In the wake of my Dad’s death, and making good on a promise I made to him, I put together information for the newly elected Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. I enlisted the help of people I felt had a good feel for the OCCK case. I tried to summarize loose ends and to provide a perspective from my family’s side of this nightmare. We all felt it was very important to provide background information to counter the misinformation the new prosecutor would no doubt be subjected to by the MSP, the Oakland County sheriff, and members of her own staff.
I started by sending her (as well as AG Dana Nessel) Marney Keenan’s book The Snow Killings: Inside the Oakland County Child Killing Investigation, as well as hundreds of pages from retired Detective Cory William’s cogent and well-organized notes. I then sent this letter:
On January 10 I received a phone call from Prosecutor McDonald, acknowledging receipt of the materials and letter. She wanted time to go over everything and was not open to the Zoom meeting I had requested. I wanted the people I listed and described to be present because their viewpoints would round out an honest evaluation of this case and I would not just be viewed as some angry family member.
On January 26, 2021, I then sent this letter:
I realize that stepping into an office that has been mismanaged and worse for almost 50 years has got to be pretty overwhelming and that current caseload and demands obviously take precedence. I still think I was entitled to some kind of a response to my letters. Even just “we haven’t forgotten about this case, we trying to figure out a way forward.” I sent the following email on June 6.
No response. So here we sit, five months later. We certainly can’t have a victim’s family member steering the investigation, or making demands, right? Even though H. Lee Busch, father of prolific pedophile Chris Busch was able to do just that.
I have slowly learned more since I sent these letters in January. I would write them differently today. Perhaps the new prosecutor now has some sense of the real cancer in this case, which metastacized from the very office she now heads. It’s a problem, it’s systemic, and it’s not going away.
I stole this line from Marney Keenan, but we continue to look upon those charged with delivering justice in this case with grave mistrust. Just what part of perpetuating the silence makes sense here? https://catherinebroad.blog/2020/03/. Call me and tell me you won’t go there and why. I know, I’m not a constituent and my Dad is dead. What a relief that must be.
This makes my blood boil. I voted for these two truly hoping they would be different. Every time I get fundraising emails from them and Whitmer, I respond and say I will not give more money until they’ve respectfully and fully addressed this case with the family of the victims. So enraging. I’m so sorry…
Thanks, Meghan. Used to it.
I am so sorry and I pray that there us action taken by McDonald and Nessel. Prayers for you and yours
I know how much you and Marney put into this last push. Indeed, what the hell is the deal with the Oakland County Child Killer Investigation?
I sure wish there was something to break the ice. This is just completely nuts to stay silent like it will just go away. A small step in the right direction may be just to reach out and communicate to you Cathy. Need major international attention which this case rightly deserves so it lights a massive fire under some people’s asses. Maybe in time something will kick it. John Walsh of all cases, you are needed so badly on this one!
I’m so fucking pissed off I can’t describe it on this forum. This is injustice at its finest. It’s a fucking shame that they just brush this shit under the rug. HELLO! Are you not going to address this fuckers failed Georgia polygraph? Are you going to let this bastard continue to drive his lousy limos? I know he will pay in the after life; however, these families and the community demand justice of these horrific crimes. Dana Nessel hello!!!! What clout does the Hastings family hold here? Such a upstanding family they have there. DOES ANYONE ON THIS BLOG KNOW WHAT THAT PRICK DROVE BACK THEN?
This makes me so sad and mad! Although I no longer live in Oakland county, I have many friends, coworkers and relatives who do. There are enough of us still around ,middle-aged not old, and influential enough. who were kids back then. We remember this heinous crime and still feel for the victims. This was a crime against all of us in the community & it’s time we turned up the pressure on McDonald, Nessel etc. I’ve already written, emailed and called- what else can we do? There has to be something.maa ashen we need to protest- it sure couldn’t hurt. Mark,Jill, Kristine and Tim deserve so much better from these elected officials.
When I look at the avalanche of information that has been uncovered, discovered, bubbled to the surface and every other form of coming to light in the time since we had our first conversation about these cases all those years ago do you know what I see? None of it has come from LE coming to your family to tell you, “Hey! This is what we have found. This is a lead we are following.” All of it has come about because of what the victim’s families have discovered – along with a few intrepid souls like Marney and Cory. What kind of fucked up is that? I can’t even find eloquent words anymore. You know where I stand.
It is truly saddening, disheartening, and angering to know how Oaklan County, and the MSP have stalled this investigation for so many years. They say justice is blind. That is. Unless you are politically connected in Oakland County. I have shared my story with you privately, so I won’t rehash it in this forum, but as I have said, if there is any help, or information I can provide, please feel free to contact me anytime.
Thank you, David. Justice is most certainly not blind in Oakland County.