August 28, 2020 • 15 mins
I have another podcast that I want to share with you today. It's called Crimeatorium and it's a brand-new storytelling styled podcast by an absolute sweetheart named Madeline. She's not only a great writer and researcher, but her voice is very relaxing. Don't be fooled though, she isn't afraid to get into the tough details of a story. I hope you "enjoy", if that's the right word for it...https://www.crimeatorium.com/https://www.facebook.com/Crimeatoriumhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crimeatorium/id1528855820https://open.spotify.com/show/15dlvVHmkTlWJrwxnRULRH?si=4l9I2sBBQwqV3QnlnEmffA&nd=1&nd=1
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
If you like weird and Strange Historyas much as I do, then I
have the podcast for you. I'mJason Horton most of Strange Year. Each
episode I break down the strange historyand cultural happenings during that year, like
nineteen seventy seven, The Wow Signalnineteen sixty three, Three Tramps Theory eighteen
forty four, The Millerite Movement nineteenninety seven, The Phoenix Lights eighteen ninety
six, The Shortest War two thousandand four, Benjamin Kyle fifteen eighteen,
(00:22):
The Dancing Plague nineteen eighty five,the move Bombing nineteen seventy two. Remote
Viewing. So to get your weeklyweird history fixed, pause the podcast you're
listening to right now, and subscribeto Strange Year wherever you listen to podcasts.
(01:07):
Before we get started, I'd liketo take a moment to have you
listened to a promo from one ofmy favorite podcasts, Suffer the Little Children,
AJ Friend, Alyssa Guernsey, ThomasValva, Treyanna Somerville, Noah Tomlin,
Arabella Parker. What do these kidshave in common? They were fundamentally
(01:32):
failed by the very people they trustedwith their lives. This is Suffer the
Little Children, the true crime podcast, giving voices back to the victims of
child abuse and shining a harsh spotlighton the parents, guardians, and caretakers
who silenced them. I'm your hostLane. During each weekly episode, ill
dive deep into a different case ofchild abuse murder, often including audio clips
(01:56):
and conducting interviews with family members orother major players in the case as I
cover. Calling attention to these tragicstories can lead to positive changes in the
systems designed to protect children. Thesekids deserve to have their stories told and
their voices heard. Subscribe to Sufferthe Little Children on your favorite podcast platform.
(02:19):
This episode deals with the death ofa child. The details are extremely
disturbing and graphic. Listener discretion isadvised. Are having nine on one arm
(02:40):
Okay, what's your back? AndAlpha A, Hey, what's going on?
Round man? My girlfriend? Andburn jerk arm and died. The
(03:09):
first responder, Tony Frederick, arrivedto the apartment of Zachary Cone and Cheyenne
Harris on the afternoon of August thirtieth, twenty seventeen. It was in response
to a nine one one call placedby Zachary. Zachary appeared calm in the
nine one one call, telling thedispatcher he believed that sudden infant death syndrome
(03:32):
was a possibility. He met Tonyin the front yard of the apartment and
led her to where the baby was. Little Sterling's room was dark, warm,
and filled with an acrid stench ofyurine. Zachary turned on the light
and quickly went to another part ofthe house. Tony looked around and noted
(03:53):
that there wasn't a crib. Shedid see, however, a mechanical swinging
a wall in the corner of theroom. Zachary Cone twenty seven and Cheyenne
Harris twenty resided in Chickasaw County,Iowa, in the town of Alta Vista,
(04:16):
population of about four hundred. Theylived in a two bedroom, one
bath apartment with their two year olddaughter, Nala and four month old son
Sterling. Zachary and Cheyenne's relationship wason again, off again for two years.
Their cycle was that they would takemeth together, get clean, then
(04:36):
start the cycle all over again.It was during one of these cycles that
Cheyenne discovered she was pregnant. SterlingDaniel Kne was born on May first,
twenty seventeen. His arrival was unconventionaland that he was born in a bathtub
while at a party at a friend'shouse. Cheyenne had gone into the restroom
(05:00):
sometime that night and was surprised whenshe realized she was in labor. She
called out for help and the partygoersplaced her in the bathtub. It is
there that Cheyenne gave birth. Paramedicswere called and Cheyenne and the baby boy
were transported to the hospital. Onceat the hospital, their stay was short
(05:23):
until they were moved to a biggerhospital and stayed a few days. There
was concern over Sterling's help. Itwas thought that he may have water in
his lungs. He was incubated fora day and then released to go home.
The day after they returned home,Sterling went to his first doctor visit.
(05:44):
That visit would end up being hislast. Tony approached the swing that
was facing the wall, and hermind this was going to be a resuscitation
situation due to the information that camein from the nine one one call.
What appeared before her was something entirelydifferent. Sterling's eyes were open, devoid
(06:06):
of the spark of life, andthe innocence, the only babies possess.
His tiny hands were clinched near hisface, evidence of what his last days
must have been like. The chairhe sat in was wet and stained from
the fluids that leaked from his body. Clothing and blankets were tucked around him
(06:29):
in the swing, presumably to keephim from moving around in the seat.
Tony reached down to try and finda brachial pulse on Sterling. His tiny
arm was stiff and cold. Therewere flies surrounding Sterling and maggots crawling around
his little body. This obviously wasn'tsudden infant death syndrome. Sterling Daniel Kane
(06:55):
was dead. Zachary and Cheyenne werearrested and charged with first degree murder and
child endangerment on October twenty fifth.Their cash bond was set to one hundred
thousand dollars. Neither Zachary nor Cheyennehad a serious criminal history accept a charge
for theft up services on Zachary.The two were tried separately, with Zachary's
(07:20):
first date of trial starting on Octobereighteenth and lasting until November sixth. The
two trials were virtually identical, soI will cover Zachary's and mention the highlights
of Cheyennes. The following is anexcerpt from the opening statements given by Assistant
Iowa Attorney General Coleman McAllister. WildSnowing was alive, and those maggots are
(07:47):
in his clothes getting his dia beatingon the feces in his diary, and
he laid in that room, inthat diaver between nine and fourteen days.
And the others will show that thatstool in his diaper irritated his skin such
that a ruptured the skin and hisbodily fluids came out. Ladies and gentlemen.
(08:13):
The evidence in this case, it'sgoing to show that Sterling died of
malnutrition. He was under seven pounds, almost four months of age on the
fifth percent, and the grower charm. He died of dehydration because he wasn't
(08:33):
fed, He didn't get water orhydration through milk, and because of his
injuries, and ladies and gentlemen,he died of diaper rash. That's right,
diaper rash. The overens is goingto show that that feces he sat
in that diaper ate through his skin, allowing the coli bacteria that was in
(08:58):
this quick and the stools to andrewhis bloodscreen and cause of infection malnutrition,
dehidration infection caused by diaper ash.That's what caused this child's death. The
(09:18):
defense attorney Less Blair's opening statement wasbrief, less than three minutes. The
gentleman, juror, a tragedy matterwhin is what we expect get into the
child. My name is Less Blair, and well with my colleague Stephen Jrohosel,
(09:43):
we represent zach Rykin, defended thisnat. I'm gonna keep this shot
at you all your This case isabout the death of the child. Nothing
anybody says throughout this trial is goingto solve them that it's a terrible thing.
(10:13):
The problem is, of course,that a tragedy like this created god
reactions we would emotion. There's anautomatic tendency to what we referred to as
rush to judgment. As jurors,is your responsibilities your job not to do
(10:39):
that. Now I'm going to talkabout individual witness and what each individuals this
is going to say. I simplywant to point out to you that the
same is the first they present theirentire case. The defense isn't the preside
(11:03):
our evidence until after the staves time. M Because of that, you need
to make sure that you keep anopen mind and you listen to all the
evidence, and then you don't drawany conclusions or reach any dedications until after
(11:26):
you've heard the thing, because there'sgoing to be a wrong here. Now
all the evidence by both sides hasbeen presented, mister Josel is going to
(11:46):
get back up in front of youand he's going to talk about the evidence
why this is a tragedy not cromand we're gonna ask you. It seems
clear that this was going to bean uphill battle for this defense team.
(12:07):
Tony Frederick, the first responder,struggled with her testimony. She was very
affected emotionally by what she witnessed thatfaithful day. Skipping to day three of
the trial, doctor Dennis Kline,who was a pathologist, testified regarding Sterling's
cause of death, the breakdown ofhis body due to malnutrition, and the
(12:30):
discomfort he must have felt from hunger. During the latter part of doctor Kleine's
testimony, when photos were being shownto the court, Zachary lowered his head
and covered his eyes. Doctor Kleinewas unable to pinpoint the exact time of
death, which brings us to ournext witness, doctor Timothy Huntington. Doctor
(12:52):
Huntington as one of fifteen board certifiedforensic entomologists and as a friend's entomology consultants
for several law enforcement agencies. He'sa non assuming looking man, but very
accomplished and very impressive. On thewitness stand, he went into detail regarding
(13:13):
the life cycle of a fly aswell as the habits of a fly.
His testimony is rather long as hegoes into the whole process of how he
came to his conclusions regarding this case. Zachary's father testified that they adopted Zachary
when he was two and have custodyof another child of Zachary's. On day
(13:37):
four, Zachary took the stand.The point the defense was trying to drive
home to the court was that Zacharyand Cheyenne were struggling for money so much
that Zachary resorted to desperate measures tobuy food, household supplies, and formula.
How this could have helped the defense, I'm not entirely sure. Like
(14:01):
I stated earlier, this would bea very difficult case to defend. Closing
arguments were made on November sixth,twenty eighteen, and the jury came back
with a guilty verdict on all chargesafter two hours of deliberation. Cheyenne Harris's
trial started on January thirtieth, twentynineteen. It was virtually identical to Zachary's.
(14:26):
She did not testify on her ownbehalf. However, her trial ended
on February sixth, twenty nineteen,with a guilty verdict on all charges as
well. The jury deliberated for overfour hours. Both Zachary and Cheyenne were
sent us to life in prison withoutthe possibility of parole. Epilogue, the
(14:52):
city of Alta Vista held a candlelightvigil in honor of Sterling. Cheyenne is
having difficulty in prison with other matesdue to the nature of her crimes.
Both Sacar and Cheyenne were denied themotion for a new trial. Please subscribe
and if you have any listener suggestions. You can find me on Twitter,
(15:15):
Instagram, Facebook, and on theCrematorium web page. Crimatorium is researched,
written, narrated and edited by meMadeline
If you like weird and Strange Historyas much as I do, then I
have the podcast for you. I'mJason Horton most of Strange Year. Each
episode I break down the strange historyand cultural happenings during that year, like
nineteen seventy seven, The Wow Signalnineteen sixty three, Three Tramps Theory eighteen
forty four, The Millerite Movement nineteenninety seven, The Phoenix Lights eighteen ninety
six, The Shortest War two thousandand four, Benjamin Kyle fifteen eighteen,
(00:22):
The Dancing Plague nineteen eighty five,the move Bombing nineteen seventy two. Remote
Viewing. So to get your weeklyweird history fixed, pause the podcast you're
listening to right now, and subscribeto Strange Year wherever you listen to podcasts.
(01:07):
Before we get started, I'd liketo take a moment to have you
listened to a promo from one ofmy favorite podcasts, Suffer the Little Children,
AJ Friend, Alyssa Guernsey, ThomasValva, Treyanna Somerville, Noah Tomlin,
Arabella Parker. What do these kidshave in common? They were fundamentally
(01:32):
failed by the very people they trustedwith their lives. This is Suffer the
Little Children, the true crime podcast, giving voices back to the victims of
child abuse and shining a harsh spotlighton the parents, guardians, and caretakers
who silenced them. I'm your hostLane. During each weekly episode, ill
dive deep into a different case ofchild abuse murder, often including audio clips
(01:56):
and conducting interviews with family members orother major players in the case as I
cover. Calling attention to these tragicstories can lead to positive changes in the
systems designed to protect children. Thesekids deserve to have their stories told and
their voices heard. Subscribe to Sufferthe Little Children on your favorite podcast platform.
(02:19):
This episode deals with the death ofa child. The details are extremely
disturbing and graphic. Listener discretion isadvised. Are having nine on one arm
(02:40):
Okay, what's your back? AndAlpha A, Hey, what's going on?
Round man? My girlfriend? Andburn jerk arm and died. The
(03:09):
first responder, Tony Frederick, arrivedto the apartment of Zachary Cone and Cheyenne
Harris on the afternoon of August thirtieth, twenty seventeen. It was in response
to a nine one one call placedby Zachary. Zachary appeared calm in the
nine one one call, telling thedispatcher he believed that sudden infant death syndrome
(03:32):
was a possibility. He met Tonyin the front yard of the apartment and
led her to where the baby was. Little Sterling's room was dark, warm,
and filled with an acrid stench ofyurine. Zachary turned on the light
and quickly went to another part ofthe house. Tony looked around and noted
(03:53):
that there wasn't a crib. Shedid see, however, a mechanical swinging
a wall in the corner of theroom. Zachary Cone twenty seven and Cheyenne
Harris twenty resided in Chickasaw County,Iowa, in the town of Alta Vista,
(04:16):
population of about four hundred. Theylived in a two bedroom, one
bath apartment with their two year olddaughter, Nala and four month old son
Sterling. Zachary and Cheyenne's relationship wason again, off again for two years.
Their cycle was that they would takemeth together, get clean, then
(04:36):
start the cycle all over again.It was during one of these cycles that
Cheyenne discovered she was pregnant. SterlingDaniel Kne was born on May first,
twenty seventeen. His arrival was unconventionaland that he was born in a bathtub
while at a party at a friend'shouse. Cheyenne had gone into the restroom
(05:00):
sometime that night and was surprised whenshe realized she was in labor. She
called out for help and the partygoersplaced her in the bathtub. It is
there that Cheyenne gave birth. Paramedicswere called and Cheyenne and the baby boy
were transported to the hospital. Onceat the hospital, their stay was short
(05:23):
until they were moved to a biggerhospital and stayed a few days. There
was concern over Sterling's help. Itwas thought that he may have water in
his lungs. He was incubated fora day and then released to go home.
The day after they returned home,Sterling went to his first doctor visit.
(05:44):
That visit would end up being hislast. Tony approached the swing that
was facing the wall, and hermind this was going to be a resuscitation
situation due to the information that camein from the nine one one call.
What appeared before her was something entirelydifferent. Sterling's eyes were open, devoid
(06:06):
of the spark of life, andthe innocence, the only babies possess.
His tiny hands were clinched near hisface, evidence of what his last days
must have been like. The chairhe sat in was wet and stained from
the fluids that leaked from his body. Clothing and blankets were tucked around him
(06:29):
in the swing, presumably to keephim from moving around in the seat.
Tony reached down to try and finda brachial pulse on Sterling. His tiny
arm was stiff and cold. Therewere flies surrounding Sterling and maggots crawling around
his little body. This obviously wasn'tsudden infant death syndrome. Sterling Daniel Kane
(06:55):
was dead. Zachary and Cheyenne werearrested and charged with first degree murder and
child endangerment on October twenty fifth.Their cash bond was set to one hundred
thousand dollars. Neither Zachary nor Cheyennehad a serious criminal history accept a charge
for theft up services on Zachary.The two were tried separately, with Zachary's
(07:20):
first date of trial starting on Octobereighteenth and lasting until November sixth. The
two trials were virtually identical, soI will cover Zachary's and mention the highlights
of Cheyennes. The following is anexcerpt from the opening statements given by Assistant
Iowa Attorney General Coleman McAllister. WildSnowing was alive, and those maggots are
(07:47):
in his clothes getting his dia beatingon the feces in his diary, and
he laid in that room, inthat diaver between nine and fourteen days.
And the others will show that thatstool in his diaper irritated his skin such
that a ruptured the skin and hisbodily fluids came out. Ladies and gentlemen.
(08:13):
The evidence in this case, it'sgoing to show that Sterling died of
malnutrition. He was under seven pounds, almost four months of age on the
fifth percent, and the grower charm. He died of dehydration because he wasn't
(08:33):
fed, He didn't get water orhydration through milk, and because of his
injuries, and ladies and gentlemen,he died of diaper rash. That's right,
diaper rash. The overens is goingto show that that feces he sat
in that diaper ate through his skin, allowing the coli bacteria that was in
(08:58):
this quick and the stools to andrewhis bloodscreen and cause of infection malnutrition,
dehidration infection caused by diaper ash.That's what caused this child's death. The
(09:18):
defense attorney Less Blair's opening statement wasbrief, less than three minutes. The
gentleman, juror, a tragedy matterwhin is what we expect get into the
child. My name is Less Blair, and well with my colleague Stephen Jrohosel,
(09:43):
we represent zach Rykin, defended thisnat. I'm gonna keep this shot
at you all your This case isabout the death of the child. Nothing
anybody says throughout this trial is goingto solve them that it's a terrible thing.
(10:13):
The problem is, of course,that a tragedy like this created god
reactions we would emotion. There's anautomatic tendency to what we referred to as
rush to judgment. As jurors,is your responsibilities your job not to do
(10:39):
that. Now I'm going to talkabout individual witness and what each individuals this
is going to say. I simplywant to point out to you that the
same is the first they present theirentire case. The defense isn't the preside
(11:03):
our evidence until after the staves time. M Because of that, you need
to make sure that you keep anopen mind and you listen to all the
evidence, and then you don't drawany conclusions or reach any dedications until after
(11:26):
you've heard the thing, because there'sgoing to be a wrong here. Now
all the evidence by both sides hasbeen presented, mister Josel is going to
(11:46):
get back up in front of youand he's going to talk about the evidence
why this is a tragedy not cromand we're gonna ask you. It seems
clear that this was going to bean uphill battle for this defense team.
(12:07):
Tony Frederick, the first responder,struggled with her testimony. She was very
affected emotionally by what she witnessed thatfaithful day. Skipping to day three of
the trial, doctor Dennis Kline,who was a pathologist, testified regarding Sterling's
cause of death, the breakdown ofhis body due to malnutrition, and the
(12:30):
discomfort he must have felt from hunger. During the latter part of doctor Kleine's
testimony, when photos were being shownto the court, Zachary lowered his head
and covered his eyes. Doctor Kleinewas unable to pinpoint the exact time of
death, which brings us to ournext witness, doctor Timothy Huntington. Doctor
(12:52):
Huntington as one of fifteen board certifiedforensic entomologists and as a friend's entomology consultants
for several law enforcement agencies. He'sa non assuming looking man, but very
accomplished and very impressive. On thewitness stand, he went into detail regarding
(13:13):
the life cycle of a fly aswell as the habits of a fly.
His testimony is rather long as hegoes into the whole process of how he
came to his conclusions regarding this case. Zachary's father testified that they adopted Zachary
when he was two and have custodyof another child of Zachary's. On day
(13:37):
four, Zachary took the stand.The point the defense was trying to drive
home to the court was that Zacharyand Cheyenne were struggling for money so much
that Zachary resorted to desperate measures tobuy food, household supplies, and formula.
How this could have helped the defense, I'm not entirely sure. Like
(14:01):
I stated earlier, this would bea very difficult case to defend. Closing
arguments were made on November sixth,twenty eighteen, and the jury came back
with a guilty verdict on all chargesafter two hours of deliberation. Cheyenne Harris's
trial started on January thirtieth, twentynineteen. It was virtually identical to Zachary's.
(14:26):
She did not testify on her ownbehalf. However, her trial ended
on February sixth, twenty nineteen,with a guilty verdict on all charges as
well. The jury deliberated for overfour hours. Both Zachary and Cheyenne were
sent us to life in prison withoutthe possibility of parole. Epilogue, the
(14:52):
city of Alta Vista held a candlelightvigil in honor of Sterling. Cheyenne is
having difficulty in prison with other matesdue to the nature of her crimes.
Both Sacar and Cheyenne were denied themotion for a new trial. Please subscribe
and if you have any listener suggestions. You can find me on Twitter,
(15:15):
Instagram, Facebook, and on theCrematorium web page. Crimatorium is researched,
written, narrated and edited by meMadeline
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