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Part 25

August 16, 1994, STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. PATRICK S. FIGURED, COURT OF APPEALS OF NORTH CAROLINA, 446 S.E. 2d 838, Convictions Affirmed For First Degree Sexual Offenses

Overview: Appellate documents and news articles state Patrick Figured, 41, a former executive of an electronics company, entered an Alford plea of guilty to three counts of first degree sex offenses. The State agreed to dismiss the charges against a co-defendant, Sonja Hill, 34, who was Figured’s girlfriend.

In July of 1990, the outgoing DA re-indicted Sonja Hill on the same charges. Figured filed a motion to have his guilty pleas set aside due to the DA violating terms of the agreement. On March 9, 1992, the Grand Jury re-indicted Figured for three counts of first degree sex offenses which occurred in 1988. The Court noted that each child who testified stated that the defendant inserted a screwdriver in his or her anus. Physicians found physical abnormalities in these children. Two of the children testified that the defendant made a dog urinate and forced the children to drink it. The Jury heard how Figured and his girlfriend, Sonja Hill, would drug and then molest the children at the unlicensed child care center in the Smithfield home of Hills’ mother, Virgina “Polly” Byrd. The children testified that there were video cameras present when Figured sodomized them. Figured was then convicted of all charges.

Sonja Hill was convicted of indecent liberties with a child on 7/28/93

News articles describe this case as one involving child pornography, satanic rituals, and animal abuse. Parent of one of these abused children filed a civil suit against Sonja Hill and her mother, Polly Byrd, who ran the daycare center. They alleged that their children had been forced to participate in Satan worship while being abused. The kids spoke of having to drink blood, their abusers burned Bibles, and wore masks and capes. Mr. Figured told the children that he did not believe in God.

Sonja Hill and her mother did not respond to the lawsuit, but a Johnston County jury awarded a $10.5 million judgment to the parents who did not believe they would ever collect the money but wanted other people to know that these acts do occur. See “Johnston Couple Win Child Sexual Abuse Suit,” News and Observer, March 27, 1990

April 12, 1994, IN RE: CHRYSTAL AND TASHA, SUPERIOR COURT OF CONNECTICUT, JUVENILE MATTERS, 1994 Conn. Super. LEXIS 1061, Termination of Parental Rights Affirmed

Overview: Appellate documents state that children Chrystal and Tasha were in several placements over a period of 4 years after a finding of neglect in Juvenile court. The mother was in and out of prison due to drug usage and sales. A Social worker who had worked with Tasha four days out of the week in the hospital noted that one of the children had been diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder and had been subjected to Satanism. The Court said that because of the introduction of evidence of ritual or Satanic sexual abuse, which came to light only after that child’s commitment in 1989, it could account for her fragile emotional condition. It was not clear whether the incidents took place with the biological mother or in the foster homes the child was in over the years where allegations of abuse had been confirmed.

The Social worker could not eliminate the mother’s home because Tasha identified her mother as a “ghost” and expressed fear of her. The child had referred to her mother as “Natas,” which is Satan spelled backwards. Tasha recognized her mother as “Mama Dawn,” one of the “Mamas” who involved her in the terrifying experiences she recounted from the Satanic ritual abuse connected with the Church, and feared her. Contact with her mother was suspended when the child began exhibiting negative behaviors after visitations or after other types of communication.

March 22, 1994, COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA v. RICKIE JAY GADDIS, SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 639 A. 2d 462, 1994 Pa. Super. LEXIS 963, Sentence Affirmed, Fine Vacated

Overview: Appellate documents state that the consolidated appeals were taken from the judgments of sentence imposed on February 9, 1993 against the father, Rickie Gaddis. He was found guilty in two separate trials of more than 150 counts of aggravated assault; recklessly endangering another person; terroristic threats; endangering the welfare of children; corruption of minors; false imprisonment; simple assault; prohibited offensive weapons; rape; statutory rape; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; aggravated indecent assault; indecent exposure; incest; and criminal conspiracy.

The charges arose from the “horrific sexual, physical and emotional” abuse and neglect by Rickie Jay Gaddis, of his minor children. Gaddis was sentenced to “235 to 470” years in prison. The appellate court affirmed his sentence but vacated his fine. There had been concern he was going to capitalize on his crimes by selling a book.

News reports quote the police, stating the children were subjected by their parents and neighbors to ritualistic torture that included bloodlettings with a sword, Satanic ceremonies, hot needles under their fingernails, sodomy, stretching and tattooing. The children told police of Satanic rituals in which their 34 year old father used ceremonial swords to draw blood from adults and children to pour on the grave of a daughter killed in a fire three years ago. Also arrested were a 39 year-old man and three juveniles who lived with him, a 41 year-old man, and a 29 year-old man, visitor to the house.“

Rickie Gaddis’ wife, Debbie Louis Gaddis, 33, was also convicted.

In news reports dated 2006, Ricky Gaddis requested release from prison due to health woes but the Judge denied his request. He was described as a notorious child rapist/torturers and quoted his children’s testimony about how he ruled over them with the claim of having “special powers.” See “Pa. couple is charged with torturing children: Police say neighbors also took part in abuse,” The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, November 26, 1991; “Pennsylvania Couple Charged with Brutalizing their children,” The Washington Post, November 26, 1991; and “Parents charged with Torturing their Children,” Associated Press, Nov. 25, 1991; “Gaddis Released Denied: Judge unmoved by health woes,” Tribune-Democrat, December 9, 2006; “Child Abuser Seeks Prison Release,” Tribune-Democrat, September 30, 2006

See Part 26