Part 24

September 10, 1994, ARIZONA, PINAL COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, STATE OF ARIZONA vs. EDWARD G. CANNADAY, DEFENDANT, Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Sentenced to 20 years // Co-Defendant, STATE OF ARIZONA, PLAINTIFF, vs. SHARLOTTE ANN BROWN, DEFENDANT, Case No. CR 16909, Convicted of Contribution to the Delinquency/Dependency of a Minor, Sentenced to Probation

Overview: News articles state the children of Edward Cannaday, 38, a former pastor, claimed that their father and his three retarded brothers were part of a satanic cult that sacrificed animals, babies and children, and engaged in family group sex in the desert west of Coolidge in 1988. Cannaday was accused of having sex with and fondling his daughters and step-daughter, then 5, 10 and 11, and molesting his 6 year old son. All of the children were placed in foster homes.

Police heard reports during the late 1980’s that dozens of dead bodies had been seen, but none were found, and no charges were filed, but still unexplained were bone fragments, bits of clothing and scraps of duct tape that were found.

Five other relatives were indicted on charges ranging from aggravated assault to child molestation but charges against the three younger brothers were dropped when they were declared incompetent to stand trial.

After a three-week trial Edward Cannaday was convicted of sexual molestation of a child. The defense attorney didn’t dispute that the children were chronically abused which testimony and medical evidence suggested. His co-defendant and sister, Sharlotte Ann Brown, was convicted for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

See “Man Could Get 162 Years in Molestations,” The Arizona Republic, September 10, 1994; Ex-Pastor Sentenced On child-Sex Charges, The Arizona Republic, November 19, 1994

October 26, 1994 , PEOPLE OF TEXAS v. FRANCES AND DANIEL KELLER, COURT OF APPEALS, Both Cases Upheld on Appeal No. 3-92-603-CR and No. 3-92-604-CR, Convicted for Aggravated Sexual Assault on a Child upheld; Sentenced to 48 years

Overview: Appellate documents and news articles state Defendants Dan and Frances Keller were indicted in Travis County, Texas. They arranged to surrender to police but fled to Las Vegas instead after Dan Keller dyed his hair. The police tracked them down and arrested them in Las Vegas. The Kellers had a joint trial after which a jury found them guilty of sexually abusing a three year old girl. A doctor had found lacerations to the labia and hymen of the child that were consistent with an allegation of sexual abuse.

News reports state that more than one child was thought to have been abused at "Fran's Day Care" in Austin, Texas, operated by the Keller's, but this particular case cites their conviction of only one 3 ½ year old child. A 6-yr-old child, who also claimed to be a victim, testified on the behalf of the 3 1/2 year old and called Fran's Day Care, "Fran's Hate Care." About eight children were in therapy due to the abuse.

The children described ritual acts: being terrorized in a graveyard, seeing animals killed, being buried alive with animals, painting pictures with bones dipped in blood, being shot and resurrected, being stuck with needles and drugged, and seeing bodies dug up and mutilated with a chainsaw. A child led an investigator to a graveyard where they found animal bones. Parents reported that the children were terrified of baths, children who believe they must kill themselves on their birthday, children who were afraid of ponies, fearful they will be put in jail, and children who could conduct a séance, complete with otherworldly “chants.”

Children spoke of being forced to close their eyes while the Kellers took a meat cleaver and pretended to chop off their fingers and toes. One child peeked and saw Dan Keller pull a bone from a bag and smear it with blood from a jar and realized the perpetrator had tried to fool him. The child was forced to paint a picture with “Satan’s arm” dipped in blood.

They spoke of seeing the Kellers place infants in the backyard swimming pool and letting them sink. Frances Keller would then remove the baby from the bottom of the pool, baptize it with blood, and offer it to Satan. The Kellers reportedly killed a baby named Rachel by cutting her heart out. The heart was placed in a child’s hand who described it going “thump, thump, thump until it stopped.” The body was put in the swimming pool, and its skin and eyeballs buried in a hole.

One boy said a gun was held to his head while he was forced to molest his infant sister. When the pornographic movie was replayed for him, the gun was not visible and he realized he’d been tricked. At least three children developed an “eerie habit of behaving like cats. In sudden realistic transformations, parents say, the children would crawl, meow, hiss and demand food from bowls.” One parents stated her daughter told her they were taken to an actual jail cell, and she was put in there with a kitten, and then it crawled through the bars and the perpetrators stomped on the cat, cut it up, and told them if they told, that’s what would happen to them. They would show the children their parent’s payment in check and would say, “See? Your mommy pays us to do this to you.” The children then hatched a plan to try to kill Dan Keller. Texas Ranger Johnny Waldrip said he believed the kids wholeheartedly, and thought they were subjected to ritualistic acts so they would be discredited. A therapist and expert witness testified about the reality of ritual abuse for the jury.

The defense lawyers used videos showing some the younger child recanting, saying the abuse never happened, in efforts to try to undermine the case. The defense also stated that the claims were "too outlandish to be believed" because the children also spoke of going on airplane rides and seeing a baby killed. The parents claimed that one of the perpetrators was flashing threatening hand signals during the child's testimony.

Another mother said,"I put my son in a mental hospital as a result of this abuse (by the Kellers), and it's only been through over a year of intensive psychotherapy that he's begun to partially heal."

Three other people were indicted for sexually abusing children at this daycare. They were Douglas Perry, a Travis County road maintenance worker, Janise White, a Travis County constable – Perry’s wife, and Raul Quintero, another Travis County constable and Whites partner. Douglas Perry was originally given immunity but denied any knowledge of events on the witness stand. Prosecutors then introduced a statement written by Perry on July 7, 1992 which was read to the jury. The statement described sexual activities with two children by the aforementioned individuals. He confessed to tearing a head off a doll and threatening the children that if they told, their heads would come off the same way.

Perry eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent acts with a child and he received 10 years probation.. Indictments against White and Quintero were dismissed. Parents of two children filed a civil suit holding these three people accountable for not reporting the abuse, but the case was dismissed.

See “Speaking the Unspeakable/Nightmares of Fran’s Day Care Stalk Families,” Austin American-Statesman, Dec. 13, 1992; "6-yr-old Testifies he Witnessed Abuse of girl," Nov. 24, 1992, and "Kellers Found Guilty of Sexual Assault," Austin American Statesman, Nov. 26, 1992; “Therapist Describes Ritualistic Abuse Claims,” Austin American Statesman, Nov. 20, 1992.

See Part 25