There has been an ongoing situation involving a child I care for very much. This child is a 14 year old girl who I will call Eva. Eva has been deceived by adults, a sick married couple. Eva was lured into trusting these adults, in the beginning, by being friends with the 3 daughters the husband had from a previous marriage. The 3 daughters this man had are innocent, and had no idea what their father and stepmother where doing with their friend.
This couple Lynn and Elisa Lloyd, where having a sexual relationship with Eva for months, before Eva's school performed a bag search and found sexually explicit "love letters" from Lynn to Eva. The school called our local sheriff's office and an investigation took place. Eva, the 14 year old girl, told the sheriff's investigator about the sexual relationship she was having with both Lynn and Elisa Lloyd. She also told the investigator that she was in love with Lynn, and that he is her soulmate and didn't want him to be punished. 3 weeks later, Lynn and Elisa Lloyd where arrested in Twain Harte Ca on 13 counts of child rape, sexual penetration with foreign object, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, conspiracy to commit a crime.
The judge in the case, Judge Donald Segerstrom, has decided that the couple will not go to prison for their crimes, because the victim has "adopted sympathy" toward the defendants, they will instead face up to 1 year in county jail; this is after they plead guilty to 5 counts of child molestation. They will be officially sentenced August 4, 2014, and I intend to be there to support Eva and her family. I sincerely hope that Judge Donald Segerstrom will change his mind about prison time for Lynn and Elisa Lloyd.
Most of all, I am concerned about Eva. She is a bright young girl who got duped into being a sex toy for this sick couple. Her sexual experience should never have started with a 34 year old married couple. She should have been able to have a first boyfriend, a first date. Play video games and read books, talk to her friends. Most importantly, she should have been able to be a child, free from worry about sex and the consequences of a sexual relationship. Luckily, she isn't pregnant, she does however have to go in for her first pap-smear and get tested for STD's. Eva has to worry about so much more than your average incoming freshman.
I worry for Lynn's daughters. They are living with their mother now and are going through therapy for the years of verbal and emotional abuse they've had to endure with their father and stepmother. I worry for the girls as they are navigating life in this small community. They have the same last name, everybody knows who their father and stepmother are. I am prayerful for their healing.
I am deeply concerned about the way this case is being handled. As far as I am concerned, this is a slap in the face of every survivor of sexual abuse. They have pled guilty to 5 counts of child molestation and are getting less time than a drug possession charge. I am afraid of the message this is sending to our community, and to the world at large. The message seems to be that sexual acts with children are the new normal. It sends the message that the national age of consent is negotiable. It says that sexual acts with children aren't seriously punished. This is a very dangerous message to send.
The most important part of this story is this: Parents, guardians, and caregivers protect the children in your care. Your first red flag should be your last. If anybody takes an unhealthy interest in your child or displays stalking behavior towards your family or child, keep them away! Call your local police department with suspicions and a log of behavior. I will take it a step further, if you notice somebody acting strangely with a child that is not theirs, call the police and make a report. I know we've all been trained not to get involved in other peoples business. As adults, it is our job to protect the children we encounter, and it is our job to help in any way we can, and most of the time all we have to do is pick up our phones and make the call.
Thank you for reading this post, and I ask one favor. Keep Eva and the 3 girls in your prayers.
