Sylvia Browne

The Reference Desk

In this previously- Patreon-only episode, Katie is bewitched by the psychic megastar Sylvia Browne.
What's worse than a bogus psychic hotline charging people hundreds of dollars for mediocre advice? How about a TV psychic that predicts the death of children?

In the early 2000s, Browne was a daytime TV darling and was charging up to $700 for a half-hour psychic reading. One of her signature moves was to predict the fate of missing persons, often incorrectly. In 2004, she told the mother of Amanda Berry that her daughter was dead. Sylvia's prediction would have intensely harmful effects on the investigation and the victim's family.

Sources:

All That's Interesting: Sylvia Browne

Sylvia Browne Wikipedia page

Ariel Castro Wikipedia page

Psychic Who Said Amanda Berry Was Dead Silent After Berry Is Found Alive

Sylvia Browne: Is She For Real?

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