MO - Six Mohler family members for child sex crimes, Bates City 2009 #2

[tgrlaw]

Crawlspace or basement - I am familiar with the old style cellar/basement/crawlspace, which is very common in turn of the century homes here in MO. My aunt and uncle lived in a home with an exterior only accessible "basement", which was essentially a dirt floor cramped cellar space under the rear portion of the home, and then a crawlspace area under the rest. This may be similiar to what is described by the victim.

 

[Missizzy]

I don't believe this has been linked:

http://www.kansascity.com/679/story/1575436.html

"Mohler Case Now Has Tale of Murder, Buried Babies"

Am I the only one to think that this title is attempting to minimize, trivialize and discount this crime?

 

[Texas Mist]

I don't believe this has been linked:

http://www.kansascity.com/679/story/1575436.html

"Mohler Case Now Has Tale of Murder, Buried Babies"

Am I the only one to think that this title is attempting to minimize, trivialize and discount this crime?

from your link

Family members took up much of the front row of the courtroom’s seating, and Roland Mohler winked at one as he came in.

for some reason, the thought of RM winking makes me nauseous....the attitude seems inappropriate, IMO.

ETA: just a few thoughts as far as trivializing or minimizing, maybe it's too mind-numbing for reporters brains to be creative & witty...I mean, what CAN one say without sounding inflammatory...IDK....it's so sickening, maybe they have to downplay so that people will continue to read the paper or visit online....I think it's easier for people to process the thought of a serial killer like Sowell, than grandfathers & fathers who rape their daughters & son, and bury babies in the basement.

But you're right -- they should call it what it is -- maybe the editors are spinning it differently, not the reporters.

 

[tgrlaw]

I don't know about minimizing it, but definitely hedging. Before recent events, like Garrido and even Elizabeth Smarts case, I would have been super skeptical of many allegations here, but now almost anything seems possible.

 

[tgrlaw]

Also, if its a sure fire slam dunk witch hunt, where's all the free legal help coming in to avert this travesty. Only one son has lawyered up. Child sex crimes defense is a HIGH profile practice. ?????

 

[ohiogirl]

OK, the GPR indicates a box like object under the concrete floor. They are taking soil samples?, why are they not digging it up?

 

[Texas Mist]

this story says a woman was locked in the basement, not a crawlspace (FWIW)

By The Associated Press
November 17, 2009 - 9:21am

<snip>

At least six people have claimed the men abused them, including a woman who said she was locked in the basement and raped in 1988. She told investigators that she twice became pregnant and the men buried her first baby in a box in their basement, according to a search warrant affidavit cited by KCTV-TV in Kansas City.

A radar used to search the property found an object "consistent with the shape of a box" under the basement's concrete floor, the affidavit said.

The woman said the baby was buried in a box under the basement's only window. The affidavit said the basement floor was dirt at the time, and "following the delivery of the first baby, Burrell E. Mohler Sr. and Burrell E. Mohler Jr. buried the infant in the basement." The floor was later covered in concrete.

more here

http://cjonline.com/news/state/2009-11-17/mo_men_face_new_rape_charges

 

[Missizzy]

Things are starting to speed up. I want to make sure I've got this right. OK, so this new victim says that she got pregnant twice. The first baby (full term, not aborted?) is buried in the basement. Where's the second baby? And we add this to the first victim who was forced into two (correct?) abortions. I wonder if the aborted and murdered babies were male? I also wonder if any of this is connected to the "friend" who said that one of the Mohler females had complained to him of years of stomach pain.

Remember, Roland is an EMT and it's been reported that one of the Burrells (can't remember which) used to work as a firefighter (med training?).

Nice to see the family showed up this time. Odd, they didn't come last week. I agree, Texas Mist, the wink just about blows my head off. Guilty or not, NOT appropriate!!!!!!

 

[Missizzy]

Note that the victim states that she was raped in the chicken coop. That would most likely be hidden from view of the house. If the mothers/female relatives were complicit and/or aware, the rapes could have occurred in the house. I'm not saying that they knew or didn't know. Just an observation.

The incident of the little girls on the water bed was also in a separate location--away from the main house.

 

[IWannaKnow]

http://www.kansascity.com/679/story/1575436-p2.html - page 2

"The Mohler case first came to light when a youngest of the women making the search warrant allegations came to police in August with suppressed memories of sexual abuse that led to 14 counts against her relatives. Some abuse cases based on suppressed memories have led to complaints of over zealous therapists helping to recover stories that later prove to be untrue. In this case, however, the woman&#8217;s five siblings have all supported her allegations with even more of their own, adding 17 more charges, all along the same lines of sexual torment."

+

"The affidavits show an interview was conducted on Nov. 4 with Jeanette Cyr, the divorced first wife of Burrell Mohler, Jr. She stated that she recalled her daughters asking her if they had another sister who did not reside with the family. Cyr then provided a photograph of a crawl space at the Mohler residence.

Another twist in the affidavits is that the women&#8217;s brother told authorities that while digging on the same property he found jars containing hand-written letters written by his sisters. The notes apparently were written to help purge the bad memories stemming from their abuse. Those jars were among the items sought by authorities.

The brother said he then placed the jars back where he found them. There&#8217;s no indication of when he, the youngest of the siblings, did the digging, but he apparently was acting on the memories of the sisters who buried the notes."

It also stated the first wife's name was ***** and she was "very religious, very strict" and wouldn't have approved of what they are being accused of....
**********************************************************************
Hope I don't get a TO for copyright violation.

 

[IWannaKnow]

Note that the victim states that she was raped in the chicken coop. That would most likely be hidden from view of the house. If the mothers/female relatives were complicit and/or aware, the rapes could have occurred in the house. I'm not saying that they knew or didn't know. Just an observation.

The incident of the little girls on the water bed was also in a separate location--away from the main house.

And if ***** was very ill from cancer she might not have noticed if it was right under her nose. JMO.

 

[Missizzy]

Maybe this is a clue as to what the women were doing. This is from Mrs. Mohler's obit. I didn't copy the entire thing as there are other names. It does state, though, that she is survived by 11 grandchildren. I snagged this off another site and cannot find the original. Can someone help. I think this is OK to post this way as the only names are those charged. Mrs. Mohler's initials are ARM.

Kansas City Star, The (MO) - December 31, 1991

Mrs. Mohler taught at preschools in Gladstone and Bates City. She then owned a machine quilting business in Bates City. She received an associate's degree in 1952 from Graceland College, Lamoni, Iowa. She was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints near Bates City. Survivors include her husband, Burrell E. Mohler Sr. of the home; four sons, Burrell E. Mohler Jr., Independence, David A. Mohler , Lamoni, Jared L. Mohler , Washington, Mo., and Rol and N. Mohler (presumably "Roland"), Greenwood in Jackson County.

 

[Missizzy]

"Burrell Mohler Sr. was once an Independence firefighter, stationed at a firehouse on North Spring Street." So, that's two men with some medical training.

http://www.kctv5.com/news/21581629/detail.html

 

[IWannaKnow]

Note that the victim states that she was raped in the chicken coop. That would most likely be hidden from view of the house. If the mothers/female relatives were complicit and/or aware, the rapes could have occurred in the house. I'm not saying that they knew or didn't know. Just an observation.

The incident of the little girls on the water bed was also in a separate location--away from the main house.

That is what happened to me (a few of the times) - the barn. DURING a huge family reunion. He knew no one was going to go in there.

 

[Texas Mist]

That is what happened to me (a few of the times) - the barn. DURING a huge family reunion. He knew no one was going to go in there.

((((((IWannaKnow)))))) I have to give you hugs, IWannaKnow....this case is terrible for abuse survivors...so full of triggers for many people here.

And you are not alone-- I wonder how many of us have been to 'the barn'.

 

[IWannaKnow]

((((((IWannaKnow)))))) I have to give you hugs, IWannaKnow....this case is terrible for abuse survivors...so full of triggers for many people here.

And you are not alone-- I wonder how many of us have been to 'the barn'.

Thanks Texas Mist - I needed that. Here is one for you (((((((((((((Texas Mist)))))))))))))). I'm sure waaaayyyyy too many of us have been to 'the barn'. I'm sure that is what keeps us glued to this thread. I have a feeling we may need to start each day with a group hug before this is over.

 

[Missizzy]

An exotic bird coop over here, Texas Mist and IWannaKnow. I can't tell you what it felt like to have that sucker yanked out when the neighbor's house sold. The new owner was a contractor who knew our kids' story. He let them all sit on the fence and watch. Very, very cathartic.

Hugs to all of the survivors and survivors' family on board.

 

[pennydawn]

For what purpose would someone ask three little girls to kill a grown and pretty large man?
This was supposedly years ago so the girls would be little.
How would that be physically possible, anything else aside?

Given what I've read, the purpose of involving abuse victims in heinous crimes is to keep them quiet. The murder of this man could've been held over their heads forever.

Also, Texas Mist: I believe the distinction between crawlspaces and basements is similar to that of a basement and cellar. Usually, basements have paved or finished floors, whereas cellars and crawlspaces don't. Many attics without floors are refered to as crawlspaces, too.

 

[PAXIMUS]

Given what I've read, the purpose of involving abuse victims in heinous crimes is to keep them quiet. The murder of this man could've been held over their heads forever.

Also, Texas Mist: I believe the distinction between crawlspaces and basements is similar to that of a basement and cellar. Usually, basements have paved or finished floors, whereas cellars and crawlspaces don't. Many attics without floors are refered to as crawlspaces, too.

Seems to be a risky way to keep someone quiet, murdering a 300 pound man in broad daylight in his driveway with 3 little girls running around going crazy. Not saying it isnt true but there are some parts of this story that I am starting to wonder about.

One girl said she was pregnant twice and had one child buried in the basement, where is the other child. She also claims they kept her locked in the crawlspace for a long time and abused her, did they just let her go one day and now 20 years later she decides to talk?

 

[mysticrose]

Yes 20 years later !

I do not know how it is for all victims of sex abuse but alot of them do supress their memories of horrors that happened to them. My aunt would be one of those victims from my grandfather, her father.
Her abuse came to light 35 years later after the fact she thought she was going nuts.

I also have a good friend of mine where memories of her father molesting her started to surface when she was 55 years old, the molestation started occuring for her around 8 years of age and it was devestating for her, both my aunt and friend are in counseling for this, and will be for years to come.