Unable to raise it herself, she found prospective adopters sabrina and bill kavanaugh, who were excited to welcome the baby home. Kenneth atkinson had been mumbling for weeks about barbie's little secret, but nobody took him seriously. On april 12, she gave birth to a daughter named lauren, and the kavanaughs immediately fell in love with her.
Lauren Kavanaugh; The Heartbreaking Story Of 'The Girl In The Closet'
Dubbed the girl in the closet, lauren kavanaugh was isolated and abused mentally, physically, and sexually by her mother and stepfather between the ages of two and eight.
On june 11, 2001, police officers arrived at the home of kenneth and barbara atkinson in hutchins, texas.
Soon, the court granted barbara, and her new husband, kenneth atkinson, visitation rights for lauren, and they would take the little girl to stay with them. Meanwhile, bill and sabrina were highly wary of the couple and even believed they abused lauren. A law enforcement photo of lauren kavanugh taken the day authorities entered the trailer home of barbara atkinson and kenneth atkinson in hutchins. Barbara atkinson was rarely around.
From their perspective, kenneth atkinson was a dimwitted but diligent caregiver for the children. Barbara atkinson was rarely around. The mounting evidence against lauren's mother and stepfather formed the. Barbara and kenneth atkinson both were sentenced to life in prison.
(texas department of criminal justice) while there was never any real doubt about barbara and kenneth atkinson's guilt — based
Kenneth atkinson, lauren's stepfather, was convicted of felony injury to a child. He received a life sentence and will be eligible for parole on nov. Interviewed lauren at the hospital and testified in the criminal trials of barbara and kenneth atkinson. Barbara and kenneth atkinson left a radio playing 24 hours a day outside the closet door to drown out her cries for help.
Her favorite song was don't laugh at me by mark wills, a ballad about loneliness. Barbara and kenneth atkinson both received life sentences. They'll be eligible for parole in 2031. Lauren received a life sentence, too.
Her parents, barbara and kenneth atkinson, were convicted of felony injury to a child and are each serving life sentences in texas.
They will be eligible for parole in 2031. Barbara and kenneth atkinson on the day of their arrests, june 12, 2001. Lauren was rescued the previous night from their trailer in hutchins. She would howl with devilish delight while her husband raped lauren, and the toddler screamed.
On the other hand, barbara and kenneth were eventually sentenced to life for felony injury to a child. In the six years after barbara atkinson was awarded custody of lauren in an ellis county court, she had married twice, divorced twice and eventually reconciled with kenneth atkinson, an unemployed carpenter. She'd given birth to two boys and a girl, which gave the unemployed mother six children with four fathers. L auren's five siblings were also victimized by barbara and kenneth atkinson.
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None of them, who ranged in age from 22 months to 10 years, had ever really been to school.
They didn't know how to use a toothbrush, or a knife and fork, or how to wipe themselves after going to the bathroom. And they were brainwashed about lauren. A crowd screamed insults as barbara and kenneth atkinson were led out of the. Hutchins police department the day after their arrest, and more protesters met them when they arrived at the dallas county jail.
Local television stations led their newscasts with the perp walks. At that time, barbara was married to kenneth atkinson, and the couple would frequently take the girl home to acquaint themselves with her. On the other hand, kenneth atkinson was initially charged with aggravated sexual assault of a
