Peter McDonald

Late that night, Stephanie and her partner ran into trouble. It was dark out and below freezing. Stephanie had driven her partner to a grocery store. She idled while he ran in. Then she passed out. A passerby found her slumped over the steering wheel and called 911. EMTs arrived and revived her, but her blood pressure was dangerously high.

Teresa told me, rather than take her to the hospital, the police arrived and took Stephanie and her partner home. Then they impounded her car because her insurance had lapsed. The next morning, Stephanie called Tara Lee and asked her for a ride to the hospital. Tara Lee called her an Uber.

Teresa told me, rather than take her to the hospital, the police arrived and took Stephanie and her partner home. Then they impounded her car because her insurance had lapsed. The next morning, Stephanie called Tara Lee and asked her for a ride to the hospital. Tara Lee called her an Uber.

Teresa told me, rather than take her to the hospital, the police arrived and took Stephanie and her partner home. Then they impounded her car because her insurance had lapsed. The next morning, Stephanie called Tara Lee and asked her for a ride to the hospital. Tara Lee called her an Uber.

When Stephanie arrived at Hutzel Women's Hospital in downtown, her doctor quickly diagnosed her with preeclampsia and decided to induce. Stephanie tried calling her partner, but he wouldn't answer. Amidst the chaos the night before, he'd left his cell phone in their impounded car It was October 25th, Teresa and Mike's third wedding anniversary.

When Stephanie arrived at Hutzel Women's Hospital in downtown, her doctor quickly diagnosed her with preeclampsia and decided to induce. Stephanie tried calling her partner, but he wouldn't answer. Amidst the chaos the night before, he'd left his cell phone in their impounded car It was October 25th, Teresa and Mike's third wedding anniversary.

When Stephanie arrived at Hutzel Women's Hospital in downtown, her doctor quickly diagnosed her with preeclampsia and decided to induce. Stephanie tried calling her partner, but he wouldn't answer. Amidst the chaos the night before, he'd left his cell phone in their impounded car It was October 25th, Teresa and Mike's third wedding anniversary.

They said Tara Lee wore a black Lululemon tracksuit, Prada reading glasses, a Rolex watch, and a large diamond ring. She also had diamonds painted on her nails. As Tara Lee dug into her lunch, she told them a story.

They said Tara Lee wore a black Lululemon tracksuit, Prada reading glasses, a Rolex watch, and a large diamond ring. She also had diamonds painted on her nails. As Tara Lee dug into her lunch, she told them a story.

They said Tara Lee wore a black Lululemon tracksuit, Prada reading glasses, a Rolex watch, and a large diamond ring. She also had diamonds painted on her nails. As Tara Lee dug into her lunch, she told them a story.

It seemed like every time someone else was in the spotlight, in this case, Stephanie, Tara Lee would try to redirect everyone's attention to herself. When she was done eating, they went up to labor and delivery.

It seemed like every time someone else was in the spotlight, in this case, Stephanie, Tara Lee would try to redirect everyone's attention to herself. When she was done eating, they went up to labor and delivery.

It seemed like every time someone else was in the spotlight, in this case, Stephanie, Tara Lee would try to redirect everyone's attention to herself. When she was done eating, they went up to labor and delivery.

Then, Tara Lee made a phone call to someone to vent about a set of adoptive parents. She called them APs. It sounded like a birth mother was wavering in her decision.

Then, Tara Lee made a phone call to someone to vent about a set of adoptive parents. She called them APs. It sounded like a birth mother was wavering in her decision.

Then, Tara Lee made a phone call to someone to vent about a set of adoptive parents. She called them APs. It sounded like a birth mother was wavering in her decision.

My biggest takeaway from 30 minutes of recordings that Teresa shared with me was that despite Tara Lee saying to someone on the phone that she protected her mothers till the ends of the earth, I didn't hear her give Stephanie any emotional support. Stephanie was in labor. All the attention should be on her.

My biggest takeaway from 30 minutes of recordings that Teresa shared with me was that despite Tara Lee saying to someone on the phone that she protected her mothers till the ends of the earth, I didn't hear her give Stephanie any emotional support. Stephanie was in labor. All the attention should be on her.

My biggest takeaway from 30 minutes of recordings that Teresa shared with me was that despite Tara Lee saying to someone on the phone that she protected her mothers till the ends of the earth, I didn't hear her give Stephanie any emotional support. Stephanie was in labor. All the attention should be on her.

She couldn't get hold of her partner, and although the Mathinis were adopting her baby, she'd only met them once. The person she knew best in the room was Tara Lee, who was supposed to be her doula. Even during the birth of a baby, Tara Lee stole the spotlight. Stephanie, who says almost nothing in these recordings, seems in the shadows, alone, almost as if she wasn't there.