Found Safe TN - SLP, 14, Madisonville, Monroe County, 13 Jan 2019 #3 *ARRESTS*

[WildcatRunner]

Deleted. I found what I was looking for, finally!

 

[JanetElaine]

Horrible- so sorry! What was his sentence?

Thank you, and @flute4peace . He got ten years, his release is getting awfully close. Things ended up well for my daughter, she's doing amazing things despite all of this. I'm hoping the same for SLP.

 

[tmar]

My now ex-husband raped his 13 yr old adopted daughter (my daughter) and he was charged with (and convicted of) rape with force/threat of force. When I read that in his indictment, I freaked out hoping LE hadn't made a mistake that could set him free, since what I knew of the circumstances didn't include force. They said since he's her dad and she's under the age of consent it's automatically considered force/threat of force. That wasn't in TN though. Wording matters... phoey on TN if this is a state law kind of thing.

JanetElaine, I am so sorry to hear about your daughter.
Hope she is alright, and similarly you are now fine.
What an ordeal to go through.
In the case here, I wonder if SP will have the support of her mother, as SP had not approached her mother
MOO.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

It seems they're using the word "consent" both colloquially and legally. So colloquially, if a minor isn't forced to participate in a sexual act and says they are willing to do so, (even though they lack the ccapacity to make such a decision) the word "consensual" can apply in a dictionary sense.

But as she is a minor (without the ability to always make mature decisions and to resist pressure or manipulation by an adult), she lacks the legal capacity to consent.

It's confusing.

But in the case he was arrested for rape. Not statutory rape.

I admit confusion! Is sentencing usually harsher in the case of rape?

 

[human]

We need to lock down his actual truck. The pictures being shown all appear to have sleeper compartments. or whatever that's called. Would there be a space in there to hide, while he drove?

It is possible. But how long could she hide while having to go to the bathroom?

If he stopped, how could she get out and in again?

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xd77gq/photos-from-inside-the-cabs-of-long-distance-truckers-001

 

[floridagrrl]

The difficulty we have at the moment is that we don't know who she sent the video to or why.

My thoughts are: she wanted to ensure the proof was not lost, either by accidental deletion, or lose of her phone.

She has been unable to talk directly about the rape and was reaching out for help.

Other charges may relate to who took her over state lines due to her age rather than forced but still falls under abduction.

Also in relation to the people who offered her sanctuary.

Other possibilities I see are: that he took her himself then made the claim she was missing.

RE the video I have pondered how she could have managed that (without his knowing) and maybe if it was a regular thing it was always at the same time in the same place.

There are still so many possibilities, and I guess we will just have to wait to find out.

I am not aware of US state laws so please correct if I am wrong.

Completely agree and understood. I don’t think I have seen it put out there the possibility that she might have sent them to her mother. Again, trying to put myself into a 14 year old brain (my own or how my own daughter might have reacted at this age) Just pure speculation on my part and why I stated only my opinion of a possibility of a way to try and reach out to her mom.

I actually like your idea that she might have sent them to “whomever” (heck, could have been another email she had of her own as she had 2 of everything it seems) just to not lose the proof.

I just can’t stop thinking of this girl and how incredibly strong she has to be right now and has had to be. It has kept my brain swirling.

ETA: just adding on from above Since she does (did) have 2 FB accounts she would have to have 2 email accounts as that is how you sign up with that platform.
In the grand scheme of things what only matters is she had the fortitude to even accomplish this as THAT was what ultimately nailed his a**.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Pretty much. Except if the underage person was forced or didn't say they were willing to allow the adult to do something sexual to them, it would be a different and more serious charge.

So, for clarity & understanding, “rape” is a more serious charge than “statutory rape”. And the difference in potential sentencing in TN would be...?

 

[WildcatRunner]

JanetElaine, I am so sorry to hear about your daughter.
Hope she is alright, and similarly you are now fine.
What an ordeal to go through.
In the case here, I wonder if SP will have the support of her mother, as SP had not approached her mother
MOO.

I don't think we actually know she didn't approach her mother. Let's hope she didn't. But she could have, and her mother did not believe her.

 

[JanetElaine]

Thank you @tmar .

 

[TxMother67]

S lived in her "dream home" for less than 3 weeks before she ran away- 3 WEEKS! In the boonies, on an isolated mountain road. She was home schooled allegedly for 3 weeks or less, due to the move and holidays. She wasn't forming any attachment to that home, enduring God knows what, during that time period. That isn't home to S.

She also made it all the way to Wisconsin on her own, to escape from this monster, leaving her siblings behind. Isn't it odd that in that time period, she never contacted her Mom to let her know she was safe and alive?

Steelslady, I'm just getting caught up for the day, but after reading your quotes #234, #235 and above( I haven't made it further yet) I can only tell you how much I appreciate your perspective and how much I agree with everything you have said!

 

[OhThatVictoria]

I thought “statutory” meant that one party was under the age of consent, no matter if both “wanted to” or not. Is that not the correct definition

Edit: deleted by me

 

[WildcatRunner]

Thank you, and @flute4peace . He got ten years, his release is getting awfully close. Things ended up well for my daughter, she's doing amazing things despite all of this. I'm hoping the same for SLP.

10 years just doesn't seem anywhere close to enough! Such a heartbreaking story. I am glad your daughter has adjusted and thrived. I hope the same for SLP also. Kids are a lot tougher and more resilient than they get credit for.

 

[TxMother67]

But for how long? Yes, we can cheer now, for S is safe for the time being. When he gets out, then what? She will constantly live in fear of him trying to find her- it's just the way a victim feels once they know that they're of jail. You constantly look over your shoulder, wondering if they will try and find you, even if you are states away. Today it's so easy to find anyone online, which just sucks. No one can move to another state without being found, as it becomes public record online- your address, phone number if you have a landline, your previous address, your new married name, and even relatives are listed.

THIS! And the violation(s), the thievery of her innocence, will be with her her entire life.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Nothing more important for some women than "mama's new man."

I have a real problem with a parent who brings a significant other around their kids without a background check.

But frankly I don't believe in exposing kids to people you're dating at all until they're old enough to fight. It's not worth it for me. Date but keep the kids out of it.

I know most would disagree but it seems kids really get the short end of the stick when it comes to their parents' love lives.

Here are these exceedingly vulnerable little people whose lives fall apart with divorce or whatever and then they have to deal with new relationships, new homes, new siblings, some new dude suddenly acting like their dad and "disciplining" them, just no control over their lives at all. No stabilty. They just get yanked around according to their parents' needs.

I don't mean to offend. I know it sometimes works out well with new relationships and blended families. But for me the possible danger and chaos and instability isn't worth the risk.

Regardless, with a record this long I don't see how SP's mom couldn't have known. And she exposed her children to THAT?

Because nothing is more important than mama's new man.

I wish more would put their kids' needs first.

Am I wrong here?? I was under the impression that bio Dad had to sign rights away before adoptive Dad could adopt?? TIA This has nothing to do with his guilt. But your post got me to thinking about the A.D.

IMOO, the mother is being judged too harshly. She deserves all of the respect due her, as TMK she's not been named a suspect. There are MANY reasons why a person might want to marry or re-marry while raising small children. It's very possible that the Mom DID put the needs of her children first...to the best of her knowledge. To suggest otherwise, or to suggest that someone is not if they remarry with small children...is a bit judgemental. IMOO IMHO Right now we have no idea of what her circumstances are or were.

 

[TxMother67]

I asked my state trooper friend his opinion. He said in arrest warrants they are supposed to use "unbiased" or accusatory language when describing the act that resulted in the charge. For example it might describe video or witness accounts of a person holding a gun to someone's head and pulling the trigger and causing their death, and thus they are charged with murder. We all know that's murder, but in the arrest warrant they can't say he put the gun to their head and murdered them. So the police described the act that resulted in the rape charge in the arrest warrant.He went on to say that he too finds it disgusting that media is using "the having sex with" language because there is a charge of rape. He hates having to use that type of language in these kind of warrants and believe the media should be referring to it as what RP was charged with, alleged rape.I hope that made sense. He explained it much better than I.

BBM But we are talking about a minor? I would love to know if he(perp) would be described as "having sex with" say....a five year old? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but the verbiage just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

I'm so behind. Anyone know where the above referenced "I'm a nobody" came from; I missed it. TIA

New details emerge in search for missing Monroe County teen

“If I knew where she was I would go find — I would go get her, I want her back, I’m not saying anything in past tense,” Christina Pruitt said Wednesday. “I’ve never done this before. I’m just as simple as anybody else, I mean I am just a typical nobody, just like everybody else.”

 

[AbbeyBabbey]

I am pretty sure they are stating what law enforcement wrote in their affidavits. So your beef would be with law enforcement not the media. The characterization by law enforcement may be because there was no force involved as shown in the video. It is quite possible that the situation is a bit different then you believe it to be. That said, it is still rape (though what class he was charged with has not been stated that I have seen) no matter what the circumstances were and he has been charged and will face prosecution for it.

Thank you but I can choose on my own who to have a beef with. LE has a job to do and, as has been stated, they have their own language in doing so. The media does not have to repeat that language and I didn’t see any quotation marks indicating that they were repeating the affidavit/warrant verbatim.

The “situation” is EXACTLY what I believe it to be - there are no gray areas. Are we going to quantify/qualify the rape of a child? Surely, we can all agree that raping any child HAS TO BE (by its very nature) forceful, violent and brutal. No child is a willing participant of that!

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Or be charged with child neglect. How about that! A parent fails to vet their new mate they should be charged if something goes wrong and they should've known.

That would be an ill conceived law, prosecuting people for what they SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. Who decides who should know what? Would we then prosecute bio parents because they SHOULD HAVE KNOWN that their spouse, the other bio-parent, was going to one day sexually abuse their child? What about physical abuse? Would we prosecute the non-offending party there, too, for not vetting their mate properly? Until she's named a suspect, we can assume that this mother is a victim. This is just more victim blaming, and it's alarming that some people don't see it that way.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

So, for clarity & understanding, “rape” is a more serious charge than “statutory rape”. And the difference in potential sentencing in TN would be...?

Back to this .... breaks out the various rape charges in TN and provides potential length of sentencing. Tennessee Age of Consent & Statutory Rape Laws

 

[happyday]

Am I wrong here?? I was under the impression that bio Dad had to sign rights away before adoptive Dad could adopt?? TIA This has nothing to do with his guilt. But your post got me to thinking about the A.D.

IMOO, the mother is being judged too harshly. She deserves all of the respect due her, as TMK she's not been named a suspect. There are MANY reasons why a person might want to marry or re-marry while raising small children. It's very possible that the Mom DID put the needs of her children first...to the best of her knowledge. To suggest otherwise, or to suggest that someone is not if they remarry with small children...is a bit judgemental. IMOO IMHO Right now we have no idea of what her circumstances are or were.

I’m surprised about this as well. We don’t really know, maybe bio dad did give up his rights. But earlier someone said (I need to try to find it) something to the effect of they don’t necessarily have to if they aren’t in contact & pay no child support and that all states are different.
Don’t the courts at least have to try to find the bio dad before they legally give custody to someone else? What if bio dad shows up next year & says no way you didn’t even find me—I would have said no. What if someone lies and says she hasn’t heard from him since she was pregnant but that’s not true? I mean a dad could be totally deadbeat and a bad dad, but I thought it was HARD to permanently take away a parent’s custody.