They look like the cast from the latest hip reality show. Young, fresh-faced and full of life. Their unique career as a "Piano Quintet" has truly taken off. They were featured on CBS's 60 Minutes when they were all five accepted into the renowned program at Juilliard. Since then, they have been traveling the country, performing their 'trademark' music: a variety of classical piano pieces combined with a dash of more contemporary hits such as John Williams' music from "Star Wars" and Bernard Herrmann's score from "Vertigo" and "Psycho."
No one ever guessed that behind the smiles and music lurked an evil secret that the group had been hiding for nearly 20 years. How does this happen? No matter how many times we hear about it in our communities or see it reported on the news, we still cannot get our brains wrapped around the reality that abuse is not a respecter of color, creed nor economic standing. Perhaps it's our need for "safety" that keeps us from fully addressing the reality of the situation. Perhaps it's the fact that the truth is so seldom spoken aloud.
This is a portion of the blog posting by Melody Brown from The 5 Browns webpage on January 26, 2011:
"Ok, so let me explain. See, New Years is sort of a tradition in our family. Every year we get together for a late dinner (the highlight of the night) at some nice "out of the ordinary" restaurant and then choose to either spend midnight elsewhere or continue to hang out, play games and whatever. This year none of us had other commitments, so we all just hung out watching the ball drop....We laugh, joke and just chill. At midnight, we'll usually rush to pop open a few of our favorite Martinelli's drinks, toast to a hopeful year and steal kisses from our spouses. And, like every year, you think over the previous one...the good and bad. You wonder if this New Year will bring better good and less bad. Sometimes it can be bittersweet."
"Bittersweet," indeed. Just twenty-three days later, Melody's father would turn himself in to authorities in Provo, Utah and plead guildty to sodomy on a child and two counts of sex abuse of a child. Keith Brown's ongoing attacks against his daughters began back in 1990 and continued until 1998. All of the girls were 13 or younger when the attacks occurred. Desirae is now 32, Deondra is 30 and Melody is 26.
Although Mr. Brown (who was formerly The 5 Browns' manager) turned himself in and confessed, it was his daughters who disclosed the abuse out of concern for the welfare and protection of other young women and girls. They also wanted their father to take resonsibility for his actions and sought a punishment that was suitable to the crimes committed against them. Keith Brown is scheduled for sentencing on March 31.
For 20 years, these kids have carried this burden. In the midst of making such beautiful music, they suffered in silence. DCAC works each and every day to "Restore Childhood" for victims of crimes similar to those endured by the Brown daughters, giving voice to their song of hope and healing.
No comments:
Post a Comment