Josh made Susan ride a bike 14 miles round trip to work for two months - Made her sell her car
March 1, 2010 - After Susan Cox Powell went missing friends and family began sharing information with police and among themselves. Over time the pieces of the puzzle began coming together and they have concluded that Susan was a victim of domestic abuse.
Shelby Gifford, spokeswoman for Susan Cox Powell's family, said, "The family now knows without reservation that Susan was a victim of domestic abuse in her own home." They also say her husband, Josh Powell, was controlling.
Susan has been missing since Dec. 6, her husband was the last person to see her.
Friends and family have converged and learned that Josh and Susan's relationship was deeply troubled.
While in relationships it 'takes two to tango' there are times when a person is a victim of abuse, be it physical or emotional. It is apparent, given what those closest to Susan are now saying, that Susan was the victim of abuse by a controlling and abusive husband.
Shelby Gifford, spokeswoman for Susan's parents, Chuck and Judy Cox, said during the family's Feb. 15 press conference that Josh was verbally, emotionally, and even physically abusive to Susan.
Gifford said, "We can say without a reservation that Susan was a victim of domestic abuse in her own home."
It has been discovered that Josh controlled the finances even though it was Susan who brought in the bulk of the money. Susan's friends and family say that Josh did not even allow her to buy the groceries she needed for her boys, and complained when she bought them shoes.
They say he sold Susan's car against her wishes, leaving her dependent upon him. He undermined her as a parent.
Josh tells Susan to "Shut up!"
Debbie Caldwell provided child care for Josh and Susan Powell's two boys, Charlie, then 4, and Braden, then 2, three days per week for about a year and a half before Susan went missing in early December. She and Susan were also close friends.
Caldwell remembers a time when Josh and Susan came to pick their children up from daycare. Caldwell and her husband engaged in a conversation with the Powell's. When Susan tried to join in the conversation Josh abruptly told her, "Susan, shut up!"
"That incident," Caldwell said, "has stood out profoundly in my mind as well as my husband's mind."
"I didn't see Susan do anything to provoke Josh to tell her to 'shut up'," Caldwell said. "I do not believe Susan deserved this type of treatment."
Josh's control of the money
Josh was extremely controlling when it came to money. He restricted the amount of groceries Susan bought for her boys and, while friends and family once believed Susan labored in her garden because she loved gardening, they have since learned she was forced to garden to provide healthy and nutritious foods for her growing children.
Jennifer Graves, Susan's sister-in-law, said, "She had to really fight to buy groceries for her kids."
"I remember one time," Jennifer said, "when Josh made her feel guilty for buying a pair of shoes for one of the boys when he outgrew them."
"There was another time," she said, "When Josh borrowed money from Chuck [Chuck Cox is Susan's father] and he refused to repay it, and he refused to let Susan repay her own parents money they borrowed years ago."
Jennifer said when Susan bought anything for herself, "He would get angry whenever Susan tried to purchase non-essential items for herself like clothes and makeup."
During the Feb. 15 press conference,Gifford said that Josh changed PIN numbers so Susan could not access her own bank accounts.
"There was at least one time," Jennifer said, "when things got physical in their relationship."
Examiner.com spoke with two legal experts, Attorney and Legal Analyst, Anne Bremner, and Family Law Attorney, Juliana Wong, of Stafford Frey Cooper for their expert opinion.
"Many of the clients that we represent may not suffer from physical violence, but more often than not," Bremner and Wong conferred, "will be victims of mental violence. A successful perpetuation of the abuse is through financial restraints and limitations."
"For obvious reasons," they said, "by taking away the funds from the victim, the victim is left without the necessary funds to support themselves or the children and is completely reliant on the perpetrator. This is the most effective way of controlling a person."
Josh undermines Susan's parenting
"Josh undermined Susan often when it came to parenting the boys," Caldwell said. "She would work hard to get them to sleep and he'd get them back up saying mommy was mean. When Susan tried taking her sons to church, he would try to bribe them to stay home with him, offering them things like cake."
Caldwell remembers a time when she went to Susan's house, just days before she went missing, to have her hair dyed and cut.
Caldwell brought pizza for the family dinner.
Josh refused to help Susan with the boys. The kids began to act up because they were tired. Susan finally put them to bed and went into the bedroom to talk with Josh.
Susan was very frustrated, Caldwell said. Josh disrespected Susan's wishes for the boys to go to bed and got them back up, saying they needed a story.
Caldwell remembered an incident when Susan left to go to work on her bike. Josh decided the boys were too sick to go to daycare that day. So instead of putting them in the van to go find their mother, he left them at home alone. He chased Susan down, Caldwell said.
By the time they arrived back at the house the two boys were screaming and "freaked out", she said. Braden was only about 1 1/2 years old at the time and Charlie was about 3 1/2. To her knowledge he never did that again.
"There were times when Josh tried to micro-manage my daycare business," Caldwell said, "He tried to find loopholes in rules set up by the government food program. And he was not considerate when it came time to pick the boys up from daycare "
Selling Susan's car against her wishes
Examiner.com learned from those closest to Susan that selling Susan's car was Josh's idea. Susan was not happy about it but finally relented. Josh claimed they didn't need a second car and it was too expensive to keep up two cars. Was it another form of control?
Gifford said during the Feb. 15 press conference that Josh held the only set of keys to the family mini-van.
Susan ended up having to bike it to work. According to friends and family, she had a regular bike, nothing special.
Caldwell said, "Susan rode seven miles to and from work on a very busy road twice each work day for about two months. The ride took her about 45 minutes each way."
Caldwell, Kiirsi Hellewell, Susan's best friend, and others tried to convince Susan it was too dangerous but she told them it would be okay, she could use the exercise.
They told Examiner.com that they discussed their concerns with Josh and he finally agreed he'd ride his bike and Susan could take the van.
That lasted a week, they said, after Josh went out and spent $1,500 on a motor for his regular bicycle. All while he claimed there wasn't enough money for food and incidentals. His ride to work was five miles.
When riding his bike didn't work out for Josh he turned to his friend, John Hellewell, and asked if they could carpool together.
Kiirsi Hellewell , Susan's best friend, said , "John was the one who drove. The carpool lasted only about a week because Josh expected John to pick him up, drop the kids off at daycare, drop Josh off to work, pick him up from work, and pick the kids up from daycare. On most days John had to leave home earlier and get home later, so John decided to stop the carpool arrangement."
For the remainder of the time before Susan went missing Josh drove Susan to work and picked her up. Caldwell remembers six or seven times when he failed to pick Susan up and failed to call. Caldwell would have to pack the kids up into the car to pick Susan up.
If Susan wanted the van on the days she had off, she had to drive Josh to and from work.
On one occasion Caldwell let Susan borrow her car so she could go to the local LDS temple. She said Josh became angry.
The couple seeks marriage counseling
Susan confided in Caldwell, telling her that Josh continually told her she was crazy. Susan was so distraught by what Josh said that she told Debbie she went to a therapist to be analyzed and was told she was not crazy.
Caldwell suggested they try marriage counseling. She told Susan to ask their Bishop, who ultimately signed the couple up for counseling.
Caldwell said Susan confided in her, telling her that Josh became angry during counseling sessions and that the counselor called him on it once.
The last time Caldwell discussed this with Susan was three days before she disappeared. Susan told her Josh accused Susan of telling her mother things.
Susan said the therapist was having the couple set goals.
Susan also told Debbie Josh's goal for Susan was that she not confide in her friends or family about their marital problems.
Susan's goal for Josh was hopes that he would work on his behavior.
Susan told Caldwell Josh's behavior would change when he talked with his father and brother on the phone. Susan said he would get angry and mean.
Susan's father, Chuck Cox, told Dr. Phil Tuesday, "I know Josh and Susan had their arguments. It seemed like it was reasonably fair between the two of them. We never saw any hint of violence."
Shelby Gifford, spokesperson for the Cox family, said Susan kept many things from her parents in an effort to protect them.
Susan Powell, 28, was reported missing Dec. 7 from her West Valley City, Utah home, her husband, Josh Powell, was the last person to see her and is the only person of interest in what police are calling a missing person's case with suspicious criminal overtones.
http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Sea...e-experts-say-controlling-behavior-a-red-flag
