Survivor Shares Story After Father Gets 6-9 Years for Abuse

After decades of silence, Helena stood in a Harnett County courtroom and forgave the man who raped and tortured her throughout her childhood. That man was her father, Joe Smith, who pleaded guilty this week to crimes dating back to the 1990s and will spend six to nine years in prison.

Helena's path to justice began in 2021 when Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Brandon Taylor discovered her story while investigating a missing child case. Learning about the horrific abuse she endured, he made it his mission to help her find closure after 25 years.

"When he first came to me, he was in tears," Helena recalled. "He was like, 'No one should have to endure this. And I'm going to have your back from the beginning to the end.'"

Taylor kept his promise. When Helena read her victim impact statement in court, he stood behind her, just as he had throughout the entire process since 2022.

"I thought it was my fault until Brandon told me, 'No, it's not your fault. You didn't consent to this,'" Helena said. Those words changed everything for her.

Helena described years of abuse where she was handcuffed to a refrigerator with no medical care and shot at. She told investigators that during her first interview with the district attorney, she suddenly smelled the hair grease her father used on her, even though it wasn't in the room. "That's trauma," she explained.

But Helena isn't letting her past define her future. Now a wife, mother, and grandmother married for over a decade, she's channeling her pain into purpose by speaking publicly about her experience.

Why This Inspires

Helena chose to waive her anonymity and share her story so other survivors would know they're not alone. She spoke in court not just for herself, but for family members too afraid to come forward.

"It is not your fault," she wants other survivors to know. "I blamed myself for a long time. Maybe the way I dressed, maybe the way I walked. But for other people in my shoes, just know it's not your fault."

For Taylor, who has worked in law enforcement for 25 years, this case affected him more than any other because the justice system had failed Helena for so long. "Looking and seeing her smile and just knowing that she appreciates what we do, that's all that matters," he said.

Smith will also serve three years in federal prison for weapons violations and must register as a sex offender.

Helena says any tears from now on will be happy tears that it's finally over.