Rape victim ordered to pay her abuser child support

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.wbrz.com/news/investigative-unit-rape-victim-ordered-to-pay-her-abuser-child-support

PONCHATOULA- It's one of the most egregious cases victims' advocates tell the WBRZ Investigative Unit they have ever seen, after a judge awarded full custody to a woman's abuser and forced her to pay child support.

This story dates back decades and involves a woman who was raped at the age of 16 by a man almost twice her age.

Crysta Abelseth knows all too well about overcoming adversity. The now 32-year old is a mother of a teenager that WBRZ has made an editorial decision not to identify because she's a minor. Abelseth's daughter is the child of a rape.

Abelseth met John Barnes in the City of Hammond back in 2005. She says he offered to take her home after a night out at a local restaurant with friends.

"Instead of bringing me home, he brought me to his house," Abelseth recalled. "Once inside, he raped me on his living room couch."

Abelseth did not know Barnes before that night, but came away from it pregnant.

*snip*

[lindysalsagal]

1. FYI, This is in Louisiana.

One of the xtian states that really don't believe rape (of women or girls) is a crime.

[Takket]

2. "It happened after Barnes alleged Abelseth gave her daughter a cell phone."

WTF?????????????? Since when is it a crime to give a kid a phone! if that is true everyone in the USA should lose custody.

There is some DEEP SEEDED corruption here. Barnes threatened her saying he was "well connected" in the legal system, which is why something nonsense like a cell phone could be used to rule against the mother.

This needs to be reversed and the judges involved in this case need to be investigating, along with Barnes "connections" he claims to have.

Disgusting.

[Bettie]

11. That was my thought too

What the fuck? How did he even get half custody?

Also, I worry for the child and what he's doing to her. She's the same age as her mother was when he raped her.

[MrsCoffee]

23. "He's well connected," Abelseth said. "He's threatened me multiple times, saying he has connections

"He's well connected," Abelseth said. "He's threatened me multiple times, saying he has connections in the justice system, so I better be careful and he can take her away anytime he wants to. I didn't believe him until it happened."

[niyad]

3. May all involved receive everything they deserve.

[niyad]

4. and the WAR ON WOMEN continues apace. Would you consider cross-posting this in

Women's Rights And Issues? Thanks in advance.

[70sEraVet]

5. Damn, it makes my blood boil to see people get sh-t on by smug bastards with connections

[dalton99a]

6. Companies that support the rapist:

https://gumbeaux.digital/partners/

Seven years ago, in July 2015, Abelseth pressed criminal charges against Barnes. A report she filed with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office for simple rape details everything that was done to her. Abelseth said she waited to file the police report because she did not know the law.

"I thought if I didn't do it the next day, there was nothing I could do about it," Abelseth said. "I went to a trauma counselor, and he said, 'No, you have 30 years after you turn 18.'"

From 2015 until now, nothing has happened with the report. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office says an investigation is still open.

"It was never assigned to a detective, and nothing was ever investigated," according to Abelseth.

A search of John Barnes shows he owns Gumbeaux Digital Branding, a web company in Ponchatoula. Barnes' website shows Ponchatoula Police as a client.

[Bettie]

12. That webpage no longer exists

hmmm....maybe he got some blowback?

[dalton99a]

20. Yep, the list of clients is gone

[Celerity]

38. or not lol, the internet remembers

https://web.archive.org/web/20210616010404/https://gumbeaux.digital/partners/

[Celerity]

39. here

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216797274#post38

[enough]

7. Can this be true? Jesus weeps. NT

[enough]

8. Can this be true? Jesus weeps. NT

[bronxiteforever]

9. My god what an evil & corrupt thing.

I am literally sick to my stomach after reading this.

[burrowowl]

10. WTF!

[relayerbob]

13. Holy crap

Why the fuck is he out of prison?

[haele]

16. Because he's white and a member of a family of local bigwigs.

And he intimidated/raped a 16 year old who thought he was trustworthy, then proceeded to punish her once it was found out she had a child from the act.
His buddies and his family protected him all his life.
Hopefully, this article will bring him to justice.

Haele

[relayerbob]

17. Was actually a rhetorical question, but I agree

I hope it does. I won't hold my breath

[paleotn]

14. Welcome to Republican Amurka....

better known as Jebusland.

[Karadeniz]

18. The judge should be removed...

[mainer]

19. Judge: Jeff Cashe, according to Twitter

His Twitter handle says he’s a lifelong Republican who “ will bring his leadership and values to family court.” Sickening that he appears to have a young daughter of his own. Guess rape of young girls is OK with him. Those Republican values.

[dalton99a]

21. +1. His webpage:

https://21stjudicialdistrictcourt.wildapricot.org/Div-J

[COL Mustard]

22. Damn. The Handmaid's Tale Really Is

An instruction manual.

I'm so sorry this poor woman and her daughter have to go through this. Welcome to the 1600s.

[mainer]

24. More skullduggery:

Court records in the Tangipahoa Parish courthouse show Barnes admitted he's the biological father of the child. This year, he was granted custody of that child even though a criminal complaint was filed in 2015. Mysteriously those records are under seal, hidden from public view.

[catrose]

25. She's trying to get the decision overturned and to end his parental rights.

Why he has them in the first place is a mystery.

Her GoFundMe for legal expenses is here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/RapeVictimHelp

[Stuart G]

26. Unbelievable ..I think this happened in Louisiana ...not sure..I hope someone defends this lady &

gets the ...bad guy who threatened her, and raped her

...This woman was raped. Incredible story and the judge gave custody to the person who raped her.

Please read the entire story at the link at the top of the page. Thank You Nevilledog for finding and posting this
story. I wonder how this will end?

[Jarqui]

27. If I had not seen the report, I'm not sure I would have believed it

A summary of facts as I understand them:

The statute of limitations for this alleged rape is 30 years - this case is well within that.
She was too young at the time to give consent. Her daughters birth date proves that.
He admitted he is the father and DNA backs that up.
So this is a slam dunk criminal conviction.

The police won't assign someone to investigate the crime. The police are a client of his.
The judge awards custody of the child to the rapist and demands she pay the rapist child support and his legal fees.
The judge is a past president of the bar.

This stinks of something beyond incompetence. It smells of corruption.

If one were trying to imagine "what is the dumbest, most absurd and outrageous decision a judge could make here?", I think this would be it.

[Stuart G]

28. Because of Democratic Underground and Nevilledog..This story is getting .."National Coverage"...

The judge and the person who raped this woman now will have opponents that they did not know about..

"..............after a judge awarded full custody to a woman's abuser and forced her to pay child support."

With "National Coverage" this abuser will not know what hit him, neither will the judge.

........................Like other criminals....He doesn't have a clue.......................

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are people who are high up that read Democratic Underground...and some of those "High Up People"....

know other ..."High Up People"....that are even ........ FURTHER...Higher Up".................

but we will see in time how this will evolve .......and I hope the judge and the bad guy, get what they have coming to them.........The hurt that these 2 have caused this woman is indeed incredible!

[Meowmee]

29. Publicize it everywhere

And I hope he will be brought to justice.

[Nevilledog]

31. That's not a defense to statutory rape. Enjoy your very short stay!

[WarGamer]

33. really short... lol

[Nevilledog]

34. Always admire those that get booted on their FIRST post.

Shows commitment.

[johnp3907]

32. Gosh, you're so rational!

You’ll fit in great around here!

[IngridsLittleAngel]

35. Republiqan "utopia"... Known as Hell to us sane, rational people

A nation where the only people who are protected and seen as 5/5 of a person are white, cishet, conservative males. Where women have the right to provide sex and be incubators on feet. Where yes means yes, and no really truly seriously means YES.

The system has betrayed this poor woman in every way imaginable, and continues to do so.

Why the hell isn't John Barnes serving life in prison for his crimes?

How the hell does he have custody of that girl - one created by violence and hate?

And how the hell can the system find it appropriate to give him that kid, and expect her to pay child support for it?

None of this should've happened. But here we are. Here we are because once again, the system has failed a rape victim. Because once again, the system bends over backwards to protect the great white male.

Crysta deserved better. So many others deserve better.

I grieve for women who have endured this kind of nightmare. I fear for watching this happen even more often in the future should Roe be overturned.

What the hell has this nation become?

[Captain Stern]

37. More info on this case

https://www.yahoo.com/news/louisiana-man-accused-raping-woman-060001742.html