Most mom and papa would certainly do something to safeguard their children from the globe’s wickedness, nonetheless unfortunately, the similar can not be pointed out regarding Barbara Atkinson (née Calhoun). For 6 years, she and her spouse, Kenneth Atkinson, extremely abused her child, Lauren Kavanaugh, in basically one of the most savage technique. Lifetime’s ‘Girl in the Closet’ apparently provides a fictionalized design of this terrible instance and looks into just how terribly childhood years misuse can have a result on a person’s life. Now, if you occur to wish to know what struck Barbara and Kenneth in reality and their existing location, we’ve obtained you lined.
Who Are Kenneth and Barbara Atkinson?
In 1993, 21-year-old Texas indigenous Barbara “Barbie” Calhoun was expecting together with her 2nd infant. Unable to raise it herself, she uncovered prospective adopters Sabrina and Bill Kavanaugh, that have actually been delighted to invite the baby home. On April 12, she offered shipment to a little girl called Lauren, and the Kavanaughs instantaneously dropped in love together with her. They elevated the little female for the succeeding 8 months as their actual own, however Barbara relatively had various strategies. After an unexpected adjustment of coronary heart, she identified to apply for Lauren’s safekeeping, gave that Bill and Sabrina’s attorney had actually missed out on ending her adult legal rights.
After a great deal consideration, the more youthful mother was originally approved visitation legal rights and would generally take her child home. At that factor, Barbara was wed to her highschool friend, Kenneth Atkinson; the pair celebrated a marriage in August 1994. However, Sabrina started believing that Lauren’s stepfather was sexually abusing her when she observed a bloody baby diaper breakout on the baby. Yet, when she took the child to the healthcare facility, they declined to perform a rape tools evaluation to avoid added damage.
Unfortunately, the Kavanaughs’ fight to guard Lauren was useless, as, in January 1995, the court docket granted the two-year-old’s safekeeping to her natural mother. Barbara originally relocated right into her adoptive mom and papa’ home with the child as an outcome of a brief splitting up from Kenneth, nonetheless the pair swiftly integrated and transferred to a trailer camp inEast Texas When Lauren relocated with them, she was seriously over used for the succeeding 6 years. It started with Barbara linking the female to her bed mattress or securing her within the bathroom at night, however concerns intensified after she offered shipment to 3 added children, and the house worked out in a trailer home in Hutchins.
As per later research studies, Barbara would certainly urge Kenneth to rape Lauren and would certainly participate in sexually abusing her. Moreover, the pair would certainly also advertise the child to pedophiles, that would certainly come and sexually attack her in the house. Not merely that, Barbara deprived Lauren to extreme arrays and obtained enjoyment from harming her. She held the child’s head undersea in a bathroom in a solitary celebration and cruelly liked seeing her gasping for air. In enhancement, Barbara would certainly secure her child basically regularly in a small storage room, not providing her more than biscuits or soup to consume and teasing her by presenting her dishes.
Surprisingly, Child Protective Services had actually attempted looking into the house at the least two times after obtaining recommendations connecting to infant misuse. Nevertheless, the Atkinsons regularly avoided evaluation and conserved Lauren concealed from connections and next-door neighbors to the degree they really did not understand she existed. Besides, they may quit their older child Blake from trying to aid her little sibling each time they battered or attacked the last. Lauren’s distressing challenge proceeded for 6 prolonged years till June 11, 2001.
Kenneth obviously thought his partner was deceitful and identified to allow their next-door neighbor, Jeanie Rivers, know their little secret within the storage room. Naturally, the lady was scared seeing Lauren’s malnourished and near-dead scenario and instantaneously signaled the police officers. Soon, guideline enforcement and Child Protective Services got here and finally saved the 8-year-old female from Barbara and Kenneth’s misuse. While she was hurried to the healthcare facility for her severe crashes and wearing away well being, the Atkinsons have actually been billed with infant misuse and brought right into safekeeping.
Where Are Kenneth and Barbara Atkinson Today?
Eventually, Barbara and Kenneth admitted their criminal activities captive and in-depth just how they hurt Lauren all these years. In a meeting with Child Protective Services, the previous confessed she had no add-on to her child. “I never loved Lauren. I never wanted her. When my other kids hurt, I hurt. When Lauren hurt, I felt nothing,” she stated.
On the contrary hand, Kenneth declared that his partner was mostly responsible for abusing and disregarding the child, especially after she had a losing the unborn baby in 1996 and dealt with anguish. Nevertheless, Barbara begged accountable to felony damages to a child and was provided a life sentence in January 2002. Meanwhile, the district attorneys originally wanted to create an instance for infant sexual assault in the direction ofKenneth But because Lauren was not in a state to indicate, her stepfather was founded guilty of felony damages to a child and punished to life in December 2002.
When The Dallas Morning News did a comprehensive particular on Lauren in 2013, Barbara despatched a video clip from prison saying sorry to her for her activities and asserting that she precious her. As per existing details, she is 51, jailed on the Christina Melton Crain Unit in Gatesville, and got’ t be qualified for parole earlier than June 12, 2031. Furthermore, 55-year-old Kenneth is offering his sentence on the W. F. Ramsey Unit in Rosharon; he got’ t be qualified for parole earlier than November 29, 2031.
