Paramount+ dove deep into the 1971 death of 4-month-old Matthew Golder in the three-part docuseries, Burden of Guilt. The true crime series premiered on February 4, 2025, as Matthew’s older sister, Tracyraquel Berns, reflected on her troubling childhood, being blamed for her baby brother’s murder and her journey to find the killer of her late sibling.

Viewers may be familiar with the case, as it was broken down in the podcast also titled Burden of Guilt.

What Is ‘Burden of Guilt’ About?

In 1971, Tracyraquel’s mother, Kathie Almon, found Matthew on the floor in his room after she and Tracyraquel returned home from the grocery store. Tracyraquel and Matther’s father, Jan Barry Sandlin, was home with the infant while his wife and daughter were away. Matthew’s death was initially ruled an accident and Tracyraquel later learned that she was blamed after her parents claimed she pushed her brother off of his crib. Tracyraquel was 2 years old when Matthew died.

When she became an adult, she advocated for Matthew and urged investigators to reopen the case. Jan was later charged with murder, aggravated assault and child cruelty in 1997 and found guilty of Matthew’s death.

Jan was sentenced to life in prison for the second time, as he was already serving a life sentence for armed robbery.

“Though initially ruled an accident, the mystery of how Matthew died haunts Tracyraquel throughout her childhood. After years of lies and unanswered questions, she obtains Matthew’s medical records and uncovers a shocking detail; she learned she was blamed for his death,” the network’s overview of Burden of Guilt reads. “Tracyraquel embarks on a relentless search to expose the darkest and deepest secret of her troubled family. Her investigation leads the authorities in Dekalb County Georgia to an unprecedented decision to exhume Matthew’s body 25 years after his death, which reveals that his death was a homicide.”

‘Burden of Guilt’ Exposes Dark Family Secrets

During the first episode of the series, Tracyraquel deemed her parents as “monsters” and explained that her childhood was rocky and unstable.

Jan and Kathie would leave Tracyraquel at home alone with her younger brother, who was born after Matthew’s death. Since she didn’t have a relationship with her parents, she joined the army once she turned 18.

As an adult, Tracyraquel has no form of relationship with her parents. While Jan is currently serving his life sentences in prison, Kathie lives with her sister, Sheila Salmon, in Georgia, according to thecinemaholic.com.

In Burden of Guilt, Tracyraquel’s family friends, former neighbors and the DeKalb County law enforcement share their stories about Matthew’s murder.

‘Burden of Guilt’ Trailer

Paramount+ and See It Now Docs released the chilling trailer for Burden of Guilt in January 2025 and shared a new version during the premiere on February 4, 2025.

“The shocking truth behind a 2-year-old framed for her infant brother’s murder is finally unearthed. Experience Burden of Guilt, streaming now exclusively on #ParamountPlus,” the caption read. “The podcast that inspired Burden of Guilt is available on Apple, Spotify, the iHeart App, or where you listen to your podcasts.”

Where Can Fans Watch ‘Burden of Guilt’?

Paramount+ subscribers can stream the three-part series, Burden of Guilt now.