Scared 11-year-old slipped a handwritten note to a school official — when they read it, they immediately called cops
Trigger warning: This story contains themes of abuse that some readers may find distressing.
In today’s harsh world, a lot of children are exposed to abuse and trauma from a young age. The National Children’s Alliance revealed that 550,000 children suffer from abuse and neglect, causing short-term and long-term consequences. Moreover, negative tension between parents at home can also have severe effects on kids. An 11-year-old girl from Louisiana was likely experiencing indirect neglect due to the dire tension in her home, per Local 12. It only came to the surface when she arrived with a handwritten note and presented it to her school officials at East Feliciana Middle School in Clinton. The note saved her and her mother's life.
The note was slipped into the possession of the girl by her mother, per CNN. The girl then handed the note over to the school superintendent. Shocked by its contents, they immediately involved the authorities. Sheriff Jeff Travis from East Feliciana Parish Police intervened and helped save the life of the 11-year-old and her mother. While the note was not revealed due to security reasons, the officer noted, "She implied in the note that she was being held against her will and needed help.” It was also added that the mom couldn’t speak about the situation, nor get out by herself. “It’s very alarming when a student shows up with a note asking for help,” Travis said.
The cops immediately went over to the house and tracked the girl’s mom. When they arrived at the door and knocked, they received no response. They immediately procured a warrant and found the mom, who was trapped and restricted inside the house, according to the publication. She was confined to the house for a couple of weeks and was in trouble. Her was her boyfriend, 27-year-old Donald Ray Guy, is believed to be the suspect. The police found him hiding in the closet at the time of their arrival and immediately had him arrested. The mom was reportedly stuck in the house, which was in a rural place and was scared to leave. She had no access to her car either.
"I know she was relieved to get out of that situation," Travis said. He added that the girl was reunited with her mother soon after school and the duo were unharmed. Guy was charged with domestic abuse battery and false imprisonment. The man reportedly had previous warrants for “aggravated battery and domestic abuse battery.” Statistics from National Domestic Violence Hotline revealed that nearly 1 in 3 women in the United States suffer from domestic abuse via rape, physical violence, stalking and other acts. 48.4% of women in the country experience psychological aggression from their intimate partners during their lifetime. When it comes to children, the numbers are similar.
The statistics show that 30 to 60% of intimate partners abuse children in the household. 40% of children who experience abuse reportedly also witness domestic violence at home. The hotline notes that it is important to identify and pay close attention to such acts performed directly or indirectly on family members and children. Just like the school authorities at East Feliciana Middle School acted astutely and involved the cops, it is suggested that people stay observant and vigilant and report such happenings as quickly as possible.