I am relieved that this man was human enough to feel guilty about his actions, enough so that when the larger community was confronted with them, he could not shrug off the shame. I only wish he was human enough to stop himself before he destroyed some poor child's life with his selfish evil.
Despite this, I would caution those who are eager to execute people for child molestation, particularly for the first offense. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely no pity for these monsters, the Coueys and others who torture, sexually abuse, and violate our babies have no place on this earth and I would happily supply the ammo to executive them.
But the reality is that innocent people have gone to jail. Someone dear to me was accused of molesting his 1 year old son. This was a laughable accusation, since the man is a terrific father, the boy was very happy and well adjusted, and a excruiatingly thorough physical exam proved that the child not been molested. Further, the boy was experiencing a fusion problem with his foreskin because it hadn't been retracted enough!
CPS was happy to close the case, but the accusation is still out there. It changed the way this man interacted with his son for almost a year; he was afraid to get close to hug or comfort him, or show affection because he didn't want someone making another false claim.
My brother is also under the same dark cloud. He and his wife are going through an ugly, bitter divorce. She swore she would find a way to take his daughter from him, and has now launched the claim of sexual misconduct against him. CPS is investigating; I know it will be dismissed as unfounded, but he is angry and stunned by the experience.
Nobody wants innocent people punished. OTOH, charges of abuse that pop up during divorce proceedings are so common, that neither police nor social workers believe them, although they are duty-bound to investigate. Good luck to your brother. People who make false accusations are evil.
Children are not destroyed for life by molestation.
That is an unfair branding of a victim and it needs to stop.
We are ostracizing them and telling them their lives are ruined and destroyed. How can one expect a child to rise above their background if we constantly shove it in their face that they can't - they are a victim.