Mommy, That Bad Man Hurt Me-A True Story of a Child’s Sexual Assault
Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2011
by Jessie I Snyder
TRUE INSPIRATIONS
As my story begins, it was December 1997. My daughter was in the hospital with a bad case of pneumonia. She was in a corner room on the backside of the nurse’s station. My husband and I had gone home to get a change of clothes and grab a bite to eat. When we returned we received the biggest shock of our lives. My daughter told me that a doctor had come into her room and administered a female exam on her. My daughter was only 10 years old and there was no need or no reason for her to have a female exam. I asked my daughter to tell me exactly what happened. My daughter told me that the doctor rubbed on her breast, and then he rubbed on her vagina, then he inserted a finger into her vagina and asked her did it hurt. She told him to stop and started crying and he ran out of the room.
The doctor was caught and went to jail, and we filed a lawsuit against the doctor and the hospital. However, we settled out of court so my daughter would not have to testify at the trial. The doctor pled guilty to four counts of aggravated sexual battery with victims less than 13 years old, and in accordance with his plea the doctor was sentenced to twelve years for each conviction, all to run concurrently. Under the violent offender statue he had to serve them at 100%.
The amount of the settlement that we received was $150,000, which was put in a trust fund until my daughter turned 18. Which I didn’t think was fair being that my daughter wasn’t expected to live but another year or two. I also feel that the doctor should have been castrated for the crimes that he committed and he should have gotten life without the possibly of parole for what he done to those children. He stripped them of their innocence and scarred them for life. Yet that was just another example of how the United States judicial system works for the criminals rather than the victims. He did lose his medical license; however, I feel that his punishment should have been more severe. Especially, being that all the children that he molested was terminally ill and under the age of 13. They shouldn’t have to live the rest of their lives fearing doctors, when the doctors are the very people that they are supposed to be able to trust. I feel that our court system was too lenient on him; however, I know that he will get what’s coming to him on judgment day when he goes before the supreme judge our Lord God Almighty.
After that incident my daughter always had a room right up in front of the nurse’s station, and if we had to leave they would send a female sitter to stay with her until we returned. It still saddens me that those children will never trust doctors again. According to About.com pediatrics an estimated 135,000 children were sexually abused in 2006. That is far too high a number, we must protect our children.
(Source: pediatrics.about.com/od/childabuse/a/05_abuse_stats.htm )
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Thank you for pursuing this matter and getting that damaged and damaging man away from your daughter and others.Thanks, It was the right thing to do.That comes thru in your post. Absolutely the right thing for you to do and it's always a blessing when I read about folks who do what's right for them and their loved ones, regardless of the cost. It takes courage and strength and you had those in large amounts.
First of all, Jessie, Please accept my deepest sympathy in the loss of your precious daughter. No parent should have to experience such grief. It is not in the natural order of things as we expect to pass before our children!
Your daughter was truly a brave little girl and I am sure that your efforts in making sure this doctor never harm another child was appreciated by not only the victims involved in this case but avoided other potential incidents!
Thanks Iris, True we don't expect our children to die before us, but I know that she is always with me in spirit. She is my Guardian Angel. And yes my daughter was one of the bravest people I have ever known.
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