Police Charge Mom, Boyfriend With Child Sex Abuse- Victimized Girls Repeatedly Try To Tell

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[chance33_98]

Police Charge Mother, Boyfriend With Child Sex Abuse Victimized Girls Repeatedly Try To Tell Of Abuse

POSTED: 10:01 p.m. CST January 24, 2003 UPDATED: 10:12 p.m. CST January 24, 2003

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Police say the mother of two young girls knew her live-in boyfriend was sexually abusing her daughters, but she did nothing about it.

Kevin Donovan, 25, was charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse of the girls, who are now 10 and 11 years old. The girls' mother, Theresa L. Smith, 35, was also charged with sexual abuse because she allegedly allowed the abuse to continue for five years.

In a report, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office said the incidents occurred between 1995 and 2000, when Donovan, who now lives at a separate address, was staying with Smith. Donovan now faces 17 charges, including sodomy, rape and child abuse. Smith faces 19 charges, including drug and child endangerment allegations.

According to the report, released Friday by the prosecutor, the older victim told investigators that the sexual abuse of her and her younger sister happened almost every day of the year. The report also stated that 11-year-old said she tried to tell her mother several times about the abuse, but her mother replied, "Don't tell anybody anything."

The 11-year-old says she made one attempt to make Donovan stop abusing the two that resulted in violence. The girl warned Donovan that she would tell her mother, and Donovan allegedly replied, "Then I'm going to stab you." The girl said Donovan then threw a kitchen knife at her, striking her in the chest. When the girl was later examined, a 1-inch scar was found on her chest.

The Department of Family Services was apparently called by the older of the two siblings to report the abuse, but the girl said DFS told her they needed more information -- so she stopped calling.

More than two years ago, the biological father of one of the victims filed a police report about the alleged abuse. But the prosecutor's office said police never investigated "because the report was so vague."

When Channel 9 tried to contact prosecutors about this case Friday, our calls were not returned.

The suspects are apparently still on the loose. Police said no arrests have yet been made in the case.

Prosecutors have been unavailable to confirm if the girls are in protective custody.

[KantianBurke]

The Department of Family Services was apparently called by the older of the two siblings to report the abuse, but the girl said DFS told her they needed more information -- so she stopped calling.

More than two years ago, the biological father of one of the victims filed a police report about the alleged abuse. But the prosecutor's office said police never investigated "because the report was so vague."

[CurlyDave]

But, just see what happens when some parents try to homeshool.

[Burkeman1]

I am sure the biological father was no prize either. He filed a "vague report" and didn't follow up? If those were my kids I would have taken them out of the house by force if necessary.

[RAT Patrol]

SICK! Those poor little girls. Sadly, they have only begun to hurt. This kind of think haunts the life of the victim for years.

Tears for them. So, so sad. I hope they get wise counsel and not a bunch of liberal CRAP!

[RAT Patrol]

I hope those two ugly mugs meet an untimely demise and I do not apologize for saying that!

[RAT Patrol]

If those kids were my kids and I couldn't get authorities to respond I would be, let's say, taking the matter into my own hands!

[bigfootbob]

This is sick beyond belief, and it happens daily. A few years ago here in the Western Washington community I reside. A married CHRISTIAN couple had their children removed from their home for a period because one of the kids went to school with a bruise.

The school interviewed the kid and she told the officials she fell on a slide at McDonalds. School officials nor the DSHS thugs believed her story.

When they placed the little girl in the police car for transport to a foster family she recited scripture to herself for the entire ride.

It took a legislators intervention to get the kids released. Yet, this kind of stuff happens daily. Sick, sick, sick. We have to stop this, NOW.

[tristam]

You know, if for some reason I ever have cause to go the vigilante route, these kind of sickos would get 'special' attention.
there is just never ANY excuse.

[templar]

If those were my kids I would have taken them out of the house by force if necessary.

Then you would be in prison and they would be returned to the house. What's the net gain?

[templar]

You know, if for some reason I ever have cause to go the vigilante route, ...

Hopefully you mean the 'feed the hogs' way. Otherwise, you are in prison or dead, the kids are in foster care or are orphans. Wonder how many cases we read about of the father killing an estranged/divorced wife are caused by something like this?

[Pilsner]

This is sick beyond belief, and it happens daily. A few years ago here in the Western Washington community I reside. A married CHRISTIAN couple had their children removed from their home for a period because one of the kids went to school with a bruise.

CPS (Children's Protective Services) works the same way in Texas. That is they have only types of action: Extreme Overkill and Complete Indifference. The have great parents signing safety agreements and taking parenting classes, and drug using child abusers get ignored. I work with CPS and still cannot fathom how they work.

Don't get wrong, I wouldn't do that job for anything, but our society needs to do more to make sure that the folks who have the respnsibility to protect abused children, and the power to devastate innocent parents, do their job properly.

[VMI70]

I am right with you; however, I would not ask authorities to respond. That would make me more vulnerable legally. One has to make it look spontaneous; a fit of rage.
Just think, about 30 years ago, if you had taken "matters into your own hands" in a situation like this, your chance of being prosecuted would be minimal.
If you do it now, you will be aggressively prosecuted. It's a sad state of affairs.

[RAT Patrol]

You're right.

[HumanaeVitae]

Gee, I wonder what the chances are of finding porno in this house...

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Police say the mother of two young girls knew her live-in boyfriend was sexually abusing her daughters, but she did nothing about it.

Hang them. Shoot her twice afterwards.

How can a mother not protect her kids? Even animals do that!

[proxy_user]

There is no political muscle for this. Children don't vote, and parents who take care of their own children don't worry about anyone else's.

[FITZ]

How can a mother not protect her kids?

It sounds like she wanted a "boyfriend" so badly, she was using her own young daughters as a lure.

[bigfootbob]

"Don't get wrong, I wouldn't do that job for anything, but our society needs to do more to make sure that the folks who have the respnsibility to protect abused children, and the power to devastate innocent parents, do their job properly."

Agreed. I think the problem lies with University. Socialist workers,(my term), are so secularized and brainwashed by the time they graduate they believe religious people are the root of all evil. They are willing to give chance after chance to people that "need" the help of the state, and shaft the independent folks unmercifully.

[DumpsterDiver]

And the article even closes with this:

Prosecutors have been unavailable to confirm if the girls are in protective custody.

I hope those girls are someplace where they're safe.