Goodnight, Sugar Babe: The Killing of Vera Jo Reigle

On a cold Spring morning, a naked female body is found on a train bridge in the center of Findlay, Ohio, sending shock waves through the town. Detectives and first responders begin a grisly mystery as the case draws immediate public attention.

The victim is identified as Vera Jo Reigle, a mentally challenged young mother with a history of abuse. A local police officer, social worker involvement, and repeated 911 warnings suggest Vera was in danger before she disappeared.

Homicide detectives are confronted with a blizzard of lies from the Brooks family and those surrounding Vera. The initial interviews hint at a conspiracy, but investigators press on to verify the facts.

Police quickly arrest a cousin, Danny Bixler, who was staying at the Brooks home. He later points to the place on the river where he says the murder knife was thrown, giving the impression the case is solved.

The film shifts away from police sources and goes directly to Vera's actual murderers and conspirators, challenging the official narrative. It hints at a broader conspiracy beyond the bridge scene.

We are introduced to Cheri Brooks, the 'Sugar Babe' at the center of the crime family, described as secretive, controlling, and cultish. Her leadership links the case to a wider pattern of organized abuse and manipulation.

The film chronicles Cheri's background of childhood sexual abuse and her obsession with little girls, revealing how a victim can become a predator. It explains how this 'folie en famille' shapes the family dynamics.

Cheri loses five children to Child Protective Services, including her daughter Maria, whom she mourns. The narrative portrays how authorities struggled to stop her from continuing a harmful pattern.

Cheri aims to replace Maria by securing custody of Vera's baby, even as Vera carries a female fetus. Vera is manipulated, including being induced with Castor oil to deliver on Cheri's birthday.

Zachary Brooks grows violent as Vera resists his new girlfriends, and brutal beatings escalate in the Brooks home. Vera's spirit is battered as she becomes a coerced caretaker for the unborn child.

Danny and his thrill-seeking girlfriend arrive, and Vera is beaten for entertainment before the pair take her to the tracks. The murder plan centers on removing Vera and keeping the baby.

On the bridge, Vera is killed as planned, with Danny pointing to the path of the killer's exit and the knife reportedly thrown into the river. The investigation collapses into a narrow focus on the bridge event.

Only Danny and his girlfriend are charged for Vera's murder, while a wider conspiracy remains unexplored. Prosecutors focus on what happened on the bridge and strike plea bargains that keep the full horror out of the trial.

Goodnight, Sugar Babe reframes Vera's story as a miscarriage of justice and questions whether poverty, disability, and neglect influenced the legal outcomes. The film argues for exposing the truth and seeking accountability.