SALINE CO.—The jury has returned verdicts of GUILTY in the multi-count sexual abuse case of Brian Bowlby, who was charged in early 2011 with almost two dozen counts of sexually abusing his own daughter when she was six and seven years old.
Brian Bowlby
The girl, now 17, gave testimony this week through tears about how at least once a month between 2001 and 2003, her father would sexually abuse her by touching her genitalia for his own sexual gratification. She indicated that she was scared of him, and that this went on for the better part of two years, despite the fact the DCFS was involved in the family’s situation, and that every month, they would do a report on the family’s progress that indicated there was no hint of sexual abuse problems present. The case, being handled by the highly-capable Assistant State’s Attorney for Saline’s sex crimes, Eva Walker, is highly emotionally charged.
However, Bowlby’s attorney, Lowell Tison, put forth a compelling argument on several points: it so happened that the girl’s reports coincided with the DCFS “check-ins” on the family and the very question of “is there any indication of any sexual abuse going on in the family?” (in other words, there was something present to put into the girl’s head that such a thing even existed, where normally there wouldn’t have been). Further, she testified that the abuse took place through the week, not on weekends; and there was just one little problem with that, being that records showed Bowlby worked as an over-the-road trucker and was gone through the week, only to be home on weekends.
That the girl claimed she suffered through this abuse, only to find the strength to reveal it years later, is a large matter in this case; the state has the burden of proving something that’s basically years beyond being able to be proven by physical evidence, and is now relying on strictly he said-she said. Add to this the fact that the family is clearly victims of DCFS and their tactics to tear families asunder by “trying to keep the family intact,” which efforts include regular suggestions of sexual abuse, and this is a losing proposition for all. Whether the child has concocted the information; it’s been put into her head by dysfunctional DCFS employees; or it’s real, was left up to a jury, who decided that it was the case.
Sentencing is set for March 30; Bowlby has been held at the Saline County Detention Center since his arrest January 2011.