Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘House of Secrets’ of A&E’s ‘Crime in Progress,’ the primary focus is on Cheryl Christensen, her son with disability, and their tragic deaths. When the news of the tragedies broke out, the entire community of Racine, Wisconsin, was baffled and rocked to its core. The investigation led by the detectives uncovered some dark family secrets with several twists and turns. The documentary extensively covers the case and the investigation that ensued in detail, thanks to exclusive, insightful interviews with Cheryl’s loved ones and the officials involved in the investigation of the incidents.
Police Found the Remains of Cheryl Christensen’s Son While He Was in Her Care
Cheryl A. Christensen was the sole caretaker and legal guardian of her son, who had met with an accident at the age of 14 and endured multiple physical and brain injuries. The injuries were so severe that he was unable to take care of himself. Thus, since then, his mother had taken on the responsibility. However, on October 28, 2020, the authorities received a call from Cheryl’s family, requesting a welfare check of her son as they were worried for his well-being. At first, the authorities didn’t go inside after noticing a sign on the door that read, “On vacation, please respect that.” However, they returned with Cheryl’s family members and were met with Cheryl’s screams when they tried to enter the residence.
As per police records, the mother allegedly tried to barricade the door and asked the police to leave her alone. Soon, the police managed to make their way inside and noticed red paint on the floor, the television, the walls, and all the doors. As they went inside the bathroom, they allegedly discovered her 46-year-old son’s remains on the floor covered in a blanket. Despite her best efforts to keep herself locked in a room, the authorities eventually took her into custody and interrogated her. During the interview, Cheryl told the detectives that her son had fallen out of his wheelchair a few days earlier, but she was unable to get him back in his wheelchair. She claimed that she then gave him pain medication and dragged him into the bathroom.
When asked why she didn’t reach out to emergency services, Cheryl said that her son’s health had been deteriorating and she wanted him to “die a peaceful death at home” and not in a hospital. As for the red paint, according to police records and the criminal complaint, she told the officers that “the home had a mad energy to it” and there were “demons or something going on,” which is why she decided to paint around the house. According to her daughter, Cheryl had allegedly been “suffering from some type of emotional distress or mental breakdown as she had been sending significant amounts of money to a preacher in Texas.” Following the interview and investigation, Cheryl Christensen was charged with negligently subjecting an at-risk individual to abuse/causing death in connection with her son. She was further charged with obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct.
Cheryl Christensen Died From Fatal Gunshot Wounds Inside Her Burned Home
Cheryl Christensen, who was held at the Mendota Mental Health Institute, was reportedly found incompetent to stand trial at least two times in the following years, leading to the delay of her trial. Finally, she was scheduled to face trial in August 2024 for letting her 46-year-old son die in October 2020. Awaiting the trial, she was allowed to stay at her home in the 2600 block of West Crescent Street in Racine, Wisconsin. About a month before the trial, on July 8, 2024, the authorities were called to the residence because it had caught fire. After the firefighters extinguished the fire, they discovered 64-year-old Cheryl’s remains in the house.
At first, it was believed that she had died from the fire. However, when the autopsy revealed that she had been shot multiple times before the fire even started, the authorities launched a homicide investigation. On the morning of July 10, the case took a sudden turn when the police confronted a 37-year-old man at Cliffside Park in the village of Caledonia, and he was killed after the situation escalated. As per the authorities, the deceased man was identified as a person of interest in the murder of Cheryl Christensen and the arson of her home. Investigators stated they believe he was responsible for the homicide and the subsequent arson, though the case was effectively closed following his death in the police confrontation.
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