Police in North Carolina just hit six brothers with rape and sexual assault charges for allegedly abusing their now teenage sister for over a decade.
Aaron Jackson, 19; Benjamin Jackson, 19; Nathaniel Jackson, 21; Mathew Jackson, 23; Jon Jackson, 25; and Eric Jackson, 27, were arrested last Tuesday (May 6). Authorities say they have been following the case for a year, and that the now 16-year-old sister was abused between the ages of 4 and 14.
According to a neighbor, all seven kids were home schooled and “kept to themselves.” The parents also face felony child abuse charges because they witnessed the repeated rapes. Perquimans County Sheriff Eric Tilley said “I lay blame on the parents, and their charges are less than what the boys are going to get.”
Eldest brother Eric confessed to a family pastor back in 2012. The pastor encouraged him to tell police, which he did, setting off the investigation:
“How many people are going to walk into a law enforcement office and say ‘I had sex with my sister?’ It just doesn’t happen,” said Tilley. “But that’s one thing… these kids, they do have a belief in the Bible. They knew it was wrong and they had to get it out.”
Once suspicions rose, the parents attempted to pick up and move to Colorado, but the daughter soon contacted Colorado Child Protective Services, who turned the case over to police.
According to Tilley, “For the first kid (Eric) it seems to be like a relief, but even when they came to turn themselves in last week, it was like, ‘We’re here.’ I don’t think they know the magnitude of what they’d done because I don’t think they know it was wrong. They haven’t been taught any differently.”
All six brothers are being held on $150,000 bond and awaiting arraignment. The parents were released on $15,000 bond
