“My grandson says I’m a nosy old neighbor,” she said. “I say I pay attention to what matters.”

August 18th: a young woman arrived with four large suitcases. September 2nd: Casey crying in the yard, Ross nowhere to be found. October 11th: the girl didn’t leave the house for kindergarten all week.

Then the neighbor showed them her outdoor camera footage.

In one clip, Gwendolyn had made Casey stand in the yard in nothing but socks on a freezing morning.

“You stay out there until you learn to obey my rules.”

In another, recorded from the porch, Gwendolyn’s voice came through clearly.