Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.

The line between curiosity and catastrophe is thinner than most people expect. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns uses a series of foraging mistakes to show how curiosity, mixed with a hint of bravado, can turn lethal when people rely on folklore, hearsay, or incomplete information. From toxin- secreting toads and misidentified “magic mushrooms” to a drowning case complicated by zebra mussels and cyanotoxins, each case tracks the same pattern: confidence first, consequences later.

Highlights

• (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

• (0:30) A radio story from Arizona: people reportedly licking toads to get high

• (1:00) A high school “toad hunt” in Kansas goes sideways with the wrong species and 24 hours of vomiting

• (2:30) Colorado River toad, 5-MeO-DMT, and why "toad licking" is dangerously misunderstood

• (5:45) Case one: a 20-year-old “confirms” magic mushrooms with library photos and dries a batch for tea

• (7:30) Psychedelic tea results in vomiting and GI complications, followed by multiorgan failure and death

• (12:45) Case two: a drowning case is complicated by foreign shells in the airway and stomach

• (15:15) Zebra mussels and cyanotoxins enter the investigation

• (22:00) Closing warning: all mushrooms are edible, some only once

About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns

Dr. Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He las led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange, grisly, and sometimes absurd realities of forensic pathology.

About the Show

Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations.

Connect and Learn More

Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on Linkedin. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where you get your podcasts.

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