Eric Smith When a Child Becomes the Monster

When four-year-old Derrick Robie disappeared on what should have been a short walk to summer camp in the quiet village of Savona, New York, no one imagined the truth. The person responsible wasn't a stranger or a hardened criminal—it was a 13-year-old boy named Eric Smith.In this episode of Among Monsters, Myia examines one of the most disturbing juvenile murder cases in American history. Through documented facts, court records, and investigative reporting, we explore the tragic loss of Derrick Robie, Eric Smith's troubled childhood, the investigation that stunned the nation, his controversial trial, nearly three decades behind bars, and the debate surrounding his eventual release. Above all, this episode remembers the innocent life that was taken and asks the difficult questions about childhood violence, accountability, and whether redemption is ever truly possible after an unimaginable crime.