Warning: While this post does not go into detailed descriptions, it does talk about child molestation and CPS leaving children in an emotionally awful environment.
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It was a calm day when I got that call. The start of Christmas break in 2015. One of my nieces (we'll call her Rosie for privacy) did not come home on the bus.
My mother and sister (mother of my three nieces and nephew) were instructed to go to the police station where Rosie was being safely kept.
According to my mother, in later days, Austen (my brother) voluntarily rode along. She went heavily into denial and tried to portray him as noble. Giving himself up.
According to my sister, she insisted he come with, for support.
At the station a worst nightmare come true. My brother was accused of molesting my niece. Rosie was five, at the time of the accusation.
They took his statement and released him, he was not to go back to our mother's house, where the children live.
I listened to this over the phone as my mother told me the day after all of this happened.
I vomited and couldn't stop shaking. I don't know how long I sat in the slushy snow of my long gravel driveway and cried.
It gets worse.
My older niece (this one we'll call Sandy), had also been molested, by my brother's admittance. For several years. She was 9 at the time of all of this.
He was arrested on my youngest niece's birthday, the day before Christmas. She was also molested. Age 4. Her name shall be Iris for this article.
At this point my mind is a whirl of guilt. How could I not have noticed things were wrong?! Those poor, sweet girls!!!
This isn't the boy I know!!! I was 10 when he was born. He was my baby. I spoiled him rotten growing up. Using money from my first job to take him to movies, skating etc. He was quite simply my favorite family member.
Funny, goofy, helping and caring, a musician and snappy dresser and a listening ear. He was a "good kid". I never, NEVER would have guessed he'd do something so sickening.
But the more I obsessed over it, the more little things began falling into place. He had never paid much attention to Rosie, usually focusing more time on the older girl, Sandy. Helping her with homework and such. They'd watch movies together.
They just seemed to have a good relationship. In hindsight, he was keeping her groomed.
Rosie started gaining his attention in what seemed a great positive way. He talked about how great she was at math and how easily she was picking up reading. More grooming.
So easy to see that when looking back now. So fucking sickening.
I was even able to pinpoint WHEN he began molesting Sandy. He was 18, and he'd been dating a high school girl. Her parents approved as he had just graduated.
He spent so much time with her. Apparently she broke it off when he sent flowers to her school with a note stating he loved her. Too much, too pushy.
He kept in contact and the mother stopped taking his calls, claiming the girl was in the hospital, complications of an allergy.
It seemed odd then, but it makes sense now. What was he doing to that girl that made her lie about being in the hospital? I bet your guess is as good as mine.
Shortly after though, Sandy became his favorite.
Then it was his step-sister. He was probably 19 by then. He took her to movies, took her shopping, spent time and money on her. Visited his dad that he hated all to see this girl.
At the time I thought he was doing for her what I had done for him. Doting on a beloved younger sister. Reality is he was dating that girl.
Later her mother accused Austen of molesting her.
My mother, in her delusions over him visciously spat out "How DARE SHE accuse my son?!" You mean the same kid accused of three other girls under this very roof?
She was insane about it. She would drop everything to take his calls each night. She woukd visit twice a week. Often taking her husband, Iris and my nephew with. Yes. She brought his victim to visit him. Fucking wrong. She and I barely spoke for a long time.
She still has all four children. Even though they did not even begin therapy until last year because of convenience issues for her. Even though she brought the little one to visit him. CPS is corrupt. They did nothing in this case.
It took a good long while before he was finally sentenced. He and his lawyer played games, avoiding judges that were likely to give a longer sentence.
His admittion to molesting Sandy was thrown out. The only evidence they had for Sandy is what Rosie told them, and what Austen told them. He was not charged for her. Sandy has not spoken a word about it to this day.
For reasons unclear to me, the youngest, Iris was a non-issue to the prosecuters. They "had enough" to convict him.
All of this I am hearing second hand, because I have not spoken to the bastard who once was my brother in just over three years. Not one word since that phone call telling me what had happened.
The judge went easy on him. He was, after all, a "good kid" that had never been involved in any crime before. Twelve years total, with almost a year already served. With good behavior he will be out by 2023.
That's not good enough. He is a fucking repeat opportunistic sexual predator. Because only one girl was given justice, he is not on the higher echelon of sex offender charges.
The system is worse than broken, you guys. He is a predator of the worst kind. And in five years, he will be back with the rest of us.
I'm sorry if this post rambles. It's been three years, but I don't know if I'll ever be right in the head about it.
Protect your babies. You never know. It could be your own brother.
Sorry to hear about all this. When a crime like that happens it never feels like the person has received enough time. I have a daughter and something happened to her, I have had custody for almost 8yrs now. He served 4.5yrs in jail, gets out and starts doing burglaries only gets 1 more year and now out again. Sometime the justice department fails and never truly gives the time a person should spend. Thanks for sharing.
I'm sorry. I hope your girl has recovered. It can be a long road.
Thank you. How have things been lately for you?
Crazy, as is normal for us. Lol
It's been snowing like crazy and we need to get up the hill for groceries. Lol, adventure time!
You got this!
I'm sure it took a lot of courage to post such a personal story. Thank you for sharing!
im so sorry to hear about all this @hickorymack it takes alot of courage to share this especially when it comes from your own family member. Its really disgusting and sickening to even hear about it. take care dear and im glad the girls are safe from him..
Wow.
It is almost amazing, and absolutely sickening, in how many ways the system is broken. I hope those girls are doing alright.
Yup. They leave the ones who need help, with no guidance to the guardian. My mom could have used some extra counseling for herself. That's a lot to deal with. The loss of a son, the molestestation of three kids. They did not offee anything.
And yet kids who are just fine are taken.
Thank you for posting this! And ty for seeing the truth about your brother. I have a brother, and he molested me when I was around 4-5 and he was 13-14. I didn't remember it until I was an adult, and there's suspicion it happened more than once, but that it's too painful for me to remember. First I made excuses for him. 'Oh he was just a kid too", but counselors have told me he was ok enough to know better. When I list a bf who couldn't handle what happened to me, I got angry, and then cut him and one of my sister's, who sided with him, off in 2013. I have opened the lines of communication with the sister, she's close to our brother, but will never have anything to do with my brother. He's just not healthy for me to be around. The thing about sex abuse, is it's really the victim who pays, and keeps having to pay for the rest of their lives because if how much it messes you up. Part of the problem is other women who sell victims out. We need to stand strong and United if things are really going to change.
Oh my gosh. hugs
I'm so sorry you were forced to live through that. Do other family members at least acknowledge that what he did was wrong?
My one sister I'm close with does. My mother did when she was alive and blamed herself but I made it clear it wasn't her fault. My dad knew but he and I never spoke if it. There was alot of say circumstantial evidence going on around that time, like he propositioned my other sister if she wanted to experiment cause a friend if his was doing that with their sister. Many years ago, he also told me his belief that he thinks it's ok for 2 consenting adults, regardless if they're biologically related, to have sexual relations as long as they took precautions not to get pregnant. Extended family like cousins don't know I don't think as I know he still speaks with them. He's very successful. Had a very successful military career: went to west point so for many that outshadows what he did. The biggest thing now is my niece, my other sister's daughter, is a psychologist, has a history evaluating sex offenders, but takes his side. She was close to me majority of her life, but he's her godfather. There's more factors involved, however I've disengaged from various family members, as she has disengaged with me. At this point I dunno that that will change where my niece is concerned. My sister that I am very close to, I am thankful every day for her and I know she hasn't cut off our brother. I don't know that she could. I have explained in the past how it has hurt that she still has a relationship with him, but I've detached from that as well. At the end of the day, it's them that have to live with their conscious not me. It took me a long time to get where I am where he's concerned, and I refuse to loose that by "pretending" or caving and saying I was wrong just to make everyone else feel better. It's not healthy for me to associate with him in any way. (And I know you're not advocating any of this just saying where my family's concerned). Ironically, I think it would be different if he wasn't so successful and had so much money. I think ppl have a hard time reconciling that with the stigma of a pedophile. Whereas if I wasn't poor and instead successful with money, they might react to me differently. It really is fucked up. A fucked up family
You are a great writer, HickoryMack... And you tackle sensitive stuff really well, because of your honesty... I really respect and appreciate that... Here is my pizzagate cartoon, which is not meant to be funny, more like call 911...
Thank you! Is that on a real dollar, of computer graphics?
Would be interesting to have stuff like that start circulating!