The monster under the bed, the evil clown around the corner, the spiders or dragons or witches… Most of us had some childhood fears to overcome on our way to adulthood. They’re terrifying at the time, but with encouragement and experience we learn to face them and gain a lot of courage on the way.
One seven-year-old girl from Oklahoma, however, had fears that were all too real. They were all focused on a creature dressed in black, face covered with a mask: a witch named Nelda. She would appear at night and grab the girl with her green claws, so the little one couldn’t escape.
Nelda really existed. She beat the girl with a whip, tied her up, and tortured her. While the girl was sleeping, the witch came and cut her hair off. Apparently also with the help of a demon named Coogro. There was no escape. The girl and her siblings went through their worst nightmares day after day.
The terrifying fact was that Nelda was the girl’s 51-year-old grandmother, Geneva Robinson. The demon was her much younger boyfriend, Joshua Granger.
OK. 'witch' Geneva Robinson burned, tortured girl, 7 — while dressed in costumehttp://t.co/tIdmPel0Qc pic.twitter.com/RVbfsmPkhj
— Crime Scene USA (@CrimeSceneUSA) October 2, 2014
After being caught and brought to trial, Robinson was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for child abuse. Granger was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The judge made it clear that he would have the same compassion on Robinson that she had on her granddaughter: none.
One of the children managed to use her cell phone to record Nelda in action.
Warning: The following video may be disturbing for some viewers.
The atrocity committed by her grandmother could haunt this child for life. But hopefully now that the woman is locked away in prison and the children are safe, they will get the help, support, and love they need to recover and have the happy childhood every kid deserves. They’ve suffered enough!
Child abuse is very real, and sometimes it’s closer than we think. It’s usually not a stranger but a family member. If you notice something strange in your surroundings, don’t hesitate to get professional help to assess the situation. Let’s not leave any children to endure abuse like what Nelda did.
Here are national hotlines you can contact if you need to:
Domestic Violence Hotline (USA): http://www.thehotline.org/
Domestic Violence Helpline (UK): http://www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk/
