He Received A Call At Midnight... #truecrimestories #truecrimeshorts #crimejunkies #podcast | Forensic Files

Joseph King Jr.'s world collapsed a few weeks before the rest of us were rocked by lockdowns and a global pandemic.
It was February 23rd, 2020 when his phone rang just before midnight. No good call comes at that hour, so he was
bracing himself when he answered, [music] but there was nothing that could have prepared him for what was said. His
6-year-old son, Joseph King III, his JoJo, was unconscious and at the hospital. Now, there wasn't much more
information for him at that time. This is all pretty recent, but he, dad, lives in Georgia and JoJo lives with his mom
and stepfather in Texas, so he needs to get on the first flight out to be with his son. [music] Joseph is in knots as
he makes the trip, and he still doesn't know much. [music] I mean, he had just FaceTimed with his son the day before.
He was perfectly healthy and happy, pumped about starting baseball. Like, how could this possibly be happening?
How could he be in the hospital now? Now, when he finally arrives at Children's Medical Center in Dallas
[music] that next morning, it is even worse than he imagined. JoJo is not just unconscious, he is on
life support. Doctors say that he suffered a brain injury from lack of oxygen, likely from being [music] stuck
in a toy chest where his stepdad found him. >> Like a like a toy box thing? Like he
climbed in and accidentally got stuck? >> That is what his stepdad is saying. Brandon Hale, the stepdad, says that he
was home with JoJo when it happened. JoJo's mom, Jessica, basically left for a baby shower at around 2:30 p.m., and
then at some point that afternoon, Brandon took this short nap, but he was woken up not too long after, just before
5:00 because he got a text from his wife reminding him to give JoJo his medication.
So, he said he searched the townhouse and he couldn't find JoJo anywhere.

On February 23, 2020, Joseph King Jr. received a call.

His 6-year-old son, Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III, was unconscious and in the hospital.

Just one day earlier, Jo-Jo was healthy, happy, and excited about starting baseball. Hours later, he was on life support with a severe brain injury caused by lack of oxygen.

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Brief Summary

Joseph King Jr. faces a nightmare as his son JoJo suffers a life-threatening incident, leading to a hospital crisis.

Key points

A Father's Nightmare. Joseph King Jr. receives devastating news about his son JoJo's condition.
Tragic Accident. JoJo suffers a brain injury after being trapped in a toy chest.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

How could this possibly be happening?

Joseph's disbelief about his son's condition.

0:53WatchApr 2, 2026

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