Crystal’s Story: More than a decade of abuse

Crystal tells her heartbreaking story in the above video. When she was six months old, she began living with a couple who later became her legal guardians. She identifies the female guardian as, “Mom.” She further explains that her abuser allegedly committed his first abusive acts in a closet while visiting her guardian’s home.

Crystal’s living situation declined significantly after her guardians went through a divorce. Mom dropped her off at her abuser’s house and moved to South Carolina. This forced her to live each day with no friends or family, and no protection from daily sexual abuse. Despite others living in the house, she says she felt alone and trapped. 

Her story reveals these details and allegations: 

• Crystal lived with her alleged abuser’s family for 11 years, from approximately age nine to 20.
• Her abuser is approximately 35 years older than her. 
• She alleges that he abused her just about every day: She estimates 3,800 to 4,000 rapes and assaults over an 11 year period. His bedroom was in the basement, and he usually committed abusive acts when no one else was around. 
• When she was 11, she told the abuser’s wife what was happening. The wife didn’t respond. She simply turned and walked away. 
• In 2007, when she was 12 years old, DCF removed her from the home because of criminal charges after he allegedly assaulted another child. They prohibited him from contacting her, but she alleges he would still pick her up from school, and he continued raping her. 
• During this time frame, the abuser and his wife sought to formalize Crystal’s guardianship. DCF approved their request, despite his assault charges and the fact that C was pregnant at the time. 
• At first, Crystal didn’t realize she was pregnant. Her abuser denied paternity, but DNA confirms he is the child’s father. 
• She gave birth to a girl in 2008 and eventually returned to school. At age 15, her “family” pulled her out of school with no warning. She eventually earned a GED. 
• Crystal finally left their home when she was 20 years old. By then, the alleged abuser and his wife had custody of her daughter.
• She didn’t regain custody of her child until she was 25. She hadn’t realized she could contest their custody claims. She is currently 29 and shares an apartment with her 16 year old daughter. 

According to her allegations, other adults lived in the abuser’s home, but no one intervened or tried to assist her. With no other examples of normalcy, she adapted to her circumstances, filling a role dictated by the man who controlled her. 

Our approach to Crystal’s case

Attorney Baber is currently working to protect the legal rights of Crystal. Her case is noteworthy as it reveals what can happen when a custodial system transitions into a child sex abuse nightmare. We believe it’s important for others to hear her story. To preserve her privacy, we use only her first name.

We seek financial compensation for our abused clients

We believe that an abuse victim’s justice must also include an aggressive effort to recover financial damages from those responsible. We understand that no amount of compensation can heal emotional and physical trauma. Still, it may help victims afford medical and psychological treatment if it becomes necessary.  It can also provide resources to help victims build a better life. 

What Damages Can an Abuse Victim Recover?

Abuse victims don’t always have family, friends, a support system, financial resources, or life skills to live normally. Financial compensation can help them move forward. As with traditional personal injury cases, an injured plaintiff may recover economic and non economic damages. 

Economic damages 

This damage category includes compensation for current and future out-of-pocket expenses. These often include:

• Income losses
• Diminished earning capacity
• Educational or rehabilitation expenses
• Medical and therapy bills 
• Prescription medications
• Household services
• Private nursing costs
• Medical transportation expenses

Non-economic damages

Victims of abuse often deal with long term emotional and psychological injuries. Non-economic damages consider how abuse affects a victim’s personal, social, and emotional life. Damages may include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental and emotional anguish
• Inability to function as a spouse or parent 
• Functional impairments 
• Permanent disabilities

Who is responsible for child sexual abuse injuries? 

Connecticut’s Child Welfare Statutes defines a minor child as “…any person under eighteen years of age…” As a child is legally incapable of consensual sex, a court cannot hold them responsible for contributing to their own abuse. Connecticut sexual assault statutes also decriminalize sexual actions between teens when they meet certain age and circumstance thresholds. 

Sex with a child is a crime 

When an adult initiates sexual contact with a child, it’s always a sexual crime. Although the act may be intentional, a civil court might also find an abuser negligent and legally liable for the consequences of their actions. 

Unsettling child abuse statistics

In Connecticut, childhood sexual abuse is more common than you probably realize. The Department of Education’s Overview of Sexual Violence presents these enlightening statistics.

Did the Connecticut Department of Child and Families contribute to Crystal’s abuse?

In Crystal’s case, the DCF may be a viable civil defendant as they failed to meet their duty to act on her behalf. Although victims don’t always understand the connection, the evidence, including her account of her 11 year victimization, establishes a pattern of abuse and negligence: 

• Mom and her husband were sanctioned guardians. 
• When Mom dropped Crystal off to live with her abuser and his family, the Department of Child and Family Services had neither authorized nor approved the arrangement. 
• Crystal doesn’t mention any ongoing communications with DCF. If they had maintained contact with the original guardian, they would have or should have known that the child’s living arrangements had changed. 
• The abuser and his wife initiated a custodial/guardianship process while C was pregnant with the abuser’s child. The abuser was also facing pending criminal abuse charges related to abusing another minor.

Based on Nate Baber’s extensive background and training, he believes that DCF failed Crystal throughout her life. Their continued errors, omissions, and negligent actions forced her to fend for herself while living with her abuser.

• They didn’t seriously consider the second child’s rape allegation. 
• They failed to follow up with multiple tips about Crystal’s abuse and pregnancy, even those from his close relatives.
• They did not conduct a standard forensic investigation.
• They never interviewed Crystal without her abuser and his wife in the room.  

Despite these shortcomings in case administration, DCF approved the abuser’s guardianship. This allowed the abuse to continue.  

Still fighting for Crystal

Even with documented administrative failures, Crystal’s case cannot move forward until it meets Connecticut’s statutory guidelines. 

• As a state entity, the Department of Child and Families benefits from its governmental immunity status. An injured plaintiff must obtain the Office of the Claims Commissioner’s permission to move forward with legal action. That decision is pending. 
• The abuser must be convicted of a crime. Presently, his criminal case is pending.