The Daniel Rinehart case....Finding hope in the strangest place.

The Daniel Rinehart trial didn't take long. When you have left a trail of dead babies, and a 20 year old victim/daughter, to attest to the unspeakable acts committed, a jury isn't going to take long in deliberation. The Jury recommended life, and you have to believe the judge in the case will sentence him along those lines. I won't go into all of the sordid details of the case, but for those not familiar, here it is in a nutshell. Creepy white trash hillbilly rapes his own child from the age of 5, impregnates her 4 times. 3 of the babies end up dead, one survives and lives with the victim. Rineharts wife and the mother of the victim delivers the babies, is well aware of what is going on. Rather than react like any decent mother, instead of doing whatever it takes to protect her own child, she remains mute, and jealous of her daughter and the unwanted attention she receives from her father. As if all of this wasn't repugnant enough, enter Rineharts Uncle, who testified as follows.

“I’d rather not get into that because my thoughts for Ashley are not for on TV,” said James Gallup, Danial Rinehart’s uncle. “There were a lot of variables in it,” Gallup said. “Like I was telling you, she could have said no. She could have went to her mother, right? "


And there it is, because there is always some knuckle dragger who wants to blame the victim. Gallups statement also gives you a pretty good idea of the type of stock Rinehart comes from. The thing about this case that strikes me as most unfair, the victim can never really escape the scumbag who abused her throughout her childhood. The child, the living breathing evidence of what happened, will always be with her. She can't possibly look at her child without thinking of the man who victimized her. But there is another side to the coin, and it is some consolation in a case that shows the darkest side of humanity. The young woman loves this child. All indications are that she intends to raise the boy, just like any young single mother, and probably better than most of them. It would be understandable if she wanted nothing to do with the product of being raped and abused for so many years. I doubt anyone would find fault in her for giving the child up, trying to move on with her life, put it all behind her. Instead she has risen above all of the pain and shame, placing the child first and foremost in her life. Despite being abused from the age of 5, despite seeing 3 of her children disposed of, one left in a cooler in an old garage, despite her own mothers lack of humanity, this young woman wants to raise , protect, and nurture, the child.


If you can get beyond the horrible crime and its details, there is something awe inspiring to be found. A mother, doing what mothers are meant to do. In spite of it all, she just wants to care for her child as best she can. The Rinehart case first destroys your hope for humanity, then this young woman, victim, and mother, restores it.