I have come across a most interesting story—one that in many ways seems to parallel the Elsa Newman case. The man—both husband and father--involved in the second case is one Mark A. Castillo. For the sake of the privacy of Elsa's sons, we'll make do without a name for their father.
In the Castillo case, the authorities did not believe the mother. In Elsa’s case, the authorities would not believe the mother.
In the Castillo case, the separation and divorce were ugly. In Elsa’s case, the divorce had turned ugly.
In both cases the children were quite young.
The Castillo’s had three children. Elsa and her husband had two.
In the case of the Castillos, the husband and father seemed to be a pleasant person, easy to get along with, who seemed to love his children. In Elsa’s case, the husband and father was quite charismatic and seemed to love his children.
In the Castillo case, Mark Castillo talked to the mother about how he could most hurt her. In Elsa’s case, the father seemed to be—and still seems to be—looking for ways to hurt his ex-wife.
In the Castillo case, the mother desperately wanted custody, believing that her children would be harmed by their father. In Elsa’s case, the mother desperately wanted custody, believing that her children were being abused by their father, both sexually and otherwise.
In the case of the Castillos, the authorities chose to believe the husband. In the case of Elsa Newman, the authorities chose to believe the husband.
In the Castillo case, Mark Castillo was allowed unsupervised visits with his children. In Elsa’s case, the father was allowed unsupervised visits with his children—visits the children begged not to have to make.
Elsa’s ex-husband charmed the authorities and found the perfect way to hurt her. He gained custody of the boys. He testified against her—charming the jury and the media, so, partly as a result of his efforts, she ended up in prison. He limits, to every extent he can, their contacts with her. When he was required to take them to see their mother, he would say things like, “Well…let’s go. I have to take you to see your ‘bad mom.’” Or “Here’s a letter from your “terrible mother.” For twenty years, Elsa Newman will live her life in prison—where her children are nothing but an occasional letter, email or phone call—strictly monitored by the children’s father. And she will live out those years, knowing that because nobody would believe her, her children are now in the hands of a pedophile custodial parent, knowing every day of her imprisonment that it could have been different, if only someone would have believed her.
Mark A. Castillo also found the perfect way to hurt his children’s mother: He drowned them in a bathtub. That’s right. All three of them. All dead. He admits it. Now Amy Castillo, because no one would believe her, will live out her life in a different kind of prison—where her children are nothing but memories, knowing every day of her life that it could have been different, if only someone would have believed her.
RSS Feed