making sure he stands against the wall? >> Um, when my mother was at work, she'd have me log in before she'd leave. I'd come upstairs and go back to sleep on the couch. I'd set an alarm normally for 10:30 to 11:30 so that I could wake up and be up to keep things going around the house, keep everything in order. Okay, so she never did any of this to be harsh. I'm Listen, I'm I'm in no way questioning whether your mom cared or any of those things. I'm not. But the reality is we we just have to talk about how we got to this point now and how these decisions were made. So I think I want you to think of that. >> We also did stop the leg cuffs I think a while ago because we noticed that his ankles were swelling. So we stopped that because we didn't want his legs to become >> irrelevant. How often were you guys putting leg cuffs on before that? >> Um was that something like at night to stop him from moving around or what was it for? Uh, I think we did it once or so. Once maybe twice at night. >> What about handcuffs or zip ties? What did you guys use those for? >> The zip ties were either to fasten the vibrational arms to his belt during the day. >> Yeah. >> Or to put it on his wrist. Not too tight where and I make sure after the first time we did it, I would make sure to cut off the end of the zip ties because I had them loose and then he decided to tighten them to where they were nearly cutting off circulation. >> Yeah. >> So after that point, I myself when I was told to put him in the zip ties, I'd grab a pair of scissors and snip off the ends to make sure that he couldn't tighten it to where it was cutting anything off. Were you guys ever zip tying his hands together? Uh, his hands I I think we did once when we had a like a pair of them that could the zip cuffs. >> But again, I cut those off to make sure that he didn't tighten. >> He wouldn't tighten them. Yeah, because >> What was that for? Why would he use those stuff? >> Normally, we have him do this. It was something that my I'm not sure if it was my father or my mother back when they were together, but when we were put in timeout, we'd be told to do this. And so sometimes though, he'd try and do stuff like this and or just try and put his hands down or down by his side. So we do that to keeps him up. >> Yeah. How long have you been around for? >> Um, I think the zip ties cuffs probably when we first use them. It was when I would leave when I would get ready to leave for work, I'd put them on, do the whole snipping, and then when mom would get home, she'd grab the scissors and cut them off immediately. >> Yeah. Paul's descriptions not only shed light on the depravity of the crime, but also make it quite apparent that Shanda used him as an accessory to the torture she inflicted on Timmy. And with much ease, Paul will also now reveal what exactly happened the night before Timmy died. >> How long are we talking? Is this for a couple hours, 8 hours, 10 hours? >> Uh, normally the maximum was three. >> Okay. Because when I worked in the normally at that point, I think I was only working evening and closing shifts. >> Yeah. >> It would be 4:30 or 4:00 that I'd need to be there. So, in order to get there, I would have to leave an hour before to actually make it on time. >> Right. But uh and we we act we put the vibrational arms on there. But then again, we stopped that after the zip ties because with the chains or the chain parts of the cuffs, I think they would rattle to where if you tried to move it would still set them off even with the whole slowness. >> Yeah. Tell me about the night before. I know that you said you got home, too. >> Yeah. Let's talk about kind of what really happened that night cuz I know that >> I did take my meds. He was in his room. I didn't think to check. I should have though. I should have seen >> made sure he was at least okay, that he was that he was breathing. I don't He could have he could have been gone by the time I had already gotten home. >> Right. >> So, when you first talked to us and and you talked to the police, you know, you said he was on his bunk bed, right? >> Yeah. But that's not the truth. >> No. >> Okay. He was in that closet that's right there by the bump. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then your mom had text you that early in the night or how did you know that he was in there? >> It's I guess at that point it was just something I would already know because I have a slight problem. It's not like a problem problem. Just a small sort of OCD with the light switches. So you know he's not. >> Yes. So you you you told us that you heard him snoring. Is that was that a lie? >> Yeah. And did did you come up with that on your own or did somebody ask you to say anything that it's okay? >> Yeah, I know. >> It's okay. I feel so guilty like I could have done something at any point in this, but you're not. You're just perfect and you have a mother that's telling you what to do. And so I understand why you feel the way that you do, but at the same time we have to look at you think that your mother's telling me to do what's best for him, right? That's what you've been telling me. >> And I know she she wants what's best for all of us. >> So back to my question, did somebody ask you to say anything about that? I came up with that on my own because I don't know. I didn't want to. >> I feel so guilty. >> You came up with that on your own. >> Yeah, because >> So, tell me what really happened in the morning then because obviously >> what was told to us wasn't the truth. What really what really happened when you guys somebody found him or >> I woke up and I had been grabbing my shoes and it was it was at that point that it basically all played out like we said. The whole morning thing was exact. He was He wasn't breathing in the closet. It was the closet though. We had to get him out of the closet to try and resuscitate. >> So, it's you and your mother that tried to get him out of the closet. >> We did get him out. >> Okay. We tried to res. Was it Was it who noticed them first? You >> My mother. >> Okay. Cuz she had asked you via text to check on them on the way up. That's not what happened. She said, "Hey, can you check on them on your way upstairs?" Do you remember that text message at all? >> No. >> Okay. >> There might have been one that I didn't see, but >> Okay. So, you guys pulled him off the clock >> and we tried to resuscitate it. We gave him rescue breaths. >> His breath smelled horrible. I thought maybe he might have still been capable of re being resuscitated, but his mouth was still wet. So, I thought maybe it had just been recent. So we could we could do something. But >> just when you think this case can't get any more gruesome, Paul drops a bombshell. >> So when you guys pull him out of the closet, does he have clothes on at that point or is he in a diaper or was that sticking? >> He had a shirt. I think we had put him in pants or sweatpants, but I don't know. Maybe some point in the night you took them off. I don't know about you. Say we you weren't there though when we went to bed, right? >> No. >> So, how would you know if we put him in sweatpants? You see what I'm saying? >> Yeah. >> So, do you know if he had pants on or not when he was >> No, honestly, but he didn't have them when we got around. He had the diaper on at least. >> So, he has the diaper on. You're saying that he has a shirt on? >> What shirt did he have on? >> The very same sweatshirt that we found him in cuz obviously we didn't want him to get cold or I don't think mama wanted him to get cold. I'm pretty sure she texted me about that. I'm not sure. >> Okay. >> So, you guys pull him on. Does he have pants on or no pants on? >> No. No. >> And when we get there, he has pants on. >> Yeah. She haven't put them on. >> She asked you to put pants on. >> I I don't know. I just >> And so you guys at that time she decides that she's going to lie to him and say that he was in the wrong. I don't understand. >> I don't know. >> Clearly. She doesn't want to seem like she's bad, that she we never we were neglecting him. And even if that's what it if it somehow ended up like that, it was never intentional. >> It was very much intentional. Both on the mother's part and the sons. And by now, Paul's twisted loyalty to his abusive mother isn't surprising anymore. He's been sitting in that room for a while, recounting the unthinkable. Yet, not once has he shown any concern for his dead brother. Not even an attempt for fake emotion. But when the conversation shifts toward him, suddenly Paul finds his empathy. >> How do you feel about lying during this? Is that how does that make you feel? I I just hate it. I just I know she doesn't want to be the bad guy. She never wanted this. We >> We loved him so much. And I just I don't think it's about I don't think it's about love at this point. I think it's about not knowing what to do, not knowing how to handle the situation. >> We didn't know how to do anything. >> We didn't I don't think >> I've never The worst punishment I ever gotten in Oklahoma. It was my father. He He spanked me with a belt so hard that my butt was bruised. >> Yeah. >> And another point, they have me do wall sets. He had me do walls sits while holding two cans of chicken noodle soup out like this. And that was when I was in high school. I could hardly get to school the next couple of days because I had to walk and my limbs were so stiff and filled with lactic acid that it was just painful to try and even get across the street. And again, bruises on my backside to where it was really hard to sit at school. >> Paul starts talking about how he was hit. Like that somehow excuses the role he played in Timothy's torture, but the cop doesn't flinch or he sympathizes because Paul doesn't deserve an ounce of it. And what he says proves it. >> Did you guys ever put hot sauce in his mouth? Did you ever put hot sauce like in his eyes or anything like that? Not that I know of I think at one point he may have after he had eaten he had forgotten to wash his hands and rubbed his eye. >> Okay. >> I think one point I done did you ever directly put hot sauce into his eye? >> No. I remember but when that happened I helped him wash out his eyes to make sure that it wouldn't sting so much. I know at one point that he was actually refusing to eat. We would give him his food and he would just be stubborn and sit there and just slowly slowly it was regular bread, nothing else on just chow down to the point where it was basically he was trying to waste time. He could be upstairs. Where did he spend most of his time? In his room. We we wouldn't make him stand. Sometimes we would have him kneeling like on his knees like this facing one of the corners. Yeah, I think less than three or so weeks ago, we were we've been having him try and do school work. But the thing is that he's just at this point I'm slightly curious on how he's even in he was even in sophomore year. He was supposed to be a junior next year, but I don't we weren't sure if we were going to be able to do that because he was just he was flunking everything. And my mother graded fairly. She used the actual answers that were on a website or in textbook of some sort. >> Yeah. back from Oklahoma. He was also even destructive at school, destroying textbooks, desks, really anything, you know, just so he was a destructive child. And like this all happened, right? Where >> do you and your mom agree to tell the same story in the bunk bed or how does that happen? You couldn't have both just possibly made up the same story. Of course, they made up the entire story, and Shanda had carefully coached Paul on exactly what to say once he was inside the interrogation room. He'd lived his whole life under her control with no real sense of identity. Paul seems oblivious to the weight of his actions. The guilt practically echoing off the walls. But what the detective says next shatters everything he rehearsed with Shanda. >> She told you what to say? >> Because why? Did she tell you why? Does it look bad for you guys? >> It's not just that we loved him. She does ask you this like straight up. You keep saying love. Do you feel like this was love? That he's dead now because he couldn't eat food. Does that feel like love to you? >> No. >> He's dead because he couldn't eat. >> No. >> And I don't know anybody that thinks that's love. What I think's happening is your mom's convinced you that she's this perfect person and she's asking you to do all these things that are literally killing your brother. I know she's not perfect. How is that love? How is love? How is love ice mask? How is love How is love handcuffing and how is love restricting movement? And how is love hot sauce in the mouth and only eating bread? Like what if you're what if you only got to eat bread? How would you feel? What if you only got to eat bread with hot sauce? Would you eat? >> No. >> You're pretty skinny already. If it wouldn't take you long. >> This is This is my natural weight. I have an overactive metabolism. But it wouldn't take you long to be very much skin and bones if all you got to eat was bread and hot sauce because how could you eat it? And how could you feel good about eating? >> Was he throwing up stuff that he was eating? >> Forcefully. He would force himself to to get it back up when like recently the last couple weeks. Yeah, he would force himself. Honestly, you ever think it's because maybe it was painful? It's hot sauce. It's not like that just goes away. Did you ever complain about pain, stomach pain, pain from using the bathroom? Not that I know of now. I do know that my mother, she's not perfect, but she's not a bad person. We were, we do, you know, Can I ask you this? Do you know of any good people who starve their child to death? Tell me of one that you know. Tell me of one that you know. That's a child who has a lot of problems, right? That's not a child that's taking care of themselves. They can't take care of themselves cuz you guys are restricting where it can go and what it can do. But if he does something wrong, you're punishing him by giving him ice baths and hot sauce and only feeding him bread. How is that? How is that a loving person? How is that a loving mother? You know what that sounds like to me? And honestly, the worst mother I've ever met in my entire life is what it sounds like to me. >> I know. I know. But she's not. >> Maybe she wasn't to you. Maybe she was a good mother to you. And maybe she wasn't to Gabriel. Sounds like she's a very good mother to Gabriel. But to one of the three child, one of the three children, she didn't care. He didn't say it. You can say it if you want. She she starved him to death because he wouldn't stop taking food. Well, maybe he's taking food because he wants to live. Have you ever thought about that? >> Yes. >> Maybe he's stealing food so that he can survive. He's dead because he didn't get food. Everyone knows that. Well, that's not anybody's fault but your mother's. And you can try to take the some of the blame if you want, but it's her fault because every single time I see a messaging here, it's her telling you what to do. And she put you right in the middle of this. She puts you right in the middle of this where it looks like some of this stuff's your idea. And and it actually looks like in some of these things that you kind of enjoy it, that you kind of enjoy punishing him for doing wrong things. >> What happened inside the Ferguson household was not a single moment of madness. It was a calculated, prolonged nightmare buried beneath fake smiles, digital lies, and the facade of family. Psychologists call it the bystander effect. When individuals remain passive, assuming someone else will take action. In a group like this, it's easy to disappear, to follow rather than lead, especially when the lines between right and wrong begin to blur. But it doesn't stop there. What we may be seeing is mob mentality in action, a psychological phenomenon where people lose their sense of personal responsibility when swept up in a crowd. Add to that the concept of de-individuation, where anonymity within the group dilutes guilt, and suddenly someone like Paul becomes capable of things he might never do alone. However, we can never really pinpoint what really went wrong in his psyche because his statements keep getting more disturbing than the last. Do you feel like you kind of enjoyed punishing him for that stuff? >> Maybe not that he was in pain, but that you were you were in charge and you got to tell him, "You can't do that. Go do this. This is your punishment." Did you like some of that stuff? >> No. Did she like some of that stuff? >> No. >> How come you guys are laughing and joking about it sometimes with smiley faces and like >> if it's the upside down smiley face? >> It's the opposite of happiness. It means that I'm really angry. And she's kept me calm, like I said. Cuz he made you mad a lot, right? It sounds like he made you mad a lot, but when you look back on it, do you think he really could control it? Clearly, he had some He needed help. He didn't need punishment. He needed some help. He couldn't make those decisions or do those things on his own. We You saw it over and over and over and over again, right? What was your mother's choice? Her choice was more punishment, less food, more punishment. The only food you get is bread. And the only bread you get sometimes is with the hottest hot sauce that we can find. That's all you get to eat. There's no way that you can look at yourself and think that's okay and that your mom's good for that. She was doing what's best for him. How could that be best for him? Why couldn't it be Why couldn't it be a piece of chicken that's that's cooked? Why couldn't he eat that? Why does it have to be bread with hot sauce? It's not about punishment. You need food to survive. You need food to live. He didn't get to live because of that. Because of what you guys did. And and I'm sitting here talking to you because I think that way more of it has to do with your mom than you. I don't think that you're this bad person that was out here doing these things, but you're also still not telling me the whole truth about what happened that night, about the night that he ended up dead, that there's more to that story. How do you feel about living a life where you hid that your brother wasn't eating from society that you hid that your brother was dying? How do you feel about that? I hate myself. Okay? If I could take his place right now, if I could give him back his life, I'd dip it in the tech heartbeat. Too much he took would take advantage of that situation. We were all stressed and he would take advantage of that. He anything he can find to take advantage of almost his entire life except for I think when he was still a baby, he would find some way to take advantage of whatever he can. And she wanted him to sleep in the tub. That's what I read. Did that happen? Did he sleep in the tub? >> No, he didn't. >> No, he didn't die in that bathtub and you guys dragged him into that closet and waited for the morning to call the police. That's not what happened. >> No, it's not. >> Do you think she did that? Do you think that message is just a little bit suspicious that she sends you at just about midnight that says he's he's in the closet. I had to drag him in there. You don't think he was already dying or dead at that point? I was working. I didn't read that message until basically I gotten home. But do you think she sent that for a reason? Why would she send that? >> I don't know. >> Doesn't it seem like maybe he was already dead? That she put him in there so that he could wake up and have died in his sleep? Cuz she can't call the police when he's in an ice bath and he freezes and he dies. Not freezes, per se, but he dies in the bath and she dragged him in there. Did she talk to you all about that? Did she tell you the truth about what he had? >> I don't know at this point. She did, right? >> I don't know why he lied anymore. >> No, I don't know if he died in there. I don't know where. I I I remember I know that when it when I got up, he was gone. >> Up until now, Paul had refused to reveal what really happened that day. But now, sensing that the detective knows more than he expected, he slowly begins to open up. I ended up dragging him back to his small room. That's talking about the closet. >> Yeah. >> Because I wasn't going to risk him having access to the tub or other things overnight. Wasn't he already in the tub? So, what do you mean risk him having access to the tub overnight? He's still trying to >> She says he's still trying to be stupid. But I will tell you more tomorrow while I take you to work describing how many different ways I proved that he's still faking. >> He's still doing it. >> The thing was yesterday. >> I had offered him a pizza roll cuz I was I wanted to truly test whether he was faking or not. And at first he didn't he didn't move. I'm like, "Okay, maybe this is" But then he moved and went to try and grab it. I'm like, "Okay, I don't I don't even know. I don't know anymore." Well, he wasn't faking it, right? Cuz he died. >> He wasn't faking it. Unless he Unless your mom did something to him to kill him. Do you think she did that? >> Of course not. >> Outside of not eating food and punishing him for months. That's what killed him, right? Or did she Did she hold a a pillow over his mouth and stuff? >> No, of course not. She's not She hold him by the throat and squeeze it until he died. >> No. So, what killed him was not having food, not having access to food and malnutrition for months. How long will this go on for? >> I don't know. I don't know. >> Do you feel you feel good at all about any of this stuff? >> No, of course not. >> I can't. Right. >> I can't I can't even live with myself. >> But you How do you feel about over and over and over again defending your mother about how good she is? Do you feel like that's the truth anymore? >> Cuz I'm quite disgusted by her. I'm disgusted by her. >> She never wanted this. >> How How smart does your mom are? She's incredibly intelligent, radically loudy, right? Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever thought, how can a woman that's this smart, this intelligent, graduate from law school, how could she not know what's happening? How could she think this is fake? How does she not know she's starving? How does she not see that he's wasting away? And you here, you're telling me that you've got some some mental health issues, but you graduated from high school and it's very obvious to you that he's mal he's got malnutrition, right? It's very obvious to you. But your mom here is not seeing that and she's a she's a law school graduate and she's very smart. Do you see what I'm looking at here? She's a liar. She's lied to you about so much stuff. At some point, you need to stand up for yourself and realize she's the manipulator. She's a liar. She put you in this spot. She did this to your brother using you. Do you not see that? That she used you to do this to your brother? Your mother used you. She's so smart. She's smarter than any of us here. She's smarter than me. She's smarter than any detective here. She's smarter than our chief of police here. She's smarter than all of us. And and we're supposed to believe she didn't know what's happening. No, she didn't want him around anymore because he was too much of a problem. You know that's the truth. You can look back at and see that, can't you? She didn't want him around anymore because he was too much work. This isn't an accident. This didn't just happen. Your mom knew exactly what was happening to him, that he was wasting away. You saw it, didn't you? You saw it happening right in front of you. It was never intentional from your from for you or for her. Is she smart or is she not smart? She's highly intelligent. Then how is this not intentional? She thought what what did she think was going to happen then? He was just going to be good and all of a sudden he was going to start behaving and doing everything she said because she didn't feed him food. >> I don't know. >> What did she think was going to happen? I don't know. I don't know what exactly what happens, what she thought was going to happen. At some point, he wasn't going to wake up. >> She never wanted him dead. She loved him. That's love to you. Everything that we talked about is love. >> I How? Who do you love in your life? >> My family. >> Have you ever thought about starving them? >> No. Of course. >> Have you ever thought about not giving them food as a punishment? >> No, of course not. Have you ever thought about giving them a hot sauce so that they would listen? >> No. >> You're joking, right? >> No. >> The smartest woman in the room is the one that doesn't know you can't do those things. No, it's all very intentional. The smartest woman in the room knows. She graduated secondary class from law school. She graduated with honors from college and from law school. But she doesn't know that not giving your kid food is going to make him sick and die. And it's a valid question. How does a woman graduating from Western Michigan University and working as a teaching assistant not know any better than to torture a child with special needs? It is baffling to think just how sickeningly cowardly she truly was. Thankfully, she never got the chance to practice law or the system might as well have been doomed. But not as doomed as her future because the detective is now all set to dismantle her lies. And Paul, he's in for a surprise. >> We gave him food. She even told me to make sure that he had a good amount of when she would tell me on certain on random days. They were never consecutive. I don't believe for the hot sauce punishment, but other than that, it was always bread and rice. At one point, she even asked me to put some broth. I think that she wanted chicken, but we didn't have any, so I used beef. for some rice. She She cared. She never wanted this. We didn't send her pictures of him looking dead, right? Looking almost dead. >> Yeah. >> When was that? >> That's your brother. >> Yeah. >> That's June 13th, less than a month ago. You sent this picture to her and you said, "He's looking like a skeleton. we need to give him more food. But you guys didn't give him more food over the next couple weeks. You guys gave him less and more punishment and less bread and more bread with hot sauce. That's what really happened. You reached out to her and said, "This is scary looking, right?" You probably thought he can barely walk. You sent a picture of his legs, right? You sent this picture of his legs to your mother right here. You sent this to her and what' you say? something along the lines of, "No wonder he can barely stand up or walk. Look at that." >> And your mother being smart and and intelligent and the smartest woman in the room. She didn't do anything about that. Didn't think about taking him to the doctor didn't think about we have to give him some more food like seriously now. Instead, what do you think she did? She gave him less and more punishment until what? He ends up dead. And what did she tell the police? He was always wearing baggy clothes, so I didn't notice anything until last night. Another just blatant lie. Another blatant lie. If this was all an accident, why would she lie to us? If this was all an accident, why wouldn't she just say we we were having a really hard time with him. I thought he was okay. No, she knows that he looked like this, that he looked like this. Look at his face right there. That's not what your brother looked like, is it? No, >> he didn't look like that. Does that look like That looks like somebody in a casket that you see at a funeral. That's what that looks like. And it's sickening and disgusting. >> And you sent this picture to her, too, didn't you? You sent that to her, didn't you? >> Yeah. >> You sent that to her on July 5th, right before the the the day leading up to him being found dead. >> Does he look like he's okay right there? >> No. >> Why'd you send that picture? I was concerned. >> Yeah. Once again, you're not the smartest person in the room and you're concerned. Did she do anything about it? >> No. You know what she said? He's going to sleep in the bath all night tonight. He's sleeping in the bathtub all night tonight. The smartest woman in the room. He's getting the bathtub all night for punishment. And make sure the shower curtains away so I can see him. And what happens later on that night? At some point between the time this is picture sent and the time you wake up in the morning, he dies. Because he's alive right here, right? >> Yeah. >> 100%. >> Yeah. >> He's alive. >> Did she tell you to see if he blinks or is that a different time? >> That was Is that this time or a different time? >> You smack him in the face to see if he's faking it. I was trying to see what was going on. Trying to see if he would even respond if what was going on with him. I was because to you, >> not the smartest person in the room. To you, you already know this isn't okay. This is a dying person. This is your brother dying. Sorry about that. This is your brother and he's almost dead. Another thing I kept setting him up. >> Yeah. >> And I would come back a little later and I would notice that he would he actually had moved himself back down. I wasn't sure if it was intentional or if he was trying to clear up his airway, maybe. But but just move it. What is that supposed to mean? Well, he must be okay cuz he moved a little bit. That's where we're at. I wasn't >> He's so far gone that you you're like questioning if he moves a little bit, he must be okay. Come on. I was >> No, sir. Where did that stuff come from? Where did that come from? Didn't your mother send you messages that said, "I saw a move. I saw." Did she send that to you? >> Yes. >> Then what does that mean to her? That it's fake. Is this fake to you? >> No. >> Is your brother lying on the floor dead? Is that fake to you? >> No. >> You know who it didn't matter to at all? Do you know why didn't see shed a single tear the whole day I was there? Your mom. Did you see your car real tear? >> Yes. >> I saw a whole bunch of fake. You know what my job is to see? Fake. You know what? I saw a whole bunch of fake. Because at the end of the day, this your brother gone. That's a problem for her that's gone. She never was trying to solve this problem. She was never trying to make him into this perfect person because she's smart enough to know that isn't going to happen. He's never going to be you. He's never going to be Gabriel because he has too many problems. He's not going to be that. She's smart enough to know that. That's how we ended up here. The smartest woman in the room took advantage of you. And she asked you to do these things over and over and over again. She asked you to handcuff your brother, pour hot sauce in his mouth. She asked you to pour hot sauce on his mother asked you to do those things cuz she cares so much. She puts you in that spot and now you're right in the middle of an investigation in which your brother died and this is criminal. This is a crime. >> And this right here, this is the moment Paul realizes that his mommy dearest is in serious trouble. So for the first time, Paul does the unthinkable. Who made the choices for him to be dead right now? >> Did you make some of those choices? >> No. >> Who made those choices? >> Mama. >> Yeah, >> she did, didn't she? That's what's real. >> Now, did you do some of the things she asked you to do? >> Yes, >> absolutely you did. >> Because I knew what was asked. >> Does that put you in the wrong >> doing those things? >> Does it? It does. It puts you in the wrong. >> It does. Cuz >> But you thought she knew it. Best you just said. I heard you say it. >> I thought she knew it. I thought maybe maybe she said I thought maybe it would something somewhere would change. But >> cuz she's smart, right? And she knows what she's talking about and she loves you all of you and she cares all about all of you. But when you really step back and you look at yourself and Gabriel and Timothy, were all three of you treated the same? >> No. >> Was one of you treated like who really cares? Who really cares? Punish him. Punish him. Punish him. Punish him. Ice bath. Hot sauce. Handcuffs. Closet. He lived in a closet. You said he spent most of his day in a closet, peeing on himself, pooping on himself, eating only bread, sometimes only with hot sauce on it. That's the hottest hot sauce you can get your hands on. That's life. Probably relieved that he's dead. He's probably relieved because that's torture. He was tortured by you guys for months. Tortured. Why? Cuz he was different than you guys. Because he couldn't follow directions. Because he couldn't follow your mom's rules. Is that why? He stole food? Is it that big of a deal? Is it is food worth killing somebody over? >> No. >> That's what happened here over stealing food and not following rules. You said that your dad's very controlling. You know who was also very controlling? Your mom's controlling you without you even knowing it. That's narcissistic. Your mom controlled you and you had no idea. You thought all this stuff you're doing was for the for for your brother. This is going to be better for my brother. This is what's best for my brother. Those are the things you came in here saying. Is that real? >> I don't know what is or isn't anymore. >> It doesn't seem real to me. Doesn't seem real to me at all. Did you ever hit your brother? >> I did. >> Yeah. >> But every time I would come back, I would apologize. The bruises on him were not me. I know that much. If if it was anywhere was here and never there was a spot here, but that was from when he was a child. I think I'm not sure which parent it was in his crib. He was laid there while his head was still fresh. >> When was the last time you hit him? >> Probably the fifth when I was trying to see if he would respond. >> Okay. Where was that at? >> That was while he was I think in the tub. >> But where did you hit him at? >> Like on the side of his face? >> Yeah. >> Did you ever like to smack him or what kind of hits? It was sometimes this and I think once or twice it was it wasn't like full of force but it was like to try to see if he would respond. Did you ever punch him in the head? >> No, cuz there's some evidence that somebody hit in the head pretty hard. >> And just like that, the idea of mob mentality is reinforced once again in this case. The detective, however, didn't get a full confession, but managed to do something more brutal. He shattered Paul's carefully constructed illusions. On October 26th, 2023, Shandanda Vanderarch was convicted of firstdegree child abuse and first-degree felony murder for the death of 15-year-old Timothy Ferguson. Paul Vanderarch, tried separately, faced charges of seconddegree murder and child abuse, with the court acknowledging his role in the abuse and manipulation of Timothy Ferguson. In court, Shandanda sat stonefaced as if torturing a child with special needs was just another Tuesday. Paul, on the other hand, barely looked up. Maybe he was still hoping she'd save him. But this time, no one was buying their story, not the jury, and definitely not the judge. >> And you can't even look at him. That's how he was. A beautiful child with a lot of life in his eyes. That's who your son was. and you took that from him. >> In a world where the word mother is meant to bring comfort, some turn it into a weapon, we remember Timothy not just for what he endured, but for the quiet strength he showed when no one came to save him. For every Shandanda Vanderarch and Michelle Martins, there's a Miriam Rodriguez, a Marian Bachmire, women who remind us what justice looks like when the system is silent. Paul may have been a victim once, but somewhere along the line, he stopped surviving and started becoming becoming the echo of every abuse he once feared. Shanda destroyed one son and she raised another to follow her lead. Thanks for joining in with us. Let us know your thoughts on this case in the comments. We love hearing from you.