Chapter 12 - Lenora’s Defense
Lenora hired a good lawyer.
Good.
Weak defenses should not create easy morality plays.
Her position:
She had parental authorization from Pierce.
True partly.
She believed graded exposure appropriate for childhood fear.
Sincere.
She remained physically beside Cade.
True.
Water was shallow.
True.
No serious injury.
True.
Life vest not legally required at knee depth.
True.
The push?
She called it:
“Redirecting a retreating child.”
Video contradicted gentle wording.
Still not a violent throw.
Then criminal charges:
Misdemeanor child endangerment.
Simple battery/assault on a minor relating to intentional shove.
A more serious reckless-endangerment count was considered because surf conditions, but prosecutor charged conservatively.
No felony attempted drowning.
Good.
Then she argued:
Adair attacked me.
True.
Pierce authorized.
True enough to complicate.
Cade had an anxiety problem.
True.
All real facts.
None automatically justified.
Then grandparent access.
Lenora requested temporary contact through family court after we refused visits.
Her lawyer said:
She had longstanding bond.
No current danger if supervised.
We opposed.
Pierce signed with me.
That mattered.
The court did not grant immediate visitation.
In an intact two-parent family, both parents fit and united, Lenora’s standing was limited.
Judge dismissed emergency request without prejudice to future circumstances, noting constitutional weight of parents’ decisions.
No automatic grandparent rights.
Lenora was furious.
She texted Pierce despite attorney communication boundaries:
Your wife has finally gotten what she wanted.
Pierce did not reply.
Then blocked.
Good.
Later in therapy he admitted:
“I wanted to answer.”
“What?”
“That this is her fault.”
“Why not?”
May you like
“Because fighting with her is still giving her access.”
That was growth.
