GUILTY FL - John Sesnick for posing as Katrina victim, Lakeland, 2009

[Cazzie]

This is sickening. "Homeschooling"? Rolls of film...he should be drawn and quartered.

 

[kirsty]

argh none of the links are working for me!

I agree, this sounds dodgy to me, im surprised he hasnt been charged with anything else!

 

[KikiWanBaniki]

Kirsty--try this:

http://staugustine.com/stories/021809/news_021809_027.shtml

(there are several more links at the bottom which seem to give updates on the story)

 

[reb]

You guys have to remember that the media will do its best to spin the known facts to make everything seem like the worst case scenario. Everything this article says makes it 'appear' as if the girl was being molested, but that is not necessarily the case here.

 

[alsmom]

You guys have to remember that the media will do its best to spin the known facts to make everything seem like the worst case scenario. Everything this article says makes it 'appear' as if the girl was being molested, but that is not necessarily the case here.

I noticed this too. In one of the links it even had to point out that their was little girl's panties in the van. If the child lived in the van, what's the big deal. It sounds as though this guy has problems but it doesn't appear he molested his child. I think they thought the birth certificate was altered and it took legs from there. I would assume and hope that if anything nefarious going on with the child that he would have been charged by now.

 

[KikiWanBaniki]

I noticed this too. In one of the links it even had to point out that their was little girl's panties in the van. If the child lived in the van, what's the big deal. It sounds as though this guy has problems but it doesn't appear he molested his child. I think they thought the birth certificate was altered and it took legs from there. I would assume and hope that if anything nefarious going on with the child that he would have been charged by now.

ITA that's one possible scenario, and I am definitely no fan of current journalism practices. I'm also all about giving people the benefit of the doubt, BUT...

Humiliating a child by not providing a private place to go to the bathroom (which consisted of a toddler's potty training toilet) AND having pornographic materials in the van are both big red flags for me. Even if there was no actual inappropriate physical contact, it would still be unhealthy at the least for a child to be exposed to those types of materials, and activities he *may* have been engaging in with her present when he was looking at them KWIM?

It's not that I don't understand poverty--I have been through some pretty darned difficult times myself and have been homeless twice (once as a child due to having a mentally ill parent--we lived in our car; and once briefly as a young adult before I had children). I do understand that people who are having extreme financial trouble will resort to doing things they otherwise wouldn't as temporary measures for survival purposes.

That being stated, though, in light of the statement one of his adult daughters made about having been molested, combined with the presence of in the van, I still feel that (even compensating for the likely media spin) something unsavory to say the least was going on with this child.

Respectfully, and just my thoughts...

 

[alsmom]

in light of the statement one of his adult daughters made about having been molested,

^^^
Snipped for brevity.

Could you direct me to the article that says an adult daughter was "molested"? I must have missed it. That definitely could put a different spin on things.

Thanks

 

[trigger]

^^^
Snipped for brevity.

Could you direct me to the article that says an adult daughter was "molested"? I must have missed it. That definitely could put a different spin on things.

Thanks

Kiwi post #23....

 

[trigger]

John M. Sesnick, 61, was sentenced to the five months he’s already spent in jail plus 25 days to allow time for a bed to open up in a federal halfway house, U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard said. She also ordered him to undergo continued mental health treatment and pay $21,600 in restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He must pay his way at the halfway house.

Howard warned him that any contact with his daughter, in violation of a St. Johns County family court order, would also violate his probation in the fraud case and send him to prison. The sentence was within the nonbinding federal sentencing guideline range of four to 10 months.

“I’ve raised my daughter since about 7 months old,” Sesnick told Howard. “I made some serious mistakes, and I apologize.”

Howard acknowledged he did a credible job raising the girl until his mental health problems started. She told him she fashioned his sentence to give him tools to again become a productive member of society. :furious:

http://jacksonville.com/community/m...ne_victim_living_in_van_with_child_gets_time_

 

[KikiWanBaniki]

^^^
Snipped for brevity.

Could you direct me to the article that says an adult daughter was "molested"? I must have missed it. That definitely could put a different spin on things.

Thanks

Sorry, alsmom--been 'out of the loop' for a few...

http://staugustine.com/stories/021809/news_021809_027.shtml

"The adult daughter, who also was not identified, said Sesnick had abused one of his daughters when they were young but, because of redactions to the report, it wasn't clear which one."

I feel obligated to admit here that, while the article doesn't specify sexual abuse specifically, it is my strong belief that that is the intended implication here--JMO.

 

[Missizzy]

Although the statement is certainly not clear and might be vague for privacy reasons, I would have to agree that most likely the "abuse" refers to sexual abuse. Reporters typically describe physical abuse differently, IME.

Sadly, I think that the adult daughter most likely was sexually abused and that the younger one was at high risk of history repeating itself. JMO

 

[Missizzy]

I went back and read this entire thread as I was not aware of this case. It sounds like some of the initial questions have been answered except for the bloody mouth and swollen tongue. The undergarments must have just needed washing.

Did anyone else wonder about that "book" of ? What's that all about? A bound book?

Hopefully, if this man truly loves his daughter, he will follow every requirement asked of him. She, no doubt, is bonded to him and as she ages, she can be taught rules of safety. Children can be trained to play an almost parental role, in a healthy and respectful way, of parents suffering with mental illness. My prayers go out to her.