Chapter 6 - The Voices of the Innocent
As the date for the permanent custody hearing approached, Leo’s night terrors began to intensify.
He would wake up sweating, screaming that his father was breaking through the bedroom window. I moved a cot into his room, sleeping beside him every night, holding his hand until his breathing stabilized.
I scheduled weekly sessions for Leo with Dr. Miriam Hayes, a renowned child psychologist specializing in trauma recovery.
During his fourth session, Dr. Miriam invited me into her office after Leo had finished playing with a sandbox set in the corner.
"Mrs. Vance," Dr. Miriam said, her expression grave as she placed a series of drawings onto her desk. "Children express trauma through art long before they have the vocabulary to describe it."
I looked down at the drawings.
They were drawn in heavy black and red crayon strokes. One picture showed a tiny figure hiding inside a closet while a massive, shadowy monster with sharp teeth stood over a broken kitchen table.
Another drawing depicted a small boy tied to a chair while a clock ticked on the wall.
"Leo told me about the 'quiet game,'" Dr. Miriam said softly.
"The quiet game?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"When you were at work, Mark would force Leo to stand in the corner of the hallway for hours without moving or speaking," Dr. Miriam explained, her voice trembling with quiet indignation. "If Leo shifted his weight or made a sound, Mark would add an hour. If Leo cried, Mark would take his toys and break them in front of him."
I covered my mouth with both hands, dry-heaving as the absolute horror of my son’s life rushed over me.
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"Dr. Miriam," I choked out through my tears. "Will you testify at the custody hearing?"
Dr. Miriam looked at me with unshakeable resolve. "I have already submitted a mandatory report to Child Protective Services, Sarah. I will not only testify; I will ensure the court understands that placing this child back in that man's care poses an immediate danger to his psychological and physical safety."
