Entertainment Report
She was kidnapped by her stepfather as a child in Oklahoma, held captive 19 years. Then she escaped.
An Oklahoma man kidnapped his stepdaughter as a child, repeatedly raped and abused her, fathered her nine children and threatened her with violence during the almost 20 years he held her captive, authorities said.
Henri Michelle Piette, 63, was found guilty last Thursday by a federal jury of kidnapping and traveling with intent to engage in a sexual act with a juvenile following a seven-day trial that detailed the horrific conditions Rosalynn McGinnis endured.
McGinnis, now 34, fled with eight of her nine children, in early 2016 after befriending a couple she met at a grocery store in Mexico.
“The victim endured two decades of horrific abuse by the defendant. Her courage led her to escape and rescue her children, and allowed investigators and prosecutors to seek justice on her behalf,” U.S. Attorney Brian J. Kuester of the Eastern District of Oklahoma said in a press release. “Ultimately her courage ended the defendant’s reign of terror.”
Piette kidnapped McGinnis in 1997 from her hometown of Poteau, Oklahoma, when she was 11 or 12 years old. McGinnis’ mother had been in a relationship with Piette, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Shortly after kidnapping McGinnis, Piette “took her to a van” and “married” her, according to The Associated Press.
During the almost two decades McGinnis was held captive, she was forced to alter her appearance and use various aliases. In 2000, at the age of 15, she gave birth to Piette’s first child, authorities said. She would later give birth to the eight other children fathered by Piette.
When she turned 18, Piette made McGinnis go to a police station in Arizona, where they were living at the time, and tell officers that she ran away from home so she would be removed from the national missing persons registry, she told People magazine in an August 2017 interview. Her name had been added to the list after her mother reported her missing.
“He parked three blocks down the road from the Phoenix Police Department and he had three of my children,” she said. “He told me what to tell them. He said that if I didn’t come back within two hours, I would never see my children again.”
Authorities said Piette avoided being captured by using aliases and moving dozens of times within the United States and Mexico. McGinnis was using the fake name Stephanie when she met Lisa and Ian at the supermarket in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Lisa told NBC affiliate KSHB that she and her husband were in line at the grocery store when they noticed that McGinnis, who was with her children, did not have enough money to pay for her groceries. Lisa and Ian, who did not want their last name disclosed due to fears for their safety, told the outlet that they struck up a conversation with McGinnis and eventually became friends with her and her children.
The couple realized McGinnis needed help when during a visit to see her, Piette accidentally revealed he was 62 years old, Lisa told KSHB. McGinnis was 32 at the time and their oldest child was a teenager, Lisa said.
At some later point, McGinnis, with eight of her children, fled to Lisa and Ian’s home after Piette passed out from drinking, according to KSHB. McGinnis’ oldest child had already escaped. McGinnis was eventually reunited with her family after getting help from the U.S. Embassy and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“I’m just so happy that he is put away where he can’t hurt anyone anymore,” McGinnis told KSHB in an interview last week.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Piette will be sentenced at a later date. Piette has maintained his innocence and told Fox23 that most of the claims against him are “lies.”
“Ninety-nine percent of them are lies. I’m telling the truth,” he told the outlet.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office told NBC News that McGinnis and her children, who range in ages from 4 to 19, still “struggle emotionally” from the trauma they endured. McGinnis now lives in Missouri with most of her children, a spokesperson for the office said. The oldest child, a boy, lives on his own.
By: NBC Palm Springs
June 14, 2019
Latest Instagram Posts
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. What’s your favorite NFL team?
A major cleanup is underway after powerful waves damaged 14 beachfront homes near Capistrano Beach in Orange County. Residents are concerned their homes could remain vulnerable without protective measures in place. Crews are clearing debris, while efforts to bring in protective boulders were delayed by high tide. #California #OrangeCounty #CapistranoBeach #CoastalWaves #Beachfront #WeatherNews
Two new Girl Scout cookies are coming in 2027 🍪 Meet Sparkables: a crunchy oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips and colorful sprinkles, developed with Partake in a facility designed to avoid the nine major food allergens. And for the pups: Patch Pals 🐾 Soft-baked, blueberry muffin-flavored dog cookies in four adorable designs. Both will be available online beginning in January. Which one are you most excited to try? #GirlScouts #GirlScoutCookies #NewCookies #DogTreats #FoodAllergyFriendly #CookieSeason
It’s more than just dancing — it’s fitness, confidence and community. A Coachella Valley dance studio is helping adults move their bodies, have fun and step into their power, one class at a time. And during Beyoncé’s birthday week, the energy was turned all the way up. “When in doubt, twerk it out.” See how VXN Worldwide Dance Company is getting the Valley moving — and building confidence along the way. Read more at NBCPalmSprings.com. #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #Dance #Fitness #Community NBCPalmSprings
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. What are you going to be for Halloween? 🎃
Labor Day traffic is picking up in Palm Springs. If you’re heading out, our Maria Noble Valdez has what you can expect on the roads here. Be sure to stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs and nbcpalmsprings.com for more Labor Day coverage #LaborDay #LaborDayTraffic #PalmSprings #TrafficUpdate #i10
Who makes the NBC Top 3, winner will be announced Sunday night on NBC Palm Springs, with the player who makes the number one spot winning a $250 prize from @hondaofthedesert! Comment below if it will be 1) Cael Woody with the dot under pressure, 2) Tatum Webster with the pass breakup, 3) Ivan Garza with the rushing TD, 4) Sean Meza with the toe tap, or 5) Jesus. Valenzuela with the strong hands #fypage #fridaynightlights #top3 #hondaofthedesert
Me On A Plate is back! We head over to @tacquila_ps to talk to chef David Arreguin about his love of spice, being the seventh of nine children, and his drive to always follow his passion. Check it out now on our website nbcpalmsprings.com
Nearly a year after wildfires tore through Mountain Center, the scars are still visible along the Palms to Pines Highway. Now, fire crews are working to repair those burn areas and reduce the risk of flooding, erosion and mudslides when heavy rain arrives. The work includes fire-line suppression repairs, water bars and other measures designed to slow rainwater and keep burned soil from washing away. CAL FIRE Riverside County Battalion Chief Ryan Lubin says the steep terrain, dry brush and limited access continue to create challenges for mountain communities. With El Niño conditions expected to bring periods of heavy rain, officials say preparing now could help protect homes and communities from the aftermath of wildfire. The message from firefighters: preparation can save lives. Read the full story at NBCPalmSprings.com. #MountainCenter #Highway74 #PalmsToPines #CALFIRE #Wildfire WildfireRecovery FireSafety CoachellaValley SanJacintoMountains
Gas prices in Riverside County are climbing toward $6 a gallon — and that’s more than $1 higher than this time last year. A 15-gallon fill-up now costs about $86, leaving many drivers wondering how much longer they can absorb the rising cost. On this week’s Roggin Report, Fred Roggin and the panel debate how expensive gas is changing the way people travel, work and live — and why prices are so much higher here. Watch the full conversation at NBCPalmSprings.com. #RogginReport #FredRoggin #GasPrices #RiversideCounty #CoachellaValley