87: Aniya Day

In this heartbreaking episode of Stolen Lives True Crime, the focus is on the tragic case of Aniya Day, a four-year-old girl who was brutally abused and murdered by her mother, Sierra Day, and her mother's boyfriend, Deontay Lewis. The episode outlines the series of events leading up to Aniya's death, including the numerous warning signs and reports made to Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services over a span of two years, which went ignored. Aniya's father, Michael Garrett, fought desperately for custody and reported multiple instances of abuse, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

The episode narrates how Aniya, described as a vibrant and affectionate child, suffered at the hands of her mother and Lewis, who were charged with aggravated murder. Despite clear evidence of Aniya's malnutrition, bruises, and previous injuries, social services failed to intervene. After a series of medical examinations post-mortem, it was determined that Aniya had been subjected to extreme abuse resulting in her death from multiple strokes due to blunt force trauma. The episode wraps up with details of the courtroom proceedings, where both Day and Lewis faced justice for their crimes, with Michael Garrett advocating for change to prevent such tragedies in the future and the establishment of legislation in Aniya's name to hold social workers accountable.