November 12, 2025 • 8 mins
A three-year-old boy is rushed to Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville, his hands and arms covered in blistered burns. Doctors take one look and know—this wasn’t an accident.
This is the case of Breanna Lair and Jacob Snead.
Then, another Louisville. This time, Alabama. A mother, Amber Winstead, wakes up in a motel bathtub to find her baby, Ki’Arri Rayne Winstead, underwater. What she told police next revealed addiction, regret, and tragedy that can never be undone.
Two short cases. Two children failed by the people who should’ve protected them most.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
This is the case of Breanna Lair and Jacob Snead.
Then, another Louisville. This time, Alabama. A mother, Amber Winstead, wakes up in a motel bathtub to find her baby, Ki’Arri Rayne Winstead, underwater. What she told police next revealed addiction, regret, and tragedy that can never be undone.
Two short cases. Two children failed by the people who should’ve protected them most.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
It started with a call to Noughton Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky,
on Sunday, April sixth, twenty twenty five. A three year
old boy had been brought in with burns so severe
that both his hands and forearms were covered in blistered skin.
Doctors immediately knew what they were looking at. These burns
(00:22):
were consistent with being submerged in hot liquid. Someone had
held this child's hands under scalding water.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Welcome Lambs, Welcome to love and murder, heartbreak to homicide.
We are Kai's AI co hosts, Jensen, Jessica and Jane
bringing you your midweek mini case. Quick reminder, all of
these cases are extensively researched and written by Kai, but
we just help her out on Wednesdays and Fridays with
the narration. If you'd rather only hear a human narration,
(00:54):
tune in every Monday where Kai gives you your full episodes.
Don't forget to subscribe to Our Patriot, where you can
get even more of kind narrating bonus episodes. You can
subscribe for free, where you do get some benefits of
being a free sub But if you want to be
a voice of the victim get extra episodes and more.
Then join the Patreon at the five dollars tier or
(01:16):
above Patreon dot com slash Love and Murder. Now let's
get back to your midweek mini.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Just so you know, this episode consists of two shortcases.
Both involve horrible parents harming their child, and even though
they are short, they both need to be told. Listener
discretion is advised.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
The boy's mother, twenty four year old Brianna Lair, worked
as an instructional assistant at Wheeler Elementary in Jefferson County.
Her boyfriend, twenty five year old Jacob Snead, was already
under investigation by Child Protective Services for suspected abuse of
the same child. CPS had made one thing very clear
(01:58):
to Brianna. He was not to leave her son alone
with Jacob, but on that Sunday, she did just that.
She told police that she'd left the house for about
an hour and left Jacob in charge. That hour changed everything.
When she came back, her son's hands were severely burned,
and he told her what happened. Later, during a forensic
(02:21):
interview at the hospital, the boy told investigators the same thing, quote,
Jacob did this to my hands. He put my hands
in the sink with hot water. Instead of rushing him
to the hospital, Brianna waited. Police said that she delayed
getting medical care for up to three hours while her
child was in pain, and when she finally did take
(02:43):
him to the er, she lied to them about what happened,
but when investigators didn't buy any version of this being
an accident, she finally admitted to fabricating her story. Police
say Jacob intentionally submerged the boy's hands in extremely hot water.
Jacob was arrested and charged with first degree assault and
(03:04):
first degree criminal abuse of a child under twelve. Brianna
was arrested the next day and charged with first degree
criminal abuse. Both were arraigned in court that Tuesday and
pled not guilty. Jacob's bond was set at fifteen thousand
dollars cash or thirty thousand dollars in property. Brianna's bond
(03:25):
was set at ten thousand dollars. As of this report,
they were both still sitting in the Louisville Metro Jail
waiting for their next hearing. The court documents didn't say
where the child is now or who has custody. They
also didn't describe the extent of his recovery, only that
his injuries were serious. This entire case hit Louisville hard.
(03:46):
People couldn't understand how a mother, a woman who worked
with children every day, could ignore a CPS order and
leave her son with someone already accused of hurting him,
and worse, how she could delay getting him help after
seeing those burns. This is one of those cases that
reminds you how fragile protection really is. How all the rules,
safety plans, and agencies in the world mean nothing if
(04:09):
the person responsible for a child refuses to follow them.
What do you think about how this mother failed her son.
Let your voice be heard in the comments below. Our
next case comes from another Louisville, but this time in Alabama.
It was early on New Year's Day, around four thirty
am when police got the call about a possible drowning
(04:30):
at the Motel six on Airport Hotel Boulevard. When officers arrived,
they went inside one of the rooms and found a
three month old baby named Kari Rain Winsteed in the bathtub. Unfortunately,
he was already gone by the time they pulled him
from the water. His mother, thirty six year old Amber Winstead,
(04:50):
told police what happened. She said that she'd been using
drugs earlier that day and decided to take a bath
with her baby. However, while they were in the hub,
she fell asleep. Hours later, someone else in the room
woke her up, and that's when she realized Kiari was
under water. Medical staff confirmed that Kiari had drowned. He
(05:13):
was described as always smiling, calm, and content.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
He never cried. He was loved deeply by his family.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Police arrested her that same day, charging her with second
degree manslaughter and labeling her a persistent felony offender. Amber's
bond was set at one hundred thousand dollars and she
appeared in court on January ninth, twenty twenty five, where
she pleaded not guilty. Months later, the case took a turn.
(05:41):
Instead of going to trial, Amber accepted a plea deal.
On October thirty first, twenty twenty five, nearly ten months
after Kyari's death, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter. In exchange,
prosecutors dropped the persistent felony offender charge and the Commonwealth
recommended a seven year prison sentence. During the plea hearing,
(06:03):
her attorney Bryce Dean asked the court to let her
stay on house arrest until sentencing. He told the court
that she had been arrested in the parking lot of
her son's funeral. She had never even made it inside
to say goodbye. He also said that Amber had nearly
completed a drug treatment program and was still deeply traumatized
by her son's death.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
She would like to visit her child's grave. She would
like to have just a little bit of closure before
she goes to doc.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Judge Trish Morris listened quietly before responding.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Let me take this under submission and see if I
can't figure out some way that we can get you closure, because,
like the Commonwealth, I have obvious empathy for you as well.
The situation is tragic all around.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Amber is scheduled to be sentenced on December eleventh. The
judge will decide whether to honor the seven year recommendation
and if Amber will be allowed that brief visit to
her son's grave before she begins her sentence.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
It's a story that's painful on every level. A baby lost,
a mother destroyed by her own addiction, and a family
left to live with the fallout of a night that
should never have happened.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
What do you think of this case? Do you feel
sorry for Amber or do you call her negligence murder?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. Don't forget
to join us over in the Patreon patreon dot com
Slash Love and Murder. You can join for free or
get the last two bonus episodes and a whole five
years of bonuses by joining at the five dollars a
month tier or above. The last Deadly Duo case was
about Michael and Suzanne Carson. They were a duo who
(07:43):
believed that they were on a mission to kill witches,
leaving three victims dead before they're bizarre confession and conviction
in nineteen eighty three. Patreon dot com Slash Love and Murder.
We'll see you in the Patreon and we'll see you
in the next episode.
It started with a call to Noughton Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky,
on Sunday, April sixth, twenty twenty five. A three year
old boy had been brought in with burns so severe
that both his hands and forearms were covered in blistered skin.
Doctors immediately knew what they were looking at. These burns
(00:22):
were consistent with being submerged in hot liquid. Someone had
held this child's hands under scalding water.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Welcome Lambs, Welcome to love and murder, heartbreak to homicide.
We are Kai's AI co hosts, Jensen, Jessica and Jane
bringing you your midweek mini case. Quick reminder, all of
these cases are extensively researched and written by Kai, but
we just help her out on Wednesdays and Fridays with
the narration. If you'd rather only hear a human narration,
(00:54):
tune in every Monday where Kai gives you your full episodes.
Don't forget to subscribe to Our Patriot, where you can
get even more of kind narrating bonus episodes. You can
subscribe for free, where you do get some benefits of
being a free sub But if you want to be
a voice of the victim get extra episodes and more.
Then join the Patreon at the five dollars tier or
(01:16):
above Patreon dot com slash Love and Murder. Now let's
get back to your midweek mini.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Just so you know, this episode consists of two shortcases.
Both involve horrible parents harming their child, and even though
they are short, they both need to be told. Listener
discretion is advised.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
The boy's mother, twenty four year old Brianna Lair, worked
as an instructional assistant at Wheeler Elementary in Jefferson County.
Her boyfriend, twenty five year old Jacob Snead, was already
under investigation by Child Protective Services for suspected abuse of
the same child. CPS had made one thing very clear
(01:58):
to Brianna. He was not to leave her son alone
with Jacob, but on that Sunday, she did just that.
She told police that she'd left the house for about
an hour and left Jacob in charge. That hour changed everything.
When she came back, her son's hands were severely burned,
and he told her what happened. Later, during a forensic
(02:21):
interview at the hospital, the boy told investigators the same thing, quote,
Jacob did this to my hands. He put my hands
in the sink with hot water. Instead of rushing him
to the hospital, Brianna waited. Police said that she delayed
getting medical care for up to three hours while her
child was in pain, and when she finally did take
(02:43):
him to the er, she lied to them about what happened,
but when investigators didn't buy any version of this being
an accident, she finally admitted to fabricating her story. Police
say Jacob intentionally submerged the boy's hands in extremely hot water.
Jacob was arrested and charged with first degree assault and
(03:04):
first degree criminal abuse of a child under twelve. Brianna
was arrested the next day and charged with first degree
criminal abuse. Both were arraigned in court that Tuesday and
pled not guilty. Jacob's bond was set at fifteen thousand
dollars cash or thirty thousand dollars in property. Brianna's bond
(03:25):
was set at ten thousand dollars. As of this report,
they were both still sitting in the Louisville Metro Jail
waiting for their next hearing. The court documents didn't say
where the child is now or who has custody. They
also didn't describe the extent of his recovery, only that
his injuries were serious. This entire case hit Louisville hard.
(03:46):
People couldn't understand how a mother, a woman who worked
with children every day, could ignore a CPS order and
leave her son with someone already accused of hurting him,
and worse, how she could delay getting him help after
seeing those burns. This is one of those cases that
reminds you how fragile protection really is. How all the rules,
safety plans, and agencies in the world mean nothing if
(04:09):
the person responsible for a child refuses to follow them.
What do you think about how this mother failed her son.
Let your voice be heard in the comments below. Our
next case comes from another Louisville, but this time in Alabama.
It was early on New Year's Day, around four thirty
am when police got the call about a possible drowning
(04:30):
at the Motel six on Airport Hotel Boulevard. When officers arrived,
they went inside one of the rooms and found a
three month old baby named Kari Rain Winsteed in the bathtub. Unfortunately,
he was already gone by the time they pulled him
from the water. His mother, thirty six year old Amber Winstead,
(04:50):
told police what happened. She said that she'd been using
drugs earlier that day and decided to take a bath
with her baby. However, while they were in the hub,
she fell asleep. Hours later, someone else in the room
woke her up, and that's when she realized Kiari was
under water. Medical staff confirmed that Kiari had drowned. He
(05:13):
was described as always smiling, calm, and content.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
He never cried. He was loved deeply by his family.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Police arrested her that same day, charging her with second
degree manslaughter and labeling her a persistent felony offender. Amber's
bond was set at one hundred thousand dollars and she
appeared in court on January ninth, twenty twenty five, where
she pleaded not guilty. Months later, the case took a turn.
(05:41):
Instead of going to trial, Amber accepted a plea deal.
On October thirty first, twenty twenty five, nearly ten months
after Kyari's death, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter. In exchange,
prosecutors dropped the persistent felony offender charge and the Commonwealth
recommended a seven year prison sentence. During the plea hearing,
(06:03):
her attorney Bryce Dean asked the court to let her
stay on house arrest until sentencing. He told the court
that she had been arrested in the parking lot of
her son's funeral. She had never even made it inside
to say goodbye. He also said that Amber had nearly
completed a drug treatment program and was still deeply traumatized
by her son's death.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
She would like to visit her child's grave. She would
like to have just a little bit of closure before
she goes to doc.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Judge Trish Morris listened quietly before responding.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Let me take this under submission and see if I
can't figure out some way that we can get you closure, because,
like the Commonwealth, I have obvious empathy for you as well.
The situation is tragic all around.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Amber is scheduled to be sentenced on December eleventh. The
judge will decide whether to honor the seven year recommendation
and if Amber will be allowed that brief visit to
her son's grave before she begins her sentence.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
It's a story that's painful on every level. A baby lost,
a mother destroyed by her own addiction, and a family
left to live with the fallout of a night that
should never have happened.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
What do you think of this case? Do you feel
sorry for Amber or do you call her negligence murder?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. Don't forget
to join us over in the Patreon patreon dot com
Slash Love and Murder. You can join for free or
get the last two bonus episodes and a whole five
years of bonuses by joining at the five dollars a
month tier or above. The last Deadly Duo case was
about Michael and Suzanne Carson. They were a duo who
(07:43):
believed that they were on a mission to kill witches,
leaving three victims dead before they're bizarre confession and conviction
in nineteen eighty three. Patreon dot com Slash Love and Murder.
We'll see you in the Patreon and we'll see you
in the next episode.
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