TLC Revisits Colorado Springs Mystery Jogger Case
A two-hour special titled "The Mad Pooper" will examine the 2017 Colorado Springs incidents involving an unidentified woman.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Home Cleaning
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TLC will premiere "The Mad Pooper," a two-hour special revisiting a 2017 case in which an unidentified jogger repeatedly defecated outside homes in a Colorado Springs neighborhood. The statute of limitations on potential charges has expired.
Why it matters
The special revisits a case that drew national attention yet never resulted in the woman being publicly identified or arrested. Because the statute of limitations has run, she may no longer face prosecution even if her identity is later revealed.
The special runs two hours and recounts incidents from 2017, when the woman returned at least once a week for seven weeks. Her identity was never publicly confirmed, and no arrest was reported.
The players
TLC
TLC is a cable television network known for documentary and reality programming, and it is producing the special.
Cathy Budde
Cathy Budde is a Colorado Springs resident whose children first spotted the woman, and who told local station KKTV about the repeated visits.
The details
The special uses archival news footage, firsthand accounts from residents and interviews with former law enforcement officials. Cathy Budde's children first spotted the woman outside their home, and Budde later confronted her, though the incidents reportedly continued.
Timeline
2017: Repeated incidents occur in a Colorado Springs neighborhood.
Seven weeks: Duration of the woman's weekly returns.
Thursday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. ET/PT: TLC premieres the special.
Nov. 20: Special becomes available to stream on HBO Max and Discovery+.
Season Trajectory
The special follows a pattern of cable and streaming networks revisiting viral local incidents years after they occurred. Its release now, after the statute of limitations has expired, reflects how such programming often waits until legal exposure has lapsed.
Viewers can watch the two-hour special on TLC on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It will be available to stream the next day on HBO Max and Discovery+.
The takeaway
Neighborhood incidents that once seemed unresolvable can resurface years later through documentary coverage, though legal consequences may no longer be possible. Residents facing similar situations should document incidents and report them to police promptly while the window for action is open.
What happens next
TLC's "The Mad Pooper" premieres Thursday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and streams Nov. 20 on HBO Max and Discovery+.
Further reading
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Source note: This article includes information reported by Los Angeles Magazine.
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