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246: Fugitive Mom, Dorothy Lee Barnett | USA/Australia

Evidence Locker True Crime

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Episode  ·  21:04  ·  Nov 16, 2025

About

In 1994, a custody dispute in South Carolina ended with a mother vanishing with her infant daughter. Dorothy Lee Barnett, accused of violating a court order, disappeared without a trace — along with 11-month-old Savannah. For nearly two decades, the pair lived under new identities across the world — first in Europe, then South Africa, then Australia — as authorities searched for clues. In 2013, an international investigation finally uncovered the truth. Dorothy had been living as Alexandria Maria Canton, and Savannah, now a young woman, had grown up unaware of her past. The case became one of the most remarkable parental abduction stories in modern history — a tale of love, fear, deception, and the long reach of justice. Listen now to hear the full story of the mother who fled across the world — and the daughter who never knew. Books: Read collections of The Evidence Locker Files, available in print and digital editions. Follow us on: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok For more information, visit: Evidence Locker Website Listen ad-free: Visit our page at Patreon 25% of Evidence Locker Patreon proceeds are donated to support the Doe Network, solving international cold cases. To learn more, visit: https://www.doenetwork.org/ Resources Documentaries NBC Dateline: "Finding Savanna"  CBS 48 Hours: "Dear Savanna"  Web Family Abduction Watch Articles Dorothy Lee Barnett: Where is the Kidnapper Today? Savanna Todd: Where is Dorothy Lee Barnett's Daughter Today? Woman who kidnapped her own daughter during bitter divorce shares tales of nearly 20 years on the run 48 Hours' to feature baby Savanna abduction from Isle of Palms Unsolved Mysteries Wiki: Dorothy Barnett Case Created & Produced by Sonya Lowe Narrated by Noel Vinson Music: "Nordic Medieval" by Marcus Bressler Background track: Doblado Studios: https://www.youtube.com/c/DobladoStudios This True Crime Podcast was researched using open-source or archive materials.

21m 4s  ·  Nov 16, 2025

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