WEBVTT
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69 South 69 South 69.
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South 69 South 69.
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South.
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Welcome everyone to Podcast 69 South, where we discuss and discuss true crime, cold cases, current events and hot topics, along with our state of society today.
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This is your trigger warning.
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Our podcast content is produced for adult listeners, 18 years of age and older.
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We discuss situations that may be offensive and triggering to some listeners.
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Sit back, relax and enjoy.
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Welcome back everybody to 69 South Podcast.
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I am Chop and I'm going to be your host today, as always, and with me always is my beautiful co-host, julie.
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Hello, we hope you had a good time since the last time.
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We are finally going to get through this probable cause affidavit, thank the Lord.
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Amen.
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So, without further delay, we're going to jump right into it, and then, after we get through the probable cause affidavit, we have an interview.
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Yes, we do.
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We have an interview with Nikki.
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She is the mother of the first group of children from Indiana that was adopted to the Staffords.
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She wanted us to get her story out there just so.
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I mean, she basically wants to set the record straight on why her children were even there and the fight she went through to try to get them back.
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Yep.
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So let's get right back into the questioning.
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Okay, so did she basically just deny all of the allegations against her parents?
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She did.
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And in fact did she specifically say that the grooming allegations were bullshit?
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Yes, she did.
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Did she tell you that she was raised by the best people on the planet?
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Yes, she did.
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And did she also say that she has adopted some of Sonia's parenting practices, such as writing sentences and things like that?
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Yes, she did.
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Did she say that she's made any changes?
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She had.
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No, she had said they were.
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She was essentially using the sentencing as kind of a punishment and stuff with her own kids.
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Did Kay mention that her parents were getting a divorce when you interviewed her?
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She did.
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And did she also mention that Sonia had a new boyfriend and that Brian had a new girlfriend?
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She did.
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Was her description of Brian's new girlfriend something along the lines of it's a don't ask, don't tell kind of situation.
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Yes.
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Did you tell her that you knew who Brian's girlfriend was?
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Yes, I did.
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What was her, I guess, explanation or her reaction to Brian and Victim 11 being together?
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She was kind of caught off guard that I even knew about it, but pretty much said that the situation was that it was hush-hush, that people weren't supposed to know about it and again was in shock that I knew about it and brought it up.
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Did you also interview M.
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Yes, I did.
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Did he also deny all the allegations against his parents?
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Yes, he did.
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And did he say that he was blessed and had a great childhood?
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Yes.
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Okay.
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Did you learn during your investigation that M has a child with victim six, who is one of the adopted kids?
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Yes, I did.
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Okay, after interviewing the biological children, did you also interview Brian's brother, brad Stafford?
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Yes.
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And what did he share in his interview that was relevant to your investigation?
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Brad had talked about that he had lived at the home with Brian and Sonia periodically when some of the kids were in the home.
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He had talked about an incident which was consistent with victim eight, with having the pillow taken away.
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He had talked about how he thought that Sonia was very harsh with the kids and then he also talked about something that was consistent with the other disclosures on how the kids, when they reached a certain age, it was almost like they aged out and they were kicked out.
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He described it as being kicked down the road because they didn't go along with the scheme with Sonia.
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He did also talk about the incident with victim aid around Thanksgiving.
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He said after the incident that he wasn't invited back to the property.
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He said after Sonia got upset and kind of questioned on her parenting skills and methods that slowly, more and more the family was kind of being forced to be distant and weren't allowed to come back to the property.
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The incident at Thanksgiving that you talked about is that the incident that victim two disclosed.
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That victim eight had gone up to a family member and they said why are you going to bed so late or so early in the night?
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Yes, and they said why are you going to bed so late or so early in the night.
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Yes, okay.
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Was there other incidences that had been observed that were relevant to your investigation?
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He did.
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He talked about an evening that they were in a Mexican restaurant for dinner.
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He had talked about he believed it was victim four, Victim four or victim two wasn't able to order food.
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Everyone had ordered food and gotten food, except for her.
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He had asked you know where's your food?
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And her response was she wasn't allowed to have anything.
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She wasn't allowed to get anything.
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So that was another incident that kind of stuck out to me when I was speaking with Brad.
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Did you use the phrase when you were interviewing him that he witnessed Sonia kind of manhandle the kids periodically throughout the years?
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Yes.
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Did he describe it as almost like someone that Sonia could not control it and didn't care who was around?
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Yes.
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What did he, or what were his thoughts about observing that and his concerns about what was going on behind the scenes?
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He was concerned.
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If she was doing that in front of people, what was going on when there weren't people around?
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Did he also make the comment that his brother, brian, would have turned a blind eye to what Sonia was doing?
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He did.
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At some point, and the reason that Brad was interviewed.
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Did we learn that when Victim 11 was kicked out after Brian and Victim 11's relationship became public in 2023, that Victim 11 went to live with Brad at the time in Monroe County?
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Yes.
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Okay, and did he tell you about the situation, how it came to be?
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He did he talked about initially.
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He said that Brian had reached out to him telling that things weren't going well at the farm.
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He asked Brad if he needed a place to stay, if he would be able to come stay with him, and Brad said you know, you're my brother.
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Of course I've got a room for you.
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If you need it, just let me know.
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He said it was a period later that Brian had reached out again and said hey, you know, things are still kind of bad.
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I may still need to come stay with you.
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And he said you know, you're more than welcome.
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You know how to get here, things like that.
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He said there was another conversation shortly after that.
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He had reached out again and said hey, I've got to take you up on that.
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I've got to come stay with you, but I'm going to have somebody else with me.
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And Brad was kind of taken back and it was like okay, and asked who it was.
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And Brian told him that it was going to be Victim 11, that him and Victim 11 would be coming to stay with him in Monroe County.
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And did that eventually end up happening, that Victim 11 went to live with Brad in Monroe County?
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Yes.
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And did he in his interview talk about Brian would be there periodically and kind of visit Victim 11?
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Yes.
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Did in his interview did he paint it as somewhat innocent in the relationship that it was something that was more about feelings than a sexual relationship?
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Yes, he did.
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Okay than a sexual relationship.
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Yes, he did.
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Okay, did Brad talk about Brian losing his job as a result of what was going on with Victim 11?
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Yes, he did.
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And at this point did you kind of figure out where Brian worked or what he did for a living?
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Yes.
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What was his employment?
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He was a contractor with an electric company that subcontracted with Eli Lilly.
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He had talked about that.
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The higher-ed with Eli Lilly he had talked about that, the higher-ups with Eli Lilly had caught wind of the investigation.
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At some point he essentially told Brian or gave him the ultimatum either you can retire and you can leave on your own, or we're going to dismiss you.
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Did he talk about Cody's suicide and Sonia's treatment of Cody in comparison to the other kids?
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Yes.
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Did he describe it, her treatment of Cody as psychological retaliation against the child?
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Yes.
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Did he use that as a way to describe how Sonia treated other kids in the home too?
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That was specifically Cody.
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Okay, was there a time where Sonia had told Brad something about DCS and missing DCS on a certain occasion and that they were out at the farm?
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Yes.
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What was that comment about?
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Essentially, that DCS had learned had been out there and Sonia kind of just essentially blew it off.
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Did she end up making the comment of something along the lines of well, it was lucky they weren't out here the other day because this kid had a bruise or something along the lines?
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Yes, she did.
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She did make a comment about that.
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Okay, so after interviewing Brad Stafford, did you interview VF, who is now the adopted mother of victim two, three and four?
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Yes, vf, who is now the adopted mother of victim two three and four.
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Yes, and the girls were placed with VF in May of 2024, the day they were removed, correct?
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That's correct.
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Since she has been placement for them?
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Did she give you an idea in her interview about how the girls have adjusted since?
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leaving the farm.
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She did.
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She said it has been quite of an adjustment period.
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She said that initially the girls would be fearful because they were afraid that V was going to act like Sonia did towards them.
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So V said she kind of had to nurture the girls and kind of explain that you know you're in a safe place now.
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Those things aren't going to happen to you anymore.
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You know you can do things you necessarily weren't allowed to do when you were living with Brian and Sonia and kind of had a kind of nature them and it kind of reassure things that are different now.
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Did she talk about whether the girls were kind of hesitant to wear certain clothes or makeup or nail polish if they were to go out because they were worried about seeing members of the family and getting in trouble?
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Yes.
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Did she also talk about having a birthday party for victim four and how the girls responded to a birthday cake?
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Yes, what was their response?
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They didn't know what to do with it because they'd never had one before.
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Did she describe it as almost being foreign to them?
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Yes, she did.
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Did she also talk about family pictures and wanting to do family pictures with the girls, since they are now in her family?
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Yes.
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And is that kind of a point like a triggering point for them?
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It was.
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They initially didn't want to do the family photos with V and her family.
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They had talked about how it wasn't good experience for them before because Sonia would always yell at them or things would happen during the pictures before.
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So they associated with that with negative from the farm.
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So V again had to reassure and nurture and kind of say you know this, you're in a different environment.
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Now those things aren't going to happen.
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You know, we want you to be in these pictures.
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You're part of our family.
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Now those things aren't going to happen, you know we want you to be in these pictures.
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You're part of our family now so has V.
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In her interview did she talk about noticing any change of the girls eating habits since they've been with her?
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Yes, she did.
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And what did she notice?
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She said, they tend to eat way more because they have no concept of being full, so they just continue to eat and eat.
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And does she, in the time that she has had them, did she go and take them to the doctor for checkup and things like that?
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Yes, she has.
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Has she also been monitoring any growth, any weight gain, anything like that, while they've been with her?
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Yes.
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And did she also tell you about the girls kind of experiencing some things, needing to clip their fingernails and toenails, having thicker and healthier hair since they've been eating more?
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Yes.
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And so, in that time that the girls have been with V, what are some of the weight gains that they have had?
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Well, let's actually break that down.
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Victim four what was her starting weight when she first was in the care with V?
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Her weight was 86.4.
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And the last time that she was weighed by V?
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When was that?
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It was last month, November, the last month or this year.
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And how much did she weigh at that point?
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98.8 pounds.
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And so that would be 12.4 pounds she had gained in a period of time.
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Yes.
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And did she grow any?
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Yes.
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How much did she grow?
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She grew about three inches.
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And so for her starting height, where she was on June 7th, her starting height would have been what?
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Four foot six and a half inches.
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And then on the 21st of November.
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Four foot nine and a half inches.
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And then for victim two what was the starting weight on June 7th?
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116.8 pounds.
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And what was her weight as of November 21st?
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137.2 pounds.
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And so she gained about 20.4 pounds.
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Is that correct?
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That's correct.
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And then, what was her starting weight on June 7th?
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5 foot 1 inch.
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And then her height as of November 21st 5 foot 3 inches.
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And then victim three.
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What was her starting weight on June 7th?
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112 pounds.
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And then her weight as of November 21st 138.4 pounds.
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And so she's gained about 26.4 pounds, correct, that's correct.
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And then has she also grown during that time period.
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Yes, she's grown about an inch.
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Okay, and so, as part of your investigation, did V provide recent photos of the girls?
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She did.
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And did you also have photos from the girls from the night of their removal?
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I did.
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Okay, so I'm going to show you what's been marked as States Exhibit 3, 4, and 5.
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And what's Exhibit 3?
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This is a picture before the night of the removal of Victim 4 and the most recent picture.
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Okay, and then the States Exhibit four who is that one?
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And then the state's exhibit five.
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Okay, and they are side-by-side comparisons of the girls, right?
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Yes.
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Okay, and has there been any contact with Brian or Sonia since the girls have been in V's care?
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There's not been physical contact with them.
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No.
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What sort of contact have they had if not physical contact?
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V has reported throughout the investigation that Brian, sonia and her boyfriend Stephen and victim 11 would drive by and even stop at the end of the road where they live on or end of the driveway or end of the driveway.
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V, in most recent conversation with her, also talked about that, after they had had their family photos done, that she had shared them on social media, which was something that she hadn't done before since the girls hadn't been formally adopted, and that Brian had found the pictures on her social media and had only reacted to just the photos of the girls themselves.
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So, in addition to all of the interviews you conducted, did you receive 310s, 311s from the Department of Child Services related to this family?
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Yes, I did.
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And what year did those reports begin?
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They started in 2015.
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And did these reports that you were able now to review corroborate what you learned from the kids throughout your investigation?
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Yes, they did.
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Did Victim 7 make any reports or reports to an adult that were then reported to DCS?
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You found in the 310s and 311s.
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Yes.
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What about M?
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Yes.