My Reason

Seven-year-old, Charlie and five-year-old, Braden Powell tragically died of child abuse in a murder-suicide plot by their father and killer, Josh Powell in an intentional house fire set by Powell on February 5, 2012.  During a court ordered supervised visit at Powell’s house, Powell let the boys in and shut the social worker out, refusing to open the door. The social worker made a call to her supervisor and then 911 to tell them she feared for the boys’ safety and that she thought she could smell gasoline.  Then the house burst into flames. An autopsy of the two boys later showed they had hatchet wounds to their necks from before they were killed in the fire.  

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The tragedy of their deaths followed the disappearance of their mother, Susan Powell, on December 6, 2009. While Josh Powell has long been named a person of interest in her disappearance, her body has never been found.

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Charlie and Braden's loving grandparents have started a foundation in Susan's name. To learn more about the foundation please click here.

 

To learn about how Charles and Judy Cox, grandparents to Charlie and Braden Powell, sued the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services for negligently failing to protect their grandsons, please click here.

 

To learn more details about Susan, Charlie and Braden's heartbreaking story please check out The Cold Podcast series below or by clicking here.