It was a house of secrets and abuse.In August, Oklahoma City police got a tip that a man had multiple children with his stepdaughter. That report would unravel a family and shake an entire community.For the first time, and only on KOCO 5, hear from the adult children about life behind closed doors and the hero who would turn him in. The cul-de-sac in southeastern Oklahoma City looks like any other, but inside the yellow house was a man with a secret. One woman, Doris Cole, would unearth the truth.”It just took someone paying attention. And believe it or not, he was telling on himself every single day, but no one listened,” Cole said.A family of 11 lived in the yellow house: mom, dad and nine children who were hidden away from the world.”They never left the house, only with him,” a neighbor told KOCO 5 back in August.The children had never been to school, a doctor’s office, or even a movie theater – all to conceal a secret they never knew was wrong: their dad’s relationship with their stepsister.KOCO 5 asked if they knew the younger children were their dad’s children, too.”I already knew about but I didn’t know there was anything wrong with it,” the 23-year-old who lived in the home said.At 12 years old, their oldest sister had her first baby with their dad, according to court documents.”We just grew up like it was normal to us,” the 33-year-old who lived in the home said.Their oldest sister gave birth to four more inside the home. “Yeah, I think I was 7 or 8,” the 20-year-old who lived in the home said.KOCO 5 sat down with three of the siblings who wanted to share their story. We asked if they ever questioned why they weren’t allowed to leave the house more.”Dad always said he didn’t want us to get hurt or because he was protecting us from people outside,” the 20-year-old said.That would all change.”I was looking for someone to paint the ceilings, and he answered the ad,” Cole said.Cole hired the father in 2017 as a contractor. She was opening several businesses at 10th Street and May Avenue.”They looked really crazy every day. From the clothes they wore, the smell,” Cole said.He started taking two of his teenage daughters to work, and Cole picked up on something she couldn’t let go of.”They couldn’t read. They couldn’t write. The speech was really bad. When I first met her, I thought she had an accent,” Cole said.She would question the family’s homeschooling, the father’s persistent phone alerts and the van packed full of food and clothing.”He tried to home-school us, and then it went from trying to not doing,” Cole said. It seemed there was nothing overtly wrong.”Every day, it was driving me insane because there was nothing I could do about it. It was nothing I could tell the cops,” Cole said.However, that changed when she met the stepdaughter.”The first time I met her was in the hallway, and I go, ‘Man, she looks like she just had a child,'” Cole said. “She was young, and he was looking at her like she was some kind of candy. I started putting stuff together. Maybe those kids are hers and his.”The family became distant, and Cole believed it was because she was asking too many questions. They came back two years later looking for work.”Now, this time, I said, ‘OK, I’m not letting this guy get away until I figure out what’s going on,'” Cole said.This time, the father told her the truth.”He said, ‘This is not my daughter. This is one of the kids. This is my lover, and that’s my wife.’ And I said, ‘What?'” Cole said.After seven years, Cole had the proof she needed.”I seen him kissing her, and I said, ‘You know what? This is it.’ I called the police,” Cole said.Detectives began interviewing the family, worried he would take them and run. Cole let them stay at one of her homes as she worked with police, without the family knowing.On Sept. 21, police surrounded the home, but the dad wasn’t there.”They asked me if I knew where he was, and I said, ‘Well, he said he was at the other house and said he was coming back,'” Cole said. “So I called him and said, ‘Hey, the police are at the house.’ He said, ‘Did they see the kids?'”KOCO 5 asked what the feeling was inside of the home.”I was hurt because my dad took forever to come,” the 23-year-old said.The adult children were left alone with their secret siblings, waiting for their dad to face up to the crime.”I am amazed and shocked that I’m looking at this entire family I have never seen before,” Cole said. “I have seen bits and pieces. And the condition that the little kids were in, I never imagined.”Court documents revealed the children had poor hygiene, foul odor, lack of dental care and were sleeping on one heavily soiled mattress on the floor. Investigators said two of the children were nonverbal.After three hours, the dad finally showed up at the home.”I stood there on the porch. I didn’t get to see his face, but I saw him from the porch,” Cole said. “That was one of the most satisfying days of my life to watch him get in the police car.”Both mom and dad were arrested. The father was charged with three counts of sexual abuse, five counts of child neglect and three counts of child abuse.His wife was charged with multiple counts of enabling neglect and sexual abuse.Those who lived in the home said they saw her as a victim and didn’t think she should be arrested.”I never thought that dad would touch us or say anything sexual to us,” the 20-year-old said.Court documents revealed a child told forensic investigators that her dad had touched her “privacy” because “he was a doctor.””How did you watch that? How did you hold your daughter’s hand while she’s having a baby by your husband?” Cole said.Now, the adult children live in Cole’s home and work for her.”I can’t hate them because hate is a strong word. I can only forgive them. I can only forgive my dad and leave the rest of it to God’s hands,” the 23-year-old said.They’re now enrolled in school.”I’m doing better on my reading. I read a book yesterday,” the 23-year-old said.They have their first IDs, are learning how to drive, and are working to get their sister’s children back to her from state custody.”You have a 26-year-old who can’t read or write. How can she teach her kids how to read or write?” Cole said.KOCO 5 asked if they felt grateful that Cole intervened.”Yes, because she was helping us out,” the 23-year-old said.Now, Doris hopes the community can wrap around the family and lift them up as they navigate life for the first time.”It’s hard because I’m the one who did it, but I’m also the one taking care of them. I’m hoping that anyone who wants to help is a genuine help,” Cole said. “They’ve already been lied to and hurt their entire lives. I’m hoping their journey and the people they meet along the way remember that.”To help the family you can contact (405) 900-6801 or at doris@mylifeafterok.org or you can go to the website that can be found here and fill out the contact form.
It was a house of secrets and abuse.
In August, Oklahoma City police got a tip that a man had multiple children with his stepdaughter. That report would unravel a family and shake an entire community.
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For the first time, and only on KOCO 5, hear from the adult children about life behind closed doors and the hero who would turn him in.
The cul-de-sac in southeastern Oklahoma City looks like any other, but inside the yellow house was a man with a secret. One woman, Doris Cole, would unearth the truth.
“It just took someone paying attention. And believe it or not, he was telling on himself every single day, but no one listened,” Cole said.
A family of 11 lived in the yellow house: mom, dad and nine children who were hidden away from the world.
“They never left the house, only with him,” a neighbor told KOCO 5 back in August.
The children had never been to school, a doctor’s office, or even a movie theater – all to conceal a secret they never knew was wrong: their dad’s relationship with their stepsister.
KOCO 5 asked if they knew the younger children were their dad’s children, too.
“I already knew about but I didn’t know there was anything wrong with it,” the 23-year-old who lived in the home said.
At 12 years old, their oldest sister had her first baby with their dad, according to court documents.
“We just grew up like it was normal to us,” the 33-year-old who lived in the home said.
Their oldest sister gave birth to four more inside the home.
“Yeah, I think I was 7 or 8,” the 20-year-old who lived in the home said.
KOCO 5 sat down with three of the siblings who wanted to share their story. We asked if they ever questioned why they weren’t allowed to leave the house more.
“Dad always said he didn’t want us to get hurt or because he was protecting us from people outside,” the 20-year-old said.
That would all change.
“I was looking for someone to paint the ceilings, and he answered the ad,” Cole said.
Cole hired the father in 2017 as a contractor. She was opening several businesses at 10th Street and May Avenue.
“They looked really crazy every day. From the clothes they wore, the smell,” Cole said.
He started taking two of his teenage daughters to work, and Cole picked up on something she couldn’t let go of.
“They couldn’t read. They couldn’t write. The speech was really bad. When I first met her, I thought she had an accent,” Cole said.
She would question the family’s homeschooling, the father’s persistent phone alerts and the van packed full of food and clothing.
“He tried to home-school us, and then it went from trying to not doing,” Cole said.
It seemed there was nothing overtly wrong.
“Every day, it was driving me insane because there was nothing I could do about it. It was nothing I could tell the cops,” Cole said.
However, that changed when she met the stepdaughter.
“The first time I met her was in the hallway, and I go, ‘Man, she looks like she just had a child,'” Cole said. “She was young, and he was looking at her like she was some kind of candy. I started putting stuff together. Maybe those kids are hers and his.”
The family became distant, and Cole believed it was because she was asking too many questions. They came back two years later looking for work.
“Now, this time, I said, ‘OK, I’m not letting this guy get away until I figure out what’s going on,'” Cole said.
This time, the father told her the truth.
“He said, ‘This is not my daughter. This is one of the kids. This is my lover, and that’s my wife.’ And I said, ‘What?'” Cole said.
After seven years, Cole had the proof she needed.
“I seen him kissing her, and I said, ‘You know what? This is it.’ I called the police,” Cole said.
Detectives began interviewing the family, worried he would take them and run. Cole let them stay at one of her homes as she worked with police, without the family knowing.
On Sept. 21, police surrounded the home, but the dad wasn’t there.
“They asked me if I knew where he was, and I said, ‘Well, he said he was at the other house and said he was coming back,'” Cole said. “So I called him and said, ‘Hey, the police are at the house.’ He said, ‘Did they see the kids?'”
KOCO 5 asked what the feeling was inside of the home.
“I was hurt because my dad took forever to come,” the 23-year-old said.
The adult children were left alone with their secret siblings, waiting for their dad to face up to the crime.
“I am amazed and shocked that I’m looking at this entire family I have never seen before,” Cole said. “I have seen bits and pieces. And the condition that the little kids were in, I never imagined.”
Court documents revealed the children had poor hygiene, foul odor, lack of dental care and were sleeping on one heavily soiled mattress on the floor. Investigators said two of the children were nonverbal.
After three hours, the dad finally showed up at the home.
“I stood there on the porch. I didn’t get to see his face, but I saw him from the porch,” Cole said. “That was one of the most satisfying days of my life to watch him get in the police car.”
Both mom and dad were arrested. The father was charged with three counts of sexual abuse, five counts of child neglect and three counts of child abuse.
His wife was charged with multiple counts of enabling neglect and sexual abuse.
Those who lived in the home said they saw her as a victim and didn’t think she should be arrested.
“I never thought that dad would touch us or say anything sexual to us,” the 20-year-old said.
Court documents revealed a child told forensic investigators that her dad had touched her “privacy” because “he was a doctor.”
“How did you watch that? How did you hold your daughter’s hand while she’s having a baby by your husband?” Cole said.
Now, the adult children live in Cole’s home and work for her.
“I can’t hate them because hate is a strong word. I can only forgive them. I can only forgive my dad and leave the rest of it to God’s hands,” the 23-year-old said.
They’re now enrolled in school.
“I’m doing better on my reading. I read a book yesterday,” the 23-year-old said.
They have their first IDs, are learning how to drive, and are working to get their sister’s children back to her from state custody.
“You have a 26-year-old who can’t read or write. How can she teach her kids how to read or write?” Cole said.
KOCO 5 asked if they felt grateful that Cole intervened.
“Yes, because she was helping us out,” the 23-year-old said.
Now, Doris hopes the community can wrap around the family and lift them up as they navigate life for the first time.
“It’s hard because I’m the one who did it, but I’m also the one taking care of them. I’m hoping that anyone who wants to help is a genuine help,” Cole said. “They’ve already been lied to and hurt their entire lives. I’m hoping their journey and the people they meet along the way remember that.”
To help the family you can contact (405) 900-6801 or at doris@mylifeafterok.org or you can go to the website that can be found here and fill out the contact form.
