Current Events > Rape victim ordered to pay child support to rapist.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Things took a dramatic turn this year when a judge granted Barnes full custody. It happened after Barnes alleged Abelseth gave her daughter a cell phone. Abelseth said she was also ordered to pay Barnes child support.

Tangipahoa Parish, why am I not surprised. Though there has to be more to the story, a judge doesn't take away custody and ask for child support over a cell phone, there just has to be more to it than that.

Tangipahoa Parish, why am I not surprised. Though there has to be more to the story, a judge doesn't take away custody and ask for child support over a cell phone, there just has to be more to it than that.

What the actual fuck

How the hell did giving her teenage daughter a cell phone justify losing custody? That judge was definitely in the guys pocket and should be investigated.

And it's proven it was rape too, as regardless of consent, she was a minor. Why isn't he in prison when it's not possible for him to be the father unless he raped her?

Well, we can't go ruining his life over a small mistake he made, but we can certainly entrust him with sole custody of his daughter who is the same age her mom was when he raped her.

This is the society we live in. The judge probably believes a daughter is her father's property, or near enough.

And it's proven it was rape too, as regardless of consent, she was a minor. Why isn't he in prison when it's not possible for him to be the father unless he raped her?

A search of John Barnes shows he owns Gumbeaux Digital Branding, a web company in Ponchatoula. Barnes' website shows Ponchatoula Police as a client.

Also seems really unusual for a 16-year-old to not be given any input on custody matters, especially when it involves removing her from the home she's lived in her entire life

Saying my full thoughts on this would get me modded,

By the title I thought it was a case of female on male rape but goddamn, it's way worse than I thought.

he's arguing that she was 17 and it was legal when they had sex, shes arguing she was 16 and it was a crime.

Heard about this story earlier

>She was 16 and he was 30 when they had sex
>He found out he was the father when the daughter was 5 and sued for custody
>2 years later (daughter 7 yrs old), he gets 50-50 custody, she goes to police to file a rape charge
>Daughter is now 16 and he gets full custody

Shes says its because of a cellphone, but realistically at that age they speak to the daughter and ask her what she wants. The issue is that he was never charged with a crime, so hes not officially a felony rapist, so he has parental rights. Age of consent in Louisiana is 17 so i'm assuming he's arguing that she was 17 and it was legal when they had sex, shes arguing she was 16 and it was a crime. She waited 7 years to file charges and only after she lost a custody case so it hurts her case in a "he said/she said" situation.

There it goes.

she only claimed rape after he took custody. Cmon guys, lets be subjective here. That doesnt strike anyone as odd?

A search of John Barnes shows he owns Gumbeaux Digital Branding, a web company in Ponchatoula. Barnes' website shows Ponchatoula Police as a client.

After WBRZ aired the interview, District Attorney Scott Perrilloux told the station he is now reviewing the case and claimed it was the first he'd heard about it.

Rafael Goyeneche with the corruption watchdog Metropolitan Crime Commission also told the broadcaster he had requested an outside law enforcement agency to step in and review the case.

"I've been doing this a long time," he said. "I've never seen anything like this. This is confounding and deeply disturbing."

"That's why I'm making a referral to another agency today, for them to take a fresh look at it to see if it rises to the level of an actionable felony, and the agency that I would refer it to would have the authority to seek an arrest warrant and arrest any culpable individuals in this case," Goyeneche added.

Sean Cassidy of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault told the station: "If a child is born from a felony rape, the law mandates that the abuser shall not have visitation or contact with that child... much less custody,"

A hearing is scheduled for July 15 on the custody issue in Tangipahoa Parish.

In January 2021, the childs school counselor notified DCFS as a mandatory reporter that the child alleged Barnes physically and mentally abused her. Abelseth requested that Barnes custody be limited. Judge Cashe denied that motion.

By November, Barnes filed motions to have Abelseth held in contempt over a cell phone.

On Feb. 2, 2022, Cashe found Abelseth in contempt over the phone and ordered her to pay $500. Abelseth was instructed not to provide her daughter with a cell phone.

That same month court records note for the first time that the child was conceived from a rape. Its also alleged that Barnes drugged and sexually assaulted his daughter on Feb. 21, 2022 and Feb. 22, 2022.

She was transported to New Orleans where she was evaluated and the doctor confirmed that there was evidence of forced entry congruent with sexual assault, the document reads.

On March 18, 2022, Judge Cashe dismisses all of Abelseths claims saying all criminal charges have not been accepted and the evidence does not support the allegations made by the daughter.

Court records were not clear on what evidence led the judge to make his decision. An abuse advocate for Abelseth tells WBRZ the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office has not cooperated with the family over the location of the daughter's rape kit. The sheriff's office, once again, did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

Sheriff Daniel Edwards is the brother of La. Governor John Bel Edwards.

By March 21, 2022, Barnes files for full custody claiming Abelseth provided the daughter with another phone. Barnes alleged because the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office and DCFS took no action, the allegations made by his daughter were false.

That same day, Judge Cashe granted Barnes sole custody.

Additional documents filed show the daughter continues to maintain her dad abuses her.

Judge Jeffrey Cashe notes in the court filings that April 26, 2022 is the first time anything has been mentioned about alleged felony carnal knowledge or rape even though records indicate that was brought up two months earlier.

That day, Abelseths lawyer filed motions to terminate Barnes' custody.

Two weeks ago, the detective who investigated the daughters alleged abuse asked to not be questioned about it. On June 1, 2022, Lisa Reilly filed a motion for protective order asking that if she participates in a deposition, that the questions be limited to matters not under investigation.

In a rare move, Judge Jeffrey Cashe attached a reason why he ruled. That was filed into the court record late Wednesday night, claiming Abelseth never alleged she was abused until Barnes asked to have her held in contempt.

On Thursday, the Tangipahoa Sheriff's Office announced it turned the case over to the district attorney's office following the WBRZ Investigative Unit report which garnered international attention.

So now we have this to digest

https://www.wbrz.com/news/in-rape-paternity-dispute-judge-awarded-child-custody-to-alleged-abusive-father-despite-assault-complaints