We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America

Texas Tribune reporter Asgarian presents the results of her exhaustive five-year examination of the 2018 murder-suicide case of the Hart family. When Jennifer and Sarah Hart drove their SUV off a California cliff with their six adopted children inside, they initiated an investigation that revealed inhumane treatment, abuse, and other atrocities that had previously been shielded by the seemingly happy family. In this disturbing and detailed debut, Asgarian uncovers the racism, negligence, and corruption that culminated in incomprehensible heartache. From the birth families to bureaucracy, Asgarian’s analysis of the trauma the Hart children endured is thorough and thought-provoking. Narrator Suehyla El-Attar gives an impassioned performance that enhances the touching, terrifying tale of social injustice and systemic failure. Her delivery is compelling and clear, evoking a captivating listening experience from this true-crime tragedy.