Dr Phil: I Believe My Ex Murdered My Children
Dr Phil introduced his audience to a young boy named Darby, who looked a lot like his father, Tommy. His mother, Julia, had another daughter, Kiera, from a previous marriage. Now both of these children are dead, and four years later, Dr Phil is exploring some of this family’s unanswered questions.
Tommy said he was married to Julia for about three years. Kiera was two years old when Darby was born. Tommy’s mother called Julia “distant and neglectful” when it came to parenting. He said she was taking different medications, and his mother talked about her ex-daughter-in-law’s questionable ailments and tendencies toward self-harm.
“She was faking it for the attention, for pity, to get away from the kids and not have to do anything,” the mother-in-law said. Tommy said that when they broke up, Julia took the kids to Montana and took up with new boyfriend Codey.
Dr Phil: RIP Darby Hodges & Kiera Pulaski

Tommy and his mother Cheryl told Dr Phil they have evidence that his ex, Julia, and her boyfriend Cody murdered two young children three months apart.
On June 27 2010, Tommy got the call from his mother that his 19-month-old son, Darby Walter Hodges, had died. An autopsy found bruising, pulled hair, broken ribs, but no determined cause of death. Darby’s grandmother Cheryl suspected Julia almost immediately.
A few months later, Julia and Codey moved to Missouri with daughter Kiera. A few months later, Kiera Marie Pulaski would also be dead at the age of four. Tommy said the police report suggested it was an accidental death as the result of a head injury in a fall. But Tommy is not buying this explanation, citing unexplained injuries. “I absolutely believe that they were murdered by Julia and Codey,” Tommy said.
Cheryl said that she expected the parents to be arrested for abuse, neglect, or homicide. She told Dr Phil’s audience she wants justice and the truth. What happened to these children? Should Julia and Codey be in jail?
Dr Phil: Unexplained Bruising & Foul Play Accusations
It wasn’t long before the deaths made news headlines. Detectives consulted with the FBI regarding the suspicious circumstances and unexplained bruising. News reports pointed out the suspicious circumstances, timeline, and unexplained injuries.
Then, Tommy and Cheryl joined Dr Phil onstage to share their convictions that these children were murdered. Cheryl said that she has compiled proof of the couple’s guilt. In fact, the mother and son have a Facebook group targeting Julia and Codey’s guilt.
Cheryl insists that the autopsies prove foul play. Dr Phil wondered why there has yet to be an arrest, and she said the medical examiners feel there needs to be more evidence to reach a definitive conclusion. Some of the comments these two have made on their Facebook page are alarming and personal.
Dr Phil: Woman’s Mystery Illness & Prescription Addiction
Tommy said that his ex-wife quickly lost interest in parenting, eventually spending days in bed before going out at night with her friends as soon as he got home from work. He also told Dr Phil she was addicted to prescription medication, and that she was selling her body on Craigslist.
He was upset to find evidence and correspondence about her behavior, and this confrontation eventually led to the end of their relationship. During that incident, Julia said Tommy killed the dog in a rage. He denied this accusation.
Though Julia claimed to have Lupus, he said he did not know for sure. She also claimed to have a Stomach Tumor that miraculously disappeared. Even when they were together, Darby had multiple accidents that made Tommy suspicious.
Please Dr. Phil if this couple proves to be suspects in murdering those 2 children please help get them behind bars. I just am not believing these mothers that have been on your show lately. With today’s show with the murders and the 17 yr old girl that was molested and her mother took her husbands side I just can not comprehend how these mothers will side with spouse instead of their children until proven not guilty. It’s just horrible!!!!!!!
I hope the truth will be set free tomorrow
MY HEART BREAKS FOR THE FAMILY OF THESE CHILDREN ,I BELIEVE MOTHER KILLED HER CHILDREN ,LOOK AT SUSAN SMITH DROWNED HER BOYS LITTLE CASEY KILLED BY HER MOTHER AND THROWN IN THE EVERGLADES LIKE TRASH , OUR SOCIALITY HAS LOST IT’S MORALITY ,GOD HELP OUR CHILDREN AND OUR ELDERLY….
It is strange that she (Julia) said yes to the polygraph until he (Codey) was in her presence again. It is almost like he (Codey) has her brainwashed. She seems really confused, like she truly believed she had things firgured out, that there was an explanation for losing both of her babies like that. AND did I hear HIS, the boyfriend/husband’s mother offer to take the test? I would have her take one too. The more the better. If they are hiding something and brainwashing her then it will come out. The only way the mother would know that there wasn’t an autopsy on Kiera would be from the new Mother-in-law, from the Funeral Home.
I Don’t agree with the Dr. about the autopsy though on Kiera. If the mother did her hair for the funeral she would have been able to notice. This was a four year old, not a teenager or older. She did not have a thick head of hair. My niece is a mortician, you still know the scars are there. I am a beautician, you KNOW there are there, BUT that is no excuse for not taking the Lie Detector test. That man is covering something up. AND if I heard correctly, HE found both the kids. He said he found them both on Monday, then on Tuesday he didn’t answer. I guess I need to look at it again but I thought about that last night while waiting on the show today. I hope to hear more about this case.
The Father and Grandmother (Tommy) need to back off though. If she was such a bad mom, why did she have Darby? If he can prove it, why did she have custody and why was she able to move away from them? Doesn’t make sense there either. Not her being an addict on drugs!!!!!
AND why is it fine to put her stuff out there but not his. Back to the “Who has custody”. Seems to me that none of these people should have had it(Custody). So many people in this world have love to give these children and they had to deal with these five for the short time God let them on Earth. Sad!
If SHE didn’t do this and they have put all these accusations and what not out there, they can be sued for slander and much more. I would LOVE to see how this turns out. The only happy ending to the whole situation was long gone before this all started. “RIP little babies, Jesus loves you <3"
*** My take????? He didn't want another man's children. He did it. End of Story. The fall in the bathroom with the towel. I can see it in my head as soon as he said it… he pulled on the towel, pulled her feet out from under her and she slammed her head on the outside of the tub. It must have been right at bedtime. After she is calmed down everyone goes to bed as usual. She doesn't wake up. That is what the doctor said. A few hours. The mother said they were sleeping. If it happened right at bedtime is all make perfect sense.
@DrPhil #DrPhil #DarbynKiera #KieraPulaski #DarbyHodges
I want to see the Facebook page. I feel that’s the only way we will know the end result.
I think you are spot on and it is the Cody guy. The Mom away from Cody said she wanted to take the polygraph and like you I heard Cody’s Mom say she would also. The ONLY one who wouldn’t is Cody!!
Its sad but I think the mother of these two children’s only crime is being too incredibly naive and/or being afraid to speak out and go against Cody.
Holy WOW!
Google Darby’s full name and look until you find his obituary. It won’t be a difficult search, there is another child, named Cameron. I pray he is not with Julia.
The mother and stepfather killed those children
Why aren’t they in jail?
“Shaken Baby Syndrome and Non-Accidental Injury: Are Parents and Caretakers Being Falsely Accused?”
http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/2009/11/19/shaken-baby-syndrome-and-non-accidental-injury-are-parents-and-caretakers-being-falsely-accused/
“Dangerous Vaccines Found to Cause Symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome”
http://vactruth.com/2013/06/22/shaken-baby-syndrome/
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“Multiple Vaccinations and the Shaken Baby Syndrome”
http://www.nvic.org/doctors-corner/Shaken-Baby-Syndrome.aspx
2
Seriously? These antivaccination myths and lies need to stop. Vaccinations are not the cause of these deaths and they do not cause all the other maladies that you can read about. It is ridiculous and uneducated opinions like these that DO cause the deaths of babies who are too young to be immunised and die needlessy from older children who’s parents have not had them immunised.
Codey really became vocal AFTER the show was over. I wonder why he said that he never got to finish a sentence because he didn’t even try to say anything at all. He looked scared, maybe of the father or the seemingly medicated wife. If they haven’t lawyered up, the cops should be hounding the hell out of both of them. It is so obvious that one or both are responsible for those two deaths. Don’t forget that Jack Trimarco is the very best and I would believe what he said about NEVER having a parent refuse a poly.
My heart is telling me that all three are involved. That mother knows that her son is most likely responsible for killing both of those children, and the wife who want everyone think she is naive and just don’t know. She knows exactly what happened, and government need to change the law and “make” child murderers take a lie detective test.
I think that the mother knew something. You can not live with a man that is doing something to your child and NOT know. She didn’t have a job and wasn’t leaving the house to not know. Unless she was drugged up and sleeping all the time like she did with her former husband, Tommy. I also think that she may have had something to do with the children’s deaths. No real mother would let a man hurt their children. She is a poor excuse for a woman/mother. I pity her. She will be judged and her children will be the ones to judge her when her time her on Earth is over. I hope she has to look in their eyes and know what she did to them. That man (if you can call him that) Codey is a murderer. He knows he did something to those children. He “found” both children and they were both bead. He caused the little girl’s death by his own words. “Accident” I don’t think so. He probably slammed her head on the bath tub before bedtime and when she went unconscious he then put her in bed. Then he “found” her that morning and she was dead.
I believe with all my heart that these. PrecioUs babies were. Murdered . The way the wife acted, it was as if she knew her husband did it and she is. Protecting him . Its like she is not all there………she may be abused herself. As for the mother in law doing the little girls hair……….. My baby died of sids-and the incision er wee head was tiny, so on a 4 year old head, unless ur looking for it, it cd be nissed
Codey looked like a cold blood killer, which he showed no facial expressions, emotions, and remorse. He was terrified to take the polygraph, and he somehow convinced Julia to believe whatever he says, and it is no different than cult. Julia has some kind personality and mental illness, and she believed whatever Codey programed in her and can not see reality and refuse to look at the truth. They are both guilty of charge and should spent the rest of their lives behind bars. Julia may need to be in the mental hospital. Both Julia’s parents are just as mentally incompetent as her, and they both are manipulative and truly wanted her to believe something is not true. I could not believe that Julia’s mother was cooperative with Codey and convince her to not take the polygraph. What kind of parents are they? It is a generation down mental illness from Julia’s parents, who are manipulative as well. Juliar should not have any more children, because her mental illness will only lead to more abuse and even murders.
The step father killed those two children, and his mother knows he did it. Julia wants to believe that no one did any thing. but deep down she knows he killed her babies. but she rather have a man over her kids.so sad.
Why ??? For the love of God and the souls of these poor children, why, should it be an option for these two to take a polygraph? It should be MANDATORY! There are no other suspects other than these two pieces of garbage. Please Dr. Phil, please help to put these two behind bars.
I think that the FBI should seperate the mother from her Husband some how to convince her to take poly and look at possibilities. I also suggest getting a phyc test done on mother. I have a friend for many years who had multiple personalities, some did not know of the others. She has been on meds (what for?). DD can be made worse with pain meds. The husband seems guilty. Do what you do Dr. Phil, we have hope you will get down to the bottom of this. Please keep trying. Jesus be with you to help.
obviously, Cody Is running things!!!! What mother would not take a polygraph test if she was truly innocent. They both are quilt and I pray the truth will one out. These two need to go to hell. Who could hurt these precious children. These two need the electric chair.
How does the medical community find injuries in living persons? A CT scan shows subdural hematomas. Don’t believe everything you see on fictional TV shows. They can use CTs, Xrays ,etc. during autopsies, too.
This story has me so upset and frustrated. I am an absolute unbiased stranger and find myself absorbed in emotion over this. I do not know how the biological father and his mom abstained from jumping out of their chairs and knocking them off of theirs. The Mother is choosing to play so stupid. I know she is absolutely a mental case but I think she is playing the stupid card too. That disgusting, abusive man Codey absolutely abused both those precious babies until he had beat them each to their deaths. He is so rancid and sick that he didn’t even stop after the first “accident”. I would have thought that he would have about crapped after he killed Darby. The fact that it didn’t slow down or stop the abuse on Kiera reaffirms his out of control,sick, abusive demeanor. I think he abused those kids on a daily basis and I believe crazy, drug addicted, physco Julia was right there witnessing it. He probably convinced her shallow mind that “this is how you discipline children and teach them how to behave”. She was so sick and goo goo over that creep that she choose his abusive behavior over her love and protection that she should have had for her babies. He killed them both and I believe she knows it. I don’t believe for a minute that she is as stupid as she’s playing. Same goes for his mother. Shame on her!! Dr Phil did a great job. I have so much respect for him, that autopsy specialist and his polygraph expert. In light of my total sadness, anger, disbelief etc I am probably most frustrated with the two police departments. I would have never fathomed they would ignore these autopsy reports and let that sick trio carry on in society. They need to be incarcerated for life! He did it!! His Mother knows it. His demented wife knows it. The specialist involved know it. We know it. Why don’t the police know it??
The more I looked at Cody the more I became convinced that he did it. He would gulp a lot while certain details were being disgust regarding Kiera’s hemorrhage. Why did Julia agree to the polygraph then just as Dr Phil predicted, Cody persuaded Julia to not take the polygraph. Her lips keep saying Yes Yes I want to know but her Heart and Soul are connected strongly to Cody. She said he saved her life. No one wants to believe that someone who they believed saved their life could be capable of such an act. That is why she from her own mouth says she is confused.I truly believe he did it. What a coincidence that he was the one who found the boy and he was also the one who found the girl along with the others which didn’t make sense. How could 3 people find the child at one time. That was a lie cause in my head when they all said that I imagined them all walking into the room at the same time. Come on now really?
I didn’t record it yesterday but I THINK yesterday the story was Cody found the little girl, today all three walked in the room?
The ONLY thing that would cause all adults to get up and go at the same time is some commotion. But these people want us to believe three people got up to wake a child I call BS!!! It wasn’t her birthday.
Cody did it! His Mother suspects it and Julia refuses to let herself see it.
Such a said story. I just can’t understand how these two are not behind bars. They are monsters, that abused and murdered these children. The autopsy proved there when multiple injuries, some were older and some were new, to both children. Blunt force trauma to the head, broken ribs, several hemorrhages to the brain, are not a result of vaccines. The mother and boyfriend both seemed guilty to me. His demeanor during the show and her fake tears made me sick.
I feel that the listening viewing audience has been left hanging; is there going to be an exhumation? The mother and Cody both agreed to do the lie detector if this was done.
The coroner said that the death of these 2 children
is suspicious. Why aren’t the police doing more to
investigate who murdered these children?
This absolutely makes me sick that these people have gotten away with murder – TWICE!!! Let’s get real, Codey is obviously guilty and Julia knows it but prefers to continue to be taken care of by Codey, so she is turning a blind eye to what he did to her children. To be more correct, I should say she turned a blind eye to what he had been doing repeatedly to her children. The expert even indicated that the injuries were at different levels of healing which means the injuries were inflicted at different times. I can’t even imagine sitting there like that if my children were dead. I would have demanded that a cause be found before I would have allowed my children to have been buried. I also cannot believe that Julia was not aware that abuse was being regularly inflicted upon her children. She can play stupid if she wants, but she is just as guilty of killing her kids as Codey is. She is fully aware but has put herself above her children so that she can continue to be taken care of by Codey. I think she knows that no other decent man would want anything to do with her after the truth comes out. All that we can do is pray that the truth eventually does come out.
I am so sad for the father. Clearly the woman’s new husband killed those poor babies and she is just too sick,weak,and in denial to see the truth. Karma is a powerful thing and justice comes in many forms.I just don’t understand what kind of police work is going on in that town. Sad.
I cannot believe they came on there hoping to get the harassing to stop. Harass them every second of everyday.
Just watched this in Dr.Phil. There is NO doubt in my mind that Cody did he. He said at the very start he discovered both kids. I believe he is threatening her saying if you tell them it’s me I’ll take you down as your their mother. He has full control over her and that is scary. I also think she wanted to tell Dr. Phil at the very end.
She wanted to find out the truth? And she did!
This lady is soo weak!!! You just need to listen to her to know how weak she is.
Coincidence how they died?,and 2-3 months apart? I think not!
why hasn’t there been a final episode with the conclusion on Dr Phil??