June 25,1996

I lived at New Bethany Home 1993 to March 21.19%.

In

Arcadia. Louisiana from Apnl 16, I \)'12 to Apnl 6, 11)93. and from September I.

mere were a lot of things happening at New Bethany thJt I felt were wrong I was amid to say anything because Brother Mack told us that if we said anything about what went on at the horne after we left that "God would burv us in the cold cold clay" , or thaI we would die e:irly!and go to hell. Besides that I figured that nothing would happen to them any way. Thc longer I have been nornc'inc more things have been bothering me. Mrs. Ford told mv mom and dad and me that if there was ever a raid. that I should SJy that I didn't want to go, that I was happy We were told that if I lcft with the police, that I would be placed in a state home and my parerus would nev er sec me again At one nrnc I W:lS taken to Denton TeXJ.S.because there was supposed to be a raid and the)' were tuding me staved at aughters horne. I was treated very well there and liked them verv much and don', want to get them Involved We had to wash toilets with OUfbare hands and when I asked ~J Ford about this she told me not to worn' was still concerned about getting a disease, because a lot of girls had had sexual diseases and other problems. Once we were put on soap restriction because we used about 3 bars of soap in 3 days. MISS JoAnn Madden thought that this was wasteful so we weren't able to use soap after using the restroom or playing in the gym. This restriction happened around February 1996 We were rationed toilet paper. One of the girls was the TOIlet Monitor. When we needed to USl.: the restroom we had to ask for toilet paper. We were given 5 squares for uri nating, 7 pieces for bowel movements and I 0 pieces for our personal We had to put used toilet paper in a trash can , the trash liners were only changed once a week and il smelled bad We were not allowed to flush used toilet paper down to toilet We did not have fire or disaster drills. We were told to put a robe and shoes at the end of the bed In case of a fire.but they didn't enforce it Once my hair caught on fire in the kitchen and MaMa Ford wouldn't even cut the ends off. There usually wasn I more than three staff members with up to a hundred girls. Some times st.lff went to town 10 do errands and an older girl would be left in charge. Many or the girls were in gangs, did drugs, were suisida). even committed murder. My parents didn 't know these were the type of girls there. When I was left in charge I wasn '[ given instructions about what to do if there was a problem. One of the staff Brother Frank Garcia, from Corpus Cristi, Texas was on slaff for about 3 years. He was a fugauvc in Texas and was either charged, or being investigated for getting ius l~ year old daughter pregnant He was a dorm father in charge of about 100 boys. Before I went to New Bethany, 1 went to see the doctor often for tonsilins, bronchitis, ear infections and bad nose bleeds. My parents always had health insurance. When I told MaMa Ford that I needed to see the doctor. she told me. if my mom sent money for the doctor MaMa Ford took my temperature by putting her hand on my forehead She only used a thermometer once. I mentioned to MaMa Ford when a few girls were sick that the)' needed to go 10 the doctor. they never were taken euher. Both other girls and I were given prescnption medications by rvt1M;J Ford. She got these medications from Dr. rvuy in Ruston Louisiana. Girls were given antibiotics that never saw the doctor. I don' I think that reportable diseases were reported.

When I was on laundry duty I noticed that the boys pants smelled like gasoline. I asked MaMa Ford if she was aware of this, and she said the reason that they doused 10 boys with gasoline was so rhev wouldn't be bitten bv mesquites. the boys worked around bum piles Attack dogs are on the property. Brother Mack told us to say "Hey boy" or to talk to the dogs so that they don:'. bue. I know of a umc when Miss Desince Kwack was bitten and one of the boys was bitten. Thev didn't go to the d(X.10rand It wasn't reported.
\1)" parents were told that we would be paddled on the bottom If we violated the school rules Out there were Ii rues when MaMa Ford was unable to control one of the girls In order to dicipline by paddling At those tunes she would tell the girl that if she didn't cooperate MaMa Ford would let the girls take care of her. A girl named Angel Johnson from Texas was speaking disrespectfully to MaMa Ford and she told about 7 girls to take care of Angel I was asked to participate in this beating but I didn't but I stood and watched It A girl named Jenny Russo from Miami florida. punched Angel in the eye so bad tha~ ~:eye was swollen and she was unable 10 open It.
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A Cambodian girl named Sam Som from Long Beach. Califorrua was asked to take her jewelry off when she first arrived at the horne. When she refused Brother Mack told me and several other girls to make her remove her jewelry. Sam Som started to swear and Brother Mack slapped her in the face very hard over and over until she wasy quiet. This happened around Julv 199; I heard that one of the girls was punished by being forced to kneel on uncooked black-evcd peas WIth hcr arms extended for a couple hours. I didn't see this though Other girls and I were forced to wear a yellow or blue dress for sometimes months .. if we tried to run aWJ\'. This dress was only washed once a week. with very high heels that were verypainful to wear all the time. until we said we were sorry In addition to this sometimes a girl would get paddled. or In my case Iwas forced to stay awake all night with my arms extended out wearing blue high heels. I tried to run away twice. The first ume I was 10 stay awake all night 1fainted twice. A girl by the name of Susan Claron punched me in the face because I couldn't stay awake At times one of the punishments was to have to walk a "duck walk" in the dorm this happened to other girls as well as me On 2 different umes girts were made to be led around on a dog leash by one of the other girls When ever we started to budd a close friendship with another girl we were separated. I started to get depressed and felt it was hopeless 10 make any friends. and started to isolate myself. and get rebellious Girls that went along WIth the fords religious view were given special privileges When a girl spoke OUI against having to wear dresses or complained about the long hair never being cut. we were put on silence for sometimes months. I know of one girl that was on silence for around nine months I was on silence for 2 to 3 months more than once. Around August 1995 things started to get really bad. I told Brother and MaMa ford how I felt about the Inconsistencies in rules. about how th~' shouldn't cal\ us hers when ihcv tiro:\\1 Ih~ time, ;mJ Ih\' w:ly Ih~y \r\\'ll hI use the bible to Justify their actions. Girls that would tell visitors about what was going on. were hidden. M~\1:J Ford used some girls to set up other girls that she suspected weren't going along with her religious point of view was asked to do this and 10 set up staff as well. Once r was asked to tape record Shanda Jarrel. We were called Sluts and whores in church. The girls were belittled and made to feci that we were lesser than the boys. Black were called "ruggers" Brother Mike stood in the front of the church and thated that Blacks should still be slaves accordmg to the Bible. My mother told MaMa Ford that she didn't want me to be taught predudice when I fIrst went there and MaMa ford told her there wasn't any predudice there. Once I was given the job to pull weeds in the flower garden, wit.b two other girls We weren'llo wiuch were the weeds I accidently pulled some flowers. Brother Mack paddled me and the others in anger so hard that It hurt 10 sit After paddling the girls he lold them that "If you tell anyone about tius, you will get it again."

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I remember when we were told that we would be condemned to hell for blow drying our hair nstcad of the bathroom

In

the bedroom

A girl named Chrisun Six had her hands tied to the bed when she was caught masterbating. Brother Mack and Mrs. Ford didn.t .Kwack and Andi Fiddler who didn't school work and the teachers didn't told that I was only using this as an girls scoring paces wnte fake errors have high school educations and they gave us teachers like Miss Descnee have high school degrees either. At some times I had questions about my know the answers. When I told them I had special education problems. I was excuse to not do my school work Brother Mack sometimes had some of the on their work. .

We weren't allowed to go out Side very often. In order to go outside we would volunteer to do heavy labor like chopping trees and working in the fields.
\1ISS

Jeanie Cole was so upset about the way tlun~wcre done at New Bethany she left a few days before I went home. ~''''

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I was told I was going home the night before I left. I was taken to a private hall and never saw my friends ever again. We were not allowed to share our phone numbers or addresses with other girls.