Mom in Hiding Turns Herself in after 3 Years

Will Girls Be Returned to [alleged] Child Molester Father?

Top: Lashada with Skye (left) and Hanna (right)

A mother who’s been in hiding for over three years turned herself in Wednesday to Pennsylvania police. Lashada was was arraigned on two felony counts of custodial interference—punishable for up to 14 years in prison.

Lashada was, amazingly, released on an unsecured bond. That rarely happens with fugitive mothers. The Coalition’s campaign of support for Lashada may have played into Franklin County D.A. Fogal’s decision to immediately free her. He had been made aware of why Lashada had gone into hiding thanks to all the moms who contacted him. [See below for continuation of campaign]

Lashada’s is a high profile case which local media was following. However, they did not report on the abuse that Lashada was trying to protect her children from by “abducting” them. They portrayed her as a vindictive mother and sympathized with the father, who cried alligator tears for them (typical perp behavior). MSM is too often complicit in the cover up of paternal sexual abuse.

PREVIOUS POST

We posted last month about how the Waynesboro Chief of Police initiated and escalated a campaign asking the public to help find and capture Lashada. He called a press conference which was widely circulated in MSM:

Police Chief Ratchets Up Search for Mom on 3 Year Anniversary of Her Escape:

Old Boys Hard at Work Hunting Down Loving Mothers.

At the time of that post, the Coalition was not aware of the details of Lashada’s case, however it was surmised that she had likely run to protect her children from sexual abuse. Sure enough, that was what happened. When mothers give up life as they know it, choose arduous living conditions in hiding, and risk a long prison sentence, it is almost always to protect children from sexual abuse.

SEXUAL ABUSE BEGINS

Looking back, from the time Little Hanna was about 2, red flags began to appear, but Lashada kept batting them down. Still, she would almost never leave Hanna alone with her husband, who was not Hanna’s biological father. About this time, she became pregnant with their child, Skye.

When Hanna was four, she disclosed that the stepfather had stuck his finger in her bottom and it hurt a lot. Her bottom was red and raw looking. The police and CPS were called. An exam showed signs of abuse. A forensic evaluation was done. A trauma therapist confirmed the sexual abuse. More abuse was disclosed.

The case was shunted into Family Court. At first Hanna was allowed to live primarily with Lashada, but primary custody of Little Skye was given to her father—regardless of the credible evidence of sexual abuse of her older sister.

Then Skye disclosed her father was sexually abusing her. A trip to the emergency room followed where signs of abuse were found and a report was made to CPS.

Following the Family Court playbook, the judge appointed an evaluator and minor’s counsel, whom could be counted on to assist in covering up the sexual abuse: placing blame on Lashada and spinning the case to exonerate the father. And, not surprisingly, Lashada’s own attorney sold her out.

The judge gave full custody of both girls to the father in March of 2020, who, by the way, lived far away in Florida. This despite the fact that he is not even Hanna’s biological father.

So Lashada did what so many resort to: She fled into hiding to protect them.

I feared for my children's safety. I didn't just wake up one morning and decide I would implode my life.

TYPICAL COVER UP

Lashada’s case is a good example of the typical cover up of sexual abuse by fathers in Family Court. All that is supposed to be necessary to protect children is evidence that meets the low preponderance burden.

If a mother believes what her child is saying and there is ANY corroborating evidence, that easily meets the burden; but Family Court judges like Moylan-Wright virtually never make findings that a father has sexually abused his child, regardless of facts and evidence.

Thus the core problem: Judges should NOT have the power to decide what evidence meets the burden of proof (nor who should have custody). A civil jury in a regular civil court should be fact finders in these cases [not criminal court as the burden there is too high].

And Lashada’s girls told her much more about the sexual abuse while they were in hiding—where they felt safe enough to talk about it—as he had threatened them (of course).

There is no doubt in her mind he abused them. And there is plenty of evidence to support her belief. Any father who molests his children is a danger not only to his children but to the community at large. Family Court and/or CPS must do their job.

RETURN FROM HIDING

On Wednesday, Lashada turned herself in, afraid she would soon be caught, thanks to the publicity the Chief instigated to help capture her. She has a preliminary hearing on Tuesday which will likely be postponed as she does not yet have a public defender.

Her daughters were placed in emergency CPS care until tomorrow when an initial dependency hearing will take place. Hopefully the girls will not be returned to the father/stepfather whom they have consistently and credibly disclosed has serially sexually assaulted them. The girls should be returned to Lashada, as that is the right thing to do and is in their best interest, but better in foster care than with him.

CPS and/or Family Court must protect the girls from their named abuser and allow them to live with their loving, protective mother, but what are the chances?

CAMPAIGN TO D.A.

Last month, the Coalition initiated the campaign to the Waynesboro Police Chief and Franklin County D.A. for Lashada. The Chief is no longer involved, but D.A. Matthew Fogal is the one prosecuting Lashada.

If you already contacted D.A. Fogal last month, thanks! You can contact him again now that she is back. If you haven’t contacted him yet, please consider calling or emailing him.

D.A. Matthew Fogal: (717) 261-3827 M-F, 8:30am - 4:30pm [voicemail available]

EMAIL: mdfogal@franklincountypa.gov

Example: Dear D.A. Fogal, I am with The Women’s Coalition and we are asking you to dismiss the felony custodial interference charges against Lashada Lee. She was forced to go into hiding to protect her children from sexual abuse by the father when Family Court failed her. I will support your reelection campaign if you dismiss the charges. Thank you

MSM: You can also google Lashada Lee to see the MSM coverage and ask reporters to tell the REAL story. They can contact The Women’s Coalition at womenscoalitionintl@gmail.com for interviews.

WOMEN: UNITY IS OUR POWER

NOTE: Lashada was unaware of our campaign for her before she turned herself in. She is grateful and wants to thank everyone who supported her by commenting, reacting, sharing and contacting the Chief and D.A.

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