The month of March 2007 was busy and crazy. For those of you that have gone through being falsely accused, you’ll know and understand what a roller coaster ride it is. One day being filled with hope and progress, with the next consumed by devastating and hope stealing news.
Mugshot posted around the neighborhood
During the first week of March 2007, our neighbor across the street knocked on the door on evening. I answered and he handed me a rather large sheet of paper and asked me if I was aware of it. Opening the paper, it was an enlarged picture of my mugshot. He said he found this one on the sign to the entrance to our section of the neighborhood. He also said he had found another one at the main entrance to the neighborhood.
Needless to say I was devastated. I knew most of our neighbors knew about it anyway (via the gossip chain), but having my mug shot hung up for all to see was a crushing blow. I was embarrassed for myself, but most of all for my family, who were being punished and they weren’t even accused! I was so afraid my kids would go to school the next day having their friends tease and taunt them about my mugshot.
We got in our car and drove around the neighborhood. Whomever had done this had hung a picture up at each of the entrances to our neighborhood sections. I had no clue how long they had been up or how many people had seen them. We were devastated that someone would be so cruel.
The CAC Interview Tape
We met with our attorney as well, who had manged to get a copy of the interview tape with Evonne. We took it home and with pen and paper in hand, watched it over and over again, taking notes. Here is what we found:
- We noticed that throughout the video, Evonne kept looking to her left Why does she keep looking to her left? Is she able to see her parents? Are they coaching her answers? Are they in the room?
- When the interviewing nurse asked Evonne to talk about herself, she immediately jumps into the story. She didn’t say anything about herself, but instead jumped into what seemed to be a very well practiced statement of what supposedly occurred that evening.
- Evonne, multiple times specifically mentioned that her shirt was not attached to her tights. Why would she mention that? Is that something a 4 year old would think to say? No.
- She was told that this interview was part of a doctor visit half way through the interview. Interview requirements state that the child must be told immediately before the interview started. This is a legal requirement.
- At one point, Evonne said that I didn’t do it. It was very clear, the nurse asked: “Did <<my name>> touch you on your vagina?“. She responded: “No.“ She then looked left again. Then the nurse said she didn’t understand and asked Evonne the question again, this time Evonne said “Yes.”
- Evonne says at one point something about “Daddy kidding” with her when discussing the event’s that occurred that night. I thought that was very strange.
- The nurse specifically told Evonne that if she was lying, she would get a spanking by her parents.
- When described how I supposedly touched her, Evonne described me using both of my hands and specifically my nails to “rub” her genital area. Had that occurred, would that not have left obvious marks? Also, I play string instruments and intentionally keep my nails cut very short.
- Evonne never stated I digitally penetrated her, even thought the DA implied she had. All she said was I place my finger in her “vagina”. Evonne used the term “vagina” to describe her private area as a whole.
- During the interview, she never mentioned anything about me supposedly asking her “if it felt good” as was quoted by her mother in the initial police state statement. The nurse even specially asked if I had said anything to her. Evonne replied “No.“
- Evonne stated all of my children were in the room including specifically naming my son who was not in the room, but upstairs sick.
- When asked to show areas that she liked to be touched vs. areas she didn’t, she made up things about many of the areas. She flagged her vaginal area as an area she liked to be touched. I thought that was very very strange.
- She mentioned she thought somebody might touch her tummy. She said she was afraid somebody might touch her tummy. Nothing about her vaginal area, just her tummy.
DSS Forgets to meet with us
My attorney also had received the background check on Evonne’s father. While he had numerous cases of credit card companies taking him to court, there was nothing related to abuse on molestation. Unfortunate.
On a side note, our DSS case worker forgot to meet with us this month. That in and of itself shows me our high of a priority our case was for her. What a month.
