1 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:12,630 [pained exhale] 2 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:23,130 [sniffling] 3 00:00:29,100 --> 00:00:30,570 That's the way I remember him, 4 00:00:31,830 --> 00:00:32,930 evil. 5 00:00:35,500 --> 00:00:37,370 He couldn't even look at the camera 6 00:00:38,370 --> 00:00:40,600 because he knows what he did was wrong. 7 00:00:43,670 --> 00:00:47,170 I think Chevo died still not caring. 8 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,670 He had that evilness that he didn't even care 9 00:00:51,700 --> 00:00:54,570 or had no remorse in what he did. 10 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,800 But he is where he's supposed to be, in hell. 11 00:01:23,870 --> 00:01:24,970 This is Laura. 12 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,000 She looks totally different from the way 13 00:01:29,030 --> 00:01:31,370 I had remembered her. I don't -- 14 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,000 I don't recognize her, 15 00:01:35,070 --> 00:01:37,630 but that face, it's evil. 16 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:42,270 You can just see it in her eyes. 17 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:45,870 She took my childhood from me. 18 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:48,870 She got what she [bleep] deserved. 19 00:01:51,330 --> 00:01:53,670 My aunt and uncle were evil people. 20 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,170 I wanted to kill them in their sleep 21 00:01:59,130 --> 00:02:03,000 because I was in so much pain. That's how far they pushed me, 22 00:02:04,030 --> 00:02:06,900 just almost becoming a murderer. 23 00:02:06,930 --> 00:02:10,770 I think that's why, that it's hard for me to 24 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,370 remember, because I try to not remember that part. 25 00:02:19,370 --> 00:02:21,570 [The Paper Chase's "What's So Amazing About Grace?" plays] 26 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:23,400 [strings continue playing sinister tune] 27 00:02:24,870 --> 00:02:26,530 [static crackling] 28 00:02:30,030 --> 00:02:31,700 [knock at door] [creaking] 29 00:02:31,730 --> 00:02:33,470 [banging on door] [creaking] 30 00:02:38,329 --> 00:02:40,800 [banging on door] [creaking] 31 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,500 [water dripping] 32 00:02:44,530 --> 00:02:47,500 [banging on door] [creaking] 33 00:02:47,530 --> 00:02:48,600 [sinister chord strikes] 34 00:02:55,230 --> 00:02:58,600 I was born in San Antonio, Texas. 35 00:02:58,630 --> 00:03:01,030 I have two siblings. 36 00:03:01,070 --> 00:03:04,700 So my sister was the oldest, then it was me and then 37 00:03:04,730 --> 00:03:06,070 my brother. 38 00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:11,870 My mom was a single mom raising us by herself, but my mom was 39 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:16,670 not stable enough to watch me and my siblings. 40 00:03:16,700 --> 00:03:22,070 She was a drug addict, and she had problems drinking 41 00:03:22,100 --> 00:03:24,870 as well. So CPS took us away. 42 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:31,800 And I was about nine years old at that time. 43 00:03:39,230 --> 00:03:42,570 Chevo was my mom's brother. 44 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:43,700 Hi, sweetie. 45 00:03:43,730 --> 00:03:44,829 Hi. 46 00:03:45,730 --> 00:03:48,400 [Abigail] It was scary, confusing, 47 00:03:48,430 --> 00:03:50,700 really sad. 48 00:03:50,730 --> 00:03:55,800 But I was relieved because I was gonna be with family, 49 00:03:55,829 --> 00:03:58,470 and my siblings were gonna be with me, 50 00:03:59,630 --> 00:04:03,030 and we would always stay together as a family. 51 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:15,900 Looking back, I wish I ended up being separated 52 00:04:15,930 --> 00:04:17,670 and with strangers. 53 00:04:36,630 --> 00:04:41,530 I remember being home alone with my Uncle Chevo, 54 00:04:41,570 --> 00:04:44,300 and we were on the couch in the living room. 55 00:04:44,330 --> 00:04:45,430 Hey. 56 00:04:48,630 --> 00:04:52,430 [Abigail] And I remember him grabbing my leg and rubbing my feet. 57 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:58,400 And then his rubbing started going up gradually on my legs. 58 00:04:58,430 --> 00:05:00,070 And it felt 59 00:05:01,270 --> 00:05:02,800 wrong. 60 00:05:05,530 --> 00:05:11,830 And he did look at me and he did say, "I don't want you to tell 61 00:05:11,870 --> 00:05:15,870 "nobody about this, not even your Aunt Laura. 62 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:17,130 This is our secret." 63 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:23,300 So I felt like it was something that wasn't supposed to 64 00:05:23,330 --> 00:05:24,430 be happening. 65 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:30,300 I felt very nervous and scared and confused. 66 00:05:30,330 --> 00:05:33,870 I didn't know what to think because I didn't know 67 00:05:33,900 --> 00:05:35,200 what was going on. 68 00:05:35,230 --> 00:05:40,330 I was so little, and I didn't know if it was right or wrong. 69 00:05:41,830 --> 00:05:45,800 In the days and times that followed, I didn't feel 70 00:05:45,830 --> 00:05:47,800 comfortable being around him. 71 00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:52,400 I think avoiding my uncle 72 00:05:52,430 --> 00:05:57,630 made him find other ways to be alone with me. 73 00:05:57,670 --> 00:06:01,070 And the abuse started getting worse. 74 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,000 In the bedroom that I shared with my older sister, 75 00:06:09,030 --> 00:06:10,500 we had a bunk bed. 76 00:06:10,530 --> 00:06:14,070 And I slept on the top, and my sister slept 77 00:06:14,100 --> 00:06:15,200 on the bottom. 78 00:06:16,870 --> 00:06:20,500 We would leave the hallway light on with our door kind of 79 00:06:20,530 --> 00:06:23,430 cracked because we were kind of scared of the dark. 80 00:06:26,670 --> 00:06:30,100 I remember seeing, like, a shadow 81 00:06:30,130 --> 00:06:31,500 underneath the doorway. 82 00:06:31,530 --> 00:06:33,100 [creaking] 83 00:06:35,270 --> 00:06:37,100 I would hear the door creaking, 84 00:06:39,100 --> 00:06:40,200 or... 85 00:06:41,070 --> 00:06:46,870 ...hearing my Uncle Chevo climbing up the ladder 86 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:48,670 to get onto the bed with me. 87 00:06:51,070 --> 00:06:55,470 Knowing that he was climbing into my bed was very scary. 88 00:06:55,500 --> 00:06:57,500 I didn't understand 89 00:06:57,530 --> 00:07:02,030 what was going on or what he was doing 90 00:07:02,070 --> 00:07:03,630 in the bed with me. 91 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,770 There was a part of me that felt that I had done something 92 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,900 wrong for him to be touching me the way he was. 93 00:07:16,170 --> 00:07:20,030 First time that my uncle touched me, 94 00:07:20,070 --> 00:07:22,470 I was about nine years old. 95 00:07:22,500 --> 00:07:27,930 And it was like that for a few years, and it progressed. 96 00:07:29,330 --> 00:07:31,400 The first time that he raped me, 97 00:07:31,430 --> 00:07:35,370 I was 12 years old in middle school. 98 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:42,930 I did hope that my sister would hear or maybe catch him 99 00:07:42,970 --> 00:07:48,270 one time or something, but she never did. 100 00:07:48,300 --> 00:07:52,430 I really didn't understand what was going on so I didn't know 101 00:07:52,470 --> 00:07:55,330 how to defend myself at the time. 102 00:07:55,370 --> 00:07:59,430 I knew his one rule was not to tell nobody. 103 00:07:59,470 --> 00:08:01,400 So as a kid, I didn't. 104 00:08:13,970 --> 00:08:18,100 At some point I did tell my Aunt Laura that I needed to 105 00:08:18,130 --> 00:08:22,770 tell her a secret, and she, um... 106 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:25,500 ...she said, "OK." 107 00:08:26,700 --> 00:08:31,800 We went to her room and we sat on her bed and I told her, 108 00:08:31,830 --> 00:08:35,870 "Uncle Chevo has been getting into the bed with me 109 00:08:35,900 --> 00:08:41,530 and touching me in ways that I don't think are right." 110 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,070 And she just closed me off. 111 00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:47,800 [echoing] Stop. 112 00:08:47,830 --> 00:08:52,670 She told me that she didn't think that he was capable of 113 00:08:52,700 --> 00:08:56,600 doing anything like that and that she knew 114 00:08:56,630 --> 00:08:58,100 that I was lying. 115 00:08:59,330 --> 00:09:05,100 She made it very clear that I wasn't allowed 116 00:09:05,130 --> 00:09:07,030 to talk about it to anybody. 117 00:09:07,070 --> 00:09:09,600 Not a word of this outside my house. 118 00:09:11,470 --> 00:09:17,070 She's supposed to be my mom, so I would expect her to 119 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:19,700 protect me and do something about it, 120 00:09:19,730 --> 00:09:21,500 and I didn't get that. 121 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:30,830 I felt very sad and betrayed that my Aunt Laura didn't 122 00:09:30,870 --> 00:09:36,330 believe me, and scared because I didn't know who else 123 00:09:36,370 --> 00:09:41,200 I could go to and tell, because if she didn't believe me, 124 00:09:41,230 --> 00:09:45,870 who is going to believe me? I couldn't trust nobody. 125 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,870 This picture was me and my sister goofing off 126 00:10:02,900 --> 00:10:04,100 in our bedroom. 127 00:10:05,570 --> 00:10:08,230 I was roughly 12. 128 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,970 If anybody else was looking at this photo, they would see 129 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:15,870 a normal, happy child. 130 00:10:16,930 --> 00:10:19,070 But behind the mask, it -- 131 00:10:19,100 --> 00:10:22,500 she wasn't normal, and she wasn't happy. 132 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:31,270 It was a cover-up, but she had to pretend that she was happy. 133 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:39,130 I was told not to tell nobody the truth, and I was scared of 134 00:10:39,170 --> 00:10:43,730 what was gonna happen if I did tell the truth. 135 00:10:43,770 --> 00:10:46,470 I felt like I was committing a crime, 136 00:10:47,830 --> 00:10:52,370 that I did something wrong, and I would end up in jail. 137 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,970 It was terrifying to live with that idea. 138 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,670 One weekend when I was 12 or 13, 139 00:11:13,700 --> 00:11:17,170 some of my cousins and aunt and uncle came to visit. 140 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,770 And it all changed when family was around. 141 00:11:23,030 --> 00:11:26,130 I remember one day, we were outside playing, 142 00:11:26,170 --> 00:11:28,500 and there was this boy that caught my eye. 143 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,430 I had a crush on him, and I think 144 00:11:34,470 --> 00:11:36,570 he had a crush on me too. 145 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:42,300 We sat down talking, and things led up to another. 146 00:11:43,300 --> 00:11:46,030 And we started kissing. 147 00:11:46,070 --> 00:11:48,400 That was my first kiss. 148 00:11:48,430 --> 00:11:51,400 It felt funny, but it felt good at the same time. 149 00:11:51,430 --> 00:11:54,130 The butterflies were, um, 150 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:58,370 like a good, nervous feeling. 151 00:11:59,370 --> 00:12:02,900 There was a lot of things in my life that weren't normal, 152 00:12:02,930 --> 00:12:06,630 but that felt normal and OK. 153 00:12:10,630 --> 00:12:15,400 I didn't realize that my cousin was watching, or she could even 154 00:12:15,430 --> 00:12:17,470 see us kissing. 155 00:12:18,570 --> 00:12:20,700 I'm telling, I'm telling! 156 00:12:22,170 --> 00:12:24,600 I pushed him away. 157 00:12:24,630 --> 00:12:28,170 And just all of a sudden, I hear her screaming, 158 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,170 "You're kissing a boy! 159 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,270 I'm gonna go and tell." 160 00:12:32,300 --> 00:12:35,370 And I was like begging her not to tell my Aunt Laura 161 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,770 and Uncle Chevo that I was kissing this boy because 162 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,230 I would get in serious trouble. 163 00:12:41,270 --> 00:12:46,500 I started crying because I knew I was gonna get in trouble 164 00:12:46,530 --> 00:12:50,730 and maybe get a spanking. She didn't understand how 165 00:12:52,670 --> 00:12:55,270 severe my punishment was gonna be. 166 00:12:59,370 --> 00:13:03,270 I walked in, and I remember seeing everybody in 167 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:04,970 the living room. 168 00:13:06,230 --> 00:13:10,330 The look on my uncle's face when I got into the house, 169 00:13:10,370 --> 00:13:13,200 he looked very pissed off. 170 00:13:13,230 --> 00:13:17,000 Like, his face was red in anger. 171 00:13:20,470 --> 00:13:23,230 It was the first time I've seen him that mad. 172 00:13:26,300 --> 00:13:30,370 I remember seeing my Uncle Chevo with the belt. 173 00:13:32,700 --> 00:13:36,300 The only thing I remember him saying was to put my hands 174 00:13:36,330 --> 00:13:38,100 on the couch. 175 00:13:44,070 --> 00:13:47,370 My Uncle Chevo took the beating way too far. 176 00:13:49,970 --> 00:13:54,500 In that moment, I did feel like it was very severe. 177 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,100 The spanking stopped because somebody told him 178 00:14:00,130 --> 00:14:02,930 to stop hitting me, that that was enough. 179 00:14:02,970 --> 00:14:08,070 At that moment, I thanked God that there was other people 180 00:14:08,100 --> 00:14:12,430 around to have him stop, because I didn't think he would 181 00:14:12,470 --> 00:14:14,470 stop spanking me. 182 00:14:15,770 --> 00:14:20,230 Looking back now, I feel like his anger was coming 183 00:14:20,270 --> 00:14:22,000 from jealousy. 184 00:14:22,030 --> 00:14:27,470 I feel that he was jealous that I was kissing this boy, 185 00:14:27,500 --> 00:14:29,470 and maybe not him. 186 00:14:31,630 --> 00:14:35,770 After that day, I knew that it was not going to be OK for me 187 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,030 to be doing normal things like other kids. 188 00:14:40,670 --> 00:14:43,900 I wasn't able to have a normal childhood 189 00:14:43,930 --> 00:14:49,030 because my Uncle Chevo wanted me for himself, 190 00:14:49,070 --> 00:14:52,070 and that wasn't normal. 191 00:15:00,430 --> 00:15:04,600 I had a best friend, and we were inseparable. 192 00:15:04,630 --> 00:15:07,600 We were like sisters, pretty much. 193 00:15:07,630 --> 00:15:11,400 I always went to her house because it felt safe. 194 00:15:11,430 --> 00:15:14,700 And I didn't want her to go to my house. 195 00:15:14,730 --> 00:15:18,930 So I kind of kept her away on purpose from my house. 196 00:15:18,970 --> 00:15:22,770 I trusted her enough to tell her the truth. 197 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,770 So that's what led me up to tell her. 198 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,530 I have to tell you something, but you promise not to say. 199 00:15:31,570 --> 00:15:34,870 We were sitting together, and that's when 200 00:15:34,900 --> 00:15:37,500 I just told her the secret. 201 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:45,770 She looked scared and said that wasn't right and it shouldn't 202 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,570 be happening, so we should tell somebody, like her mom. 203 00:15:50,430 --> 00:15:51,730 You can't. 204 00:15:51,770 --> 00:15:56,830 I told her in tears that we can't tell nobody 205 00:15:56,870 --> 00:15:58,430 what's going on. 206 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,700 And she just kept saying, "No, we have to." 207 00:16:03,730 --> 00:16:05,630 It was very scary for me. 208 00:16:05,670 --> 00:16:07,330 We have to say something. 209 00:16:07,370 --> 00:16:11,270 I didn't want to get in trouble if they found out 210 00:16:11,300 --> 00:16:13,000 I told the secret. 211 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:18,170 And then she finally said, "OK, I promise 212 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:19,700 I won't tell nobody." 213 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:23,770 So I thought she kept that secret. 214 00:16:31,370 --> 00:16:35,830 My friend told her mom my secret. 215 00:16:35,870 --> 00:16:39,700 The mom reported it to Child Protective Services. 216 00:16:39,730 --> 00:16:41,270 Why don't you start packing, sweetie? 217 00:16:42,670 --> 00:16:44,470 They didn't say where we're going. 218 00:16:44,500 --> 00:16:46,800 They just said, we're leaving, and we need to leave 219 00:16:46,830 --> 00:16:52,770 by tonight, so we did as we were told. 220 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:58,200 There was no explanation on why or where we were going at all. 221 00:16:58,230 --> 00:16:59,970 And we moved from there, 222 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,570 and I never got to see her again. 223 00:17:03,670 --> 00:17:08,069 I understand why she told her mom my secret. 224 00:17:08,099 --> 00:17:13,000 She was just trying to get me some help to maybe stop it, 225 00:17:13,030 --> 00:17:16,000 and that's what I wanted was for it to stop. 226 00:17:18,230 --> 00:17:23,000 After that, what had kept me from telling anyone at school, 227 00:17:23,030 --> 00:17:28,900 teachers, friends, was that CPS would end up telling 228 00:17:28,930 --> 00:17:32,770 my aunt and uncle and we would move again. 229 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:34,200 I felt ashamed. 230 00:17:34,230 --> 00:17:38,470 I was so embarrassed about what was going on. 231 00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:45,000 There was so many things I was afraid of to tell anybody. 232 00:17:46,470 --> 00:17:49,330 It was easier for me just to keep silent. 233 00:17:57,570 --> 00:18:01,200 There was one time that my aunt and uncle wanted to 234 00:18:01,230 --> 00:18:02,730 have a conversation. 235 00:18:02,770 --> 00:18:05,500 I was already in high school at that time. 236 00:18:05,530 --> 00:18:08,100 Abby, come sit. 237 00:18:08,130 --> 00:18:11,730 I remember my uncle looking serious. 238 00:18:11,770 --> 00:18:15,970 They both were serious. They had that look. 239 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:18,600 Is everything okay? 240 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:21,870 They told me I wasn't in trouble. 241 00:18:21,900 --> 00:18:24,400 We were just going to have a conversation. 242 00:18:25,230 --> 00:18:29,530 The conversation started that I was going to have 243 00:18:29,570 --> 00:18:34,470 their baby because my aunt wasn't able to have kids. 244 00:18:37,500 --> 00:18:42,370 And I looked at her like if they were crazy. 245 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,000 My jaw dropped and I was shocked. 246 00:18:45,030 --> 00:18:51,500 I didn't know what to think, that they want a teenager to 247 00:18:51,530 --> 00:18:54,770 have a baby for them. It was very shocking. 248 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:56,030 You can't do this. 249 00:18:56,070 --> 00:18:59,500 I told her, "You're effing crazy. 250 00:18:59,530 --> 00:19:03,230 I'm not going to have a baby. Like, I'm still in high school." 251 00:19:03,270 --> 00:19:07,130 So I told her no, that I didn't want to. 252 00:19:07,170 --> 00:19:10,300 And they were like, "Yes, there's no saying no." 253 00:19:10,330 --> 00:19:13,270 There's no debate. That's end of conversation. 254 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:16,530 Please. 255 00:19:18,070 --> 00:19:21,530 There was like nothing I could do to stop it. 256 00:19:25,870 --> 00:19:29,470 I didn't feel like my body was mine. 257 00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:31,800 I felt like it was theirs. 258 00:19:35,270 --> 00:19:39,370 This was the moment when I realized that my aunt was 259 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,930 just as evil as my uncle. 260 00:19:43,570 --> 00:19:47,730 And in my eyes, I felt they were both monsters. 261 00:19:49,170 --> 00:19:51,830 And I cried most of the day. 262 00:19:51,870 --> 00:19:56,100 And I talked to myself and told myself, like, "How is 263 00:19:56,130 --> 00:19:58,300 this happening? Why is this happening?" 264 00:20:00,570 --> 00:20:05,600 Looking back now, I think that she knew and was aware of 265 00:20:05,630 --> 00:20:08,830 everything that was happening with him and me. 266 00:20:08,870 --> 00:20:12,730 And she chose to ignore it because she didn't want to lose 267 00:20:12,770 --> 00:20:15,230 my uncle's love. 268 00:20:15,270 --> 00:20:19,270 That makes her... a monster. 269 00:20:30,100 --> 00:20:33,300 When I was pregnant, I did have a lot of feelings. 270 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:36,400 I didn't want to be on Earth no more. 271 00:20:37,300 --> 00:20:42,330 I was very depressed. I just wanted to be alone. 272 00:20:42,370 --> 00:20:47,630 My uncle had threatened me about if I told anybody that 273 00:20:47,670 --> 00:20:52,200 I would go to jail, and the baby would end up in foster care. 274 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:54,700 It was hard to hide the truth. 275 00:20:54,730 --> 00:20:59,330 If it came up, then I had to lie and say that I messed 276 00:20:59,370 --> 00:21:02,570 around with some other kid, you know, 277 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:03,830 from school or whatever. 278 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,970 And I knew that was a lie. 279 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,470 When I was going into labor, I was told not to tell anybody. 280 00:21:12,500 --> 00:21:14,430 They demanded it from me. 281 00:21:16,330 --> 00:21:20,930 So I didn't tell anybody, but I did want to. 282 00:21:22,230 --> 00:21:25,600 But my aunt and uncle were in the room the whole time. 283 00:21:27,170 --> 00:21:33,600 And when I was able to hold my newborn, I felt happy. 284 00:21:33,630 --> 00:21:38,370 It felt amazing to hold my baby in my hands. 285 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:43,270 I felt like I was on top of the world. 286 00:21:43,300 --> 00:21:47,200 I was able to hold her until the nurses walked out. 287 00:21:47,230 --> 00:21:50,270 Then my aunt ended up grabbing her. 288 00:21:55,470 --> 00:21:58,870 She took her and said that, "This is my baby. 289 00:22:00,570 --> 00:22:04,570 She'll be calling you sister when she grows up." 290 00:22:07,130 --> 00:22:08,700 I felt like 291 00:22:14,070 --> 00:22:15,170 I wasn't even there, 292 00:22:16,230 --> 00:22:17,800 Felt... 293 00:22:19,900 --> 00:22:21,830 really lost. 294 00:22:21,870 --> 00:22:23,370 [sniffling] 295 00:22:25,300 --> 00:22:26,470 And used. 296 00:22:29,270 --> 00:22:30,770 They used me. 297 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:54,800 At that time, I was taking care of the kids, and my aunt 298 00:22:54,830 --> 00:22:59,930 and uncle, and doing all the household chores. 299 00:22:59,970 --> 00:23:05,870 It was like if I was a maid or a slave in my own house. 300 00:23:07,570 --> 00:23:09,930 And eventually, it got worse. 301 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:13,200 My aunt and uncle 302 00:23:14,270 --> 00:23:17,170 started making me do a ritual every night. 303 00:23:26,870 --> 00:23:32,900 I remember having to massage my aunt and uncle every night that 304 00:23:32,930 --> 00:23:37,200 my hands would cramp up and I would get so uncomfortable 305 00:23:37,230 --> 00:23:39,730 and wanna stop, but I wasn't able to. 306 00:23:41,530 --> 00:23:45,800 I felt on edge every night because it turned into 307 00:23:45,830 --> 00:23:49,130 something sexual with both of them. 308 00:23:52,430 --> 00:23:57,370 I felt like I was a sex slave to my aunt and uncle. 309 00:23:59,070 --> 00:24:00,270 [lock clicks] 310 00:24:03,070 --> 00:24:06,930 I felt trapped, like I wasn't gonna be able to get out 311 00:24:06,970 --> 00:24:11,100 or be a part of the real world. 312 00:24:11,130 --> 00:24:15,300 I never left the house unless it was with the family. 313 00:24:15,330 --> 00:24:17,270 I felt so scared. 314 00:24:18,470 --> 00:24:20,730 And this went on for years... 315 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,100 ...years. 316 00:24:25,130 --> 00:24:30,200 It got to me, but I was thinking about the kids. 317 00:24:30,230 --> 00:24:35,770 I didn't want to get separated from them or end up in jail 318 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,830 and them in foster care like I did. 319 00:24:38,870 --> 00:24:42,030 Running away wasn't something I thought about 320 00:24:42,070 --> 00:24:45,300 because I was being brainwashed. 321 00:24:45,330 --> 00:24:51,400 My uncle was putting things in my head, and I was believing 322 00:24:51,430 --> 00:24:56,700 them, and it just felt like 323 00:24:58,130 --> 00:25:00,230 I didn't have a mind of my own. 324 00:25:01,330 --> 00:25:04,770 Looking back, I wish I had ran away. 325 00:25:18,730 --> 00:25:21,370 In this picture, it's me, 326 00:25:22,970 --> 00:25:24,730 my Aunt Laura, and my three kids. 327 00:25:28,230 --> 00:25:29,330 I was roughly 328 00:25:31,570 --> 00:25:33,670 20 years old in this picture, 329 00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:37,000 just seeing her... 330 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,170 and her holding my kids... 331 00:25:43,670 --> 00:25:47,270 I was an outsider to them. I wasn't their mom. 332 00:25:47,300 --> 00:25:50,870 She was, and that's what this picture shows. 333 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:55,830 It's -- it was hard for me to smile for any photo. 334 00:25:57,430 --> 00:26:02,000 I forced myself to make it seem 335 00:26:02,030 --> 00:26:06,700 that nothing was going on, hoping that one day 336 00:26:06,730 --> 00:26:09,700 I would get out for everyone. 337 00:26:12,230 --> 00:26:16,000 My uncle had explained to me what would happen if 338 00:26:16,030 --> 00:26:20,130 I was to tell anybody, and his explanation was that 339 00:26:20,170 --> 00:26:24,000 he was going to kill me and the kids. 340 00:26:24,030 --> 00:26:27,830 He would slice our throats 341 00:26:27,870 --> 00:26:30,070 while we were sleeping, 342 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:34,300 and I do believe he was capable of that. 343 00:26:34,330 --> 00:26:38,170 He was trying to scare me, in not to telling anybody, 344 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:39,300 and it worked. 345 00:26:45,870 --> 00:26:47,330 My aunt and uncle were religious. 346 00:26:47,370 --> 00:26:52,430 They were Catholics so I was raised to say 347 00:26:52,470 --> 00:26:56,300 the rosary, and we went to Catholic Church every Sunday. 348 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:03,230 As my daughter was growing up, my aunt and uncle decided that 349 00:27:03,270 --> 00:27:07,100 she was a healer and she could perform miracles. 350 00:27:09,130 --> 00:27:12,500 It sounded really crazy to me, it did. 351 00:27:12,530 --> 00:27:15,570 I didn't know what she was talking about. 352 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:19,400 My aunt and uncle put it out on Facebook. 353 00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:22,600 It got so big, my daughter wound up on the news. 354 00:27:24,430 --> 00:27:26,770 [news broadcaster] Some believe God and the Virgen de Guadalupe 355 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,000 has given Paige the gift of healing. 356 00:27:29,030 --> 00:27:32,200 This is a plan he has for her, and the faith 357 00:27:32,230 --> 00:27:34,430 that she has in God. 358 00:27:34,470 --> 00:27:36,800 People say, "Oh, the miracle child. 359 00:27:38,170 --> 00:27:39,430 "She's not the miracle child. 360 00:27:39,470 --> 00:27:43,070 It's not her, it's just, she's God's vessel." 361 00:27:43,100 --> 00:27:45,830 [broadcaster] And just as quickly, we're reminded 362 00:27:45,870 --> 00:27:47,530 she's still a child. 363 00:27:47,570 --> 00:27:49,800 [Paige on broadcast] "Mommy, what's a vessel?" 364 00:27:49,830 --> 00:27:50,900 "A boat." 365 00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:03,030 It's heartbreaking 366 00:28:03,070 --> 00:28:05,930 to me to hear my daughter call her mommy. 367 00:28:10,670 --> 00:28:12,400 I haven't heard it in so long. 368 00:28:13,770 --> 00:28:16,670 And seeing how young my daughter was 369 00:28:19,430 --> 00:28:24,170 and seeing what she was doing made it so hard for me to see 370 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:29,470 it again, because she would do that at least six to seven 371 00:28:29,500 --> 00:28:30,600 hours a day. 372 00:28:32,430 --> 00:28:34,130 She was so innocent. 373 00:28:34,170 --> 00:28:39,570 She was being used into luring people in 374 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:41,300 and getting their money. 375 00:28:41,330 --> 00:28:43,730 And I feel sorry for my daughter, too, because 376 00:28:43,770 --> 00:28:45,130 she had to go through that. 377 00:28:46,270 --> 00:28:48,130 The people that were coming 378 00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:52,070 were ill, and they wanted to be healed. 379 00:28:52,970 --> 00:28:55,200 But in reality, there was, 380 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:57,870 it wasn't real. 381 00:28:57,900 --> 00:29:03,370 She lured people in and she was really good at it. 382 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:08,300 It was all just a scam just to get their money. 383 00:29:27,330 --> 00:29:31,170 This is a picture of me and Rudy having dinner 384 00:29:33,230 --> 00:29:36,870 for...I believe it was his birthday. 385 00:29:38,070 --> 00:29:42,370 When me and Rudy were hiding our relationship from 386 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:43,800 my aunt and uncle, 387 00:29:43,830 --> 00:29:48,900 I would wait till they left to work and I would take the kids 388 00:29:48,930 --> 00:29:53,270 to school and he would meet me down the street. 389 00:29:54,530 --> 00:29:58,100 Talking to him made me feel so safe. 390 00:29:58,130 --> 00:30:04,030 I wasn't used to it because I was not around safe men 391 00:30:04,070 --> 00:30:05,430 like Rudy. 392 00:30:05,470 --> 00:30:09,970 He just seemed very different and nice, sweet man. 393 00:30:11,270 --> 00:30:12,600 This was the guy 394 00:30:13,770 --> 00:30:18,200 that was gonna help me out through the hell 395 00:30:18,230 --> 00:30:19,530 I was living in. 396 00:30:23,930 --> 00:30:29,000 I had told him one time that there was a secret 397 00:30:29,030 --> 00:30:33,500 that I was holding in from him, and then I finally told him 398 00:30:33,530 --> 00:30:35,130 what was going on, 399 00:30:35,170 --> 00:30:39,930 and he said he wanted to help me and my kids get out of there 400 00:30:39,970 --> 00:30:41,900 because that wasn't right. 401 00:30:41,930 --> 00:30:46,970 He was very angry, but I told him there's nothing 402 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:48,500 that I could do because 403 00:30:50,130 --> 00:30:53,470 if he was to get involved, or if I was to leave, 404 00:30:53,500 --> 00:30:56,130 they would find me and kill us all. 405 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:14,130 [as Chevo] Disgusting! You're vile! 406 00:31:14,170 --> 00:31:18,700 When my uncle found out about me and Rudy, he lost his mind 407 00:31:18,730 --> 00:31:20,500 and grabbed a gasoline. 408 00:31:23,430 --> 00:31:29,100 He started pouring the gasoline around the house and yelling 409 00:31:29,130 --> 00:31:32,130 that I was a whore and a slut, 410 00:31:32,170 --> 00:31:33,870 [indistinct shouting] 411 00:31:33,900 --> 00:31:36,900 and he was gonna burn us all 412 00:31:36,930 --> 00:31:39,730 if I didn't do what was told of me. 413 00:31:39,770 --> 00:31:41,470 [as Chevo] You're disgusting! 414 00:31:41,500 --> 00:31:46,270 "If you don't stop seeing Rudy, I'm gonna burn this house 415 00:31:46,300 --> 00:31:50,730 down, and nobody will be able to see you or the kids anymore." 416 00:31:52,070 --> 00:31:53,070 [as Laura] Chevo! 417 00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:54,900 -Get out of here, go! -[as Chevo grunts] 418 00:31:54,930 --> 00:31:59,070 I felt like my uncle was psychotic. 419 00:31:59,100 --> 00:32:01,170 It was just crazy. 420 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:05,970 In that moment, I believed he can do it and he would. 421 00:32:07,270 --> 00:32:12,400 My aunt was able to calm him down and take him inside. 422 00:32:12,430 --> 00:32:16,630 After that, I knew I had to find a way to escape 423 00:32:16,670 --> 00:32:18,030 and protect my children. 424 00:32:20,770 --> 00:32:22,630 I was not safe in that house. 425 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,570 My uncle needed to be in a mental house. 426 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,630 It was cruel and evil. 427 00:32:39,670 --> 00:32:42,530 I was done being in there. 428 00:32:42,570 --> 00:32:46,200 I believed that my kids and myself were in danger. 429 00:32:46,230 --> 00:32:48,770 So I told Rudy, enough is enough. 430 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,700 I'm done. I want to get out of here. 431 00:32:51,730 --> 00:32:55,470 My aunt and uncle were at work, and he told me be ready. 432 00:32:55,500 --> 00:32:56,670 And that's what I did. 433 00:32:56,700 --> 00:33:01,100 I ended up getting a pair of clothes for me, maybe two to 434 00:33:01,130 --> 00:33:03,370 three pairs of clothes for my kids. 435 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,830 And that's all I left with. 436 00:33:06,870 --> 00:33:10,500 I was scared for my life and Rudy's life 437 00:33:10,530 --> 00:33:13,030 and everybody's life in that house. 438 00:33:13,070 --> 00:33:17,130 I was worried that my uncle was gonna find out 439 00:33:17,170 --> 00:33:18,670 and come after me. 440 00:33:18,700 --> 00:33:23,330 I never knew if my uncle was planning to show up 441 00:33:23,370 --> 00:33:24,470 and kill us. 442 00:33:33,530 --> 00:33:39,570 I held this secret in for so long that when I finally went 443 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:43,630 to the police department to tell my secret, 444 00:33:43,670 --> 00:33:45,300 I was terrified. 445 00:33:47,270 --> 00:33:51,230 I was afraid that they wouldn't believe me. 446 00:33:51,270 --> 00:33:56,530 I was shaking in fear because I didn't know 447 00:33:56,570 --> 00:33:58,130 what was gonna happen. 448 00:33:58,170 --> 00:34:02,570 I didn't know if I was going to get in trouble as well. 449 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:06,670 I was still in that mindset that my uncle told me, 450 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:08,400 I would go to jail too. 451 00:34:09,730 --> 00:34:14,469 All of those years that my uncle put all of those 452 00:34:14,500 --> 00:34:17,600 thoughts in my head were still in my mind. 453 00:34:19,070 --> 00:34:22,730 After telling the cops, I realized that he had been 454 00:34:22,770 --> 00:34:25,030 lying to me and was wrong. 455 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:40,570 I cried in disbelief. It was finally over. 456 00:34:41,699 --> 00:34:45,130 I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. 457 00:34:45,170 --> 00:34:49,330 And I still couldn't believe it until we went to trial 458 00:34:49,370 --> 00:34:52,870 and actually saw them in their orange suits with 459 00:34:52,900 --> 00:34:54,469 their handcuffs on. 460 00:34:56,170 --> 00:34:58,400 Seeing him like that in court 461 00:34:59,330 --> 00:35:04,630 made me realize that he wasn't powerful, 462 00:35:04,670 --> 00:35:06,930 that he wasn't going to make 463 00:35:07,870 --> 00:35:09,500 nobody hurt no more. 464 00:35:09,530 --> 00:35:13,400 The prosecutor had asked me if I... 465 00:35:14,100 --> 00:35:18,200 ...uh, wanted to do an impact statement. 466 00:35:18,230 --> 00:35:22,270 I wanted them to hear from my voice. 467 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,500 This is my... 468 00:35:30,870 --> 00:35:34,400 ...impact statement to my Uncle Chevo. 469 00:35:37,070 --> 00:35:40,430 You were supposed to be my guardian 470 00:35:41,430 --> 00:35:42,530 and my father, 471 00:35:43,500 --> 00:35:47,770 to raise me and to take care of me, to love me, but yet 472 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:49,530 you did the opposite. 473 00:35:49,570 --> 00:35:52,600 You took my childhood away from me. 474 00:35:52,630 --> 00:35:55,130 Chevo, you tormented me 475 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:59,900 and tortured me for more than a decade. 476 00:36:03,730 --> 00:36:05,170 You are a monster. 477 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:11,530 You will not hurt me or my two beautiful, wonderful daughters 478 00:36:11,570 --> 00:36:13,100 and anyone else... 479 00:36:15,370 --> 00:36:16,470 ...innocent... 480 00:36:18,870 --> 00:36:20,000 [under breath] I'm sorry. 481 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:30,700 ...and take anyone else's innocence away from them. 482 00:36:33,430 --> 00:36:35,930 The punishment you receive today 483 00:36:37,030 --> 00:36:40,400 is the punishment you deserve for being so evil. 484 00:36:43,470 --> 00:36:47,470 It was hard to read this in the courtroom because I was 485 00:36:47,500 --> 00:36:48,800 face-to-face with him, 486 00:36:50,300 --> 00:36:53,800 and the coward that he is, couldn't even look up 487 00:36:53,830 --> 00:36:57,600 and acknowledge that I was there, but I was fine with it. 488 00:36:57,630 --> 00:37:02,300 It just felt like I needed to tell him these words and let 489 00:37:02,330 --> 00:37:04,870 him know what he was. 490 00:37:04,900 --> 00:37:10,270 It helped me cope just a tiny bit, just to let him know 491 00:37:10,300 --> 00:37:12,770 he was a monster, he was a coward, 492 00:37:14,330 --> 00:37:17,500 and that he wasn't going to do this to anybody else. 493 00:37:17,530 --> 00:37:19,600 And he got what he deserved. 494 00:37:39,470 --> 00:37:44,270 When I heard their sentences, I felt like I got my justice. 495 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:52,430 But he didn't spend that much time in prison, because he died. 496 00:37:54,500 --> 00:37:59,400 I was pissed off because I wanted him to suffer longer 497 00:37:59,430 --> 00:38:01,470 like he made me suffer 498 00:38:02,630 --> 00:38:03,730 all these years. 499 00:38:14,300 --> 00:38:17,800 I was always taught to forgive but don't forget 500 00:38:19,270 --> 00:38:20,670 because God sees that. 501 00:38:23,130 --> 00:38:25,070 I forgive these evil people. 502 00:38:26,470 --> 00:38:29,470 I'm healing myself for forgiving them. 503 00:38:34,670 --> 00:38:38,300 It's for me to let go of 504 00:38:38,330 --> 00:38:41,600 everything that they have done to me. 505 00:38:56,070 --> 00:39:00,300 Rudy gave me the courage to start fighting again. 506 00:39:00,330 --> 00:39:06,070 It brought a light to my life and knowing that there was 507 00:39:06,100 --> 00:39:10,200 something to fight for and not to give up. 508 00:39:12,330 --> 00:39:16,430 I feel without Rudy, I would still be there at that house 509 00:39:16,470 --> 00:39:17,700 with my aunt and uncle. 510 00:39:18,730 --> 00:39:20,530 He's been a rock for me. 511 00:39:20,570 --> 00:39:24,130 My brother and sister and I don't have much of 512 00:39:24,170 --> 00:39:25,730 a relationship anymore. 513 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,200 And I just wish I had that with them. 514 00:39:31,130 --> 00:39:36,030 But now my kids and my husband are my world. 515 00:39:37,430 --> 00:39:40,470 I couldn't be here without them. 516 00:39:40,500 --> 00:39:43,130 My life now, I never thought it was possible. 517 00:39:43,970 --> 00:39:46,100 I never thought I would 518 00:39:48,570 --> 00:39:50,970 be so happy and, um, 519 00:39:53,570 --> 00:39:57,630 raising my kids and teaching them right from wrong. 520 00:39:58,900 --> 00:40:04,500 I don't want my kids to ever think that I regretted 521 00:40:04,530 --> 00:40:05,500 having them. 522 00:40:05,530 --> 00:40:08,770 I, in a million years, 523 00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:11,800 will never regret having kids 524 00:40:12,870 --> 00:40:16,870 because I love them so much, and I'll do anything for them. 525 00:40:18,570 --> 00:40:21,430 They helped me heal. They helped me be happy. 526 00:40:22,630 --> 00:40:24,200 I live for them, I -- 527 00:40:25,430 --> 00:40:31,430 I leave the past in the past for them so I can get up 528 00:40:31,470 --> 00:40:35,630 and make my kids happy and my husband happy. 529 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:41,700 I see people that have not told their stories 530 00:40:41,730 --> 00:40:43,600 and I want them to 531 00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:49,330 be okay with, you know, getting the help that they need 532 00:40:49,370 --> 00:40:52,430 when it's time for them to speak out. 533 00:40:54,030 --> 00:40:58,130 I'm very hopeful that they see this 534 00:40:58,170 --> 00:41:01,400 and they won't be so scared 535 00:41:01,430 --> 00:41:04,200 to tell the story that they went through. 536 00:41:10,730 --> 00:41:13,500 ♪♪ 537 00:41:13,530 --> 00:41:17,030 He definitely aspired to be like Ted Bundy. 538 00:41:17,070 --> 00:41:19,370 What a mean son of a bitch. 539 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:21,970 This is the face of evil, right here. 540 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:24,370 You're a sorry piece of [bleep], 541 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,900 and I'm glad that you can't hurt anybody anymore.