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For five years, Lauren Kavanaugh was tortured, raped, starved and forced to live in a small closet by her mother and stepfather.
Now 21, the woman constantly abused as a child is sharing her story of rebuilding her life to help other victims of abuse.
The horrific abuse started when Lauren was just three years old. Her mother, Barbara Atkinson, and stepfather Kenny forced her to live in a 4 ft by 9ft closet.
Her “evil parents” would only bring her out of the closet to torture and rape her.
Lauren’s Ordeal
Not afraid to share her dark past, Lauren said that her mother would lock her up in the closet and starve her.
“I was huddled in there for hours under a rail of dresses and shirts. I thought it was a punishment. There was no water or food, just darkness.”
She recounts being pulled out of the closet and raped at the age of three.
“They put country music on blaring to hide my screams. After hours of abuse, I was bundled back into the closet, confused and in agony.”
Soon, the closet became Lauren’s new home. She slept and used it as her bathroom. There was nothing else left to do inside the small space since it was very dark there.
“The carpet was drenched in urine and I lay under a thin, wet blanket.”
Surprisingly, the couple, who initially gave up Lauren for adoption, didn’t hurt their other children.
“Sometimes I could hear them laughing and playing outside,” she said.
A Second Life
Finally in 2001, Lauren was rescued by the police from her abusive parents. At that time, she was already 8 years old but was only weighing 25.6 lbs due to malnutrition.
Lauren’s body was so starved that doctors had to administer a feeding method similar to what was used for Holocaust victims.
In 2002, the Atkinsons were found guilty of felony and jailed for life. They won’t be eligible for parole until 2031.
Learning to Live Again
Sabrina and Bill Kavanaugh, the couple who adopted her when she was a baby, re-adopted her after her rescue.
Although the Kavanaughs provided her love and care, life was still hard for Lauren who suffered trauma from years of abuse.
Lauren, who had the mental age of someone younger, would often hide food and sleep in her wardrobe at night. She also didn’t know how to play with toys.
At school, Lauren had a hard time often engaging in school fights. She also attempted suicide and suffered from seizures from time to time.
Luckily, Lauren was transferred to an alternative school where she received residential therapy. There she met other victims of abuse.
Now, Lauren no longer needs medication for her bipolar disorder or depression. She is now taking up psychology at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens and hopes to become a counsellor one day.
“My dream now is to qualify as a counsellor – I really want to help victims like me to overcome their abuse and be strong.”
