Growing up too fast

This week I was given a glimpse into a darker side of the world that I, thankfully, rarely see. It began when, one sunny afternoon this summer, I checked my mail to find a summons for jury duty. Since I had come up with an excuse for the prior two summons only months earlier I figured it was time to do my civic duty and be inconvenienced in exchange for enormous freedom and every U.S. citizen's right to a fair trial. Little did I know I would actually be selected to serve on a jury for a trial that delved deeply into a case that I'd preferred to know nothing about.

Through the two-day trial I met a sweet, well-spoken nine-year old girl named Autumn whose father was on trial for sexually molesting her since the age of three. She was forced to sit on the witness stand and describe for us, the jury, every detail she can remember of this horrific experience. Her tears and facial expressions were enough to tell me this was not something a three, nine, twelve or sixteen year-old girl should have experienced. The innocence that should accompany anyone's childhood had been stolen from her and she wasn't even able to fight for it. Even worse were the statistics I heard from expert witnesses about sexual molestation of children and how often it actually occurs. How many young girls and boys have been forced to grow up too fast because of the sick nature of some adult's obsessions or desires? Autumn's foster parents said they weren't even sure they would be able to keep her because she exhibited so much promiscuity and served as a bad influence on their younger children.

Thankfully, Autumn's father won't be free to commit this heinous crime again. We [the jury] found him guilty on five counts of child molestation, three of them being Class A felonies. This will sentence him to at least 60 years or more of jail time. But what about Autumn? How much of her life will be spent in an emotional and psychological jail that even the best counseling and therapy can't break her out of? I realized how, unlike several potential jurors who were dismissed during the "voir dire," I couldn't recall anyone I personally knew who had been molested as a child. It's nothing I think about on a regular basis yet it happens more often than I'd like to imagine. I'm glad schools have begun implementing programs to educate students about the "good touch, bad touch" and hope that this is one step towards saving innocent childhoods and preventing a generational curse that oftentimes can't be broken. As a parent, I know I will be more vigilant about Simeon's future caretakers and friends as a result of this case. I just pray that God will bring someone into Autumn's life who can teach her about His unfailing love, acceptance and forgiveness so she can experience life as His child....forever.