[aspenhall]

if the kids don't testify, can they at least read a "victim impact statement"?

[Tudu]

I think the goal was to get the confession so she can testify against the father and leave the kids out of it. I think they will be using the video of the kids telling their stories but they will not be called to testify, we hope. I hope the kids will get a chance to make an impact statement and some of them really want to testify. I plan on attending every day of the trial with their former foster mother, we decided it wouldn't be acceptable to spit any spitballs through a straw at him but we are open to ideas to pass the time.

Right now I am feeling a bit weird about their mother. I am angry for what she did and at the same time I feel sorry for her b/c I know she was a victim herself of his violent rages. She is terrified of him, this isn't an excuse in my mind but I can understand. I am so grateful she did do the right thing when it came down to it. She does feel remorse for it, she sobbed and refused to look at their picture. I think when the Det. oks it, I will go see their mother in jail to thank her for doing the right thing. She is so low functioning that she can't read or write so her life in there will be particulary long without contact. The kids asked me to do it to be sure she is OK but they do not want to see her themselves, not that I would do that if they asked.

ANyone familiar with when arrest are made public? I keep checking the newspaper b/c they warned me their arrests would be announced but nothing yet. Maybe it happens only one day a week, maybe they are waiting for all the people to be arrested before they announce. I am more than a little freaked out about his.

[aspenhall]

you can look up the police stuff on our county sherriff office website, but it only becomes "news" if a reporter decides it is salacious enough.

[Tudu]

We were told they me that all arrests arerun in the local paper, they live in a rural area just outside a huge metro area. This is something that will be picked up b/c there are so many "interesting" charges. They promised the kids' names will be kept out of it b/c they are minors and we have since changed the names anyway.

[hydroxybutane]

Hi Tudu,

First of all..I am so pleased for you and your children! I am glad their voices will be heard. R wants me to tell you, that she would want to be heard, even if it hurts..She suggests writing it down in a journal, drawing a picture, or dictating it on to a tape recorder...Then this could be used a victim impact statement. It's so important to be heard and acknowledgned

I share your feeling about my girls biomom. She knows what she was doing was wrong, very very wrong. However, I have no doubt that she was a victim of abuse and rage, as well as a drug and alchohol abuser. R told me she would drink and use drugs in order to pass out, so she wouldn't see the abuse. She is also very low functionning...I think that you are a very strong woman Tudu, I don't think I could face their biomom.

As for publicity, I'm not really sure. The case was in the media here, but it wasn't very exciting as the parents names couldn't be published to protect the kids names. However, we live in a smaller community (in a big city) and news travelled fast...We had many many people say congrats..and that justice had been done...

Good luck Tudu!

[momraine]

I know in our little newspaper that comes out once a week all arrests are in it, in a small section towards the back. It's just a column that's in there that I usually don't read. They can't publish kids names though.

[Tudu]

Their mother told her family when they came to see her Sat. that she never did anything wrong. She begged her family to get her out and her Dad told her forget it. They have a bond hearing this week and I am trying to arrange my MIL to sit with the kids so I may attend. Not that I can do anything, I just want them to know I am there making sure they stay in jail.

Hydroxy, I will be testifying and so will the kids if she pulls anymore crap about testifying. They have been keeping a journal, tell R thanks so much for the ideas. Did you get their sentence, yet?

[skirbo]

Tudu, I wouldn't count on this being a big story. Your area is not that small, the charges (sadly) not that unusual and the parents are nobody. If they had been somebody or connected to a somebody, it would have hit the news already. At this point I doubt you'll get more than a blurb or two.

Hopefully,
Sarah