1 00:00:12,746 --> 00:00:14,948 Hey, all! I'm April, of "I Grow, You Grow," 2 00:00:15,048 --> 00:00:17,718 and I have been helping others manifest their perfect lives 3 00:00:17,818 --> 00:00:19,686 as I have been manifesting mine. 4 00:00:20,821 --> 00:00:24,758 April's TikTok account had well over 200,000 followers 5 00:00:24,858 --> 00:00:26,560 that would love to watch her. 6 00:00:26,660 --> 00:00:29,129 The question of the day is, what is something that you are 7 00:00:29,229 --> 00:00:30,464 passionate about? 8 00:00:30,564 --> 00:00:33,901 April wanted the fantasy of being on TikTok 9 00:00:34,001 --> 00:00:36,436 and having crazy followers. 10 00:00:36,537 --> 00:00:40,374 Not everything is pretty and sunflowers and rainbows. 11 00:00:40,474 --> 00:00:42,476 Social media is judgmental as [bleep]. 12 00:00:42,576 --> 00:00:46,146 The problems going on behind the scenes can be a lot darker 13 00:00:46,246 --> 00:00:48,048 than what they're showing online. 14 00:00:49,283 --> 00:00:51,552 We're going through all of this stuff. 15 00:00:51,652 --> 00:00:56,323 I was absolutely shocked when I saw not only one, 16 00:00:56,423 --> 00:00:57,958 but two guns. 17 00:00:58,058 --> 00:01:00,060 It's weird. 18 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,629 A lot of people feel stuck or imprisoned or confined 19 00:01:02,729 --> 00:01:05,332 by their current circumstances. 20 00:01:05,432 --> 00:01:07,000 Choose to have positive thoughts. 21 00:01:07,100 --> 00:01:08,302 Your life will change. 22 00:01:12,039 --> 00:01:14,708 I don't think anyone that was following April 23 00:01:14,808 --> 00:01:17,110 would have ever predicted what happened next. 24 00:01:18,879 --> 00:01:21,248 I'm her mom, and I'm gonna get justice. 25 00:01:42,502 --> 00:01:45,872 I see so many women every week, and I just have to say, 26 00:01:45,973 --> 00:01:50,410 every woman is so unique and special in their own way, 27 00:01:50,510 --> 00:01:52,245 which means if you're seeing this, you're probably one 28 00:01:52,346 --> 00:01:55,616 of those women, and I'm probably talking directly to you. 29 00:01:55,716 --> 00:01:59,286 April wanted to make an impact that's positive in this world, 30 00:01:59,386 --> 00:02:02,089 and I'm so proud of what she was doing. 31 00:02:02,189 --> 00:02:03,056 So I just wanna let you know, 32 00:02:03,156 --> 00:02:04,524 you're beautiful inside and out. 33 00:02:04,625 --> 00:02:07,461 Embrace who you are because you're already perfect. 34 00:02:07,561 --> 00:02:09,997 She was just like a light everywhere she went 35 00:02:10,097 --> 00:02:12,699 because she wanted to make other people 36 00:02:12,799 --> 00:02:14,434 feel good about themselves, 37 00:02:14,534 --> 00:02:15,936 and I loved that about her. 38 00:02:16,036 --> 00:02:18,405 Have a great day on purpose and brush your lashes. 39 00:02:24,678 --> 00:02:26,179 I've always told my kids they can do 40 00:02:26,279 --> 00:02:27,514 anything they wanted, 41 00:02:27,614 --> 00:02:29,883 and April has always had big ideas. 42 00:02:31,251 --> 00:02:32,819 At some point, she decided, 43 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:36,490 "Imma go to lash tech school." 44 00:02:36,590 --> 00:02:38,825 She excelled tremendously. 45 00:02:43,664 --> 00:02:47,000 That's when she started her social media accounts. 46 00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:49,169 I do offer after hour appointments 47 00:02:49,269 --> 00:02:50,837 Monday through Wednesday. 48 00:02:50,937 --> 00:02:53,306 She knew being on Instagram that that's what would 49 00:02:53,407 --> 00:02:57,711 skyrocket and help her be viewed by so many different people. 50 00:02:57,811 --> 00:03:02,215 I'm officially offering $100 freestyle sessions. 51 00:03:02,315 --> 00:03:03,650 ♪ Have your attention ♪ 52 00:03:03,750 --> 00:03:05,919 Her following went up pretty quickly 53 00:03:06,019 --> 00:03:07,821 within the first couple months. 54 00:03:07,921 --> 00:03:10,557 I was like, "Oh, wow. I never knew you can actually 55 00:03:10,657 --> 00:03:13,193 use your social media like that." 56 00:03:13,293 --> 00:03:14,594 That was truly amazing. 57 00:03:14,695 --> 00:03:16,630 Have a great day on purpose and brush your lashes. 58 00:03:16,730 --> 00:03:18,365 ♪ Do I have your attention? Boom ♪ 59 00:03:18,465 --> 00:03:21,234 I was on April's lash page a lot. 60 00:03:22,335 --> 00:03:24,738 I think I was her third or fourth client 61 00:03:24,838 --> 00:03:26,406 that she had ever had. 62 00:03:27,641 --> 00:03:30,477 I got a couple messages from some friends asking, 63 00:03:30,577 --> 00:03:32,345 "Did you get your eyelashes filled? 64 00:03:32,446 --> 00:03:34,948 "'Cause I see this page and you're tagged in it, 65 00:03:35,048 --> 00:03:37,150 "and then I can tell that it's you 66 00:03:37,250 --> 00:03:39,986 because I can see your mustache and your beard." 67 00:03:40,087 --> 00:03:41,988 And I was like, "Oh." 68 00:03:45,292 --> 00:03:47,360 I loved her so much. 69 00:03:47,461 --> 00:03:49,629 They would shout her out, tag her, post her 70 00:03:49,730 --> 00:03:51,131 on different platforms. 71 00:03:51,231 --> 00:03:55,402 Get on IG and go look up literallylashes615. 72 00:03:56,536 --> 00:03:58,038 She was really good at what she did. 73 00:03:59,106 --> 00:04:00,073 One of the best. 74 00:04:00,173 --> 00:04:01,508 ♪ Do I have your attention? ♪ 75 00:04:03,343 --> 00:04:06,079 When I gave birth and I found out that I had a little girl, 76 00:04:06,179 --> 00:04:07,547 I was just... 77 00:04:07,647 --> 00:04:09,816 instantly in love. Like, instantly in love. 78 00:04:09,916 --> 00:04:12,853 Have you just-- I saw her. She was gorgeous. 79 00:04:12,953 --> 00:04:15,255 We named her April, which means new life. 80 00:04:16,857 --> 00:04:19,326 She was the oldest of the three that we had. 81 00:04:20,427 --> 00:04:23,430 I stayed home with the kids, and then my husband worked. 82 00:04:25,265 --> 00:04:28,335 She never went without a thing. Spoiled rotten. 83 00:04:29,503 --> 00:04:30,971 She had such a great childhood. 84 00:04:33,874 --> 00:04:35,675 Her friends brought her into the social media world 85 00:04:35,776 --> 00:04:37,110 when she went to high school, 86 00:04:37,210 --> 00:04:39,479 'cause in our house, we didn't do social media. 87 00:04:39,579 --> 00:04:41,815 Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, 88 00:04:41,915 --> 00:04:43,250 those were her three apps. 89 00:04:43,350 --> 00:04:45,252 If she wasn't on one, she was probably on the other. 90 00:04:50,190 --> 00:04:54,661 Around 2015, I get a message from April on Facebook. 91 00:04:54,761 --> 00:04:57,898 She told me how she was talking to somebody new. 92 00:04:57,998 --> 00:04:59,866 She did send me a picture and say, like, 93 00:04:59,966 --> 00:05:01,067 "Well, this is Donovan. 94 00:05:01,168 --> 00:05:03,703 We've been talking for a little while." 95 00:05:04,971 --> 00:05:07,073 From the very beginning when April met Donovan, 96 00:05:07,174 --> 00:05:08,742 she used to tell me, "He's my best friend." 97 00:05:09,810 --> 00:05:12,946 He was a chef, so he would make her very, very fancy meals. 98 00:05:14,381 --> 00:05:15,949 Treat her like a princess. 99 00:05:18,084 --> 00:05:20,353 Shortly after she met Donovan, 100 00:05:20,453 --> 00:05:23,857 April told me that she was pregnant. 101 00:05:23,957 --> 00:05:27,327 She was very excited about it because it was kind of like 102 00:05:27,427 --> 00:05:28,995 they were starting their own little family. 103 00:05:35,502 --> 00:05:38,605 April always thought that her and Donovan were 104 00:05:38,705 --> 00:05:41,208 a power couple because she was lashing, 105 00:05:41,308 --> 00:05:42,943 he had his food business. 106 00:05:43,043 --> 00:05:46,112 Hey, what's going on, everybody? Chef Big Poppa here. 107 00:05:46,213 --> 00:05:49,783 They wanted to help each other expand and grow even more 108 00:05:49,883 --> 00:05:51,117 with both of their platforms. 109 00:05:52,619 --> 00:05:55,222 The caption says, "I'm blessed. 110 00:05:55,322 --> 00:05:57,057 "Thank you, 2019. 111 00:05:57,157 --> 00:06:00,493 "I'm so excited to see what 2020 has in store 112 00:06:00,594 --> 00:06:02,529 for literallylashes615." 113 00:06:07,467 --> 00:06:10,637 Tennessee Governor Bill Lee declares a state of emergency 114 00:06:10,737 --> 00:06:13,340 to help fight the coronavirus pandemic. 115 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,344 COVID did take a toll on a lot of beauty industries 116 00:06:17,444 --> 00:06:20,280 because it was really hard to continue to make money 117 00:06:20,380 --> 00:06:22,749 when we had to be six feet apart. 118 00:06:22,849 --> 00:06:25,085 What's up, everybody? Chef Big Poppa, 119 00:06:25,185 --> 00:06:26,519 Chef Little Poppa here. 120 00:06:26,620 --> 00:06:29,322 Donovan wasn't getting as much business. 121 00:06:29,422 --> 00:06:31,291 His page wasn't doing so well. 122 00:06:31,391 --> 00:06:34,728 Today is the last day of the 20% off spring sale. 123 00:06:34,828 --> 00:06:36,029 It was kind of hard for them. 124 00:06:37,330 --> 00:06:40,100 She was trying to come up with a plan that could 125 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,702 give her a future for her family. 126 00:06:42,802 --> 00:06:45,839 OK, so this is day one in quarantine. 127 00:06:45,939 --> 00:06:49,309 Because of COVID, a lot of people turned to TikTok. 128 00:06:49,409 --> 00:06:51,711 I think it just kind of gave people a community 129 00:06:51,811 --> 00:06:53,947 in such a dark time in the world. 130 00:06:54,047 --> 00:06:55,282 Hello! 131 00:06:55,382 --> 00:06:57,684 A lot of people were at home with their spouses, 132 00:06:57,784 --> 00:06:59,953 filming couples' content and posting it, 133 00:07:00,053 --> 00:07:01,755 and it grew really fast. 134 00:07:03,189 --> 00:07:05,992 During this time, April did start posting videos 135 00:07:06,092 --> 00:07:07,160 of her family. 136 00:07:07,260 --> 00:07:09,029 Who initiated the first kiss? 137 00:07:12,666 --> 00:07:14,267 They were always laughing and giggling 138 00:07:14,367 --> 00:07:16,970 with each other and kind of giving you an idea 139 00:07:17,070 --> 00:07:18,538 of what their relationship was like. 140 00:07:18,638 --> 00:07:20,740 OK, I'm gonna turn you on. 141 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:22,776 - All right, go ahead. - OK, you ready? 142 00:07:22,876 --> 00:07:23,877 Here it goes. 143 00:07:25,045 --> 00:07:27,013 Ooh! 144 00:07:28,481 --> 00:07:30,951 - OK, that's it, goodbye. - No, wait, wait, hold on! 145 00:07:42,162 --> 00:07:44,731 A couple of months into starting her TikTok, 146 00:07:44,831 --> 00:07:46,599 she started posting more about-- 147 00:07:46,700 --> 00:07:48,802 - Manifesting. - Manifesting. 148 00:07:50,437 --> 00:07:53,740 We're going to manifest and show you guys how to make 149 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:55,942 $5,000 in two weeks. 150 00:07:56,042 --> 00:07:59,713 Donovan was very supportive of April's professional 151 00:07:59,813 --> 00:08:02,349 wants and desires, especially if it was gonna 152 00:08:02,449 --> 00:08:04,217 financially benefit them. 153 00:08:04,317 --> 00:08:07,387 Tune in tomorrow to see what we do. 154 00:08:09,656 --> 00:08:11,124 Ask, believe, receive. 155 00:08:11,224 --> 00:08:13,660 They were manifesting what they wanted for their family, 156 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,528 for their life, for their finances. 157 00:08:15,628 --> 00:08:17,130 You gotta believe. If you believe it 158 00:08:17,230 --> 00:08:19,933 and truly just let it be and don't worry about it, 159 00:08:20,033 --> 00:08:21,768 it'll come to fruition. I promise. 160 00:08:21,868 --> 00:08:23,670 I promise. 161 00:08:23,770 --> 00:08:27,273 And that's when her account really started to grow. 162 00:08:27,374 --> 00:08:29,275 I think when it comes to manifesting, she was 163 00:08:29,376 --> 00:08:31,444 a strong believer, like, "Hey, if I want a million dollars, 164 00:08:31,544 --> 00:08:33,913 I can have it," you know? And so... 165 00:08:34,014 --> 00:08:34,914 I don't wanna burst her bubble. 166 00:08:35,015 --> 00:08:36,716 I'm like, "Hey, baby, pray for it. 167 00:08:36,816 --> 00:08:38,351 If that's what you want, you can have it." 168 00:08:39,386 --> 00:08:41,888 If you are wanting to manifest something in your life, 169 00:08:41,988 --> 00:08:44,958 I will help you to the best of my abilities. 170 00:08:45,058 --> 00:08:47,961 April's main goal was to be a light for others. 171 00:08:48,061 --> 00:08:50,330 - I am powerful. - I am powerful. 172 00:08:50,430 --> 00:08:53,133 - I am Denzel. - I am Denzel. 173 00:08:53,233 --> 00:08:57,871 Her total intent was to uplift people. 174 00:08:57,971 --> 00:09:00,340 About eight months into April's TikTok journey, 175 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,076 she finally hit 100,000 followers. 176 00:09:03,176 --> 00:09:06,780 And that is such a huge milestone for creators. 177 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,482 Companies would ask her to promote their product... 178 00:09:09,582 --> 00:09:11,251 This is a monthly subscription box. 179 00:09:11,351 --> 00:09:12,385 This was just the August box. 180 00:09:12,485 --> 00:09:14,120 ...and she was making an income off of it. 181 00:09:14,220 --> 00:09:16,389 Check this out, check them out, they're amazing. 182 00:09:16,489 --> 00:09:19,192 She was on the right path towards this career 183 00:09:19,292 --> 00:09:20,427 that she really wanted. 184 00:09:20,527 --> 00:09:23,797 Start coming, start purchasing, and let's grow. 185 00:09:27,667 --> 00:09:29,069 ♪ Oh, no, oh no ♪ 186 00:09:29,169 --> 00:09:32,138 But in the midst of posting all of this positivity 187 00:09:32,238 --> 00:09:33,339 and family content, 188 00:09:34,641 --> 00:09:36,709 tragedy was right around the corner. 189 00:09:43,049 --> 00:09:47,854 In 2021, April posted this video of Donovan in the ICU. 190 00:09:51,091 --> 00:09:53,093 He apparently had a heart attack 191 00:09:53,193 --> 00:09:55,128 and the video updates 192 00:09:55,228 --> 00:09:57,597 her followers on what was going on with him. 193 00:10:01,835 --> 00:10:05,638 And through thick and thin... and health. 194 00:10:05,738 --> 00:10:06,806 Hey, all, so don't judge me. 195 00:10:06,906 --> 00:10:08,675 This is me trying to get ready the day after 196 00:10:08,775 --> 00:10:10,777 Donovan's heart attack. 197 00:10:10,877 --> 00:10:13,980 It was a scary experience for her because it really 198 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,784 made her feel like, "Oh my gosh, I'm about to lose my husband, 199 00:10:17,884 --> 00:10:19,886 I'm about to lose the father of my son." 200 00:10:22,522 --> 00:10:23,890 I told y'all I wouldn't leave 201 00:10:23,990 --> 00:10:25,391 without him by my side. 202 00:10:29,496 --> 00:10:32,465 I thought that they were going to be sticking out 203 00:10:32,565 --> 00:10:34,067 through everything that would come their way. 204 00:10:36,970 --> 00:10:38,505 Story time. 205 00:10:38,605 --> 00:10:41,241 OK, so the story is that we are getting divorced 206 00:10:41,341 --> 00:10:44,611 because it was our decision. 207 00:10:44,711 --> 00:10:46,779 She's my best friend. I still love her to death. 208 00:10:48,014 --> 00:10:50,183 No hard feelings. This is not a messy divorce 209 00:10:50,283 --> 00:10:51,718 or anything like that. We don't do that. 210 00:10:51,818 --> 00:10:52,852 This is like... 211 00:10:52,952 --> 00:10:54,754 When she posted about their separation, 212 00:10:54,854 --> 00:10:57,423 her followers were very surprised. 213 00:10:57,524 --> 00:10:59,959 The marriage may have ended, but at least they can still be 214 00:11:00,059 --> 00:11:03,129 friends and still co-parent with Denzel. 215 00:11:03,229 --> 00:11:04,464 He's my best friend. 216 00:11:04,564 --> 00:11:06,065 Nothing's gonna change that, so... - A light. 217 00:11:07,333 --> 00:11:08,234 Look at her, bro. 218 00:11:08,334 --> 00:11:09,869 Like, I will never lose this forever. 219 00:11:17,577 --> 00:11:18,645 When you're going through a divorce 220 00:11:18,745 --> 00:11:21,447 and you lose the person that you tell everything to, 221 00:11:21,548 --> 00:11:23,283 it's like, "I still have all these things 222 00:11:23,383 --> 00:11:26,019 that I wanna get out and talk about." 223 00:11:26,119 --> 00:11:29,355 Her followers were also invested in their relationship. 224 00:11:29,455 --> 00:11:30,456 What do you guys think? 225 00:11:30,557 --> 00:11:31,958 She was talking herself through it 226 00:11:32,058 --> 00:11:35,295 with her followers while also helping them. 227 00:11:35,395 --> 00:11:37,630 I want real opinions, let me know about this, for real. 228 00:11:44,304 --> 00:11:46,773 During their separation, Donovan had started working 229 00:11:46,873 --> 00:11:48,975 on a NAVY ship as a chef. 230 00:11:49,075 --> 00:11:52,111 So he was gone for long periods of time. 231 00:11:52,212 --> 00:11:55,848 That's when she decided to start posting things 232 00:11:55,949 --> 00:11:58,985 about self-care and self-love. 233 00:11:59,085 --> 00:12:01,754 If you need time to heal and get yourself back on track, 234 00:12:01,854 --> 00:12:05,058 don't say sorry for doing what's best for yourself, 235 00:12:05,158 --> 00:12:07,393 because nobody else is gonna do it for you. 236 00:12:07,493 --> 00:12:09,562 Her account continued to grow. 237 00:12:09,662 --> 00:12:10,863 Embrace loneliness 238 00:12:10,964 --> 00:12:12,632 and reinvent yourself in the process. 239 00:12:14,267 --> 00:12:16,703 She was really trying to do everything she could 240 00:12:16,803 --> 00:12:19,305 to make herself the best person she could be 241 00:12:19,405 --> 00:12:21,708 on her own without a partner. 242 00:12:21,808 --> 00:12:23,509 Denzel, what is your purpose? 243 00:12:24,711 --> 00:12:27,780 Your purpose was inside your body... 244 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,316 And then every once in a while, she would post 245 00:12:30,416 --> 00:12:32,118 a video with Donovan. 246 00:12:32,218 --> 00:12:33,987 It was like, "Hey, guys, look at us. 247 00:12:34,087 --> 00:12:35,855 "We're still civil with each other. 248 00:12:35,955 --> 00:12:37,056 "We still love each other. 249 00:12:37,156 --> 00:12:39,592 And we're co-parenting Denzel." 250 00:12:39,692 --> 00:12:43,196 It showed really, really healthy separation. 251 00:12:53,773 --> 00:12:56,376 When April was separated from Donovan, 252 00:12:56,476 --> 00:12:59,245 she wanted to become much more active with the church. 253 00:12:59,345 --> 00:13:01,614 I'm a Sunday school teacher, and I'm running late. 254 00:13:01,714 --> 00:13:04,651 Zach was one of my volunteers as well. 255 00:13:04,751 --> 00:13:05,952 How you doing, TikTok? 256 00:13:08,488 --> 00:13:09,656 What you doing? 257 00:13:09,756 --> 00:13:10,790 When I met April, 258 00:13:11,791 --> 00:13:13,626 I was really bad at TikTok. Yeah. 259 00:13:15,028 --> 00:13:17,563 For me, it was more starting off as like a friendship. 260 00:13:18,564 --> 00:13:23,603 And we hung out one time outside of the church, sitting, 261 00:13:23,703 --> 00:13:25,104 and I was like, "Oh, yeah, this could be more." 262 00:13:26,839 --> 00:13:28,841 I did like how natural it felt. 263 00:13:30,376 --> 00:13:31,311 Nothing was forced. 264 00:13:31,411 --> 00:13:32,879 - Yeah, I see you- - I see you. 265 00:13:32,979 --> 00:13:33,980 Her love is authentic. 266 00:13:36,182 --> 00:13:38,818 April didn't bring up Donovan initially. 267 00:13:38,918 --> 00:13:42,155 I found out about that situation through Jamie. 268 00:13:42,255 --> 00:13:45,692 I asked April about how long they had been divorced, 269 00:13:45,792 --> 00:13:48,494 but she told me she wasn't. 270 00:13:50,163 --> 00:13:53,733 And I told her, I said, "This relationship with me 271 00:13:53,833 --> 00:13:57,203 won't be legit unless that's done." 272 00:13:57,303 --> 00:14:00,006 And she was like, "I understand. Just be patient with me, 273 00:14:00,106 --> 00:14:02,842 and, you know, we'll make that happen." 274 00:14:02,942 --> 00:14:05,645 Donovan was still on the ship working as a chef. 275 00:14:07,046 --> 00:14:08,915 He was only back usually for a few days, 276 00:14:09,015 --> 00:14:10,717 and then he would get back on the boat. 277 00:14:10,817 --> 00:14:14,921 So, I'm not sure where he would stay during those time. 278 00:14:15,021 --> 00:14:17,757 Initially, it started off as him in hotels. 279 00:14:17,857 --> 00:14:20,860 Then it became a situation where, you know, he would sleep 280 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:22,061 in Denzel's room. 281 00:14:24,897 --> 00:14:27,567 And when it got to a point where it was becoming 282 00:14:27,667 --> 00:14:31,671 a consistent thing, that was when we started having 283 00:14:31,771 --> 00:14:35,141 some really tough conversations. 284 00:14:36,376 --> 00:14:37,977 'Cause that just wasn't gonna work for me. 285 00:14:40,313 --> 00:14:41,881 If you thought you knew me last week, 286 00:14:41,981 --> 00:14:43,216 you don't know me this week. 287 00:14:43,316 --> 00:14:45,685 'Cause so many decisions have been made, and my life is 288 00:14:45,785 --> 00:14:46,886 completely transformed. 289 00:14:46,986 --> 00:14:49,288 And yes, this past year, I was trying to reconnect 290 00:14:49,389 --> 00:14:52,525 spiritually with God and just align my life more. 291 00:14:52,625 --> 00:14:55,228 Because she was growing closer to God, that's when she started 292 00:14:55,328 --> 00:14:58,064 to feel a pull at her heartstrings 293 00:14:58,164 --> 00:15:01,134 to try to make her marriage work one more time. 294 00:15:01,234 --> 00:15:03,603 Anything I did, anywhere I went, 295 00:15:03,703 --> 00:15:06,172 it was like screaming in my head, 296 00:15:06,272 --> 00:15:07,240 "Go back to your husband." 297 00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:08,608 And so she took him back in. 298 00:15:08,708 --> 00:15:10,410 I'm being so transparent right now. 299 00:15:10,510 --> 00:15:12,945 I was dating somebody else. 300 00:15:13,045 --> 00:15:15,281 It took a while for me to come to terms with it. 301 00:15:16,249 --> 00:15:20,253 But, you know, I accepted it, prayed about it, moved on. 302 00:15:24,190 --> 00:15:27,293 What do you think the secret to our relationship has been? 303 00:15:28,728 --> 00:15:29,729 Being best friends. 304 00:15:30,830 --> 00:15:31,964 That came first. 305 00:15:32,064 --> 00:15:35,802 So, even through the bullshit, we can joke around 306 00:15:35,902 --> 00:15:37,503 and maintain that friendship. 307 00:15:37,603 --> 00:15:38,538 I mean, it's what kept us 308 00:15:38,638 --> 00:15:40,506 through our separation, honestly, so... 309 00:15:40,606 --> 00:15:41,574 Yeah. 310 00:15:42,775 --> 00:15:44,310 After two years apart, 311 00:15:44,410 --> 00:15:46,312 April and Donovan got back together. 312 00:15:47,447 --> 00:15:49,048 Her followers were happy to see that. 313 00:15:53,119 --> 00:15:56,055 - Say, "Hey," babe. - What's up? 314 00:15:56,155 --> 00:15:57,690 They wanted to say, "Hey, let's give it 315 00:15:57,790 --> 00:15:59,091 another chance." 316 00:15:59,192 --> 00:16:01,294 So then she gave him six months. 317 00:16:01,394 --> 00:16:04,564 From there, we see a bunch of happy, wholesome content 318 00:16:04,664 --> 00:16:05,998 between April and Donovan. 319 00:16:07,033 --> 00:16:09,001 That's the trick with social media sometimes, 320 00:16:09,101 --> 00:16:11,637 is that we can deceive our audience. 321 00:16:12,772 --> 00:16:14,974 Behind closed doors, she started talking to me 322 00:16:15,074 --> 00:16:18,211 about financial issues and being on top of bills. 323 00:16:19,512 --> 00:16:22,815 Donovan gave up very fast 324 00:16:22,915 --> 00:16:24,050 in anything he was doing. 325 00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:26,452 So, if his job wasn't working, he didn't think, "Well, 326 00:16:26,552 --> 00:16:28,688 how am I gonna pay the bill in three weeks?" 327 00:16:28,788 --> 00:16:30,022 He left it all on April. 328 00:16:32,124 --> 00:16:33,726 Only one week after she took him back, 329 00:16:33,826 --> 00:16:35,027 he quit his job again. 330 00:16:38,898 --> 00:16:40,967 I do offer after-hour appointments 331 00:16:41,067 --> 00:16:42,735 Monday through Wednesday. 332 00:16:42,835 --> 00:16:46,439 She would work hours and hours and hours to make sure 333 00:16:46,539 --> 00:16:47,940 that she could bring in the income 334 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,910 to support their apartment, 335 00:16:51,010 --> 00:16:52,879 their lifestyle. Denzel... 336 00:16:54,313 --> 00:16:56,315 But she was tired. 337 00:16:56,415 --> 00:16:58,451 She was tired of taking care of him. 338 00:16:58,551 --> 00:16:59,886 A lot of people feel stuck 339 00:16:59,986 --> 00:17:02,788 or imprisoned or confined by their current circumstances. 340 00:17:03,856 --> 00:17:05,424 Choose to have positive thoughts. 341 00:17:05,525 --> 00:17:06,559 Your life will change. 342 00:17:09,228 --> 00:17:12,398 I remember April did tell me about how there were days 343 00:17:12,498 --> 00:17:15,735 where everything's good and then days where she's just crying. 344 00:17:16,936 --> 00:17:19,138 She told me, "Stephen, I can't do this anymore. 345 00:17:19,238 --> 00:17:23,543 "I'm so over being disappointed and let down by men. 346 00:17:23,643 --> 00:17:26,012 "I'm getting a divorce and staying single. 347 00:17:26,112 --> 00:17:28,814 The second I got back with him, my life went to shit again." 348 00:17:30,416 --> 00:17:31,984 So that's when she called me and said, "Mom, 349 00:17:32,084 --> 00:17:34,253 "I'm really serious. I gave him six months, 350 00:17:34,353 --> 00:17:37,990 and I can't do it anymore. I wanna divorce." 351 00:17:38,958 --> 00:17:42,995 So lately, I have been going through just a lot, 352 00:17:43,095 --> 00:17:47,767 and I'm in, like, a depressed state. 353 00:17:47,867 --> 00:17:49,569 It seemed like she was just overwhelmed 354 00:17:49,669 --> 00:17:52,104 and couldn't handle it anymore. 355 00:17:52,204 --> 00:17:53,673 Someone's gonna have to tell him... 356 00:17:58,978 --> 00:18:02,048 That day, we were gonna go to the Barbie movie. 357 00:18:02,148 --> 00:18:04,250 I looked at my phone, and she had texted me. 358 00:18:04,350 --> 00:18:08,688 It was 12:30, and she just said, "Hey, Mom, I have to be 359 00:18:08,788 --> 00:18:10,156 "home with Denzel, so I'm not gonna be able 360 00:18:10,256 --> 00:18:11,257 to go to the Barbie movie." 361 00:18:12,358 --> 00:18:13,826 And I just put my phone down. I didn't reply. 362 00:18:15,895 --> 00:18:17,563 The next thing is my phone ringing, 363 00:18:17,663 --> 00:18:19,231 and it's Donovan, and he said, 364 00:18:19,332 --> 00:18:20,866 "I just found April in the shower 365 00:18:20,967 --> 00:18:24,003 not breathing and she's on her way to the hospital." 366 00:18:26,272 --> 00:18:29,375 My mind was just, like, going around in circles, 367 00:18:29,475 --> 00:18:32,945 like, "Why? What is going on?" 368 00:18:33,045 --> 00:18:34,680 She just text me at 12:30. 369 00:18:35,548 --> 00:18:37,083 Perfectly fine. 370 00:18:43,756 --> 00:18:45,358 I get to the hospital, and little Denzel is just 371 00:18:45,458 --> 00:18:47,526 sitting in the waiting room, and I gave him a hug, 372 00:18:47,627 --> 00:18:49,362 and I said, "Baby, I'm just gonna go check on Mom." 373 00:18:51,931 --> 00:18:56,002 When I walked into that room, I had no idea what to expect. 374 00:18:57,303 --> 00:19:00,006 And so when I saw her, I was hysterical, 375 00:19:01,207 --> 00:19:02,508 just crying and crying. 376 00:19:03,709 --> 00:19:05,645 And there's Donovan, and he's rocking. 377 00:19:06,746 --> 00:19:08,014 And he's like, "I don't know what happened. 378 00:19:08,114 --> 00:19:09,348 I don't know what happened." And I was like, 379 00:19:10,516 --> 00:19:12,918 "What do you mean? Like, what's going on?" 380 00:19:15,755 --> 00:19:18,724 The doctor comes into the room and he says, 381 00:19:20,092 --> 00:19:24,163 "April went without blood or oxygen for over 15 minutes. 382 00:19:24,263 --> 00:19:26,232 "So she is on life support. 383 00:19:26,332 --> 00:19:27,733 We're gonna give her some time." 384 00:19:29,502 --> 00:19:31,337 Then my mom says, "Did you know 385 00:19:31,437 --> 00:19:34,006 Donovan said that he found her with a bag over her head?" 386 00:19:36,575 --> 00:19:38,010 I said, "Mom, what are you talking about?" 387 00:19:39,812 --> 00:19:42,048 And Donovan said, "Yeah, she did. 388 00:19:43,149 --> 00:19:44,150 And she taped it." 389 00:19:46,786 --> 00:19:48,688 There was a belief that she attempted 390 00:19:48,788 --> 00:19:50,089 to commit suicide. 391 00:19:55,928 --> 00:20:00,933 So lately, I have been going through just a lot. 392 00:20:02,201 --> 00:20:04,637 Finding out that it was a suicide, 393 00:20:06,072 --> 00:20:09,508 I had no words. I sat in silence. 394 00:20:09,608 --> 00:20:12,645 I know that one of my issues is that I just have not been 395 00:20:12,745 --> 00:20:15,081 taking care of myself lately. 396 00:20:15,181 --> 00:20:18,084 I said to myself, "Was there something that she wasn't 397 00:20:18,184 --> 00:20:20,252 telling me?" - I had a mental breakdown 398 00:20:20,352 --> 00:20:24,323 the other night and I plucked all of my lashes off. 399 00:20:24,423 --> 00:20:28,761 A lot of her other content was very, like, captions and smiles 400 00:20:28,861 --> 00:20:31,197 and curated perfectly. 401 00:20:31,297 --> 00:20:33,399 This is probably one of the most vulnerable videos 402 00:20:33,499 --> 00:20:35,468 that I've posted in a really long time. 403 00:20:35,568 --> 00:20:39,004 But this video was just very raw and vulnerable. 404 00:20:39,105 --> 00:20:42,842 Not everything is pretty and sunflowers and rainbows. 405 00:20:42,942 --> 00:20:47,646 I think it shows that things weren't all great in her life. 406 00:20:47,747 --> 00:20:49,849 As an influencer, it's been really hard for me 407 00:20:49,949 --> 00:20:54,920 to share my personal struggles with social media. 408 00:20:55,020 --> 00:20:56,522 You can tell she's kind of nervous. 409 00:20:56,622 --> 00:20:59,158 Do they just wanna see the happy, positive April? 410 00:20:59,258 --> 00:21:01,627 I always feel like I'm being, like, judged. 411 00:21:01,727 --> 00:21:03,829 And I know I'm not being judged. No, I am being judged. 412 00:21:03,929 --> 00:21:05,598 Social media is judgmental as [bleep]. 413 00:21:06,932 --> 00:21:08,067 - Anyways... - When you put 414 00:21:08,167 --> 00:21:10,736 yourself out there and then it flops, 415 00:21:10,836 --> 00:21:12,471 it feels like these people don't care 416 00:21:12,571 --> 00:21:14,140 about what I'm saying. And then you're like, 417 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:15,841 "Oh, well, I shouldn't have shared that." 418 00:21:15,941 --> 00:21:17,009 Like, "That was a mistake." 419 00:21:19,078 --> 00:21:20,079 ♪ Oh, no, oh, no ♪ 420 00:21:20,179 --> 00:21:21,614 She also posted a video... 421 00:21:21,714 --> 00:21:22,915 ♪ Oh, no, no, no, no, no ♪ 422 00:21:23,015 --> 00:21:27,419 talking about a suicide attempt and severe depression. 423 00:21:29,421 --> 00:21:32,958 April doesn't specify who attempted suicide 424 00:21:33,058 --> 00:21:35,027 or who the severe depression was about, 425 00:21:35,127 --> 00:21:38,197 and she doesn't really elaborate on it after that, 426 00:21:38,297 --> 00:21:41,300 so it's kind of just up in the air. 427 00:21:42,735 --> 00:21:45,905 After that, it seems like everything's good again. 428 00:21:52,845 --> 00:21:55,948 Six hours after I got to the hospital, 429 00:21:56,048 --> 00:21:58,818 they moved her up to the ICU floor. 430 00:22:00,286 --> 00:22:03,122 And that's when I noticed there was a bruise on her neck, 431 00:22:03,222 --> 00:22:06,192 and she had bruises on her wrists and her ankles. 432 00:22:07,226 --> 00:22:10,496 The doctors did not give me a reason for the bruises. 433 00:22:10,596 --> 00:22:12,097 My mama gut was like, 434 00:22:13,165 --> 00:22:14,466 "Something's not right." 435 00:22:16,836 --> 00:22:18,037 At this time, we alert police. 436 00:22:19,438 --> 00:22:20,873 When the cops arrived, they called me 437 00:22:20,973 --> 00:22:21,941 in for questioning. 438 00:22:22,041 --> 00:22:24,510 And I told them, "I know my daughter 439 00:22:24,610 --> 00:22:26,045 didn't try to commit suicide." 440 00:22:26,145 --> 00:22:27,880 And they're like, "Every parent wants to believe that." 441 00:22:30,916 --> 00:22:33,219 Shortly after that, I go back to April, 442 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,155 and the doctors tell me 443 00:22:36,989 --> 00:22:38,657 there's no brain activity. 444 00:22:40,860 --> 00:22:41,894 She's gone. 445 00:22:48,534 --> 00:22:50,870 "I hope this message finds you in high spirits 446 00:22:50,970 --> 00:22:53,172 "and ready to conquer the day ahead. 447 00:22:53,272 --> 00:22:55,908 "Take a moment to appreciate how far you've come 448 00:22:56,008 --> 00:22:57,443 "and the incredible person you are. 449 00:22:58,811 --> 00:23:00,779 "Have an amazing day, my dear friend, 450 00:23:02,348 --> 00:23:06,185 filled with positivity, hope, and a heart full of joy." 451 00:23:06,285 --> 00:23:08,888 Sorry. 452 00:23:10,556 --> 00:23:13,058 "And take care and have a great weekend." 453 00:23:16,061 --> 00:23:19,965 And that was the last message I sent to her, 454 00:23:20,065 --> 00:23:22,334 but she had never read them. 455 00:23:25,271 --> 00:23:27,039 Do you want to have a moment? 456 00:23:27,139 --> 00:23:28,841 I-- if-- if you don't mind. 457 00:23:41,387 --> 00:23:42,421 The death of a child, 458 00:23:43,422 --> 00:23:46,692 that's the hardest thing you ever have to experience 459 00:23:46,792 --> 00:23:48,127 in your life. 460 00:23:48,227 --> 00:23:50,162 It hits so differently. 461 00:23:51,497 --> 00:23:53,299 But then... 462 00:23:53,399 --> 00:23:56,568 the pain and the sadness turned into... 463 00:23:58,504 --> 00:23:59,538 fuel. 464 00:24:02,808 --> 00:24:04,910 I know my daughter didn't commit suicide. 465 00:24:07,146 --> 00:24:08,147 Something's not right. 466 00:24:10,149 --> 00:24:12,518 And I'm gonna find out what it is. 467 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:16,655 The cops were saying on the reports, there was 468 00:24:16,755 --> 00:24:18,791 no signs of foul play. 469 00:24:18,891 --> 00:24:20,826 And I said, "What about all the bruises?" 470 00:24:20,926 --> 00:24:22,027 "Oh, we didn't see any bruises." 471 00:24:23,095 --> 00:24:24,063 And I'm like... 472 00:24:25,397 --> 00:24:26,732 "I don't understand. 473 00:24:26,832 --> 00:24:28,133 I don't understand what's happening." 474 00:24:29,168 --> 00:24:33,672 And they called in a therapist for me. 475 00:24:33,772 --> 00:24:35,941 And they just kept saying, "Well, you know, you're gonna 476 00:24:36,041 --> 00:24:37,643 have to accept this is suicide." 477 00:24:38,677 --> 00:24:40,446 And I said, 478 00:24:40,546 --> 00:24:43,849 "How do you get to just rule suicide when you haven't 479 00:24:43,949 --> 00:24:46,485 investigated the rest of the pieces of the puzzle?" 480 00:24:48,721 --> 00:24:51,690 Shortly after that, we took Denzel on a trip 481 00:24:51,790 --> 00:24:55,361 to try to just distract him from everything that's going on. 482 00:24:56,695 --> 00:24:58,864 Denzel's laying with me in a bed, 483 00:24:58,964 --> 00:25:00,366 and I wanted to get up and get a shower. 484 00:25:02,267 --> 00:25:04,570 And he says, "Don't get in the shower. 485 00:25:04,670 --> 00:25:05,838 I don't want you to leave me." 486 00:25:07,940 --> 00:25:09,174 I said, "I'm not gonna leave you. 487 00:25:09,274 --> 00:25:10,709 I'm gonna be in there for a few minutes." 488 00:25:12,411 --> 00:25:13,412 He was so scared. 489 00:25:15,414 --> 00:25:17,016 I said, "Let's just talk about that day." 490 00:25:18,684 --> 00:25:20,786 He said, "I gave my mommy a kiss 491 00:25:20,886 --> 00:25:22,521 that morning." And he said, 492 00:25:22,621 --> 00:25:24,023 "And then she said, she's gonna get in the shower." 493 00:25:26,091 --> 00:25:28,027 And that's when he tells me that his mom and dad 494 00:25:28,127 --> 00:25:30,262 were arguing in the bathroom. 495 00:25:30,362 --> 00:25:31,397 But he said, "I couldn't understand 496 00:25:31,497 --> 00:25:33,098 what they were saying." 497 00:25:33,198 --> 00:25:34,700 Then later, he looked under the door, 498 00:25:35,934 --> 00:25:37,603 and his mom was laying on the ground. 499 00:25:39,738 --> 00:25:43,609 That conversation that I had with Denzel was my confirmation 500 00:25:43,709 --> 00:25:46,545 of what I was suspecting all along, 501 00:25:46,645 --> 00:25:49,548 that Donovan had taken the life of April. 502 00:25:51,617 --> 00:25:53,385 So I recorded Denzel saying these things, 503 00:25:53,485 --> 00:25:55,888 and I sent it over to the detective. 504 00:25:55,988 --> 00:25:57,423 They just told me, "You keep asking 505 00:25:57,523 --> 00:25:59,591 "leading questions. 506 00:25:59,691 --> 00:26:01,560 "It's just a seven-year-old saying these things. 507 00:26:01,660 --> 00:26:02,895 He could change his story." 508 00:26:04,096 --> 00:26:06,465 So I decided, what can I do next? 509 00:26:06,565 --> 00:26:08,600 How am I gonna draw attention to this case? 510 00:26:08,700 --> 00:26:11,537 How to find your purpose and start living in it fully. 511 00:26:11,637 --> 00:26:13,939 April used TikTok as her platform. 512 00:26:14,039 --> 00:26:17,943 And I thought, "OK, if she can reach this many people, 513 00:26:18,043 --> 00:26:19,244 "then that's what I'm gonna do. 514 00:26:19,344 --> 00:26:22,481 I'm gonna learn how to use TikTok." 515 00:26:22,581 --> 00:26:24,750 So I created an account 516 00:26:24,850 --> 00:26:27,319 and I went on there to explain what was going on 517 00:26:27,419 --> 00:26:28,921 and that I needed my voice heard. 518 00:26:31,356 --> 00:26:34,526 I'm making this post to make people aware of the situation 519 00:26:34,626 --> 00:26:36,195 that we have at hand. 520 00:26:36,295 --> 00:26:42,901 The main goal in my TikTok videos were to let people know 521 00:26:43,001 --> 00:26:45,137 how amazing my daughter was. 522 00:26:45,237 --> 00:26:46,805 Her name was April Lynn Holt. 523 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,508 An amazing mom. 524 00:26:49,608 --> 00:26:51,877 Second, I wanted people to know, she did not 525 00:26:51,977 --> 00:26:54,680 take her life. Her life was taken. 526 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:57,649 I promise you, he took my daughter. 527 00:26:58,884 --> 00:27:00,385 I'm gonna take his freedom. 528 00:27:03,789 --> 00:27:05,090 Hello, everyone. 529 00:27:05,190 --> 00:27:06,925 So many people rallied behind Jamie when she posted 530 00:27:07,025 --> 00:27:10,662 those videos. She got millions of views. 531 00:27:10,762 --> 00:27:14,666 And it's easy to see why. The story is so insane. 532 00:27:14,766 --> 00:27:17,769 When I first saw Jamie out there on social media, 533 00:27:17,870 --> 00:27:21,607 I knew this is a mama that's really on a mission. 534 00:27:21,707 --> 00:27:24,743 But what I'm asking for everybody to do is make signs. 535 00:27:24,843 --> 00:27:26,044 I want you to post it on social media. 536 00:27:26,145 --> 00:27:28,046 She's gonna prove everyone wrong. 537 00:27:28,147 --> 00:27:30,849 She will go to the ends of Earth. 538 00:27:30,949 --> 00:27:32,718 Please, please, please help me and share this 539 00:27:32,818 --> 00:27:35,053 as much as possible. Thank you all. 540 00:27:35,154 --> 00:27:38,123 You could feel it through the screen, just how desperate 541 00:27:38,223 --> 00:27:40,259 she was to get this story out there. 542 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,395 Please continue to help me seek justice for April. 543 00:27:44,563 --> 00:27:46,498 Justice for April Holt. 544 00:27:46,598 --> 00:27:48,934 Hashtag justice for April Holt. 545 00:27:50,903 --> 00:27:52,037 Justice for April Holt. 546 00:27:52,137 --> 00:27:54,206 Justice for April Holt. 547 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:57,276 Say her name, April Holt. 548 00:27:57,376 --> 00:27:59,077 Hashtag justice for April Holt. 549 00:28:00,445 --> 00:28:02,548 I'm her mom, and I'm gonna get justice. 550 00:28:04,416 --> 00:28:06,852 Warning, the following podcast is not suitable 551 00:28:06,952 --> 00:28:09,087 for all audiences. You have been warned. 552 00:28:09,188 --> 00:28:11,323 You're listening to Murder in America. 553 00:28:12,524 --> 00:28:15,227 I first heard about April's story 554 00:28:15,327 --> 00:28:18,797 through my wife, Courtney. She wanted to help Jamie. 555 00:28:18,897 --> 00:28:22,234 I reached out to her, but right before we were able 556 00:28:22,334 --> 00:28:25,804 to do the interview, Jamie was hit with a gag order. 557 00:28:26,805 --> 00:28:27,806 And this is day one. 558 00:28:31,510 --> 00:28:35,214 Two weeks after I started posting about April's case, 559 00:28:35,314 --> 00:28:39,117 Donovan went to the attorney that he had, 560 00:28:39,218 --> 00:28:41,954 and he got a gag order put against me. 561 00:28:43,589 --> 00:28:46,291 In a show of support, I actually did the same thing, 562 00:28:46,391 --> 00:28:48,994 and I sent a picture of myself with a piece of tape 563 00:28:49,094 --> 00:28:50,963 over my mouth. 564 00:28:51,063 --> 00:28:53,432 Even after the gag order was issued, she reached 565 00:28:53,532 --> 00:28:57,336 over 100,000 followers on TikTok, and that's huge. 566 00:28:57,436 --> 00:29:01,640 That was her way of spreading the story without breaking 567 00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:02,841 the rules of the gag order. 568 00:29:04,142 --> 00:29:06,545 I would say, "Let my silence be loud." 569 00:29:07,946 --> 00:29:10,349 Donovan knew all eyes were on him. 570 00:29:10,449 --> 00:29:11,883 That's why he put the gag order on me. 571 00:29:11,984 --> 00:29:13,051 He was scared. 572 00:29:15,220 --> 00:29:17,422 Be honest with each other about how you feel 573 00:29:17,522 --> 00:29:18,857 through this journey. That's the only way 574 00:29:18,957 --> 00:29:21,460 y'all will truly get through it together. - Yes! 575 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:23,095 People don't always see 576 00:29:23,195 --> 00:29:25,564 that when the camera stops rolling, 577 00:29:27,032 --> 00:29:28,133 that it's different. 578 00:29:28,233 --> 00:29:29,568 Constantly be learning each other, 579 00:29:29,668 --> 00:29:31,203 because you're always going be changing. 580 00:29:31,303 --> 00:29:32,638 Always. 581 00:29:32,738 --> 00:29:37,276 I found out a lot after everything transpired. 582 00:29:37,376 --> 00:29:40,846 Things I didn't know were s-- were happening. 583 00:29:42,547 --> 00:29:46,251 She couldn't post or say certain things on her TikTok 584 00:29:46,351 --> 00:29:49,554 because he only wanted good things to come out of it. 585 00:29:49,655 --> 00:29:52,357 So he wasn't looking like the bad guy. 586 00:29:52,457 --> 00:29:54,459 Even from early on in their relationship, 587 00:29:54,559 --> 00:29:58,897 April would say that Donovan had suicidal thoughts. 588 00:29:58,997 --> 00:30:01,433 When things were rough, he would stop taking 589 00:30:01,533 --> 00:30:05,837 all of his heart medications and end up in the hospital. 590 00:30:06,972 --> 00:30:10,475 She started telling me about how he would do things 591 00:30:10,575 --> 00:30:12,878 to make himself sick to the point where 592 00:30:12,978 --> 00:30:14,713 she needed to take care of him. 593 00:30:14,813 --> 00:30:16,081 Thought we were going home, 594 00:30:16,181 --> 00:30:18,417 and then hubby had another heart attack. 595 00:30:18,517 --> 00:30:20,319 He literally would say things 596 00:30:20,419 --> 00:30:23,255 like, "If I take my life, it's gonna be because of you, 597 00:30:23,355 --> 00:30:25,791 because I love you so much." 598 00:30:25,891 --> 00:30:28,727 He did what he did to make her feel like she has 599 00:30:28,827 --> 00:30:30,696 no control in anything, 600 00:30:30,796 --> 00:30:34,166 to put fear into her so she'll never go. 601 00:30:35,934 --> 00:30:38,737 All of those are red flags of an abusive person 602 00:30:38,837 --> 00:30:40,539 that can snap. 603 00:30:40,639 --> 00:30:43,075 It does not have to be a physical sign in order 604 00:30:43,175 --> 00:30:45,277 for you to be in an abusive situation. 605 00:30:45,377 --> 00:30:47,212 If you see the signs of jealousy, 606 00:30:47,312 --> 00:30:49,848 if you see the signs of being manipulated, 607 00:30:49,948 --> 00:30:50,949 get out. 608 00:30:52,851 --> 00:30:55,087 Thinking that Donovan was the murderer of my daughter 609 00:30:55,187 --> 00:30:59,124 and knowing that my grandson was still in his care 610 00:31:00,425 --> 00:31:02,394 was heart wrenching. 611 00:31:02,494 --> 00:31:03,628 I don't know what to do. 612 00:31:04,629 --> 00:31:08,834 I've used all the legal resources I can, and this man, 613 00:31:08,934 --> 00:31:11,269 this monster is gonna get my grandson, 614 00:31:11,370 --> 00:31:14,806 and I-- I can't do anything about it, I'm just-- 615 00:31:14,906 --> 00:31:18,009 And then Donovan decided he wanted to move to Texas, 616 00:31:18,110 --> 00:31:21,113 and so was very worried, because now Denzel's not by me. 617 00:31:22,147 --> 00:31:24,282 Well, we'll help pull together. 618 00:31:24,383 --> 00:31:27,085 Jamie was literally doing everything in her power 619 00:31:27,185 --> 00:31:28,553 to get the case moving. 620 00:31:28,653 --> 00:31:30,856 She was writing to the White House. 621 00:31:30,956 --> 00:31:34,459 I'm sending a letter to the president 622 00:31:34,559 --> 00:31:36,395 of the United States. - To the governor... 623 00:31:36,495 --> 00:31:40,532 "Our office cannot conduct criminal investigations." 624 00:31:41,700 --> 00:31:43,301 I looked into private investigators, 625 00:31:43,402 --> 00:31:44,703 and they were so expensive. 626 00:31:46,438 --> 00:31:47,873 So I just kept Googling 627 00:31:47,973 --> 00:31:50,175 and I found the Community Review Board. 628 00:31:51,476 --> 00:31:53,278 They investigate your investigation. 629 00:31:54,613 --> 00:31:56,515 I submitted my claim with them. 630 00:31:59,217 --> 00:32:00,585 It took six weeks to get it back. 631 00:32:02,187 --> 00:32:05,590 The Community Review Board report just agreed 632 00:32:05,690 --> 00:32:09,027 with what the investigators were saying. 633 00:32:09,127 --> 00:32:11,963 According to the committee, the police did a thorough 634 00:32:12,063 --> 00:32:15,700 investigation and they believed in their findings. 635 00:32:17,335 --> 00:32:20,005 It was just heartbreaking. 636 00:32:20,105 --> 00:32:22,574 It was another dead end. 637 00:32:22,674 --> 00:32:24,776 I decided in the back of my head that I'm gonna have 638 00:32:24,876 --> 00:32:27,245 to figure out another way to get the truth. 639 00:32:28,513 --> 00:32:30,916 I went through the Community Review Board report 640 00:32:31,016 --> 00:32:33,552 with a fine-tooth comb, every word. 641 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:38,290 That is when I found that there was a section that said 642 00:32:38,390 --> 00:32:42,661 Donovan Holt's fingerprints were found on the tape at the scene. 643 00:32:44,162 --> 00:32:46,731 The police said that those prints could have been, 644 00:32:46,832 --> 00:32:48,567 because they lived in the same household, 645 00:32:48,667 --> 00:32:51,369 he could have touched that tape at any time. 646 00:32:51,470 --> 00:32:53,371 But Donovan, he didn't know that. 647 00:32:54,506 --> 00:32:56,875 So I decided to take a picture with my phone 648 00:32:56,975 --> 00:32:58,443 and send him just that line. 649 00:32:59,611 --> 00:33:00,779 And I said, "Just so you know, 650 00:33:01,947 --> 00:33:06,184 "I now have evidence that you killed April 651 00:33:06,284 --> 00:33:08,286 "and that your fingerprints are the only ones 652 00:33:08,386 --> 00:33:10,121 found on the tape and the bag." 653 00:33:12,791 --> 00:33:16,561 Donovan calls me, and that is when he decided 654 00:33:16,661 --> 00:33:18,797 that he was going to... 655 00:33:18,897 --> 00:33:20,799 tell me what really happened. 656 00:34:24,329 --> 00:34:27,832 This was the confession that he gave me 657 00:34:27,933 --> 00:34:29,601 of how he murdered April. 658 00:34:32,537 --> 00:34:34,139 There has been an arrest. 659 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:38,043 Donovan Holt has been arrested in the state of Texas 660 00:34:38,143 --> 00:34:39,778 for the homicide of April Holt. 661 00:34:41,813 --> 00:34:45,817 We have gotten a confession that my daughter was strangled. 662 00:34:45,917 --> 00:34:48,320 She had the bag put over her head and taped 663 00:34:48,420 --> 00:34:50,789 around her neck by her husband, Donovan Holt. 664 00:34:51,823 --> 00:34:53,725 He then went into the living room. 665 00:34:53,825 --> 00:34:55,727 He ate lunch with his son. 666 00:34:55,827 --> 00:34:57,896 And then he sent his son into the bathroom 667 00:34:57,996 --> 00:34:59,130 to find my daughter. 668 00:35:00,198 --> 00:35:03,001 We were able to explain that mommy did not commit suicide. 669 00:35:03,101 --> 00:35:05,637 She did not intentionally leave this earth. 670 00:35:05,737 --> 00:35:08,640 She would have never intentionally left you. 671 00:35:08,740 --> 00:35:11,943 Denzel will be raised by me and by his poppy, 672 00:35:12,043 --> 00:35:15,614 and we also have the autopsy that has been amended 673 00:35:15,714 --> 00:35:17,649 from suicide to homicide. 674 00:35:19,150 --> 00:35:23,088 The DA called me and said that he was being charged 675 00:35:23,188 --> 00:35:25,190 with three felonies, 676 00:35:25,290 --> 00:35:27,892 falsifying the report, tampering with evidence, 677 00:35:27,993 --> 00:35:30,128 and reckless homicide. 678 00:35:30,228 --> 00:35:32,564 Reckless homicide? 679 00:35:32,664 --> 00:35:36,267 That was almost a term that I was unfamiliar with. 680 00:35:36,368 --> 00:35:38,603 But then his defense is that they were having 681 00:35:38,703 --> 00:35:43,074 such violent sex that he ended up killing her on accident. 682 00:35:45,644 --> 00:35:49,948 If a person got engaged in a sexual act of choking 683 00:35:51,249 --> 00:35:53,785 and doesn't resuscitate the person but decides 684 00:35:53,885 --> 00:35:57,288 to drag them to a shower and put a bag over their head 685 00:35:57,389 --> 00:35:59,124 and tape it up, 686 00:35:59,224 --> 00:36:00,358 that's not an accident. 687 00:36:01,893 --> 00:36:05,997 In my opinion, this was just simple, a straight murder. 688 00:36:07,232 --> 00:36:11,870 So, we were right there with Jamie advocating to see 689 00:36:11,970 --> 00:36:15,106 a larger prison sentence handed down to Donovan. 690 00:36:18,743 --> 00:36:20,912 All right, guys, let me tell you about what's going on. 691 00:36:21,913 --> 00:36:25,650 So the apartments that Donovan was living at have evidence 692 00:36:25,750 --> 00:36:28,853 from the case from that morning, from the crime scene. 693 00:36:28,953 --> 00:36:31,423 The police in San Antonio will not help me. 694 00:36:32,657 --> 00:36:34,059 This is insane. 695 00:36:34,159 --> 00:36:36,828 After Donovan's arrest, his apartment in San Antonio 696 00:36:36,928 --> 00:36:38,863 was about to be emptied. 697 00:36:38,963 --> 00:36:41,066 Me and my husband live in Houston, which is only 698 00:36:41,166 --> 00:36:43,268 a few hours away from San Antonio. 699 00:36:43,368 --> 00:36:46,538 I'm exhausted, so I just need your guys' help, please. 700 00:36:46,638 --> 00:36:49,140 I just knew we had to help her. 701 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:52,544 Shortly before Courtney and I headed to San Antonio, 702 00:36:52,644 --> 00:36:55,213 we sat down in our kitchen, had a discussion, 703 00:36:55,313 --> 00:36:57,816 and decided we should be filming this. 704 00:37:00,418 --> 00:37:03,888 That day, we pulled into the apartment complex. 705 00:37:03,988 --> 00:37:06,524 We met his ex-girlfriend at the door. 706 00:37:06,624 --> 00:37:09,694 We didn't even know that Donovan had another girlfriend 707 00:37:09,794 --> 00:37:13,431 after April, but he had given her a key when they started 708 00:37:13,531 --> 00:37:16,868 dating, so that's the reason we were even 709 00:37:16,968 --> 00:37:18,603 allowed access into the apartment. 710 00:37:20,004 --> 00:37:24,042 The energy in there was definitely a little strange. 711 00:37:24,142 --> 00:37:25,810 All of their stuff was still there. 712 00:37:25,910 --> 00:37:27,879 There was still, like, food out on the counter. 713 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:33,184 I went into Donovan's room and was doing a little digging, 714 00:37:34,252 --> 00:37:38,156 and I was absolutely shocked when I looked underneath his bed 715 00:37:38,256 --> 00:37:42,293 and saw not only one, but two guns. 716 00:37:43,628 --> 00:37:44,629 That's weird. 717 00:37:46,264 --> 00:37:48,733 And there was a spent shell casing. 718 00:37:48,833 --> 00:37:51,569 So he had fired the weapon at some point. 719 00:37:52,570 --> 00:37:56,474 Obviously, it was concerning knowing that he had actually 720 00:37:56,574 --> 00:37:59,611 killed someone and was living with this child 721 00:37:59,711 --> 00:38:00,779 with guns under his bed. 722 00:38:01,379 --> 00:38:03,848 in there you can find those journals. 723 00:38:03,948 --> 00:38:05,083 We had been in there a few minutes 724 00:38:05,183 --> 00:38:06,518 packing up Denzel's stuff. 725 00:38:06,618 --> 00:38:08,586 Wanna drag the other one? 726 00:38:08,686 --> 00:38:11,322 I opened up a closet, and that's when I found 727 00:38:11,422 --> 00:38:12,657 Donovan's journals. 728 00:38:14,425 --> 00:38:16,628 We packed up everything that we found, and we drove 729 00:38:16,728 --> 00:38:18,096 back home to Houston. 730 00:38:18,196 --> 00:38:20,031 Still so many questions. 731 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:23,568 So many questions. 732 00:38:25,236 --> 00:38:27,872 At home, we sat down and opened everything. 733 00:38:27,972 --> 00:38:30,475 You can see we're going through all of this stuff. 734 00:38:31,810 --> 00:38:35,413 The standout thing to me was Donovan's journal, 735 00:38:35,513 --> 00:38:39,717 where he essentially stated that he wanted to start 736 00:38:39,818 --> 00:38:42,053 a suicide crisis center. 737 00:38:42,153 --> 00:38:44,923 "My wife could have avoided suicide by simply having 738 00:38:45,023 --> 00:38:47,725 "a professional show support, care, and concern 739 00:38:47,826 --> 00:38:49,894 towards what she was dealing with mentally." 740 00:38:49,994 --> 00:38:53,631 And he was actually using the acronym of April's name. 741 00:38:53,731 --> 00:38:56,401 I want April to be that resource. 742 00:38:56,501 --> 00:38:58,503 Oh, A-P-R-I-L. 743 00:38:59,671 --> 00:39:01,406 A Personal Refuge In Love. 744 00:39:02,941 --> 00:39:05,343 - But she didn't commit suicide. - Yeah... 745 00:39:05,443 --> 00:39:08,847 So this is all fake. This whole thing is 746 00:39:08,947 --> 00:39:10,081 fake. 747 00:39:10,181 --> 00:39:11,115 And that was huge. 748 00:39:11,216 --> 00:39:13,918 Courtney and I were shocked to see that. 749 00:39:14,018 --> 00:39:16,688 Hello, you have reached the Metro Police Department 750 00:39:16,788 --> 00:39:17,989 South Precinct. 751 00:39:18,089 --> 00:39:21,159 But ultimately, the police really didn't care 752 00:39:21,259 --> 00:39:22,327 that we had found that. 753 00:39:22,427 --> 00:39:24,462 They didn't wanna use it in any of their proceedings. 754 00:39:24,562 --> 00:39:28,199 So it was just another piece of evidence that was 755 00:39:28,299 --> 00:39:31,102 either tossed out or completely disregarded. 756 00:39:31,202 --> 00:39:32,570 We tried. 757 00:39:37,575 --> 00:39:39,911 Today, Donovan Holt was sentenced to just over 758 00:39:40,011 --> 00:39:42,814 two years behind bars for the killing of his wife. 759 00:39:42,914 --> 00:39:44,949 He was convicted of reckless homicide, 760 00:39:45,049 --> 00:39:47,185 evidence tampering, and false reporting. 761 00:39:48,186 --> 00:39:50,321 Our family is disgusted by this decision. 762 00:39:50,421 --> 00:39:53,224 It took me so long to fight for this justice, 763 00:39:53,324 --> 00:39:56,127 and I would do it all again because I have Denzel 764 00:39:56,227 --> 00:39:57,795 here with me, and he is safe. 765 00:40:01,599 --> 00:40:05,236 The world knows that April didn't kill herself. 766 00:40:07,372 --> 00:40:11,409 Without Jamie, no one would ever know the true story. 767 00:40:11,509 --> 00:40:14,145 I will make it my mission as her mother to get policies 768 00:40:14,245 --> 00:40:17,949 and procedures changed, so that no family has 769 00:40:18,049 --> 00:40:19,717 to endure grieving while investigating 770 00:40:19,817 --> 00:40:22,687 their own child's case because the system failed them. 771 00:40:22,787 --> 00:40:24,222 When you hear the name April Holt 772 00:40:24,322 --> 00:40:25,423 from this point forward, 773 00:40:25,523 --> 00:40:28,159 hear an echo of the change that is to come. 774 00:40:29,894 --> 00:40:31,362 I think the hardest thing 775 00:40:34,432 --> 00:40:36,634 is that at every family function, 776 00:40:36,734 --> 00:40:38,036 there's an empty chair. 777 00:40:40,738 --> 00:40:44,108 I would do anything to have her back, but at the same time, 778 00:40:44,208 --> 00:40:45,877 she's in a much better place. 779 00:40:47,011 --> 00:40:48,379 I'll see her again one day. 780 00:40:50,581 --> 00:40:53,451 Taking five minutes out of your day can change 781 00:40:53,551 --> 00:40:54,786 your kids' entire lives. 782 00:40:55,987 --> 00:40:59,524 Do it. Put the phones down. 783 00:40:59,624 --> 00:41:01,259 Turn off the TV. 784 00:41:01,359 --> 00:41:02,894 Give your kids the time that they need, 785 00:41:02,994 --> 00:41:05,563 because this is the only time we have with them right now. 786 00:41:06,831 --> 00:41:08,566 You're welcome. And thank you. 787 00:41:19,377 --> 00:41:20,445 Hello, lovelies. 788 00:41:20,545 --> 00:41:23,948 Mahek Bukhari was the epitome of Gen Z girls. 789 00:41:26,084 --> 00:41:27,552 This is a case of love, 790 00:41:27,652 --> 00:41:29,220 obsession, 791 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,122 extortion, 792 00:41:32,623 --> 00:41:34,425 ...and ultimately cold-blooded murder.