More on Brooke Bennett

In court papers, Jacques accused of falsifying Web posts:

Yesterday when I posted about the discovery of Brooke Bennett’s body I wasn’t sure if her body was found on her uncle’s property or not. It turns out a fresh grave was discovered on a rural road just off of Michael Jacques’ property.

Now here’s the reason I didn’t want to post Brooke Bennet’s MySpace, it was, in fact, a fake. Police say that Jacques is the one who changed Brooke’s account to make reference to how she was supposedly leaving Vermont for Texas to meet someone. Jacques even told police about the MySpace in an attempt to throw them off the track.

By the time I post this (as I am writing it Thursday morning), Jacques may have already been charged with federal kidnapping. If also charged with federal murder Jacques could be looking at the death penalty. The feds may have jurisdiction since I believe tampering with someone’s MySpace like that in order to hide a crime may be a federal offense.

Now on to Brooke’s former stepfather Ray Gagnon. He’s been arrested for destroying evidence. That evidence turned out to be a laptop filled with child porn. Gagnon called his landlord back in Texas and asked him to destroy the computer. Gagnon also had a hand in altering Brooke’s MySpace after speaking with Jacques. Gagnon is also looking at federal charges but as of now those charges aren’t clear but I would assume they would also be for tampering with Brooke’s MySpace.

Comments

84 responses to “More on Brooke Bennett”

  1. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    I want these men to perish. There is nothing that could possibly come close to making up for what they have done. I am sitting her, alone, crying my eyes out not only for Brooke but for the other young girl victimized by these men. What a world.

  2. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Hopefully, these men will receive the same justice Jeffrey Dahmer received. But first before they receive that justice, I want to know how many other little girls, and/or boys they have abused. These kids will all need help, if they are still alive to tell.

  3. Lisa Avatar
    Lisa

    God bless this beautiful child.
    Words can’t possibly express the absolute hatered I have toward these 2 men. However, I do know that child sex offenders are the lowest of the low in prison systems. This scrawney piece of s*** will run into bigger stronger men in prison who will love to show him a thing or 2 about sex.
    God bless you Brooke. I am so sorry your mother and aunt didn’t bother to chose their husbands wisely.

  4. D Weaver Avatar
    D Weaver

    I think you are right, Trench, Jacques will most likely face death penalty due to kidnapping, murder, and the internet situation. Call me crazy, but I think Brooke’s mother needs to be jailed as well for allowing that sweet innocent little girl to spend time with these creeps.

  5. thorswitch Avatar

    Stories this these are far too common anymore, and its just infuriating. Where do these bastards get the idea that they can do whatever they want to whomever they please? I’m all for consenting adults to be able to do pretty much whatever they want with each other, as long as it is a willing and informed consent. But children? No. Just NO!

    I remember from a course I took on Sexual deviancy that in many ways, paedophiles are similar to rapists, in that its not as much a matter of sexual desire as it is a desire for power over someone – of the ability to control them, and to defile them. I’ve heard people talk about paedophilia as something akin to homosexuality – “just” a different sexual orientation, possibly hard-wired since paedophiles can’t be “cured.” Personally, I think that’s bullcrap. I think it much more along the lines of a psychopathology were the predator has no conscience and is concerned only with his own needs – in this case, to have the power over their victims.

    By the way, I’m just gotta ask – did you refuse to link to Brooke’s MySpace on a hunch that it was faked, or was that something that was already know, but hadn’t gotten a lot of press? It doesn’t make any difference, I’m basically just being nosy 😀 so if you prefer not to answer, that’s totally cool.

  6. mom2maria Avatar
    mom2maria

    I am so tired of these things happening to kids! Moms, PLEASE keep an eye on your kids. I know parents can’t be with their kids all the time, but hello, it’s not okay to leave your girls (or boys!) with grown men unless it’s their daddy, and sometimes, even those are bad!
    I totally agree with the comment that these women made bad choices in men, and now these precious girls must pay the price.

  7. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    What was this mother thinking having her child around a registered sex offender? I hope if she has any remaining children, they r removed from her custody.

  8. Tony Avatar
    Tony

    Actually, I believe one can receive the death penalty on a federal kidnapping charge alone if the kidnapping results in death… so he doesn’t necessarily even have to be charged with the murder.

    quote “thorwitch”: “…Personally, I think that&rsquos bullcrap. I think it much more along the lines of a psychopathology were the predator has no conscience and is concerned only with his own needs…”

    That is most commonly defined as “antisocial personality disorder…” “Sociopath” is another common term. 🙂

  9. Trench Avatar

    By the way, I’m just gotta ask – did you refuse to link to Brooke’s MySpace on a hunch that it was faked, or was that something that was already know, but hadn’t gotten a lot of press?

    I had a hunch it was a fake but I had no idea it was Jacques. I just thought it was some troll.

  10. Paige Slocumb Avatar
    Paige Slocumb

    Has anyone noticed that Jacques “successfully” completed the state sex offender rehabilitation program. Give me a break!!!!! If he had served his full sentence (20 years) he would still be in jail and these children would be alive and whole.

  11. Phil Avatar
    Phil

    Could we please refrain from ascribing blame and punishment to the mother at this time when she is surely she is torn apart by this crime being perpetrated from within her own family? As to the custody issue, it appears the Vermont courts have contributed to this problem as well. I had the pleasure to work with her mother for 6 months, and you would be hard pressed to find a more upright, conservative, and thoughtful person.

  12. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    working with someone and knowing the real story going on in the family r 2 dif things. I worked with a registered sex offender and had no clue till be was arrested at work one day. We see what we want the people on the outside to c, no more no less. Do not think because u worked with her, u knew the real person. We all put on public faces, doesn’t mean they r the true ones my friend!

  13. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    According to Boston.com:

    “Brooke’s father Jim Bennett and her stepmother Janet said they knew of Jacques’ history as a sex offender, but he never saw any signs of trouble when Brooke and her uncle were together at family gatherings.

    ‘That’s not something you tell a little girl,’ Janet Bennett told the Valley News of Lebanon, N.H. “She was just a beautiful little girl.’”

    And she would still be a “beautiful little girl” if these people warned her. I, for one, do lay part of the blame on the mother. If she was such a “thoughtful” person, as Phil claims, she would have thought to tell her daughter to stay away from these individuals, and why!

  14. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Sometimes, when offenders present themselves as ‘normal’ (and that is how they do it if you don’t know them very well – and some, even when you do know them well), we can be fooled into believing that it is okay to have an offender around, without warning people – especially kids. Open places are best, where you can keep an eye on them. If a young girl becomes familiar with seeing this ‘relative’, she may think he is trustworthy, and all knowing, especially with the age difference. Some prior offenders do make progress, and do not reoffend. There are different types of sex offenses. But, slime balls like this – they are the hardcore type. Child porn. A sex club. Kidnapping.

    I would think this mom now has 20/20 hindsight, and is suffering tremendously over what has happened to her daughter. Having a child traumatized by sexual abuse is terrible enough, but then to also have that child murdered – I can’t imagine the pain. Many times there are several generations of sex offenders in the same family. If it is practiced, and not discussed, then there is no problem – to them. Society walks around in a state of denial in this world everyday in order to live a ‘healthy’ life. Maybe the mom thought the ‘uncle’ was okay now. And thought her daughter would be safe just going to the store with him. She obviously knows now that it was a big mistake.

  15. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    Do we not know the definition of a sex offender?? Why are we making excuses for this woman? Are we really that ignorant? The woman went on TV saying she was not mad at her daughter what the hell was that about? Did Brooke find out something she shouldn’t have and that is why she is dead? Mom knows much more than she is letting on

  16. Tony Avatar
    Tony

    I think it’s pretty safe to say that there is more to this story than what we currently are hearing. As to if there is an actual child “sex ring” and who it involves other than a guy and his former brother-in-law, it would be speculation at this point.

    It was rather creepy to read how the other girl (“juvenile 1”) was so willing to help Jacques with the plot…

    Juvenile 1 suggested how to set up the abduction and said that she wanted to see Bennett suffer to “see how she likes it.”

    Cooperation or not, surely her complicity in this makes her at LEAST an “accomplice to kidnapping?”

    Does anyone have a copy of the federal criminal complaint against Jacques? How about the “stream of emails” reportedly released by investigators between Jacques (posing as two different people) and the 14 year-old girl?

  17. Tony Avatar
    Tony

    I just read the Gagnon affidavit…

    wow.

    So “juvenile 1” is a relative of Jacques, as well, eh? Interesting…

  18. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    “Why are we making excuses for this woman? Are we really that ignorant? The woman went on TV saying she was not mad at her daughter what the hell was that about?”

    If you want to know what ignorance is, read what you wrote.

    When Cassie gave the statement that she was not mad at Brooke, it was assumed that she was still alive. Do you really think a kid is going to come running home if they know they are in trouble? Come on.

    Because the investigation is still so active everyone, including the authorities, are being very careful about the information they share with the public. Any statements made by the mother are being scribed for her most likely.

    I think it is cruel of everyone to sit in their glass houses and barrade this woman at a time when she is suffering more grief than anyone.

    It is apparent that there is not an adult around that thought this guy was a risk. Why blame the mother? Her father, step-mother, obviously her aunt and others were around for family functions and didn’t prevent this guy from contact. The guy’s own wife saw evidence and still didn’t act. If you want to blame anyone other than the sicko who did this, I suggest the wife could have done something a long time ago.

  19. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    and u r blaming everyone BUT the mother! R we not here to protect our children? I would love to know why the mom said “I am not mad”. She must have had suspisions of her running away then. The child had never run away before, so what was the reason behind that statement? Do u not wonder about that? That would not be something that came out of my mouth, unless she knew of something bad enough to make Brooke run away!

  20. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Again, at the time the mother made the statement that she was not mad at Brooke it was assumed that Brooke was alive and had not yet returned home. If you were trying to get your child home, would you give a statement that said “Brooke come home. I am mad at you.” Common sense is that you would not give a statement that you were mad.

    So you think the mother killed her daughter? Why are you so intent on the mother being bad?

    I am not saying and have not said that I think the mother doesn’t have any responsibility. Nor have I said that hte mother has acted in a way that I would have BUT the mother did not kill her daughter nor did the mother give the creep permission to abuse and kill her daughter.

    I think that if you look at the video of Brooke in the store with her uncle you will see that she was upset – her body language (crossed arms and demeanor) suggests that she was not happy with her uncle. I really wonder if the reason that Brooke was killed because she did not like what he was telling her she had to do and refused to do it or something of that nature.

    Either way, whether you have lost a child or not, you have to feel sad for any parent who has to live through the death of a child. That is not something that I can imagine doing myself.

    Furthermore, what is the point in beating up the mom? Do you really think that she is beating herself up plenty on her own?

    I really truly believe that the blame should be with the person that killed Brooke period. He is responsible for what he did to her or even attempted to do to that poor child. No one else can be responsible for that.

  21. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    u r not getting my point, why would she suspect that brooke ran away? If she was monitoring her actions on the internet she would have been a lil more intune with what she is doing. There r parental blocks u can put on your pc, i have them, because i care what my child is doing! I cannot understand leaving my child in the care of a known sex offender, can u logically explain that one 2 me? Even family gatherings r 2 much exposure to a person like this. Charming? i don’t think any parent can be charmed by a sex offender. His wife should also be charged for allowing the 14 year old to be repatedly sexually violated for years, please, do not tell me these women were blind to the facts. You either love your spouse of your child enough to protect them with your life, in this case they chose the men over their daughters. It happens everyday, do not understand why. Such a sad story for Brooke!

  22. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    First of all, I have already said that I would not have exposed my children to someone like Jacques and, thankfully, I have never had to be in a position to make that choice.

    Secondly, it is apparent that there is some dysfunction in this family. Can I tell you where the lines of this dysfunction are? No. Can you tell me? I would guess not.

    This country is full of sick adults (and teenagers) committing crimes on children. I would guess in most of the instances where they are successful in abusing a child and the parents of that child find out, most of those parents would indicate “I should have known better”. Does that mean that you are going to prosecute everyone of those parents who suffers bad judgment? Have you yourself never exercised bad judgment regarding your children? I am not a perfect parent and expect that if you honestly can say that you have exercised perfect judgment with your children all of hte time then you honestly are the only truly perfect parent of hte year that I have ever encountered.

    Further, was it Brooke’s mom who came home to find her daughter standing naked in a towel outside her bedroom door with ky jelly and porn in her bedroom that she acknowledged she wasn’t using? No. Do you think she reported that to her sister? I doubt it.

  23. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    before u think u know everything, i have been in the situation with my lil girls dad who tried to sexually assault my oldest daughter, he was kicked out quicker than u can know. Was he convicted {even though i had him on hidden video admitting it} ? no. Did he still get unsupervised visitation with my lil girl? yes. Do not tell me about the courts , they don’t care. So it is up to the parent. The courts would rather have sex offenders get parental rights. He was not convicted, but he is still a preditor. I pray he never touches his wifes daughter who is now 14, but i am sure he already has! So u c, i have lived this, i live in no glass house, and i am not the perfect parent, But i will be damned if i will let someone hurt my child!

  24. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    In the days before it was realized that Brooke was missing due to her scumbag Uncle, her website/myspace page, said she was going to meet someone.

    That is why the Mom made those statements. ‘Brooke, please come home – I am not mad’.

    This blog is a perfect example of our society and it’s perceptions, and how we react to this type of crime.

    We are jumping to conclusions. We think its all the mom’s fault. We do not know! And will never know unless we are in her shoes.

    We need to stop judging people – we do not have all the details, nor do we know what it was like to live in that house.

    Anyone can say that they would keep their child away from an offender, BUT, if the offender was a relative, was convincing enough, and we saw him almost everyday, and he appears harmless, after a while, we might think he is. They try to appear normal, or make ‘good’ excuses for what they did in the past, with the caveat that they did their time. That is in the past. And because we love the idea of people redeeming themselves, we believe.

    Take that, and mix it with a young responsible girl, who has not been warned, and who has been taught to respect elders, and what do you have? A tragedy.

    We all need to heed the warning that pedophiles and predators do not change. It is better to know where they are, and what they are doing 24/7 – far cry from chasing them out of the community with all the living conditions imposed. I won’t go into the harm that Megan’s law might do – as far as silencing the victims – for offenders who do not want to be on the database. I wonder if that was a consideration in this case? Murder them, instead of just raping them so they can’t tell. We really need a better way. Need to keep tabs, but how? Incarceration forever? Big letter ‘O’ on their foreheads?

    We also need to take into consideration that sometimes people are lumped together with predators and sex offenders when they indeed, made a mistake. For instance, an underage girl (let’s say 15) and her 17 year old boyfriend. She is consensually having sex, they break up, and she screams rape. There are other situations too, that should not be lumped together with scumbags like this evil creature.

    What about a stupid 21 year old who takes a look at porno online?

    Our laws needs some serious revision. Creatures like Jerks (Jaccques) need to be locked up and never let out.

    Anyway – this is so sad, it breaks my heart. The mom is suffering, and the whole family – this has destroyed many people. What good is blame going to do now? We need to focus on prevention – those other victims need treatment or they will pass this on to others as well, and so on and on it goes.

  25. Diane W Avatar
    Diane W

    Laurie ~ Am I to understand that you think Megan’s law is a bad thing? And then maybe Jessica’s law is too? (Althought 45 of the 50 states have passed Jessica’s law, thank God!)

    Melanie ~ I am SO proud of you for protecting your daughter!

  26. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Melanie,
    I am sorry that you had to go through that. No one should have to. But I don’t BLAME you for what happened or almost happened.

    By the way, the creep has beening molesting his wife’s daughter since she was 9 years old. She is who they are referring to as Juvenile 1 in the affidavits and is the sexual assault he was charged for by the State.

  27. thorswitch Avatar

    Diane W – I don’t think Laurie was saying she doesn’t approve of the Megan’s or Jessica’s Laws. The problem is that there are some things that are considered “sexual offenses” where the person convicted is highly unlikely to reoffend. The case of a 17-year-old having consensual sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend is a perfect example. There’s nothing deviant about what he’s doing – he’s not a pedophile, he’s not attracted to the girl because she’s a child. And he’s not forcing her into anything – she wants to have sex with him, too. Even if there’s no break-up, if the girl’s mom finds out about it and wants to turn the guy in, he can end up tagged as a sexual predator for the rest of his life, even though he’s not a predator AT ALL. He’s just normal teenager.

    I’ve read about one case where that happened, and the guy wasn’t even allowed to move back into his OWN HOME with his parents because he had a 12-year-old sister, and he couldn’t live near one. He eventually married the girl he had gotten in trouble over, and they now have a family. He’s no threat to anyone – and never was, but he still is subject to all the same restrictions a rapist or pedophile would be.

    Megan’s and Jessica’s Laws can be excellent tools, but the cast such a wide net in terms of what’s considered a sexual offense that some people who aren’t a threat – and never were – get caught up in them.

  28. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    laurie, i blame the mother for not keeping an eye on her child! MY daughter is almost 12 and does not and will not have a myspace! Build a bear workshop is her option, if she does not like it she can keep the computer off! What sister would not confide in her other sister that she had suspisions of her child being molested? I know my sis and my best friend would be the first 2 people i would tell! Ty Diane and pat for understanding where i am coming from on this issue. I don’t think i am any better than anyone else, or a better parent for that matter. But i do use common sense. I guess there is not much left of that in the world today.

  29. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Diane – In my opinion, Megan’s law is good to a certain extent, however, there is a backlash effect for some (like some of the scenarios I mentioned before), it is short-sighted, and can also give people a false sense of security. But, it is a starting point.

    I also have a problem with the way the information is delivered to parents, usually through the schools, which means many others who may need to know that a rapist or predator lives in their midst, may be unaware, like the handicapped, or the elderly, for example.

    The other issue for me, with the database, is that the laws run the gamut on what constitutes a sexual offense. The creature that murdered Brooke should never have been let out of jail, in my opinion, or he should have been closely monitored. Something Megan’s law doesn’t do, or ensure.

    In some cases, sex offenders and predators may silence their victims, rather than take the chance they will be on the registry. Some parents who are abusing their kids, may see it as a threat, and abuse their child more to make sure they shut up and not report what is happening.

    This is such a terrible crime. The database didn’t help in this situation, did it?

    As for Jessica’s law, I am all for it. That man should never have been let out. Keeping them in prison does protect society.

  30. xxqsme70 Avatar
    xxqsme70

    God bless you, Melanie. We need more parents like you.

  31. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Melanie – no parent is perfect, and we cannot know where our children are 24×7, even under the best of circumstances. It is heartbreaking, and parents, the best of parents, can be guilt ridden when something happens to a child, especially when they are trying their hardest. Some kids will be abused, and some kids will be murdered, unfortunately that is the way it is. Kids always get into things they shouldn’t. I know I never told my parents all the things I did as a teenager. When my kids were teenagers, I checked up on them constantly. Always checked to make sure of where they were going and who they were with. Got to know their friends etc. Even with that, they now tell me some of the things they did, and I am amazed.

    I understand how upsetting it is when something like this happens, we want to find a reason and someone to blame, so that we can recognize it and make sure we are not doing whatever it is, so our kids will be safe. But, there are no guarantees – except, in this particular situation to keep the slime-balls locked up.

    You deserve a lot of credit for making sure your daughter is safe from online predators. Spread the word – many parents are unaware that this stuff goes on. Call it ignorance, neglect, or just plain gullible, some parents do not realize what the computer can do.

    Some parents do not talk to their kids about sex, or about relatives that have questionable pasts. Sometimes parents just go about their busy lives, taking care of their family by working, cooking, cleaning, etc., and don’t realize the other stuff is so important. Unfortunately, some kids pay for that lack of knowledge.

  32. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    i know what it is like to be a “busy parent” i survive on 800 a month with no child support to make sure my child is safe, When i do my pizza delivery job, she is right with me, I have a great boss, And when i work my 4 hours shift 3 nights a week, she is in the house, the rules r simple. Do not answer the door for any reason, and do not answer the phone unless the caller ID says its me. She has been informed since the age of 5 about “bad touching”. She is far smarter than i ever was at her age. Why? Because i have taught her that u can never be 2 safe. every day finanacially is a struggle for us, but i am still a full time parent, which is what is most important. many familys live beyond there means, thats why the have to work 2 jobs, and there kids fall apart along the way. I am not saying be poor, but all the money and material things r not worth a child being alone in the world to fend for themselves.

  33. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Melanie – good for you. You are absolutely correct – nothing material on this earth is worth more than the life of a loved one. But, you still cannot judge this mom because you have not walked in her shoes. Some people may judge you as well – I hope from what you have said above, that your daughter is not alone in the house when you work. To me, that is dangerous. If you survive on $800 a month, I can’t imagine where you live. How can a childs needs possibly be met on that amount each month? I won’t go any farther with ‘attacking’ you for your beliefs, and the way you have chosen to live your life and raise your child. None of us is perfect, and most parents, I believe, try their hardest. Every scenario has its good points and bad – a little empathy goes a long way. Let’s hope you never have anything happen that brings you and your family to the forefront of the judgement of society. It’s not so comforting when you are on the other side of a bad situation.

  34. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    laurie do i detect a note of judgement ? I live in a small town, was lucky enough to find an elderly couple who have a small house on there propetry that they rent to me because there houses r paid for,. They do not rape me for rent, like 90% of the people here. I pay $420 a month and my daughter goes without nothing. She understands that a roof over your head and food in your mouth is more important than then the lastest computer toy. I can tell by your tone that u think i live in a ghetto with drugs and guns blazing all around, lol, not the case. The town is is close knit, my child is never alone, my landlord is on premises . We have a neighboorhood watch in our local North End of the town. We are notified by mail when a sexual preditor moves into our nieghborhood. No town is fully protected, but i would not give up where i live for no amount of money. My daughter does not even walk to the bus stop. I drive her and wait for her to be picked up, and the same goes for when she comes home, and ya know what? She is almost 12 and still blows me kisses goodbye and doesn’t care what the other kids say. That is a child i am proud of.

  35. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    How does it feel to be judged? You are correct, I do not know where you live, or much about your personal life, but it is easy to judge others by what little is divulged in a blog, or a newspaper.

    It sounds like you are doing a great job with your daughter. It is also nice that you have an opportunity through this blog to fully explain yourself and your situation.

    You are very fortunate. Count your blessings. I hope your family never suffers from such a terrible tragedy as Brooke and her family. I doesn’t cost much to extend the courtesy of empathy to others who are not so fortunate, especially when we do not know the details or entire situation.

  36. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    i am sorry laurie, but i will never sympathize with anyone who lets a regerstered sex offender alone with their child.

  37. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    That is not what happened in this case. You are making assumptions.

  38. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Melanie, it is sad to me that you cannot seem to get beyond judging others.

  39. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    “Brooke&rsquos father Jim Bennett and her stepmother Janet said they knew of Jacques&rsquo history as a sex offender, but he never saw any signs of trouble when Brooke and her uncle were together at family gatherings.” i am not judging, i am going by the facts, They handed that lil girl to him on a silver platter.

  40. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    If you are going by the facts, you have misconstrued them.

    The day that Brooke was “TAKEN” was not a family gathering. it was something plotted by the uncle by telling her family that she was going to a friend’s to visit someone in the hospital. And while telling Brooke that she was going to a party to meet up with a boy she apparently had a crush on.

    Sorry, but that is not, in my opinion, handing this girl over to him. Not to mention there was another girl with them – his stepdaughter.

  41. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    and u r missing the point it does not matter when she was missing,Her step father was a sexual predator as well, then her uncle. This child was subjected to these people because the family and i quote said ” u do not tell a lil girl things like this”! Well then who is going to protect her if her parents don’t? This never would have happened if she did not have access to these creeps to begin with!

  42. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Melanie,

    Simply – whatever.

  43. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Melanie – prediction, when we are so quick to judge others, I fear that sometime in the future we will be put in the position where we are judged harshly. I am sure if you dig deep enough, you can find some empathy for this mom. If not, you need to look inward to find out why. Is it perhaps because of something you failed to do as a mother, that you still feel guilty about?

    Brooke was not left alone with this predator with her mother’s blessing, and unfortunately, some people are naive and do not fully understand how sexual predators work, and may allow children and sexual predators at family gatherings, not realizing the danger. That is why there are so many in our society, and we keep creating more. But yet – we do not educate people on how to keep kids safe. And harsh attitudes toward people like Brooke’s Mom are not going to help us educate people. It will only make people keep everything secret, and attach shame to an already tragic event, which does not do anyone any good. Does your judgement give you a good feeling? To me, it is non productive, and serves no purpose and actually causes more damage. But you hold onto that judgement, and see where it gets you.

  44. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Oh – and one other note, about telling a young girl at the age of 12, or before, about the harsh realities of sexual predators, the honest truth….it can mentally screw up a kid. You have to be REALLY CAREFUL when you prepare a kid to protect themselves against sexual predators, because if it is not handled correctly, you can do as much damage as an offender. Simple good touch bad touch just doesn’t cut it. Not every parent has the same resources, and may not fully understand how to approach the subject.

    Sometimes kids won’t believe you, and may actually instigate a relationship with a predator/offender, just to see what happens, you know, the curiosity factor? The excitement of doing something you are not supposed to do?

    And, how do you tell a young girl reaching puberty, about the evil’s of sexual relationships with a predator, without giving them a warped sense of sexuality?

    The reality is, even if you have prepared your kids, sometimes things still happen to them. Then what? Then who would you pass judgement on? You must have an abnormally healthy dose of fear to fall back on your judgement of others. And, why is judgement so important? Why do you feel the need?

    How can anyone possibly be prepared for all of the bad things that could happen to a child. And, oops, if you make a mistake, well then you are not a good mother. Sometimes it is true, there are plenty of bad parents. But, sometimes, parents who dearly love their children, make a very bad mistake, a lapse in judgement, and it costs them more than they ever imagined. Hindsight is 20/20.

    Again – be careful, your glass house just might shatter.

  45. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    UH, THAT WAS A COPIED POST FROM SOMEONE ELSE ON A DIFFERENT WEBSITE, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT FEELS THIS WAY. sO MISS HIGH AND MIGHTY SO ARGUE WITH THEM.

  46. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    OH AND IF U THINK 12 IS 2 YOUNG TO TALK TO A YOUNG GIRL ABOUT SEXUAL PREDITORS, YOU BETTER START A CAMPAIGN FOR TEEN PREGNANACY, CAUSE THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD COME OUT OF ANOTHER WOMANS MOUTH IN THIS DAY AND AGE! “yOUR DAUGHTER MIGHT NOT BELIEVE U AND JUST GO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A PREDATOR TO C IF U WERE RIGHT?” OMG WE R NOT TALKING ABOUT DRINKING A BEER AT 16! iF U HAVE A REALTIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHILD WHERE THEY WOULD SO SOMETHING LIKE THIS JUST TO C IF U WERE RIGHT, THAN U AND YOUR CHILD HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED!

  47. thorswitch Avatar

    Laurie said: And, how do you tell a young girl reaching puberty, about the evil&rsquos of sexual relationships with a predator, without giving them a warped sense of sexuality?

    I’ll second that! My parents were pretty protective of me, and had taught me all about the ‘big bad world’ out there. Pretty much the only thing they’d taught me about sex was that (1) I wasn’t supposed to have it, and (2) boys that wanted to have sex weren’t good boys. When I went off to college, initially, I was extremely withdrawn because pretty much all I knew was that colleges were full of bad, scary guys who’ll try to take advantage of you. After I’d been there for several months, though, and hadn’t run into anyone scary, I just went overboard the other way and decided my Mom had just been being exaggerating about how bad things were, and I started trusting pretty much everyone. Let’s just say that was a HUGE mistake that I ended up spending the better part of the next 10-15 years to come to terms with.

  48. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Melanie,

    I think it is great that you are so close to your daughter and feel as though you will always be able to control her and keep her out of harms way. HOWEVER, you are in for a very rude awakening with a teenage girl!

    There comes a point with teenage girls, and I don’t care how close/trusting, etc they are with their parents, that they need to test waters, try things out, etc. At they point there are going to be things that you don’t know about, things you cannot control and probably things you would never image your daughter trying. Girls are rebels by nature. Things are going to happen. For your sake, I hope nothing like this ever happens to your daughter and no one passes judgment on you as you see fit to do to someone else.

  49. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    i also have a 27, 25 and 23 year old children, would u like to challenge me on anything else????????

  50. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    all that is happening here is bantering back and forth we all have our opinions on child protection..Pat ,Laurie, you have your opinion I for one have no empathy for anyone with marriage to a KNOWN SEXUAL PREDITOR!! some womem are desperate and will find themselves married to about anyone.for example Cassandra and Denise,,They knew the both of them that the men they married had felonly records and brought these men into their homes .I don’t undestand this one little bit..Iam a Pediatric Nurse and believe me I have seen it all..The day you take care of a 2 yo and see what damage a sexual predator can do to a 2 yr old vagina is the day you say I have seen it all..I do agree that we shouldn’t judge lest we be judges but Ladies you are judging Melanie for her beliefs..are you not? no one is perfect but I do say Denise didn’t suspect her husband with a known history of sexual deviation and when she saw her daughter in a towel and ky she didn’t raise hell? Im sorry Im not naive nor am I judgemental but to defend this woman is crazy..I myself would have called LE..I’ve seen far to much to be naive about this subject..I will continue to defend my children and I will tell my daughter about the Boogyman if it helps her not to become a victim!THE ONLY EMPATHY I FEEL IS FOR MURDERED BROOKE..AND MELANIE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK !!!WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THINK THESE WOMEN ARE SOMEHOW TO BLAME!

  51. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    TY SANDY! 🙂

  52. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    Melanie You are very welcome! some of Us loose sight of the issues at hand…some here get a little too judgemental here for my my point of view..Sandy

  53. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    thorswitch,i am very sorry u went through what u did. What should have been said to u was that sex ia a beautiful expression of love between 2 concenting adults. Not that *it is bad and all boys want sex!* that was the wrong approach for your parents to take. i try to teach my children to listen to your heart not your hormones. And not to be confused with love and lust, 2 very different things.

  54. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    i totally agree with u, i was just trying to exlpain why i feel the way i do, and i guess they did not want to hear it (

  55. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Sandy – I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and have also been a volunteer for a rape crisis center, have done alot of reading and research, and advocated for legislative change – so a lot of what I blog is not purely opinion – it is fact based, and how the whole cycle of abuse works.

    If you think my comments are judgemental, it is because I was trying to prove a point to Melanie.

    Until you have been in someone’s shoes, you cannot know, and therefore, have no right to judge.

    There are two women in this particular situation – Brooke’s Mom, and the 14 year old’s Mom – Denise I think her name is.

    While, I agree that Denise should have known something was going on – that does not mean Brooke’s mom should have. She did not let Brooke go to this man’s house, she did not allow him to hang around with her, she did not allow her on the computer and myspace.

    All of that was contrived by the Uncle – Denise’s husband.

    I take offense to blaming a mother for the murder of her daughter, when we do not know the whole story or all of the details. And since I know first hand how complicated these situations can be, I try to educate other people, even tho’ they may never understand because they have not been in that situation. Hind sight is always 20/20.

    If you’re opinions are so etched in stone, that they will not change, then do not expect to learn how these things work, and what we can do to change them. There will always be sexual abuse – it has occurred since time began. All we can do is try to educate and protect, but passing judgement does no good especially under these circumstances.

  56. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    Once again Laurie because My opinion differs from your “Iam being Judgemental “of the Mothers,,One has to assume responsiblity what occcurs in ones home..Flat out Bottom line! at the end of the day we have got to assumr responsibility for our own judgement..I do not agree with you and thats fine,,I respect your right to your opinion..and Think what you do is wonderful..I too once worked for a rape hot line and didn’t do too well with it..but when it comes to defenseless children I will take a stance and voice my opinion,,My opinions are not etched in stone either..if this woman had nothing to do with this I will be a first to publically aplogize,,until then she is involved and that is my opinion..I wil leave you to your ideas..but ganging up on person isn’t very nice either..laurie you and Pat both ganged up on Melanie..you may not see it that way but that is how I saw it and education doesn’t prove you to be right My Dear..allow people their own opinion and be nice about it! you sound a bit condescending in my eyes and I for one don’t appreciate it,,now as I have said if this Mother is indeed innocent I will apologize to her pubically and to you as well..this is still my opinion..and Iam entitled to it.

  57. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    *Now a lot of you have been questioning why Brooke&rsquos mother would leave her alone around a known sex offender. She had this to say&hellip

    Gagnon says she never allowed her daughter to visit Jacques house if another adult wasn&rsquot present. So, she did go to his house, it was stated her and his daughter were close friends and hung out all the time. And the father also said he had noticed some people on her myspace that he did not approve of, so u maybe YOU should get the facts straight Laurie.

  58. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    what is killing me is that Brooke was Murdered..Her Aunt and Mother may have been in complete denial..God only knows what happened in the AUNT’S house,,well I take that back we know that over 100 sexual assaults happened in that house…how do you excuse the fact that the Mother walks in on child naked in a towel and KY there and she does nothing? Help me with this..I do not understand how at that point nothing was done???

  59. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    bacause most women in that situation want to believe more than anythIng, that the man they love would never cross that line. Ii is always the Children that suffer, i have sat in court many times, and the women chose to believe their husbands over their daughters . It is a sad story that continues to happen everyday, and until we as mothers break this cycle, it will continue. Are we so afraid of being alone?

  60. Paige Slocumb Avatar
    Paige Slocumb

    I think everyone should focus on this fact of the crime :Has anyone noticed that Jacques &ldquosuccessfully&rdquo completed the state sex offender rehabilitation program. Give me a break!!!!! If he had served his full sentence (20 years) he would still be in jail and these children would be alive and whole.

    No matter who else is to blame – this would not have happened if our justice system worked. Rape should be punishable by life in prison without possiblity of parole – period.

  61. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    This is My point Mel…there are women who are just blind and desperate for the love of a man,,doesn’t always matter what kind of man,,sadly yes the children suffer..in this case 2 sisters married sex offenders..this just makes no sense to me..unfortunately these women will pay the rest of their lives knowing it was one of their husbands who did this horrendous murder..poor baby girl..I just can take wondering what she went thru before she died..I guess the answers will come in time..I feel so bad for women who are this weak, its sad..so very sad

  62. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    We need to make sex offender do the time given,,and you are so right Paige,,the program was bs,,he did the program knowing it would get him out of jail..I do not believe these men can be rehabilitated..maybe Iam wrong..in this case no..and what is scary is that there are many more just like him walking the street..yes we need to reform our justice system..

  63. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    yes, i agree, and i also agree with paige, i know u r only considered a registered sex offender if there was penetration, i think we should be warned of All molestations by people., It goes by different degrees, the laws need to change. I know sex offenders walking the streets in my town right now, i go to the police station once a week and look for new releases in the books. For my town and the next town over, because it is in another state from mine. Ths man NEVER should have been on the streets to begin with. but unfortunatly, there r many more of him walking the streets, so the need to protect our children is more important than ever. In Rhode Island, we have no sex offend registry online, because it “invades the privacy of the offender” but they will send notices when the move into your neighborhood

  64. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    This is the first thing I did when I moved to the rural town I live in..this is a very small town indeed and I found out od maybe 150 people 10 are registered sex offenders,,how can we worry about the rights of the offender? God help Us all when this is the priority! where are Brooke’s rights? she didn’t have any, this is just to much to comprehend,,,

  65. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    thatswhy i have taught my daughter that u need to watch everything that is going on around u. And i know she is 12, but it is never 2 young to start. And if u think i am “damaging my child” i would rather have her damaged than dead! She has been through counseling and i have gotten her mentors, because of probs with her dad. I do what needs to be done. If that makes me a bad parent in some peoples eyes, i am sorry.

  66. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    My Husband is a Homicide Det for LA sheriffs dept and he would tell you to not only protect your daughter but for you as well to be aware of everything going on around you..He once asked me” Sandy what does a murderer look like? He said they look like you and Me! that taught me a lot..no one is safe today that is why we have to be aware of everyone and everything around Us as sad as that is this is life today,,I hate La and said when you retire come up here LOL..

  67. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    Its far worse than it was when we were growing up, it is hard to find that fine line between scaring children and teaching them. My lil girl wanted to bring a bike to her friends the other day, but she had to go a street over to do it, I said no, she got mad, But 15 mins later, she came to me, gave me a hug and said, i know u just wanted me to be safe mom, and that her going on the street was not a good idea. I am here to be her best friend, but most importantly to still be here mom first and foremost! There is no handbook with being a parent, but we do need to use some commom sense. Wrong is wrong . I was never a parent that said ” not my child”, it was more like, which one, where , when, and how lmaom I do not live in a fantasy world where my kids will, and never have gotten in trouble. I have had to have my own son arrested beause he was running with a gang and doing drugs. D o i feel bad? no, Does he hate me? yes. He will get over it in time. Being a parent is not an easy job. But teahing right from wrong is.

  68. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    kis may not like what a parent has to do but you are so right you have to use desperate measures sometimes as a parent..this isn’t a popularity conest to be the best friend,,it is simply Our Job to know where they are at all times,,kids lie to your face I know they do I did it myself, but I was lucky that I wasn’t in todays world,,the 60’s were an rather innocent time. but what happend to Brooke happens everyday,,Just like Fathers wiping out his entire family,,these are scary times and they call for desperate measures..so I say Im with You! if my kids don’t like me being able to tell them what is right from wrong then Im a bad Mom Too,,

  69. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    They will understand someday, my oldest , who is 27 now, told me the song that reminds her of me, is Wind Beneath My Wings, and that i was not only her mom, but her best friend. We went through many hard times together, but what she said to me meant more to me in the world than anything. So i must be doing something right as a parent. 🙂

  70. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    You are doing something right you are being a loving, protective Mom and I find today Our parents are so wrapped up in their own world that kids are left to computers and hand games and video’s..no time for the kids,,I say get them outside, get them involed in whatever intrests them,,and pay attention to your kids friends, with us as parents hpw do they feel loved and protected,,many young rirls turn to sex at such a young age,,because they are looking for love..sad what a sweet gesture from your daughter..that was my song played at her funeral,,sweet song..to think Brooke will never get the chance to grow up nreaks my heart..so sad, so needless.. so wrong,,,

  71. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    night Melanie,,nice chatting with you..

  72. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    nite hun, nice chatting with u also 🙂 sleep well.

  73. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Melanie – if you go back through this blog, you were the one who started attacking. No one has said that you are a bad mom – all that was said was that we should not pass judgement on anyone else until we have walked in their shoes. Everyone lives there life differently, and if we put ourselves in the position to judge others, we should be careful, because the day will come when we are judged as well.

    Sexual abuse has been around since time began, it is no different now than it was when I was a child – back in the 50’s. The population is larger – that is one of the multitude of reasons why there is more crime.

    This is not a new phenomena – it is in the news more. Rape was not even a crime until the 70’s.

    I will not judge this mom, until all the facts are out. Then I will make a decision.

    Sandy – you need to go back to the beginning of this blog, to see where the judging starts.

    And Melanie – what you stated above, in lieu of why the mom is at fault, i.e. she went to the house with another adult, the daughters were friends – does not mean the Mom is to blame in this. What a terrible terrible thing to lay on someone. Don’t you think she is suffering enough? The Mom may have been naive – but she did not cause Brooke’s death. Her uncle, and the State of VT, in my opinion, are more to blame. Initially you were saying the daughter was on myspace, unsupervised, and that the mom was allowing the daughter to be around the offender, unsupervised. This is not the case.

    And, as I said before, what good does blame and judgement do, other than to make us feel superior, and give us a false sense of security in that nothing like this would ever happen to our child because we do not allow certain things. Well, in many cases, many kids with good parents have been abused.

  74. thorswitch Avatar

    I’m not trying to say that Brooke’s mother and the other woman are totally innocent in Brooke’s death, but I’m also not going to jump to the conclusion that they aren’t, either. I simply don’t feel I have enough information one way or the other to make such a conclusion. All I know is what is reported in the news media, and that’s generally determined by which questions a reporter does or doesn’t ask. Until I have more info, a clearer context or we start getting information from the court records, however, I’m going to give the women the benefit of the doubt. You know, innocent until proven guilty and all that.

    There’s one thing I’ve seen mentioned and I think that maybe the possible ramifications of it – or the effect that it may have had on Brooke’s mother or the other woman – have not really been taken into account. Jacques was given early release by the state of Utah, and – they claimed – he’d “successfully” completed their rehab program.

    Now, those of us on this board know that sexual predators are rarely – if ever – capable of being rehabilitated, but not everyone knows or believes it – as evidenced by the the fact that some states have rehab programs – and, like in Utah, will consider giving early release to prisoners who “successfully” finish the program. Isn’t it possible that Brooke’s mother and the other woman were among those who believed rehab is possible and essentially took the state of Utah at it’s word that he was rehabilitated and “safe” enough to be released early? It’s possible that due, at least in part, to Utah’s actions, these women weren’t able to fully appreciate just how dangerous he really was.

    We also really don’t know all that much about what kind of rules she set for Brooke – especially in regard to Brooke spending time with her friend over at Jacques’. She has said that Brooke was never to be over at Jacques’ without another adult present. The question then, is how she would know whether or not the rule was being followed. In general, it’s unlikely that it would have been feasible for her to be over at Jacques’ all the time – every time – Brooke went there. Additionally, if she truly believed that he’d been rehabilitated and that Utah wouldn’t have let him out on early release otherwise, she may not have considered him to as significant of a threat as he turned out to be. As such, she may not have been overly concerned if, on a few occasions, the second adult wasn’t around. Either way, unless she’d been at Jacques every time Brooke was over there, then all she really would have had to go on was what Brooke and/or Jacques told her, and we don’t know how forthright either would be. If Brooke was afraid that her mom would forbid her from being able to spend time at her friends’ home again should she (the mom) find out that there were times when there wasn’t a 2nd adult present, she may not have told her mother the truth, and Jacques’ motive for lying would be continued access to Brooke.

    There’s one last thing to consider. Here, on this board, we will all make opinions about each other pretty early on, but as we discuss various topics and take time to explain what our thoughts are and why we think that way, that opinion can change. Questions can be asked, misunderstandings can be hashed out, thoughts or beliefs defended. As such, we can get a better opinion of who each other is, and if initial judgments are found to be wrong, they can quickly be reevaluated. We don’t have that opportunity with Brooke’s mother. We can’t ask her what she did or didn’t know, or what she did or didn’t do. The only context we have by which to judge their actions is that which the reporters give us. Neither Brooke’s mom nor the other woman can’t defend or explain themselves, and, to me, I can’t condemn them outright on such scant information. As we learn more about the situation, my opinion may change – just as how our opinions of each other change based on what we learn about each other.

  75. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    Laurie and Pat,,,shall we all put our Big Girl Panties on and simply agree to disagree,, we are entitled to our own opinions,, while I respect you opinion, I simply do not agree with all of what you say,,no disrespect intended… Sandy

  76. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    Laurie I do know where you are coming from not only was I sexuall molested by 2 different men but My daughter was molested by her Grandfather, my husbands Father,,so I argree no matter how you protect a child it is not always apparent the abuse is occuring..I could have never known this was happening,,I did not find out until my daughter was 19 years old..oddly enough the gentleman who continued to come ino his daughters room every time I stayed the night died of a heart attack a week after the molestation..but there was another man waiting in the wings to do the same,,I knew right from wrong and ran home in the middle of the night in sheer panic and My Mother called the police..Im glad I didn’t hold it in as my daughter did this breaks my heart..I have a “GUT” feeling the Aunt and Mother may have known plenty and Im sorry if this offends You but this is what I think..no disrespect intended to You or Pat..

  77. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    Okay then Sandy – how would you feel if someone now decides to blame you for what happened to your daughter? And holds you responsible?

    None of us knows what really happened at this point. The Aunt – I agree, when she found the KY jelly, her daughter in a towel, and her husband home, she should have at the very least, immediately suspected something.

    But – Brooke’s mom is a different story.

    Until the facts are in, we should withhold judgement. Passing judgement like this onto someone is more damaging than helpful. Trying to get people to come forward about this issue is very difficult, and if we make accusations and throw blame around, the issue will continue to be swept under the rug.

    There are degrees of guilt, and there is a difference between not knowing, suspecting, wondering, and knowing.

    It is very frustrating when people think they know how the whole cycle of abuse works, when they have no clue as to how complicated it really is. If you go back through this blog, which I hope you have read from the beginning, for me the major point is to educate people about the safety of their children. Giving people false hope that if they follow the database, and know where their children are, they will never be abused, is not the way it is. We need to know that even with all of our safety precautions, something could still happen. That is why prevention and trauma treatment are so important. If the Mom was educated on the evils of predators, and knew all the ins and outs of sexual abuse, and then she allowed her daughter to visit a predator, then I would say, yes, you know what? She is to blame.

    As far as agreeing to disagree – for me, as a childhood sexual abuse survivor, who was abused at the age of 7 by a neighbor, It angers me when people misconstrue what has happened because finding out the truth is so important. And you, as a survivor of being molested, should know how important affirmation and validity are.

    So, it is not about disagreeing. In my mind, it is about educating and possibly saving someone a lot of heartache and trauma.

    When people start blaming someone, and rumors and false ‘facts’ get thrown around, this is not useful – can be heartbreaking. We need to work with the truth to help people heal.

    We need to work with the truth and the real facts to keep children and ourselves, safe.

  78. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    I doubt highly I would appreciate being labled at fault but on the other hand I didn’t leave her with sexual preditors..at least I thouht I did ..if I knew my Gather in Law was capable of sexual assaul or he has a known felony record I would never have let the man around him Period..again while I agree with most of what you say but I think the mom and Aunt knew more than is being said, they may have thought he was rehabilitated and love is blind however it just seems a deadly combination to me..they had the information they needed,,they Knew of his criminal back ground,,do you think he was rehabilitated..do you think Mom was not aware of his record?

  79. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    Laurie for one I have never said that the Woman killed her child! what I have said all along is that she knew what she married as did her sister,,my question is,,How then do you allow this man around your young daughter?that is my problem how did this go on for so many years right under her nose? is there proof that she had no clue about his criminal record?? have I misses something? if so that would alter my opinion completely..

  80. melanie Avatar
    melanie

    where did i ever say that she left Brooke “alone” with him? I said any contact, supervised or NOT should have happened with his record. And the father was the one monitoring her myspace, if u had watched the interviews on tv before she was found, you would remember that. The mom said nothing except, she was at work, and always knew where her kids were.

  81. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Sandy, I am not nor have I been objecting to a different opinion. I have, however, been reacting to the tone of Melanie’s postings which I should not have done the way I did. I suggest that if Melanie does not want people “ganging” up on her (as you characterized it) or people are offended in the way others react to Melanie, then Melanie needs to consider how her postings are worded or expressed as, at least to me, there are very inflammatory, argumentative, insulting and judgmental.

    My point from the beginning of this has been simple: rather than attacking an “innocent” woman (until you can prove to me that she participated in the abduction, abuse and/or death of her daughter somehow other than being too trusting/ignorant/naive/etc. she will remain innocent), blame/judgment/resentment, etc should only be directed at one (maybe two) individual(s): Jacques and Gagnon. I suppose some would expect J1 to be included, but to me she was a little girl that was brainwashed and was surviving the only way she thought she could which was to do as she had been taught/told.

    The system is not perfect and needs work. What that entails seems very complicated. I support the idea that once a sex offender – and I mean sex offender in terms of aggravated sexual assault, molestation, etc. and not a case of the 18 year old boyfriend having consentual sex with his 17 year old girlfriend – you are to be held in prison for the maximum possible penalty without early release or reduction for any reason. What I think is part of the problem is that hte label of sex offender is so wide in range for so many things that you wrap lots of things into a category that the punishment does not necessarily fit. For example, the statutory rape of a 17 year old girl by her 18 year old boyfriend that is reported and pursued by her parents. To me, as long as the sex was consentual obviously, that 18 year old is not a sex offender.

  82. SANDY Avatar
    SANDY

    Thank You Pat,,I respect your stance and I too get a little heated on this subject and I am sorry for that,,again Thank You, have a good day

  83. to think Avatar
    to think

    @ sandy
    on 7/13 you commented that both mom and denise knew what they married and how could this happen under there noses. well i know the family both sides mother and father and the step father. i can tell you that i knew ray and casey before there were together. i worked with both of them. they met at work. at no time would i have ever imagined that ray would turn out to be the sick B*****d that he is. we worked were criminal back ground checks were done. he pass suposedly. as for mj and his wife. u r right how could that be missed. he is listed inthe vt registary for sex offenders. i can see casey trusting her sister not to let brooke be harmed. i guess somethings out there we all will not understand. her father and the myspace page. the myspace page he monitored he made her get rid of it. the one she had was a different one he did not know about.

  84. Laurie Avatar
    Laurie

    to think – thank you for shedding some light on this. What you have described is usually the way it works, no one can imagine what someone really is deep inside. If only we could see people as they really are. I am sure the previous crimes committed by Jacques were downplayed.

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