GUILTY CA - Richard Swank for child sex abuse, torture, Apple Valley, 2009

soyesterday

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School Psychologist Raped, Tortured Son for 18 Years
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-son-molested,0,237035.story

San Bernardino County prosecutors Kathleen DiDonato says the victim was abused almost from the time of his birth until he fled home at 18.

Testimony indicated the victim was sexually abused, beaten almost daily, fed table scraps, forced to stand in the corner for hours, and slept in handcuffs, on the floor or in a cardboard box.

What is wrong w/ people?????
I don't understand it.
I'm so sick to death of all this gross, evil stuff that people do!!! :(
I wonder if this kid was ever allowed to be out of the house or if he was held there the whole time.
Did he go to school or anything?
Geez.....this is horrible....:( :(
 
And look at the titles of some of the "related links":

Judge: Father Who Ate Son's Eyes Not Fit for Trial

Cops: Father Beat 10-week-old Daughter to Death

Man Pleads Not Guilty in Boy's Beating Death

Report: L.A. Mom Who Decapitated Son Not Considered a Threat

OMG.....i'm so disgusted.....
 
A school psychologist huh. I wonder if this person was easy on troubled kids at school or if the families were hounded and bothered about such things as ADD meds. Totally sickening and there were probably signs and complaints that were ignored over the past 18 years.
 
W.T.F.??? I will never, ever understand how a parent can do things like this to their own flesh and blood. Thank god this boy got out and may he find the strength to deal with it and move on somehow.

I can't believe we've not seen anything on this case before now. Where was this boy's mother FGS?
 
:steamed:I'm almost speechless. I agree with Fairy...where the heck was the mother? I don't want to hear some sob story from her about how she was abused and feared for her life. The man abused her child from the time it was BORN to the time he ran away. I don't say this lightly--if someone harmed a hair on my child's body maliciously, GAME OVER--So, I will never, EVER agree with or understand the psychology that makes these people accept child abuse.
 
This is DISGUSTING!!!!!!!
IMO,

We need HARSHER punishments in this country for people who commit such acts of evil!
 
Does no one own a gun anymore? I would have shot him dead while he slept.

This is no mother.
 
Here is what is so sick. Even if he somehow missed on the animal instincts or fathering instincts, even if he was abused as a child. He has had training and seminars on child abuse. He knew the affect it would have on his son. And he did it anyway.
 
When I first read about this story, I wondered the same thing: Where was the mother? Apparently, the mother and siblings testified for the victim. The father had 16 children and it sounds like everyone was terrified of him.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/school-11425-abuse-sex.html

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/victorville-11587-abuse-years.html

http://www.vvdailypress.com/articles/victorville-13946-abuse-father.html

This site seems to have a lot of news stories about this trial.

Thank you, gxm, for the additional coverage. This is such a bizarre case in that - as many children as he had - this boy was the only one so brutally abused. WTH? He looks like such an arrogant BAS*ARD. I wish they would just put him down now and be done with it. What possible use could he be to society.....EVER????
 
Is it me or are the crime threads being overtaken by crimes against children? It's overwhelming how many cases there are and they seem to be happening faster and more frequent.

I'm not buying that mom didn't know that her other kids weren't at least being terrorized by this *hole
 
Thank you, gxm, for the additional coverage. This is such a bizarre case in that - as many children as he had - this boy was the only one so brutally abused. WTH? He looks like such an arrogant BAS*ARD. I wish they would just put him down now and be done with it. What possible use could he be to society.....EVER????

Did you catch that his kids said he often wore eyepatches and used a wheelchair when he didn't need either one? Why was he allowed to use both in front of the jury? What a piece of work.
 
Did you catch that his kids said he often wore eyepatches and used a wheelchair when he didn't need either one? Why was he allowed to use both in front of the jury? What a piece of work.

That jumped out at me too. There are pictures of him with the eye patch and without it. The man is a manipulator. And it makes no sense that he was allowed his "props" in front of the jury. But at least they were able to see through it and deliver a guilty verdict.
 
Thank you, gxm, for the additional coverage. This is such a bizarre case in that - as many children as he had - this boy was the only one so brutally abused. WTH? He looks like such an arrogant BAS*ARD. I wish they would just put him down now and be done with it. What possible use could he be to society.....EVER????

YVW. I was frustrated that I couldn't find more on this case. It's very compelling and I don't know why we haven't heard more about it.

The kids range in age from 3 to 26. The victim is a young man now and at 24 he's one of the older children. He might have been the first male child to hit his father's preference age group. Or like Friztl did with his daughter, he picked the child he found the most attractive.

He does look like an arrogant #$%#. Let's hope he is never out in society again; and that his son and the rest of his family can begin to heal now that this monster is locked away.
 
What do you suppose constitutes justice in a case like this?

What a brave child-he withstood all of this. Amazing. Amazing.

And how is he supposed to trust anyone ever again?
 
August 2009:

Richard J. Swank, the former school psychologist accused of sexually and physically abusing his son for years, was found guilty Wednesday afternoon of all charges.

Swank, 47, of Apple Valley, is facing life in prison plus 96 years stemming from 11 counts of sexual abuse and one count of physical abuse the victim suffered over a 14-year period.

http://www.thelizlibrary.org/therapeutic-jurisprudence/swank.htm
 
March 2011:

Melissa Anderson's worst childhood memory is shepherding her siblings into the closet while they sang loudly to drown out the sounds of her father beating her younger brother.

Her father, Richard Jay Swank, pulled Anderson out of school in the fifth grade and made her the primary caretaker of nine brothers and sisters. Most endured beatings, torture and starvation.

Swank is now serving a life sentence in a California prison for his crimes. Anderson, now 29, clawed her way out of hell by joining the Army at 17.

On Saturday, she graduated from St. Mary's University School of Law at the top of her class, and she plans to practice family law or represent abused and neglected children in the court system. She would like to run for office some day. She is also an author, and she published her first illustrated children's book last year.

http://m.mysanantonio.com/news/educ...d-back-St-Mary-s-law-grad-escaped-1382402.php
 
January 2015:

Two men were arrested Wednesday, January 28th and Thursday, January 29th in connection with the cold-blooded shooting murder of Army National Guard Spc. Daniel Yarbrough. Yarbrough had been invited to the home of a man, who was considered his best friend at the time for dinner, bible study and a movie...

The shooting took place near the apartment of Wesley Elijah Swank, 28 also a soldier at the time and the self-proclaimed best friend of Yarbrough. The September 29, 2014 shooting for quite a while had no leads at the investigators were able to share with the public. According to family, Swank was around family, assisting with the funeral arrangements, even acting as Pallbearer...

The second arrest was of Wesley Swank’s 20-year-old brother, Logan Swank was made on January 29th. Unconfirmed reports tell our reporters the crime had to do with an insurance policy,...

The Swank family also have a treacherous past filled with abuse; sexual, physical and mental. Their father, Richard J. Swank, a former school psychologist from Apple Valley was found guilty of charges of beating and sexually abusing his son for most of his life, starting at the age of four and ending when he left home at 18 years of age.

http://www.vvng.com/cold-blooded-murder-of-soldier-family-secrets-of-suspects-revealed/
 
February 2015:

In an exclusive interview with Victor Valley News reporters, the tortured Swank child, 30-year-old Michael Swank, the brother of Wesley and Logan Swank spoke candidly.

“In regards to the media attempting to describe my childhood, they have no clue. My childhood was far worse than what they try to paint it as,”said Army Sgt. Michael Swank...

All of the Swank children survived a brutal childhood, but the horrendous torture one small child suffered and lived through is a miracle. He was not only stripped of a lot of the fun things many of us have memories of like Birthday’s and Christmas, but he was blatantly ignored, neglected and abused. The abuse was mental, physical and sexual...

After speaking with Michael, calling him “the victim” almost does not seem appropriate, it seems as though the conqueror or “winner” would be far more appropriate. Michael had his first child with wife, Stephanie just over a year ago. Michael admitted being terrified of the prospect of being a father since he had no parents worthy of modeling himself after...

Michael shares his stance on where he found the strength by saying, “You can’t give up, it would be a lot easier to give up and give in. You have to take control of your life. You have to make the choice to rise above. You have two choices, play the pity card and live your life in a downward spiral until you yourself become a perpetrator or you can realize you have been through some pretty heinous stuff then realize that is not the end.”...

The aftermath of the abuse has caused Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for both Michael and Melissa.

“My childhood absolutely affects me in huge ways. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I struggle with the aftermath, but I put that energy to good uses. I advocate for children. I volunteer extensively for child welfare nonprofits,” said Melissa.

http://www.vvng.com/rise-above-or-sink-the-swank-family/
 

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