By Willie Cowell on behalf of Amanda and the entire Cowell family
I have been approached countless times in the days, weeks and months to follow, by friends and people in our community expressing their support for “What must have been a very difficult decision” for me to make. That decision was reporting my older brother and his wife for sex offenses and abuse of their own children committed over a nightmarish decade, which had been skillfully concealed from family and those closest to them.
Securing a safe environment for their five juvenile children has also been lauded as “burdensome.”
When my wife and I learned of the allegations of abuse on that evening, disclosing the offenses to an outside law enforcement entity to investigate was not at all a difficult decision to reach. Reporting the abuses happened within mere minutes of our becoming privy to the years-long horrors faced by their children.
Before leaving my house that night to meet with and escort the initial reporting victim of abuse to the Sheriff’s Office to be interviewed; without discussion or second thought between my wife and I, plans of securing our five juvenile nephews and nieces in the safe environment of our home were made and ultimately executed.
Willing support and assistance from our other collective six siblings and their spouses were a given, as Amanda and I both come from very tight knit families.
What wasn’t expected in the days and weeks to follow is the seemingly endless outpouring of support, love and prayer from both within our community and abroad that has left us humbled beyond expression.
The number of people, many of whom remain anonymous, who have donated time, services and financial aid in seeing planned expansion of our home, daily necessities for the children and securing a positive future for my juvenile nephews and nieces is mind blowing to say the least.
The children are currently under state shelter, but are being fostered by Amanda and I, with long term plans of seeing them eventually permanently placed with us.
The entire Cowell family wishes to express our appreciation to the speedy actions of the Boundary County Sheriff, his investigators and staff, for their diligence in swiftly seeing this case to our court system.
Beyond that, to say my family “appreciates” the outpouring of love and support from our community seems trivial at best. There truly are no words to express our gratitude for the unfathomable level of support, love and blessings bestowed on our family from this small town, which we are truly proud to call home.
How you can help
- Donate to the Help the Cowells expand their home fund or mail checks payable to Willie or Amanda Cowell, c/o 9B.News, 6619 Kaniksu St. #19, Bonners Ferry, ID 83895.
- Donate Materials or Labor – If you can contribute supplies or skills, please reach out to organizer Cassie Olson, (208) 946-8896.
- Share This Post – The more people who see it, the faster we can make this happen
- Prayers – Prayers for Willy, Amanda and the Cowell kids.