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  Shocking Claims of Sexual Abuse in Custody Hearing for Matt Baker's Daughters

KCEN
July 8, 2011

http://www.kcentv.com/story/15051132/shocking-claims-of-sexaul-abuse-in-custody-hearing-for-matt-bakers-daughters

[with video]

New, shocking allegations of sexual abuse were revealed Friday in the hearing over who should have custody of the two daughters of a former central Texas pastor convicted of drugging and murdering his wife.

The parents of Kari Baker, Matt Baker's slain wife, want custody of their granddaughters.

The two currently live in Kerrville with Matt's parents, and that's where the hearing is taking place.

On Friday the lawyers for Jim and Linda Dulin called four women who lived as foster children with Oscar and Barbara Baker.

The first three alleged Oscar sexually abused them in a number of ways.

One said he rubbed her buttocks while she had on a bathing suit.

Another said he "french" kissed her, and she could still remember the smell and taste of Oscar.

A third told the jury she was forced to perform oral sex on Oscar.

It was the fourth witness to testify though that gave the most detailed account of the alleged abuse.

Millie Von Steenburg lived with the Baker's on two occasions as a child.

She claimed Oscar started sexually abuser her by bathing her, then forcing her to touch him sexually, then forcing her to perform oral sex, and then forcing her to have intercourse with him, starting once a week, and then raping her multiple times a week.

She also said Oscar allowed other foster children in the home to sexually abuse her, including her own brother Danny, and that Oscar brought her to a prominent doctor and pastor in Kerrville, and they abused her.

On one instance, before her baptism at Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville, she alleged the pastor forced her to perform oral sex on him, before he baptized her.

Von Steenburg also alleged the Baker's would severely punish the foster children, spanking them "until they couldn't stand up," and making the children sit at the dinner table, but not eat for days as punishment.

The attorneys for the Baker's tried to discredit Von Steenburg, asking her questions about her claims she's suffered sexual abuse throughout her life multiple times, in many different home and even medical facilities.

They also asked her about different stays in mental health facilities for reported mental instability.

After more questions about the alleged abuse, a lawyer for the Bakers asked if Von Steenburg had anything else to add, she became emotional, one of many times this happened, and said, "I remember that he was not circumcised."

Later, the lawyer for Baker's daughters asked Von Steenburg if, since "penetration took place multiple times a week" did she ever suffer infections, need to see a doctor, or bleed in her underwear?

Von Steenburg did not remember, though she said, "I remember it hurt. I remember my vaginal area hurting. I remember hurting after the acts...I remember that there was a discharge and the boys would tell me to go take a bath."

One particular tense moment between lawyers on both sides came when the lawyer for the Dulin's tried to enter von Steenburg's medical records from a mental health facility in San Antonio.

The lawyer for Matt Baker's daughters questioned it's relevance, but the Dulin's lawyer argued that upon her admittance, Von Steenburg spoke with a doctor about the reported abuse at the hands of Oscar Baker.

He said since the Baker's attorneys were trying to frame Von Steenburg as not credible, the medical records offer proof of the abuse.

Ultimately, the judge allowed the medical record's admittance.

When asked why she never reported any of the alleged abuse, Von Steenburg said, "I was terrified."

The women claimed the abuse started between the ages of 7-12, and continued as long as they lived in the Baker home.

After vividly describing and answering questions about the alleged abuse for hours, when Von Steenburg left the courtroom, her head was down, face sunken, looking like the life was drained from out of her.

The hearing then recessed for the weekend, and will continue Monday morning at 9am in the 198th District Court in the Kerr County Courthouse.

Reporter:Matthew LeBlanc

 
 

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