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Matt Podolak's death in 2006 from ethylene glycol poisoning (antifreeze) led to the conviction of his then-fiance, Holly McFeeture, in 2013. It was alleged that she poisoned his iced tea with antifreeze over a few months, leading to his failing health and ultimate death. The truth was uncovered after authorities received an unexpected tip.
However, before all of this, the couple lived happily in their Cleveland home with three children - two of their own and one from Holly's previous relationship. The discovery undoubtedly left the children devastated. Over the years, they have stayed with the McFeeture family while the Podolaks were given visitation rights in 2014.
Oxygen's Dateline: Secrets Uncovered recently aired an episode titled Manner of Death, which further dived into Podolak's mysterious death and McFeeture's controversial trial years later. The episode synopsis says:
"It was a mystery from day one: A young father's life cut short and how Matt Podolak died was puzzling. The word poison kept coming up. Matt's brother would embark on a long quest for the truth."
Matt Podolak and Holly McFeeture lived in Cleveland with their children
Matt Podolak and Holly McFeeture first met in 2003 and started dating. They eventually moved into their Cleveland home with Holly's daughter from a previous relationship. Soon after, they had their first child, and a second one followed. The family of five seemed happy with their lives.
McFeeture was often described as "a loving mother and a loyal and trustworthy person," but their lives took a difficult turn in 2006 when Podolak died under mysterious circumstances after complaining about a certain kind of pain for months. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was chronic ethylene glycol poisoning, a harmful substance often found in antifreeze.
However, how Matt regularly ingested the substance into his system remained a question. In 2010, authorities received a tip from one of the men McFeeture dated after her fiance's death. The man claimed that she admitted to poisoning his drinks which caused his health to fail. The manner of death was subsequently determined to be a "homicide."
What happened to Matt Podolak's children after his death?
The couple's kids remained in Holly's custody while they coped with the loss of their father. Authorities allegedly charged Holly with murder while she and the kids lived in Cleveland. The children reportedly moved in with their mother's family after the arrest.
Letters from her kids praising Holly as a single mother was presented in court during her trial. The kids spoke positively of Holly as a single mother and how close they were to her, especially after their father's sudden demise. The two young ones wrote,
"My mom is the greatest mom in the world because she is sweet and kind… I miss her."
Where are Matt Podolak's kids now?
The kids have lived with the McFeeture family since Holly was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Although they frequently visited their mother in prison, they were not permitted to visit their father's side of the family. The court ultimately granted visiting privileges to Matt Podolak's family in 2014, allowing them to reunite with Matt's kids, Samantha and Josh. However, the kids' current whereabouts remain uncertain.
Matt's brother, Mark Podolak, also stated that he would ensure that the kids know about their father.
