1 00:00:02,567 --> 00:00:05,767 NARRATOR: 21-year-old Amanda Sigers wants a career 2 00:00:05,767 --> 00:00:10,367 in law enforcement, until a man steals her heart. 3 00:00:10,433 --> 00:00:11,967 AMANDA: You could just tell he had life together, 4 00:00:12,033 --> 00:00:15,367 and he really just laid out the red carpet. 5 00:00:15,433 --> 00:00:17,867 NARRATOR: But her marriage to Sy Ghose turns 6 00:00:17,867 --> 00:00:21,266 into a crash course in criminal behavior. 7 00:00:21,266 --> 00:00:24,166 I can't imagine what that would feel like to be 8 00:00:24,233 --> 00:00:27,567 victimized, stalked, harassed, 9 00:00:27,567 --> 00:00:30,166 knowing there is a weapon involved. 10 00:00:30,233 --> 00:00:32,567 Police tell her, "Well, he hasn't done 11 00:00:32,567 --> 00:00:34,100 "anything illegal yet. 12 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:35,767 There's not much we can do." 13 00:00:35,767 --> 00:00:38,066 AMANDA: And he knew exactly what button to push, 14 00:00:38,066 --> 00:00:40,066 which was going after my daughter. 15 00:00:40,066 --> 00:00:42,367 NARRATOR: Amanda's life is on the line as she 16 00:00:42,433 --> 00:00:46,367 tries to shield her family from becoming his victims. 17 00:00:46,433 --> 00:00:49,367 This behavior can't go on forever -- whether it's 18 00:00:49,433 --> 00:00:52,100 the victims or it's the perpetrator, 19 00:00:52,100 --> 00:00:53,767 something's got to give. 20 00:00:53,834 --> 00:00:59,033 AMANDA: I woke up to gunshots outside of my bedroom window. 21 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,867 [theme music playing] 22 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,467 AMANDA: My mom and dad were married in Michigan 23 00:01:24,533 --> 00:01:26,367 and divorced when I was two. 24 00:01:26,433 --> 00:01:29,166 So I really don't know my parents to have had 25 00:01:29,166 --> 00:01:30,467 a relationship together, 26 00:01:30,533 --> 00:01:32,367 but they were really good co-parents. 27 00:01:32,433 --> 00:01:35,967 And then when I turned probably around 12 or 13 years old, 28 00:01:36,033 --> 00:01:40,266 my mom graduated from x-ray school, and we moved to Texas 29 00:01:40,266 --> 00:01:41,467 for work. 30 00:01:41,467 --> 00:01:44,467 I found myself being very alone in the beginning, 31 00:01:44,533 --> 00:01:46,767 uh, especially through middle school, 32 00:01:46,767 --> 00:01:50,367 but we made it, and I don't think you could pay me to go 33 00:01:50,367 --> 00:01:51,967 back now. 34 00:01:52,033 --> 00:01:54,967 I graduated high school in '99, 35 00:01:55,033 --> 00:01:57,567 and I wanted to be a police officer. 36 00:01:57,567 --> 00:01:59,767 I'm not quite sure what motivated me to go down 37 00:01:59,767 --> 00:02:02,767 that route -- I've always been kind of a square, 38 00:02:02,834 --> 00:02:05,867 didn't -- never been a rule pusher or breaker. 39 00:02:05,934 --> 00:02:08,667 So it was just kind of a fit for me. 40 00:02:08,734 --> 00:02:12,867 NARRATOR: In 2002, 21-year-old Amanda Sigers is in her second 41 00:02:12,934 --> 00:02:16,166 year studying criminal justice at San Jacinto College in 42 00:02:16,166 --> 00:02:18,000 Houston, Texas. 43 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:22,867 I was a young girl that had the world at my fingertips, 44 00:02:22,867 --> 00:02:25,166 really, I was having a decent time with 45 00:02:25,233 --> 00:02:28,734 my friends exploring the city and just living life. 46 00:02:30,100 --> 00:02:33,000 One day, a friend and I were preparing for a test 47 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,467 and we chose to go to a local bookstore, 48 00:02:36,467 --> 00:02:38,667 coffee shop and study. 49 00:02:38,734 --> 00:02:40,166 We happened to look over, and there 50 00:02:40,233 --> 00:02:43,166 was this guy sitting at an adjacent table. 51 00:02:43,233 --> 00:02:44,734 He was very handsome. 52 00:02:45,767 --> 00:02:49,467 After a while, conversation ensued with him. 53 00:02:49,533 --> 00:02:51,166 NARRATOR: 25-year-old Sy Ghose 54 00:02:51,233 --> 00:02:53,266 tells Amanda and her friend that he 55 00:02:53,266 --> 00:02:56,367 works as a pharmaceutical sales rep but intends to go 56 00:02:56,367 --> 00:02:58,166 back to school. 57 00:02:58,166 --> 00:02:59,867 Sy had told me that he 58 00:02:59,934 --> 00:03:03,100 graduated from UT with a pre-med degree. 59 00:03:03,100 --> 00:03:06,767 He applied to get into Baylor College of Medicine, and he was 60 00:03:06,767 --> 00:03:10,567 accepted, but he denied the acceptance and ended up 61 00:03:10,567 --> 00:03:12,567 venturing into something else. 62 00:03:12,567 --> 00:03:16,367 He eventually got both of our phone numbers, and I thought 63 00:03:16,433 --> 00:03:17,667 for sure he was gonna call her, 64 00:03:17,734 --> 00:03:22,433 but he ended up calling me, and I was ecstatic. 65 00:03:25,867 --> 00:03:29,767 The beginning of our relationship was very fun. 66 00:03:29,767 --> 00:03:31,667 Sy was very much a gentleman from the word 67 00:03:31,667 --> 00:03:36,166 go, and he really just laid out the red carpet. 68 00:03:36,233 --> 00:03:40,367 He was very, very polite, very cordial, pretty much like 69 00:03:40,367 --> 00:03:42,467 Amanda had told me -- he was a tall, 70 00:03:42,533 --> 00:03:45,367 handsome man, and I knew that she was, you know... 71 00:03:46,367 --> 00:03:48,000 She was very smitten. 72 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,066 Culturally, he was very different from me. 73 00:03:51,133 --> 00:03:54,867 I found him to be, um, very interesting. 74 00:03:54,867 --> 00:03:57,266 Even though he was raised here in the United States, 75 00:03:57,333 --> 00:04:00,066 he had a lot of Eastern values. 76 00:04:00,066 --> 00:04:02,467 His parents were first generation Indians. 77 00:04:02,533 --> 00:04:03,567 I got to learn a lot about 78 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:07,967 the temples and just the peaceful nature of Hinduism. 79 00:04:08,033 --> 00:04:09,834 It's such a beautiful culture. 80 00:04:10,900 --> 00:04:15,667 He told me that his father and mother were divorced, and prior 81 00:04:15,734 --> 00:04:17,066 to us getting together, 82 00:04:17,066 --> 00:04:19,667 he had moved out of his father's home and into, 83 00:04:19,734 --> 00:04:21,467 um, his mother's home. 84 00:04:21,533 --> 00:04:23,667 He was very 85 00:04:23,734 --> 00:04:26,467 uncomfortable at his mother's house. 86 00:04:26,467 --> 00:04:29,467 She would consistently be on him, nagging him 87 00:04:29,467 --> 00:04:30,667 about something, 88 00:04:30,667 --> 00:04:34,166 um, mostly his career, because in that culture, 89 00:04:34,233 --> 00:04:37,000 career and education is number one. 90 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,767 They generally live in the home for quite some time, 91 00:04:39,767 --> 00:04:42,667 even after college, in an effort to save as much money 92 00:04:42,667 --> 00:04:46,166 as possible, and so he was, you know, 93 00:04:46,166 --> 00:04:49,467 staying in the house even at an older age, because that's 94 00:04:49,467 --> 00:04:52,667 culturally just what was of the norm for them. 95 00:04:52,734 --> 00:04:54,467 Sy's mother's name is Lipika. 96 00:04:54,467 --> 00:04:58,166 She was very much about money, prestige. 97 00:04:58,166 --> 00:05:01,467 She didn't care for the union between Sy and I. 98 00:05:01,467 --> 00:05:04,667 He relayed that message to me, and I feel like she wanted him 99 00:05:04,734 --> 00:05:09,467 to marry an Indian woman and not a white woman. 100 00:05:09,467 --> 00:05:12,967 But we -- we chose to look past it. 101 00:05:12,967 --> 00:05:16,467 Three months later, she realized that he was serious 102 00:05:16,533 --> 00:05:19,767 about me, because he actually brought me home, and we ended up 103 00:05:19,767 --> 00:05:24,266 staying the night there, and she opened up the door, and I was -- 104 00:05:24,333 --> 00:05:28,066 and I was there -- she shut the door very fast. 105 00:05:28,133 --> 00:05:31,533 And Sy had to go put that fire out. 106 00:05:32,567 --> 00:05:35,567 She was very vocal about me being a white bitch. 107 00:05:35,567 --> 00:05:36,867 [indistinct shouting] 108 00:05:36,867 --> 00:05:38,467 And she didn't want that white bitch 109 00:05:38,467 --> 00:05:40,367 staying the night in her house. 110 00:05:40,367 --> 00:05:41,867 It was certainly a shock, 111 00:05:41,867 --> 00:05:45,467 but I knew that he wasn't going to listen to that. 112 00:05:45,467 --> 00:05:50,066 I knew how he felt about me, but it was very hurtful. 113 00:05:50,066 --> 00:05:51,767 We ended up leaving, and I don't 114 00:05:51,767 --> 00:05:53,734 believe I ever stayed the night there again. 115 00:05:54,767 --> 00:05:56,667 NARRATOR: Sy's dad, on the other hand, 116 00:05:56,667 --> 00:05:59,467 welcomes Amanda with open arms. 117 00:05:59,467 --> 00:06:02,166 AMANDA: Sy's father, his name is Biz. 118 00:06:02,166 --> 00:06:05,967 I did not feel like he was 119 00:06:06,033 --> 00:06:10,367 racially against me or us being together. 120 00:06:10,367 --> 00:06:13,367 I felt like he genuinely wanted to see us 121 00:06:13,367 --> 00:06:14,467 succeed in life. 122 00:06:14,467 --> 00:06:19,867 He was just a very kind soul. 123 00:06:19,867 --> 00:06:22,667 NARRATOR: In late 2002, Biz asked his son 124 00:06:22,667 --> 00:06:26,066 and Amanda to come live with him and his current wife, Kay. 125 00:06:26,066 --> 00:06:29,166 He has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and wants to 126 00:06:29,166 --> 00:06:31,467 spend his last days with his son. 127 00:06:32,667 --> 00:06:34,100 AMANDA: The first few weeks were good. 128 00:06:34,100 --> 00:06:37,667 Kay was on board with everything -- she knew that 129 00:06:37,667 --> 00:06:41,066 we were there to help and not to hinder. 130 00:06:41,066 --> 00:06:44,000 But then it started to decline. 131 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:48,567 I could tell that there was tension between Kay and Sy. 132 00:06:48,567 --> 00:06:50,266 Sy went on to tell me that 133 00:06:50,266 --> 00:06:53,467 Kay would say false things about him. 134 00:06:53,467 --> 00:06:54,967 Eventually, it felt like 135 00:06:54,967 --> 00:06:57,233 I was walking on eggshells everywhere I went. 136 00:06:58,867 --> 00:07:03,367 One evening, Kay cornered me, she said, "You have no idea 137 00:07:03,433 --> 00:07:05,467 "the person that you're getting involved with. 138 00:07:05,533 --> 00:07:07,667 "You have no idea who he is, and I would 139 00:07:07,667 --> 00:07:09,667 highly encourage you to stay away." 140 00:07:12,867 --> 00:07:14,166 At the time, I thought, 141 00:07:14,166 --> 00:07:17,567 whatever, I'm in love, and he's so good 142 00:07:17,634 --> 00:07:20,367 to me, and he has nothing good to say about her, 143 00:07:20,367 --> 00:07:24,367 so it tainted my ability to 144 00:07:24,433 --> 00:07:26,567 really take her seriously. 145 00:07:26,567 --> 00:07:28,867 NARRATOR: Despite the tension, all three focus 146 00:07:28,867 --> 00:07:30,867 on caring for Biz until 147 00:07:30,867 --> 00:07:33,767 his death in July of 2003. 148 00:07:33,834 --> 00:07:36,767 Sy is inconsolable. 149 00:07:36,834 --> 00:07:38,367 He was devastated. 150 00:07:38,433 --> 00:07:42,066 Biz was a primary force in his life. 151 00:07:42,133 --> 00:07:47,166 And once he passed, I think that Sy felt 152 00:07:47,166 --> 00:07:49,667 empty, I think he felt scared. 153 00:07:49,667 --> 00:07:52,533 Very different -- mentally, very different. 154 00:07:53,367 --> 00:07:54,667 NARRATOR: Things come to a head 155 00:07:54,667 --> 00:07:58,266 when Amanda finds something suspicious in Sy's car. 156 00:07:58,333 --> 00:08:03,767 I found a box of condoms, and it prompted a lot of questions. 157 00:08:03,767 --> 00:08:06,767 He became defensive, 158 00:08:06,767 --> 00:08:11,467 and it led to a horrific argument, 159 00:08:11,467 --> 00:08:14,867 and I started to get a little bit scared, 160 00:08:14,867 --> 00:08:18,667 and I had attempted to make a phone call, and he ripped 161 00:08:18,734 --> 00:08:19,934 the phone off the wall. 162 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,266 So I made my way to the front door, and I pushed 163 00:08:24,266 --> 00:08:27,266 the panic button on the alarm, 164 00:08:27,266 --> 00:08:30,467 which immediately sends a call 165 00:08:30,467 --> 00:08:32,066 to 911. 166 00:08:32,133 --> 00:08:34,667 So I knew that they were on the way, and he knew 167 00:08:34,667 --> 00:08:37,967 they were on the way, as well, and he left. 168 00:08:38,033 --> 00:08:39,867 So the police showed up, 169 00:08:39,934 --> 00:08:44,166 and I let them know what had transpired. 170 00:08:44,166 --> 00:08:46,000 I did not press charges. 171 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:47,634 It was hours later 172 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:53,767 that he came back, and I vividly remember just 173 00:08:53,767 --> 00:08:56,867 being so upset that he was gone, 174 00:08:56,934 --> 00:08:59,567 not knowing what was going to transpire, 175 00:08:59,567 --> 00:09:01,767 if we were breaking up. 176 00:09:01,767 --> 00:09:03,867 NARRATOR: Sy begs Amanda's forgiveness, 177 00:09:03,934 --> 00:09:05,567 and Amanda rationalizes that 178 00:09:05,567 --> 00:09:08,567 he is deeply grieving and not acting like himself. 179 00:09:08,567 --> 00:09:12,266 I forgave him, and we just chose to 180 00:09:12,266 --> 00:09:14,467 ultimately put it behind us. 181 00:09:14,467 --> 00:09:16,467 I had a lot of big hopes for our -- 182 00:09:16,533 --> 00:09:21,100 our relationship and I wanted things to be normal again. 183 00:09:21,100 --> 00:09:23,634 So I just made it okay. 184 00:09:25,367 --> 00:09:27,834 And we were fine. We were fine after that. 185 00:09:29,100 --> 00:09:32,066 NARRATOR: In 2005, Amanda and Sy decide 186 00:09:32,066 --> 00:09:34,667 to take the next big step. 187 00:09:34,667 --> 00:09:36,667 MIKE: I was very happy for my daughter to get married. 188 00:09:36,667 --> 00:09:39,367 She was very happy about getting married. 189 00:09:39,367 --> 00:09:41,367 NARRATOR: And by this time, Sy's mom 190 00:09:41,367 --> 00:09:44,000 has accepted Amanda into her son's life. 191 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,967 AMANDA: So we had a Hindu ceremony 192 00:09:46,967 --> 00:09:48,166 at the Meenakshi Temple. 193 00:09:48,166 --> 00:09:52,066 And two days later, we had the Christian ceremony. 194 00:09:52,133 --> 00:09:56,100 My family came to the Hindu ceremony. 195 00:09:56,100 --> 00:10:00,367 I had to wear a red sari, red and gold. 196 00:10:00,367 --> 00:10:02,467 It was absolutely beautiful. 197 00:10:02,467 --> 00:10:05,266 The highlight was when I saw them walking towards 198 00:10:05,266 --> 00:10:09,166 the limousine to spend the rest of their lives together. 199 00:10:09,166 --> 00:10:11,567 That's the way it was supposed to work. 200 00:10:11,634 --> 00:10:13,567 I felt like my dreams were coming true. 201 00:10:13,567 --> 00:10:15,634 We were in forward motion. 202 00:10:18,900 --> 00:10:20,867 NARRATOR: Sy applies to medical school, 203 00:10:20,867 --> 00:10:23,266 and life seems on track until 204 00:10:23,266 --> 00:10:25,667 he does an about-face and pressures 205 00:10:25,667 --> 00:10:28,166 Amanda to change her career. 206 00:10:28,233 --> 00:10:30,066 It came out of left field for sure. 207 00:10:30,133 --> 00:10:32,967 He was very adamant that being a police officer, 208 00:10:33,033 --> 00:10:34,667 that was a blue collar job. 209 00:10:34,734 --> 00:10:37,467 It wasn't acceptable to him or his family. 210 00:10:37,533 --> 00:10:39,667 And he made it very clear that it 211 00:10:39,667 --> 00:10:43,166 was not where he saw his life going. 212 00:10:43,166 --> 00:10:47,166 NARRATOR: Instead, he wants her to go into healthcare, as well. 213 00:10:47,166 --> 00:10:50,166 I was to go through nursing school, and we were 214 00:10:50,233 --> 00:10:52,467 going to open and run a practice together. 215 00:10:52,467 --> 00:10:54,533 In theory, it was the fairy tale. 216 00:10:57,266 --> 00:11:00,266 I caved in, because I felt like he knew better than I did. 217 00:11:00,266 --> 00:11:03,467 He was five years older than me, and he had a plan. 218 00:11:03,467 --> 00:11:07,567 NARRATOR: Sy chooses a podiatry school in Des Moines, Iowa, 219 00:11:07,567 --> 00:11:10,834 and Amanda gets accepted into a nearby nursing school. 220 00:11:12,166 --> 00:11:13,166 MIKE: When they moved to Iowa, 221 00:11:13,166 --> 00:11:14,967 they were about 10 hours closer to Michigan 222 00:11:14,967 --> 00:11:17,367 I think, so I could see them more often. 223 00:11:17,367 --> 00:11:19,667 I would take the train over, 224 00:11:19,667 --> 00:11:22,567 help her decorate, and I loved doing it -- as a father, 225 00:11:22,634 --> 00:11:25,867 that was -- it was great for me to be able to do that. 226 00:11:25,867 --> 00:11:27,767 NARRATOR: But Amanda doesn't adapt well 227 00:11:27,767 --> 00:11:29,467 to her new field of study. 228 00:11:31,266 --> 00:11:35,367 Well, I was in a clinical setting one day, and I ended up 229 00:11:35,433 --> 00:11:38,667 passing out, and that's when my professor 230 00:11:38,667 --> 00:11:39,967 pulled me to the side and said, 231 00:11:39,967 --> 00:11:42,266 you know, "You may want to rethink your career choice." 232 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:46,266 She said, "Dad, I really want to do it," 233 00:11:46,333 --> 00:11:49,567 but she knew that she couldn't do it because she couldn't stand 234 00:11:49,634 --> 00:11:51,567 the sight of blood, so... 235 00:11:51,567 --> 00:11:54,567 NARRATOR: Amanda decides to withdraw from the program. 236 00:11:54,567 --> 00:11:58,266 When I told Sy, he didn't react well. 237 00:11:58,333 --> 00:12:02,567 He made it very clear that he was embarrassed by my decision. 238 00:12:02,567 --> 00:12:05,266 He told me he was very disappointed 239 00:12:05,266 --> 00:12:07,667 and that I needed to do it. 240 00:12:07,667 --> 00:12:11,266 I stood my ground that I wanted to do something 241 00:12:11,266 --> 00:12:13,567 else, and... 242 00:12:13,567 --> 00:12:18,567 ultimately, he had called me white trash and [bleep] bitch 243 00:12:18,567 --> 00:12:20,367 and wished that I was dead. 244 00:12:21,967 --> 00:12:24,634 That's when I realized that I had 245 00:12:27,166 --> 00:12:28,734 [voice breaking] made a mistake. 246 00:12:32,266 --> 00:12:34,767 NARRATOR: When Amanda Ghose quits nursing school, 247 00:12:34,834 --> 00:12:38,567 her husband, Sy, becomes verbally abusive. 248 00:12:38,634 --> 00:12:41,066 But I'm a loyal soul. 249 00:12:41,133 --> 00:12:42,834 I'm very loyal to my mate. 250 00:12:44,066 --> 00:12:46,166 And I chose to stay. 251 00:12:46,166 --> 00:12:47,767 I didn't think that there wasn't anything 252 00:12:47,834 --> 00:12:50,000 that we couldn't fix. 253 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,333 I took my vows, my marriage vows, very seriously. 254 00:12:54,467 --> 00:12:57,867 NARRATOR: Amanda forges ahead despite Sy's disapproval. 255 00:12:57,867 --> 00:13:01,367 I took all of my criminal justice and nursing courses 256 00:13:01,367 --> 00:13:03,367 and wrapped it into a general studies degree, 257 00:13:03,367 --> 00:13:05,667 basically the highest level associate degree 258 00:13:05,734 --> 00:13:08,166 you can get from a junior college, and I moved on. 259 00:13:09,367 --> 00:13:11,767 But I didn't feel proud of that accomplishment, 260 00:13:11,767 --> 00:13:16,367 actually -- Sy belittled me, because it wasn't good enough, 261 00:13:16,433 --> 00:13:19,066 and so I felt like a failure. 262 00:13:19,066 --> 00:13:22,266 And I felt that there was things going on that I didn't 263 00:13:22,266 --> 00:13:25,767 know about, which relayed into their marriage 264 00:13:25,834 --> 00:13:26,934 some friction. 265 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:32,734 AMANDA: He definitely made me feel devalued. 266 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,467 I felt alone. I felt isolated. 267 00:13:36,533 --> 00:13:37,934 I missed my family. 268 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:41,767 [phone ringing] 269 00:13:41,767 --> 00:13:43,166 NARRATOR: And then a call from out of 270 00:13:43,233 --> 00:13:46,467 the blue brings family directly into Amanda's life 271 00:13:46,533 --> 00:13:48,667 in an unexpected way. 272 00:13:48,734 --> 00:13:51,000 Amber was my half sister. 273 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,667 She was born to my dad and my stepmom Joyce. 274 00:13:53,667 --> 00:13:55,266 She was four years younger than me 275 00:13:55,333 --> 00:13:57,967 almost to the day, the only sister I've ever had, 276 00:13:57,967 --> 00:13:59,767 and as she got older, 277 00:13:59,767 --> 00:14:02,166 she became dependent on drugs. 278 00:14:02,166 --> 00:14:03,834 We went our separate ways. 279 00:14:05,667 --> 00:14:07,967 [baby crying] 280 00:14:07,967 --> 00:14:09,767 NARRATOR: While struggling with addiction, 281 00:14:09,767 --> 00:14:14,266 21-year-old Amber gives birth to a baby girl, Kelsie. 282 00:14:14,266 --> 00:14:16,667 When Kelsie is a few months old, 283 00:14:16,667 --> 00:14:18,467 Amber is ordered by a Michigan judge 284 00:14:18,467 --> 00:14:21,166 to enter rehab for 90 days. 285 00:14:21,166 --> 00:14:24,266 AMANDA: The paternity had not been established on Kelsie, 286 00:14:24,266 --> 00:14:28,100 and I received a phone call from CPS asking me if I would 287 00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:31,367 be interested in doing a temporary foster placement 288 00:14:31,367 --> 00:14:33,066 for my niece. 289 00:14:33,133 --> 00:14:34,867 It was a no-brainer for me, 290 00:14:34,867 --> 00:14:37,467 but I wanted to make sure it was okay with Sy to bring her 291 00:14:37,533 --> 00:14:40,867 into the home, and he agreed. 292 00:14:40,867 --> 00:14:42,867 NARRATOR: In January of 2007, 293 00:14:42,934 --> 00:14:45,667 Amanda travels to Michigan to get her niece. 294 00:14:45,667 --> 00:14:48,867 AMANDA: When I first saw Kelsie, she was only 11 pounds 295 00:14:48,867 --> 00:14:51,166 at seven months old -- I knew instantly 296 00:14:51,233 --> 00:14:53,333 that I was never gonna give her back. 297 00:14:54,467 --> 00:14:57,967 Amber was not capable of taking care of a child, 298 00:14:58,033 --> 00:14:59,066 but Amanda was, 299 00:14:59,066 --> 00:15:02,266 so I was happy that Kelsie was in a safe place. 300 00:15:02,266 --> 00:15:05,567 I knew that I was on the path that God had laid out for me. 301 00:15:07,567 --> 00:15:12,266 She was a sickly baby due to being born addicted. 302 00:15:12,266 --> 00:15:14,667 -She cried incessantly. -[baby crying] 303 00:15:14,667 --> 00:15:19,567 It is very hard to deal with a baby that never stops crying. 304 00:15:19,567 --> 00:15:22,867 But somehow you figure out how to deal with it. 305 00:15:22,867 --> 00:15:25,266 Amber didn't finish her rehabilitation, 306 00:15:25,333 --> 00:15:29,567 so the court awarded Amanda to keep taking care of Kelsie. 307 00:15:31,967 --> 00:15:34,100 AMANDA: Even though he never said it, 308 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,834 I think Sy felt like he had made a mistake. 309 00:15:37,867 --> 00:15:42,066 I think he quickly realized that the responsibility 310 00:15:42,066 --> 00:15:46,166 of a child was far more than he anticipated. 311 00:15:46,233 --> 00:15:50,066 Unfortunately, it wore Sy down over time. 312 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:53,066 I was doing the laundry one day, 313 00:15:53,066 --> 00:15:56,000 and the baby was crying. -[baby crying] 314 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,667 I walked around the corner, and he was shaking her violently. 315 00:15:59,667 --> 00:16:01,367 -I was shocked. -[baby crying] 316 00:16:01,433 --> 00:16:03,867 I couldn't believe that he was doing what he was doing 317 00:16:03,867 --> 00:16:06,867 to such a tiny, fragile little baby. 318 00:16:06,934 --> 00:16:08,834 I was just blown away. 319 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,367 And it was in that moment that I knew I had to leave. 320 00:16:13,367 --> 00:16:15,367 He has absolutely crossed the line. 321 00:16:15,367 --> 00:16:17,066 I need to get her out of there. 322 00:16:17,066 --> 00:16:19,734 He didn't deserve the title of being a dad. 323 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:23,867 NARRATOR: In May 2007, Amanda moves back to 324 00:16:23,867 --> 00:16:27,967 Houston with Kelsie, leaving Sy behind in Iowa. 325 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:30,667 AMANDA: I was gonna take care of this baby. 326 00:16:30,667 --> 00:16:32,367 That was my mission. 327 00:16:32,367 --> 00:16:34,867 Why the career choices that I had 328 00:16:34,934 --> 00:16:36,967 made and why it didn't pan out -- 329 00:16:37,033 --> 00:16:40,867 I knew that I was supposed to be Kelsie's mom. 330 00:16:40,934 --> 00:16:44,166 I was able to find a townhouse apartment right next door to 331 00:16:44,166 --> 00:16:46,467 my mom, which was extremely helpful, 332 00:16:46,467 --> 00:16:48,667 because she was able to help me with the baby. 333 00:16:48,734 --> 00:16:51,767 I got a part-time job so that we could survive. 334 00:16:51,834 --> 00:16:53,266 Somehow, we made it work. 335 00:16:53,333 --> 00:16:55,133 All of a sudden, I became a single mom. 336 00:16:56,867 --> 00:16:59,667 We were divorced in December of 2008. 337 00:16:59,734 --> 00:17:03,467 He filed for divorce, and it was uncontested. 338 00:17:03,467 --> 00:17:05,867 It was easy, two-page divorce. 339 00:17:05,867 --> 00:17:08,266 I felt like it was the worst thing that had ever happened 340 00:17:08,266 --> 00:17:10,367 to me, but probably the best thing that could have 341 00:17:10,367 --> 00:17:12,166 ever happened to me at the same time. 342 00:17:12,233 --> 00:17:15,367 It was such a weird feeling. 343 00:17:15,433 --> 00:17:17,667 NARRATOR: Amanda enrolls in a sonography program 344 00:17:17,734 --> 00:17:19,867 for training in ultrasound. 345 00:17:19,867 --> 00:17:21,166 AMANDA: I felt very confident. 346 00:17:21,166 --> 00:17:23,667 I found my independence. 347 00:17:23,667 --> 00:17:27,000 I was going to school, and I was working full-time. 348 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:31,066 Kelsie was going to daycare and thriving in daycare. 349 00:17:31,133 --> 00:17:31,967 We were happy. 350 00:17:31,967 --> 00:17:35,066 I was free of all of the dysfunction 351 00:17:35,066 --> 00:17:36,834 that I had lived in for so long. 352 00:17:38,066 --> 00:17:42,667 NARRATOR: But Amanda's newfound peace will not last for long. 353 00:17:42,667 --> 00:17:48,233 Sy moved back to Texas in December of 2009, early 2010. 354 00:17:50,266 --> 00:17:53,166 And that's when 355 00:17:53,166 --> 00:17:54,867 the stalking began. 356 00:17:54,934 --> 00:17:57,767 I can't imagine what that would feel like, to be 357 00:17:57,767 --> 00:18:01,166 victimized, stalked, harassed, 358 00:18:01,166 --> 00:18:03,567 knowing there is a weapon involved. 359 00:18:03,634 --> 00:18:06,166 This behavior can't go on forever. 360 00:18:06,233 --> 00:18:08,734 When is somebody gonna break? 361 00:18:09,967 --> 00:18:12,367 NARRATOR: Amanda Harris has moved on with her life, 362 00:18:12,433 --> 00:18:14,433 while Sy flounders. 363 00:18:15,367 --> 00:18:17,767 Ironically enough, he decided that medical 364 00:18:17,767 --> 00:18:19,467 school wasn't quite right for him. 365 00:18:19,467 --> 00:18:22,266 NARRATOR: Sy drops out of podiatry, converts to 366 00:18:22,333 --> 00:18:24,667 Christianity, and returns to Houston. 367 00:18:24,667 --> 00:18:28,066 AMANDA: One day, he called me and told me that he had 368 00:18:28,133 --> 00:18:32,467 obtained a job at a pizza place near my apartment. 369 00:18:32,467 --> 00:18:34,166 And I thought, why in the world 370 00:18:34,166 --> 00:18:37,467 would he take a job delivering pizzas? 371 00:18:37,467 --> 00:18:40,166 And then it dawned on me that he could drive in 372 00:18:40,233 --> 00:18:42,867 and out of my apartment complex on the daily, 373 00:18:42,867 --> 00:18:45,266 on the hourly sometimes. 374 00:18:45,266 --> 00:18:48,867 I found it to be bizarre behavior. 375 00:18:48,867 --> 00:18:51,066 DR. MASSNICK: He's a pizza delivery driver. 376 00:18:51,066 --> 00:18:52,367 Where being 377 00:18:52,367 --> 00:18:55,266 a law enforcement officer wasn't good enough for her, 378 00:18:55,266 --> 00:18:58,567 now he's going to drive and deliver pizzas, not because 379 00:18:58,634 --> 00:19:00,967 he wants to, but because it allows 380 00:19:01,033 --> 00:19:04,667 him to have the freedom to drive by and check on her 381 00:19:04,734 --> 00:19:06,567 whenever he wants to. 382 00:19:06,634 --> 00:19:08,567 NARRATOR: In early 2011, 383 00:19:08,567 --> 00:19:13,000 2.5 years after her divorce, Amanda moves to a new home in 384 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,367 a new neighborhood and doesn't share her address with Sy. 385 00:19:17,367 --> 00:19:19,767 It's a new beginning. 386 00:19:19,767 --> 00:19:22,166 I was encouraged by my friends to get out there. 387 00:19:22,166 --> 00:19:25,166 So I put my profile up on 388 00:19:25,166 --> 00:19:29,667 an online dating site, and I met Wayne. 389 00:19:29,734 --> 00:19:32,767 NARRATOR: Wayne Harris works in the motor sports industry 390 00:19:32,834 --> 00:19:35,667 and like Amanda, is divorced with one child, 391 00:19:35,734 --> 00:19:37,266 a boy named Nick. 392 00:19:37,266 --> 00:19:39,867 So I met up with -- 393 00:19:39,867 --> 00:19:41,266 with him, and I thought he was 394 00:19:41,266 --> 00:19:46,567 an attractive man, and our conversations just flowed 395 00:19:46,567 --> 00:19:48,667 so well -- I just knew right away. 396 00:19:48,667 --> 00:19:53,166 I was so ecstatic to feel this feeling again, 397 00:19:53,166 --> 00:19:58,066 to know that I was capable of feeling, you know, the joy, 398 00:19:58,066 --> 00:19:59,567 the butterflies again. 399 00:19:59,634 --> 00:20:02,767 And he was as well, that we just didn't miss a beat. 400 00:20:02,767 --> 00:20:05,066 We decided that we were gonna see each other the very 401 00:20:05,066 --> 00:20:08,967 next day, which turned into the very next day and every day 402 00:20:08,967 --> 00:20:13,100 thereafter, unless he was out of town, uh, for work. 403 00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:15,100 MIKE: And I thought he's just a fantastic guy. 404 00:20:15,100 --> 00:20:18,266 Real nice to be around. Very energetic. 405 00:20:19,100 --> 00:20:21,567 AMANDA: So Super Bowl Sunday 406 00:20:21,567 --> 00:20:24,667 rolled around, and Wayne came over 407 00:20:24,667 --> 00:20:27,667 that evening, and I was cooking, 408 00:20:27,734 --> 00:20:31,867 and I would oftentimes let Kelsie play 409 00:20:31,867 --> 00:20:34,100 at the park right there, 410 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:35,467 because I could see her. 411 00:20:35,467 --> 00:20:38,967 She's within -- basically within arm's reach of me. 412 00:20:39,033 --> 00:20:40,767 So Kelsie's playing, 413 00:20:40,834 --> 00:20:42,266 Wayne and I are talking, -[knocking noises] 414 00:20:42,333 --> 00:20:44,166 and I get a knock at the door, 415 00:20:44,166 --> 00:20:47,667 and it's the police officer that lives on site. 416 00:20:47,667 --> 00:20:53,166 He had received a call from a concerned person 417 00:20:53,233 --> 00:20:55,166 letting them know that I was -- 418 00:20:55,166 --> 00:20:57,934 I let my child play outside unattended. 419 00:20:59,667 --> 00:21:02,266 NARRATOR: Amanda invites the officer inside to discuss it, 420 00:21:02,266 --> 00:21:05,133 embarrassed that her new boyfriend is a witness. 421 00:21:06,667 --> 00:21:10,100 We all had conversation, Wayne had conversation with him. 422 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:12,667 We were all in agreeance that 423 00:21:12,667 --> 00:21:17,000 she was certainly within an eye shot, ear shot, arm shot 424 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:21,266 of me and that she was perfectly fine. 425 00:21:21,266 --> 00:21:23,066 I asked the officer who had made 426 00:21:23,066 --> 00:21:25,166 the call, and he couldn't tell me. 427 00:21:25,166 --> 00:21:29,567 But I knew in my gut who was at the root of this. 428 00:21:29,634 --> 00:21:31,266 I felt frustrated. 429 00:21:31,333 --> 00:21:33,266 I felt 430 00:21:33,333 --> 00:21:35,767 violated again. 431 00:21:35,767 --> 00:21:38,667 It's a -- it's a very uneasy feeling to know 432 00:21:38,667 --> 00:21:39,934 you're being watched. 433 00:21:41,767 --> 00:21:43,100 At this point, 434 00:21:43,100 --> 00:21:47,467 my relationship is blossoming with Wayne, and I didn't let him 435 00:21:47,467 --> 00:21:48,867 know everything that was 436 00:21:48,934 --> 00:21:52,166 going on, because I certainly didn't wanna taint a good 437 00:21:52,233 --> 00:21:55,767 relationship with my baggage and drama. 438 00:21:55,767 --> 00:21:58,367 I didn't want to bring that into the relationship. 439 00:21:58,367 --> 00:22:01,867 NARRATOR: Amanda's strategy is to block Sy completely. 440 00:22:01,867 --> 00:22:03,967 I figured he didn't get his way. 441 00:22:03,967 --> 00:22:07,667 Hopefully he'll move on now, but that never happened. 442 00:22:07,667 --> 00:22:09,767 And he knew exactly what button to push, 443 00:22:09,767 --> 00:22:13,266 which was going after my daughter. 444 00:22:13,266 --> 00:22:14,967 NARRATOR: It has been five years since 445 00:22:14,967 --> 00:22:16,867 Amanda took custody of Kelsie. 446 00:22:16,867 --> 00:22:20,000 Now, as Amanda is on the verge of becoming Kelsie's 447 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:21,066 legal mother, 448 00:22:21,066 --> 00:22:24,266 Sy starts to stir things up. 449 00:22:24,266 --> 00:22:29,367 What he did is he cleverly went to a therapist, 450 00:22:29,433 --> 00:22:32,867 told the therapist all of his grievance toward me, 451 00:22:32,867 --> 00:22:37,000 and made me out to look like a neglectful mother, 452 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,967 and it was her duty to call CPS by state law. 453 00:22:42,033 --> 00:22:45,066 I received a phone call from CPS 454 00:22:45,133 --> 00:22:48,066 that they were going to interview my daughter that day. 455 00:22:48,133 --> 00:22:49,467 I felt mortified. 456 00:22:49,467 --> 00:22:51,367 And as soon as she stepped foot in my door, 457 00:22:51,433 --> 00:22:55,166 she realized quickly that Kelsie was just fine. 458 00:22:56,467 --> 00:23:00,266 I just couldn't believe that he -- he did that. 459 00:23:00,266 --> 00:23:03,000 It was like, when does it stop? 460 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,967 Kelsie, the adopted daughter, is the reason 461 00:23:06,967 --> 00:23:09,567 she left him in the first place. 462 00:23:09,567 --> 00:23:14,667 So by calling CPS, if that worker had not done 463 00:23:14,667 --> 00:23:18,166 a thorough and proper investigation or had just 464 00:23:18,166 --> 00:23:20,367 rushed to judgment, 465 00:23:20,367 --> 00:23:25,767 then Amanda could have very easily lost Kelsie, and for all 466 00:23:25,767 --> 00:23:29,100 intents and purposes, her niece, who is now 467 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:32,567 her daughter, is the most important thing she has, 468 00:23:32,567 --> 00:23:34,266 and it would have been devastating. 469 00:23:35,767 --> 00:23:38,266 NARRATOR: Concerned that Sy's unpredictable behavior 470 00:23:38,333 --> 00:23:39,266 is escalating, 471 00:23:39,266 --> 00:23:42,767 Amanda seeks help from the local police. 472 00:23:42,834 --> 00:23:44,667 I don't think it's ever gonna go away, 473 00:23:44,734 --> 00:23:47,467 and I honestly have no idea how to deal with it. 474 00:23:47,467 --> 00:23:49,467 I've gone to the police department at this point. 475 00:23:49,467 --> 00:23:53,166 I've talked to officers that have asked me to just 476 00:23:53,166 --> 00:23:55,767 ignore it, and as long as he doesn't put his hands on me, 477 00:23:55,767 --> 00:23:57,567 there's really nothing they can do. 478 00:23:57,634 --> 00:23:58,867 It's very frustrating. 479 00:23:58,867 --> 00:24:01,967 I felt horribly harassed, unprotected, 480 00:24:01,967 --> 00:24:03,934 and you feel so helpless. 481 00:24:05,667 --> 00:24:08,567 NARRATOR: Wayne steps up and asks Amanda and Kelsie to 482 00:24:08,567 --> 00:24:11,266 move in with him on the other side of Houston. 483 00:24:11,333 --> 00:24:12,867 It was 484 00:24:12,934 --> 00:24:15,266 the best feeling -- I felt Kelsie 485 00:24:15,333 --> 00:24:17,266 was gonna have a great role model, 486 00:24:17,333 --> 00:24:20,166 a great father figure -- moving to the north side of 487 00:24:20,233 --> 00:24:25,467 town was good, because Sy didn't know where I had gone. 488 00:24:25,467 --> 00:24:28,166 And so the stalking had come to a halt 489 00:24:28,166 --> 00:24:30,100 for a short period of time. 490 00:24:30,100 --> 00:24:32,867 Life was actually going really, really well. 491 00:24:32,934 --> 00:24:34,033 It was very... 492 00:24:35,367 --> 00:24:38,367 very comforting to know that she was 493 00:24:38,367 --> 00:24:41,266 with somebody that was safe, and Kelsie, too. 494 00:24:41,333 --> 00:24:42,667 NARRATOR: That all changes 495 00:24:42,667 --> 00:24:45,567 one night when Wayne is away on business. 496 00:24:45,567 --> 00:24:47,867 -[gunshots popping] -AMANDA: I... 497 00:24:47,867 --> 00:24:52,066 woke up to gunshots outside of my bedroom window. 498 00:24:52,066 --> 00:24:53,667 [gunshots popping] 499 00:24:53,734 --> 00:24:55,433 I knew he was out there. 500 00:24:59,667 --> 00:25:02,867 NARRATOR: In 2012 in the Houston suburb of Tomball, 501 00:25:02,934 --> 00:25:04,867 Amanda Ghose is awakened by -[gunshots popping] 502 00:25:04,867 --> 00:25:07,266 gunshots outside her window. 503 00:25:07,333 --> 00:25:09,066 I immediately called the police. 504 00:25:09,133 --> 00:25:11,667 She did not see Sy shoot the gun, 505 00:25:11,667 --> 00:25:15,667 but she did see him get in the car -- when that happened, 506 00:25:15,667 --> 00:25:17,934 well, that's when I really became concerned. 507 00:25:19,166 --> 00:25:21,867 AMANDA: When they showed up, he wasn't there. 508 00:25:21,867 --> 00:25:24,467 They checked the perimeter of the home. 509 00:25:24,467 --> 00:25:26,266 They didn't find any shell casings. 510 00:25:26,333 --> 00:25:27,867 They spoke with the neighbors. 511 00:25:27,867 --> 00:25:30,266 None of the neighbors had heard any gunshots. 512 00:25:30,266 --> 00:25:33,767 And so I kind of felt like they didn't 513 00:25:33,767 --> 00:25:37,166 believe me, and it really went nowhere. 514 00:25:37,233 --> 00:25:40,066 NARRATOR: Amanda is on high alert, 515 00:25:40,066 --> 00:25:43,667 and it's not long before another incident occurs. 516 00:25:43,667 --> 00:25:46,567 One night, Wayne and I were sitting in the living room 517 00:25:46,567 --> 00:25:50,367 watching TV, and our dog ran to the window 518 00:25:50,367 --> 00:25:53,767 and it was barking his tail off. 519 00:25:53,767 --> 00:25:55,066 [distant dog barking] 520 00:25:55,133 --> 00:25:58,467 So we knew somebody was out there, and I had a feeling 521 00:25:58,467 --> 00:25:59,767 that it was Sy. 522 00:25:59,767 --> 00:26:04,967 Wayne popped up quite angrily, and I encouraged him to just 523 00:26:05,033 --> 00:26:06,367 settle down for half a second. 524 00:26:06,367 --> 00:26:08,767 Let me call the police and get them there this time 525 00:26:08,767 --> 00:26:11,266 so that they could witness what was going on. 526 00:26:11,333 --> 00:26:12,967 They were right around the corner, so it only 527 00:26:12,967 --> 00:26:16,467 took a couple of minutes, and they caught him there. 528 00:26:16,467 --> 00:26:20,667 Thank God -- this time, he had finally been caught, and they 529 00:26:20,667 --> 00:26:26,266 issued him a trespass violation and a warning. 530 00:26:26,266 --> 00:26:29,066 We actually felt good after that for a while. 531 00:26:29,066 --> 00:26:32,834 We didn't see him for quite some time after that. 532 00:26:34,367 --> 00:26:36,066 NARRATOR: With Sy in her rearview, 533 00:26:36,066 --> 00:26:38,767 Amanda commits to her bright future. 534 00:26:38,767 --> 00:26:43,767 We decided to get married on 12-12-12 at 12:12 535 00:26:43,767 --> 00:26:44,967 at the Justice of the Peace. 536 00:26:45,033 --> 00:26:47,667 MIKE: They were very, very happy. 537 00:26:47,734 --> 00:26:50,100 And in fact, at the time that they got married, 538 00:26:50,100 --> 00:26:52,734 they adopted Kelsie at the same time. 539 00:26:53,767 --> 00:26:56,967 AMANDA: I had been fighting for custody of 540 00:26:56,967 --> 00:26:59,967 Kelsie for the better part of seven years. 541 00:26:59,967 --> 00:27:02,967 It was quite the process, but we'd finally gotten there. 542 00:27:02,967 --> 00:27:04,567 And then two days later, 543 00:27:04,634 --> 00:27:06,266 I found out I was pregnant for Gemma. 544 00:27:08,266 --> 00:27:10,000 MIKE: It was great to see. 545 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,667 Wayne wrote notes for the unborn baby for her to read 546 00:27:13,667 --> 00:27:15,767 later on and, you know, when she grows up. 547 00:27:15,767 --> 00:27:19,000 So, um, he was very, very excited 548 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,066 about being a new father. 549 00:27:21,133 --> 00:27:22,667 AMANDA: Gemma was born with a very, 550 00:27:22,734 --> 00:27:26,166 very rare condition called VACTERL Association. 551 00:27:26,166 --> 00:27:31,100 She was born with only one kidney as well as no esophagus, 552 00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:33,767 a cardiac defect, and a vertebral defect. 553 00:27:33,834 --> 00:27:38,767 Needless to say, she required 24-7 attention, care. 554 00:27:40,266 --> 00:27:42,000 MIKE: She was a perfect little child. 555 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,166 Of course, all of my grandkids were perfect. 556 00:27:44,233 --> 00:27:46,367 They are a blessing. 557 00:27:46,367 --> 00:27:48,867 AMANDA: About a year and a half after Gemma was born, 558 00:27:48,867 --> 00:27:51,767 we moved into this beautiful home that neither one of us 559 00:27:51,834 --> 00:27:54,166 thought we would ever be able to live in. 560 00:27:54,166 --> 00:27:55,467 And here we achieved it. 561 00:27:55,533 --> 00:27:57,433 We were on top of the world at this point. 562 00:27:58,567 --> 00:28:03,066 Christmas Day 2015, we woke up rather early with the kiddos, 563 00:28:03,133 --> 00:28:05,266 because they were just super excited, 564 00:28:05,266 --> 00:28:07,667 and we just sat down to open our gifts 565 00:28:07,667 --> 00:28:10,166 and I hear a tap at the door. 566 00:28:10,166 --> 00:28:12,367 [knocking noises] 567 00:28:12,367 --> 00:28:15,100 And who else but Sy? 568 00:28:15,100 --> 00:28:17,066 NARRATOR: Sy tells Amanda that he would like 569 00:28:17,133 --> 00:28:19,567 to pray with her and her two daughters. 570 00:28:19,567 --> 00:28:23,567 I just couldn't believe that he -- he even came back around. 571 00:28:23,567 --> 00:28:27,367 Especially at a time when a family is... 572 00:28:27,367 --> 00:28:29,166 getting together for Christmas. 573 00:28:29,233 --> 00:28:31,467 AMANDA: Wayne came unglued that day. 574 00:28:31,467 --> 00:28:34,266 He escorted Sy off of our property with 575 00:28:34,333 --> 00:28:37,767 a lot of profanity and a lot of anger and aggression. 576 00:28:37,767 --> 00:28:40,367 NARRATOR: Sy's stalking has been going on for almost 577 00:28:40,433 --> 00:28:44,367 six years, ever since Amanda decided to leave him. 578 00:28:45,300 --> 00:28:47,266 There are some individuals 579 00:28:47,333 --> 00:28:50,867 who cannot take no for an answer. 580 00:28:50,867 --> 00:28:54,367 They cannot move on and regain their sense 581 00:28:54,367 --> 00:28:58,100 of balance until they're back in control again. 582 00:28:58,100 --> 00:29:01,767 Maybe if Amanda were to run back to him 583 00:29:01,767 --> 00:29:04,266 and he could say no, I don't want you, 584 00:29:04,266 --> 00:29:08,266 then he would have control again, and he could move on. 585 00:29:08,266 --> 00:29:11,467 Right now, none of the decisions are his, 586 00:29:11,533 --> 00:29:14,467 except the ones that he uses to torture and drive 587 00:29:14,467 --> 00:29:16,166 them crazy. 588 00:29:16,166 --> 00:29:17,767 NARRATOR: She is aware of Texas's 589 00:29:17,767 --> 00:29:19,767 strong Stand Your Ground laws 590 00:29:19,767 --> 00:29:24,166 and asks the police for more information about self-defense. 591 00:29:24,166 --> 00:29:27,467 So I asked the officer what my rights were -- if I had 592 00:29:27,467 --> 00:29:29,867 the right to hold him at citizen's arrest until 593 00:29:29,934 --> 00:29:30,867 the police got there. 594 00:29:30,900 --> 00:29:34,333 He told me that we definitely had that right. 595 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:39,166 NARRATOR: Wayne owns a gun and suggests Amanda buy one too. 596 00:29:39,166 --> 00:29:43,667 Wayne encouraged me to go get my license to carry and buy 597 00:29:43,667 --> 00:29:47,100 a weapon to protect myself due to all of this incessant 598 00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:48,767 harassment, stalking. 599 00:29:48,767 --> 00:29:52,000 So I took a few classes and tried 600 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,567 to become as capable with my weapon as possible. 601 00:29:55,634 --> 00:29:56,767 [gunshot blasts] 602 00:29:56,767 --> 00:30:01,266 June 28th, 2017, was Kelsie's 11th birthday, 603 00:30:01,266 --> 00:30:04,567 and she chose to just have a "she day." 604 00:30:05,667 --> 00:30:08,767 She chose to do all kinds of things like get her nails done, 605 00:30:08,767 --> 00:30:11,867 get her hair done, very girly stuff. 606 00:30:11,934 --> 00:30:14,967 NARRATOR: Amanda, Kelsie, and Kelsie's friend, Georgia, 607 00:30:14,967 --> 00:30:16,767 meet up with Wayne, his son, 608 00:30:16,834 --> 00:30:20,266 Nick, and baby Gemma at Kelsie's favorite restaurant. 609 00:30:20,333 --> 00:30:23,367 AMANDA: And after dinner, Gemma was exhausted, 610 00:30:23,367 --> 00:30:26,667 so I asked Wayne to take her back home, 611 00:30:26,734 --> 00:30:29,166 uh, so that I could finish shopping with Kelsie 612 00:30:29,233 --> 00:30:31,166 and her friend for her birthday. 613 00:30:31,166 --> 00:30:35,467 So he obliged and reached over and gave me a kiss, 614 00:30:35,467 --> 00:30:39,266 a really long kiss. 615 00:30:39,266 --> 00:30:42,767 The kids were in the background "ewing." 616 00:30:42,767 --> 00:30:44,767 I will forever remember it. 617 00:30:45,867 --> 00:30:48,166 I stayed at the mall with -- 618 00:30:48,166 --> 00:30:53,967 with Georgia and Kelsie for probably about another hour. 619 00:30:53,967 --> 00:30:55,567 Kelsie asked me if her friend could 620 00:30:55,567 --> 00:30:58,066 stay the night, and I said sure. 621 00:30:58,066 --> 00:31:01,266 So all three of us went back to our home, and as I was 622 00:31:01,266 --> 00:31:04,767 rounding the corner of my street, 623 00:31:04,767 --> 00:31:08,867 I saw Sy on -- on his hands and knees 624 00:31:08,934 --> 00:31:12,066 at my front door with Wayne pointing a gun at him. 625 00:31:12,066 --> 00:31:15,066 I knew immediately that I needed to protect my family. 626 00:31:15,066 --> 00:31:17,667 I reached into my glove box, 627 00:31:17,667 --> 00:31:21,567 I grabbed my gun, and I told the girls to sit down 628 00:31:21,634 --> 00:31:24,567 and not to move. 629 00:31:24,634 --> 00:31:30,467 I got out of the car, I held the gun in that direction, 630 00:31:30,467 --> 00:31:31,934 and I called the police. 631 00:31:36,567 --> 00:31:38,634 DISPATCHER: Hold on, hold on. 632 00:31:59,667 --> 00:32:02,367 NARRATOR: On June 28th, 2017, 633 00:32:02,367 --> 00:32:04,867 Jennifer Provaznik is visiting friends who 634 00:32:04,867 --> 00:32:08,467 live down the street from where Amanda and Wayne live. 635 00:32:08,467 --> 00:32:11,367 I work in law enforcement, and it's my day off. 636 00:32:11,433 --> 00:32:14,100 So I just want to really enjoy my day with my friends. 637 00:32:14,100 --> 00:32:15,867 NARRATOR: They are oblivious to the scene 638 00:32:15,867 --> 00:32:18,233 unfolding a couple of yards away. 639 00:32:33,867 --> 00:32:35,033 Okay. 640 00:32:40,667 --> 00:32:41,867 NARRATOR: From inside the car, 641 00:32:41,934 --> 00:32:45,066 11-year-old Kelsie also calls 911. 642 00:32:56,100 --> 00:32:57,734 [gunshot blasts] 643 00:33:03,567 --> 00:33:05,667 JENNIFER: And I hear three distinct gunshots 644 00:33:05,734 --> 00:33:06,867 and a woman screaming. 645 00:33:06,867 --> 00:33:09,567 -[gunshot blasts] -[woman screaming] 646 00:33:09,634 --> 00:33:12,867 So at this time, my training kicks in and I told my friend, 647 00:33:12,867 --> 00:33:15,734 I was like, listen, "Call 911, I'm going down there." 648 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:19,667 I had been shot, but I didn't know it. 649 00:33:21,100 --> 00:33:23,066 It was all so surreal. 650 00:33:23,133 --> 00:33:25,266 I saw my husband fall to 651 00:33:25,333 --> 00:33:28,000 the ground out of the corner of my eye. 652 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:31,867 And as I sat up from the position I was in, 653 00:33:31,934 --> 00:33:36,567 I was shot again, and I was laying between the two cars 654 00:33:36,567 --> 00:33:40,834 when I saw Sy's feet moving around the car 655 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:43,934 and circle back to me. 656 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,667 And when I looked up, 657 00:33:47,667 --> 00:33:50,266 he was holding a gun at my head, 658 00:33:50,266 --> 00:33:53,166 and he -- and he pulled the trigger, 659 00:33:55,567 --> 00:33:57,066 but it didn't fire. 660 00:33:58,867 --> 00:34:01,767 I had been saved by the grace of God. 661 00:34:01,834 --> 00:34:03,867 It didn't fire. 662 00:34:03,867 --> 00:34:07,867 And something, some divine force, 663 00:34:07,934 --> 00:34:09,634 picked me up, 664 00:34:10,867 --> 00:34:14,433 and I got to my feet, and I ran for my life. 665 00:34:16,567 --> 00:34:18,166 JENNIFER: I see a woman running into the house 666 00:34:18,166 --> 00:34:19,867 and slamming the door. 667 00:34:19,867 --> 00:34:21,767 And then there's this guy just standing there in between 668 00:34:21,767 --> 00:34:23,567 two cars, looking around, 669 00:34:23,567 --> 00:34:27,667 and he looks right at me and then takes off running. 670 00:34:27,734 --> 00:34:31,266 NARRATOR: Sy Ghose gets in a car and flees the scene. 671 00:34:31,333 --> 00:34:33,567 JENNIFER: And that's when a little girl gets out of the car. 672 00:34:33,567 --> 00:34:37,066 She looks at me, and she starts screaming, "Save my daddy!" 673 00:34:37,133 --> 00:34:40,266 And I look down, there's a -- there's a body in the driveway, 674 00:34:40,266 --> 00:34:41,767 and I was like, "Listen," I said, "There's a woman 675 00:34:41,767 --> 00:34:43,367 "behind me, you take your friend, 676 00:34:43,433 --> 00:34:44,967 "you do not stop till you get to her. 677 00:34:45,033 --> 00:34:46,000 Do you understand me?" 678 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:46,867 And she goes, "Yes." 679 00:34:46,867 --> 00:34:49,033 And so I sent her off at that point. 680 00:34:49,967 --> 00:34:53,166 I look at the individual on the ground, and I know there is 681 00:34:53,233 --> 00:34:55,567 no point of me even attempting CPR or any other 682 00:34:55,634 --> 00:34:56,967 life-saving matters. 683 00:34:58,367 --> 00:35:00,667 All I could think is he's gonna fire through this door. 684 00:35:00,667 --> 00:35:02,567 And I realized in that moment that I had 685 00:35:02,634 --> 00:35:05,767 left Kelsie in the back seat of the car. 686 00:35:05,834 --> 00:35:08,066 I ran back out the front door, 687 00:35:08,066 --> 00:35:13,166 and I was met by a very kind lady. 688 00:35:13,166 --> 00:35:17,166 I know that she's wounded, and she's also in shock. 689 00:35:17,166 --> 00:35:19,000 Uh, and she's, she's yelling 690 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:21,867 about her babies being missing, she's also screaming, 691 00:35:21,867 --> 00:35:23,767 uh, "I knew he would do something like this. 692 00:35:23,834 --> 00:35:28,066 I knew it," and then she notices the man in the driveway. 693 00:35:29,567 --> 00:35:31,834 She kindly grabbed me by my arm. 694 00:35:33,100 --> 00:35:35,467 That's when I realized I'd been shot in my arm, 695 00:35:36,567 --> 00:35:38,934 and she walked me over to his body. 696 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:43,967 And I was able 697 00:35:45,567 --> 00:35:47,166 to say goodbye 698 00:35:48,900 --> 00:35:50,333 to my husband, 699 00:35:51,767 --> 00:35:55,367 and they were putting me in an ambulance shortly thereafter. 700 00:35:55,367 --> 00:35:56,667 [woman sobbing] 701 00:35:56,667 --> 00:35:59,567 NARRATOR: When police arrive, they find five-year-old Gemma 702 00:35:59,567 --> 00:36:02,667 and 17-year-old Nick hiding in a closet. 703 00:36:02,734 --> 00:36:05,667 That's when Amanda's father drops by on his way home 704 00:36:05,667 --> 00:36:07,967 to say happy birthday to Kelsie. 705 00:36:08,033 --> 00:36:09,967 As I got out of the car, there was 706 00:36:09,967 --> 00:36:12,266 three or four policemen that came up to me, 707 00:36:13,100 --> 00:36:15,567 and the first thing they said was, 708 00:36:15,634 --> 00:36:17,667 "Amanda's in the hospital, but she's okay. 709 00:36:17,667 --> 00:36:19,867 She's been shot, but she's gonna be okay." 710 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:25,767 And right at that point, that's when my heart just fell. 711 00:36:25,834 --> 00:36:27,467 And the first thing I thought of was the kids. 712 00:36:27,467 --> 00:36:30,066 Are the kids, okay? What happened? 713 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,166 And they said, yeah, the kids are -- the kids are here. 714 00:36:33,233 --> 00:36:35,967 They're with some of the neighbors that are here. 715 00:36:36,033 --> 00:36:38,066 And then I said, "Well, what about Wayne?" 716 00:36:43,367 --> 00:36:46,834 That's when they continued to tell me he didn't make it. 717 00:36:49,667 --> 00:36:52,166 MAN: We begin with that breaking news alert out of League City. 718 00:36:52,166 --> 00:36:54,166 A man police initially wanted for 719 00:36:54,166 --> 00:36:56,667 questioning is now wanted for murder. 720 00:36:56,734 --> 00:36:59,266 TJ: We were the first news crew on the scene. 721 00:36:59,266 --> 00:37:02,266 We're getting there, and it's the chaos of the scene, 722 00:37:02,333 --> 00:37:04,667 because you have a gunman on the run, 723 00:37:04,734 --> 00:37:08,367 you have dead body and someone seriously wounded, 724 00:37:08,367 --> 00:37:10,767 and everyone's trying to figure out what happened. 725 00:37:10,767 --> 00:37:12,567 They put the hospital on lockdown, 726 00:37:12,567 --> 00:37:14,467 because Sy was on the run. 727 00:37:14,467 --> 00:37:17,066 I was at her bedside the whole time. 728 00:37:17,133 --> 00:37:20,100 I don't know, it's like a movie, a bad movie. 729 00:37:20,100 --> 00:37:22,467 It was a horrible nightmare. 730 00:37:22,467 --> 00:37:25,767 TJ: So as this statewide manhunt is going on, 731 00:37:25,767 --> 00:37:29,667 police had reason to believe that Sy was gonna try to run 732 00:37:29,667 --> 00:37:33,467 for the border, and it was at a checkpoint in El Paso, 733 00:37:33,533 --> 00:37:36,767 uh, they were able to identify that Sy was trying to cross. 734 00:37:36,767 --> 00:37:39,567 There wasn't much of a resistance at that point. 735 00:37:39,567 --> 00:37:43,867 Even Sy had figured out that this was over, 736 00:37:43,934 --> 00:37:45,967 and he was gonna be taken into custody. 737 00:37:45,967 --> 00:37:49,667 When they look inside the vehicle, they do find a gun, 738 00:37:49,734 --> 00:37:53,166 they find several clips with bullets inside where 739 00:37:53,166 --> 00:37:55,166 the casings match the 12 that 740 00:37:55,166 --> 00:37:58,333 were found on scene of the shooting back in League City. 741 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:01,667 AMANDA: I don't know how I made it through. 742 00:38:01,667 --> 00:38:03,266 I really don't, 743 00:38:03,266 --> 00:38:06,166 but I have children, and they needed me, 744 00:38:06,166 --> 00:38:09,367 and life didn't stop. 745 00:38:09,367 --> 00:38:11,066 I had to get out of bed every day. 746 00:38:11,133 --> 00:38:14,734 I had to accept that he was never coming back. 747 00:38:16,500 --> 00:38:17,867 Thank God for my children. 748 00:38:19,066 --> 00:38:23,367 I stayed in the house until the trial came, 749 00:38:23,367 --> 00:38:25,867 and it took us two years to go to trial. 750 00:38:25,934 --> 00:38:28,000 NARRATOR: As the family tries to heal, 751 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:30,967 Amanda assumes the only time she will ever have to 752 00:38:30,967 --> 00:38:34,667 encounter Sy again is in court, but she is wrong. 753 00:38:34,667 --> 00:38:35,867 [phone ringing] 754 00:38:35,867 --> 00:38:38,000 One day, I get this phone call, and I can 755 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,367 clearly see that it's the jail on my caller ID. 756 00:38:41,367 --> 00:38:45,166 So I turn on the voice recorder, and... 757 00:38:45,166 --> 00:38:46,634 I took the phone call. 758 00:39:07,667 --> 00:39:10,767 I could not believe that I was listening to 759 00:39:10,767 --> 00:39:12,767 this person on the other end of the phone. 760 00:39:12,834 --> 00:39:18,266 How is this even allowed? Who is running this jail 761 00:39:18,333 --> 00:39:21,467 and allowing a murderer to call his victim? 762 00:39:38,166 --> 00:39:40,967 NARRATOR: Sy's staggering ability to keep harassing 763 00:39:40,967 --> 00:39:45,266 Amanda will even continue through the trial itself. 764 00:39:45,266 --> 00:39:49,667 AMANDA: Sy was charged with murder in the first degree, 765 00:39:49,734 --> 00:39:52,100 aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 766 00:39:52,100 --> 00:39:54,166 and stalking. 767 00:39:54,233 --> 00:39:56,567 TJ: In the middle of the case, 768 00:39:56,567 --> 00:39:59,166 Sy fires his defense attorney 769 00:39:59,166 --> 00:40:02,867 and decides he's going to defend himself now. 770 00:40:02,867 --> 00:40:04,767 But I know that he wanted to 771 00:40:04,767 --> 00:40:07,467 get me on the stand and question me, 772 00:40:07,533 --> 00:40:09,367 and that was his way of doing it. 773 00:40:09,367 --> 00:40:13,367 He was able to question me for a very long period of time. 774 00:40:13,367 --> 00:40:16,266 TJ: Sy thought that Amanda was gonna wilt on the stand. 775 00:40:16,266 --> 00:40:17,634 That's not what happened. 776 00:40:18,667 --> 00:40:22,567 Amanda comes through this a hero. 777 00:40:22,567 --> 00:40:26,166 The fact that she does not cave, 778 00:40:26,166 --> 00:40:28,367 that she looks him straight in 779 00:40:28,367 --> 00:40:31,166 the eye and answers his questions. 780 00:40:31,166 --> 00:40:35,066 So if he wanted control, he didn't get it. 781 00:40:35,133 --> 00:40:37,266 He got to talk to her, 782 00:40:37,266 --> 00:40:40,066 but he didn't get the responses, the feeling, 783 00:40:40,133 --> 00:40:42,867 the control that he was seeking. 784 00:40:42,934 --> 00:40:45,967 So in that case, Amanda comes out a winner. 785 00:40:46,033 --> 00:40:50,467 I don't know how the law allows your attacker to question you. 786 00:40:50,533 --> 00:40:53,166 How does that -- how is that even possible? 787 00:40:53,233 --> 00:40:54,967 But it was. It happened. 788 00:40:55,900 --> 00:40:57,367 NARRATOR: After the trial wraps up, 789 00:40:57,367 --> 00:41:00,567 the jury is quick to return guilty verdicts. 790 00:41:00,634 --> 00:41:03,767 And on March 5th, 2020, Sy is sentenced 791 00:41:03,767 --> 00:41:05,567 to 50 years in prison. 792 00:41:05,634 --> 00:41:10,367 He will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years. 793 00:41:10,367 --> 00:41:12,567 I was disappointed, because I feel like he should 794 00:41:12,634 --> 00:41:15,000 have gotten life without the possibility of parole. 795 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:18,166 I truly believe that if he were to walk the streets again, 796 00:41:18,166 --> 00:41:20,467 if he were to ever get out, that he will kill me. 797 00:41:20,533 --> 00:41:22,066 He will finish the job. 798 00:41:22,133 --> 00:41:24,266 I hope he never gets out. 799 00:41:24,266 --> 00:41:26,066 And all I can do is just say, 800 00:41:26,133 --> 00:41:27,867 you know, let Jesus take the wheel. 801 00:41:28,867 --> 00:41:30,867 Even though I'm that close to her, 802 00:41:30,867 --> 00:41:32,567 I can't imagine 803 00:41:32,567 --> 00:41:34,166 going through what she went through. 804 00:41:34,233 --> 00:41:35,867 We get through it every day. 805 00:41:35,867 --> 00:41:38,467 It's a process where we're all working through it. 806 00:41:39,467 --> 00:41:41,066 I was angry with the police. 807 00:41:41,133 --> 00:41:44,667 I feel like they failed my family, 808 00:41:44,734 --> 00:41:48,834 and I think Sy Ghose is pure evil, 809 00:41:51,066 --> 00:41:53,166 but there's still a big life to live, 810 00:41:53,233 --> 00:41:56,333 and I choose to just be happy. 811 00:41:57,400 --> 00:42:00,066 We have what? 40? I have 40 summers left. 812 00:42:00,066 --> 00:42:01,767 I'm gonna make the best of the 40 summers 813 00:42:01,767 --> 00:42:04,567 I have left -- Wayne wouldn't want me to waste them.