Reborn to Die: The Tragic Death of Candace Newmaker

WILDCIDE

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes content around child abuse, child endangerment and negligent homicide of a child. Listener discretion is advised.

Candace Elizabeth Newmaker was born Candace Tiara Elmore on November 19, 1989 in rural North Carolina. She was born into poverty and her mother was a second-generation foster child. The same fate unfortunately came for Candace herself when she was removed from her mother’s custody at the age of 5. After two years in foster care, Candace was formally adopted by a stable and successful single woman, Jeane Newmaker, who christened Candace with her new name and tried to give her the world. However, the transition was rough for both Candace and Jeane. Candace was struggling being away from her biological mother, she acted out, and did not seem able to bond with Jeane. After seeing specialist after specialist and years of therapy and medications, in an effort to treat Candace’s believed attachment disorder, Jeane brought her to a highly-recommended therapy center in Colorado. It was there where, at just 10 years old, Candace Newmaker met a tragic end during an experimental “rebirthing” treatment. The boundaries between healing and harm blurred, leaving a community in shock and a family shattered. This horrific incident exposed the dangers of unregulated and unproven therapeutic practices. This one's a whole lot y'all. Listen in as Bailey gives her perspective as a therapist and provides clinical insights into this heartbreaking case.

**Don’t miss the interview with one-half of your favorite Wildcide hosts, Bailey, as she answers listener’s questions regarding all things trauma, therapy, addiction and mental health. Interview drops Friday 8/2/24.

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References:

https://culteducation.com/group/1115-rebirthing/17893-her-name-was-candace.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1174742/

SESSION TRANSCRIPT: https://www.parkaman.com/transcript-candace-newmakers-tape/

http://www.childrenintherapy.org/proponents/cline.html

https://allthatsinteresting.com/candace-newmaker

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537155/

https://culteducation.com/group/1115-rebirthing/17893-her-name-was-candace.html

https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1111%2Fcpsp.12379

BOOK: Mercer, J., Sarner, L., & Rosa, L. (2003). Attachment therapy on trial: The torture and death of Candace Newmaker. Praeger.

https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=124076&page=1

https://www.bmj.com/content/322/7293/1014.6.short

https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/05/us/national-briefing-rockies-colorado-probation-in-suffocation-death.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-21-mn-53812-story.html

https://poundpuplegacy.org/document/130002

https://web.archive.org/web/20080907130015/http://www.kidscomefirst.info/msoAB8FC.pdf

http://www.childrenintherapy.org/victims/newmaker.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20080806161320/http://cbs4denver.com/local/denver.rebirthing.watkins.2.786701.html

https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93074&page=1

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2001/10/12/No-prison-for-mother-in-rebirthing-death/16191002897732/

https://www.cnn.com/2001/LAW/04/17/rebirthing.ban/