Free Stolen Innocence by Erin Merryn

(And I don’t blame her that would be hard). Dan and I sought the advice of not one, but ten counselors, including children advocacy, social workers, and a detective on how we could handle this without reporting it. We did everything in our power and the end result being he denied it and Mary and Scott were going to let it be. They were advised to have a family meeting with the girls present and Dan and I felt that was secondary abuse to our girls and unheard of (if you even care to know). So Dan and I took action to get Brian the help he needed through professionals. The detective told me Mary and Scott felt Brian was innocent and obviously they didn’t tell you, Mike, that Brian confessed to all the abuse while being interviewed by a detective . . . including that incident in your house. The sixteen year olds must have turned their heads!
    Mike, there are over thirteen different accounts of abuse to Allie and Erin that we know of. They are in counseling with Dan and me. It pisses me off, and makes me wonder about you and your opinion when little girls get sexually abused and you call them liars, and me a jerk for protecting them and giving them the message that they matter. If Brian had stolen a radio from Kmart it would have been a police matter. You obviously think my girls’ innocence, bodies, and minds are worth less than that. I feel sorry for you. If an adult woman is sexually assaulted it is a police matter. Who the hell do you think is supposed to take care of young girls? Yes, their parents. Brian confessed, he will now get help and than he can be restored. Now isn’t that better than denying it and holding it in his whole life. For the record no one else in the family who Dan and I care about are blaming us. So your little threat has no bearing! As far as me getting help, I did, Mike, and that is why my girls were taken care of when someone hurt them! Statistic shows most child abuse happens within family and that is why it continues. I hope you were just confused, Mike, because if you weren’t I’ll be praying for you.
    Bekki
    I am in shock that my own uncle could be so mean. It hurts so bad to hear him write this. My mom called my grandma and read her the letter my uncle sent and it upset my grandma. She told my mom she’d be calling him. My grandparents are in denial about the abuse too. Our entire family is in denial except for my parents. The rest of the family wants the truth to disappear. They are brushing it off like it was no big deal. It angers me just thinking about it.
    Erin

JUNE, 1998 10:45 P.M.
    My surgery is this Tuesday, June 9th. That is two days away and I am terrified. I hate being put to sleep. I have so much anxiety that something is going to go wrong. I couldn’t even get excited for the last day of school because I was too nervous knowing I had this operation coming up. I am no longer at Blackwell Elementary School. I will be attending Jane Addams Junior High in September. It will be a whole new experience for me. The last week of school was spent celebrating. All the sixth graders had a party in the gym where we played games and ate food. We took class photos, too. It is going to be a big adjustment from going to a small school to a much larger school. I will be switching teachers every hour. Well, I must get some sleep. Good night.
    Erin

JUNE, 1998 9:15 P.M.
    It has been almost a week since I had my operation. When I woke up I was in so much pain. I felt like I had been beaten up. My eyes were swollen and I was very tired. Something I never want to go through again but I have another operation coming up again in August. In that operation they are putting tiny tubes in my eyes. In that operation I just had was on one eye. They cut open the eyelid and raised it. As you can see, my eyes are a mess. This has not been the year for me. I am not seeing Judy anymore. I just don’t want to talk about the past at all. I don’t know how to open up and talk