On October 18, 2016, when the news emerged of a fatal single-car crash on McKnight Boulevard, the community of Calgary, Alberta came together in grief and horror to mourn the death of 17-year-old Meghan Bomford and to pray for the recovery of her father, Shaun, and her best friend, Kelsey, who were also in the vehicle. Shaun received much less sympathy when it was revealed that his blood alcohol was three times the legal limit, and almost a year later, he received criminal charges for the crash that took his daughter’s life and nearly ended Kelsey’s.

You might wonder what a drunk driving incident has to do with child abuse, and that would be fair. Every news account of Meghan’s death paints it as an anomaly, a single incident of alcohol-skewed judgment on the part of her father. What no news outlet dared report on was the years of psychological abuse Meghan endured at the hands of her father and how that relationship culminated in the untimely death of a teenager.

In today’s episode, I’ll tell you the story of a vibrant, funny young lady who was loved by everyone who came in contact with her. In next week’s episode, you’ll hear my interview with Meghan’s mom, Lisa, and sister, Sarah, who paint a dark picture of a family life filled with alcoholism, abuse, and Shaun’s escalating erratic behavior leading up to Meghan’s death.

This is part one of the devastating story of Meghan Bomford.

Huge thanks to today’s sponsor:
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This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

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