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.



If you liked this episode, don’t keep it to yourself—follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you&rsquo;re&nbsp;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&nbsp;episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns uses a&nbsp;series of foraging mistakes to show how curiosity, mixed with a hint of bravado, can turn&nbsp;lethal when people rely on folklore, hearsay, or incomplete information. From toxin-&nbsp;secreting toads and misidentified &ldquo;magic mushrooms&rdquo; to a drowning case complicated by&nbsp;zebra mussels and cyanotoxins, each case tracks the same pattern: confidence first,&nbsp;consequences later. 
Highlights
&bull; (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
&bull; (0:30) A radio story from Arizona: people reportedly licking toads to get high
&bull; (1:00) A high school &ldquo;toad hunt&rdquo; in Kansas goes sideways with the wrong species&nbsp;and 24 hours of vomiting
&bull; (2:30) Colorado River toad, 5-MeO-DMT, and why "toad licking" is dangerously&nbsp;misunderstood
&bull; (5:45) Case one: a 20-year-old &ldquo;confirms&rdquo; magic mushrooms with library photos&nbsp;and dries a batch for tea
&bull; (7:30) Psychedelic tea results in vomiting and GI complications, followed by&nbsp;multiorgan failure and death
&bull; (12:45) Case two: a drowning case is complicated by foreign shells in the airway and&nbsp;stomach
&bull; (15:15) Zebra mussels and cyanotoxins enter the investigation
&bull; (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&nbsp;recognized forensic pathologist. He las led death investigations in Travis County, Fort&nbsp;Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies&nbsp;and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to&nbsp;Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange,&nbsp;grisly, and sometimes absurd realities of forensic pathology. 
About the Show
Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable&nbsp;world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each&nbsp;episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom.&nbsp;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. 
If you liked this episode, don&rsquo;t keep it to yourself&mdash;follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

It's chaos, blood and body parts. Join Dr. Kendall Crowns each week as he discusses stories and cases from his over 35-year journey of death from the tornado alley of Kansas, the bloody Memphis shoreline of the muddy Mississippi river, the ultra-violence of Chicago, and finally the Methamphetamine fueled insanity of Texas -- encompassing his days as an autopsy tech, medical student, resident/fellow and finally as a medical examiner. Stories range from humorous to horrifying and cover a wide variety of topics from week to week. You will never know what you will hear, be it courtroom drama, decapitations, gangland shootings, feet with no body, or chihuahuas feasting on the flesh of decomposing bodies. The cases will never end. It will always be different and there is never a dull moment. So, tune in each week and climb aboard, your nightmares will never be the same

It's chaos, blood and body parts. Join Dr. Kendall Crowns each week as he discusses stories and cases from his over 35-year journey of death from the tornado alley of Kansas, the bloody Memphis shoreline of the muddy Mississippi river, the ultra-violence of Chicago, and finally the Methamphetamine fueled insanity of Texas -- encompassing his days as an autopsy tech, medical student, resident/fellow and finally as a medical examiner. Stories range from humorous to horrifying and cover a wide variety of topics from week to week. You will never know what you will hear, be it courtroom drama, decapitations, gangland shootings, feet with no body, or chihuahuas feasting on the flesh of decomposing bodies. The cases will never end. It will always be different and there is never a dull moment. So, tune in each week and climb aboard, your nightmares will never be the same

Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

Mayhem in the Morgue | Foraging Misadventures

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/df9060fd-e24c-49a5-a593-b3d10013db5b/transcript