Ex-Soldier Will Stand Trial for Raping his Three-Month-Old Daughter
In Jackon, Michigan, Kirk Coleman, 26, will stand trail for raping and critically injuring his three-month-old daughter. The ex-Army paratrooper who served two tours of duty in Iraq, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and first-degree child abuse.
During the preliminary hearing, the court found that the sexual assault and beating was intentional. The maximum Kirk can get is life in prison.
Kirk told police that he blacked out after drinking heavily and taking pain killers. When he came to his senses he found the injured and bruised baby in her crib. (His wife, Ashley Rogers, was away from their apartment when this happened.)
The little girl girl had bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull, and 17 broken bones. Now eight months old, she is undergoing therapy for brain damage.
Recently, Ashley, who is estranged from her husband, was allowed to see her daughter for a few hours each week. (The baby is being taken care of by Ashley’s mom.)
While this case is extreme, I’m sure that we’ll see more child abuse and domestic violence charges against soldiers coming back from the battlefield. Unless they get the counseling and medical help they need, some of these damaged soldiers will rein a “war on terror” on their own families. How very sad.
29 opinions for Ex-Soldier Will Stand Trial for Raping his Three-Month-Old Daughter
rockdoll_71
Mar 8, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Poor little girl… What in the world would cause him to want to hurt her this way? It’s so hard to understand.
I hope that the brain damage she has suffered isn’t permanent. I hope that she will have a chance to have a normal life when she becomes older.
burnt_crawfish
Mar 8, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Please don’t lump all vets together. My husband has been to Iraq a total of 27 months within less than 5 years. He just got back from his last tour and while he doesn’t know the kids very well, he is a great father. He’s trying his best and I know and expect scew ups every so often. When he first came home I was with him and the kids 24/7. I didn’t want to leave them alone because I knew he was not comfortable with that just yet. How long was this soldier home for? Did the mother just up and leave him alone with the baby so she could get a break without knowing if he could handle it? Just because a man is a biological father doesn’t mean he can, especially after experiencing war. Soldiers are required to take classes when re-entering the civilian world, so he had the help right there. Wives need to take classes too, about how to help their men get back into the swing of things, how to handle the children and most importantly NOT leave them alone with the kids! Some mothers just want a break when daddy comes home because they’ve been doing it alone and don’t think about the consequences.
loving_mom
Mar 8, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Sadly this guy, most likely, has not past criminal record and would make an awesome dad. It deeply hurts me to know that we are shipping these guys off to a war zone and when they come home we expect them to be ok and able to function in society.
My cousin went to iraq and sadly was in a road-sdie bomb incident. She watched all of her friends die. When she finally returned home she had no idea who she was, who her family was and knew nothing about the 3 beautiful children she has.
A man who should be seen as a respected member of society is now seen as a savage child abusing beast. Very sad indeed.
Ihavekidstoo
Mar 10, 2008 at 3:05 am
There is no question that our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are being subjected to experiences no one should ever have to endure. If you don’t agree with their presence there, take the issue up with our government in November.
That said, this man using his war experiences as an excuse for what he has apparently done is an insult to the thousands of vets who come home, experience mental and physical health problems, yet do NOT behave in such a violent manner. I am personally offended on their behalf. I know veterans who have returned from war utterly changed people, but they struggle with their problems as heroically as they defended our country and they NEVER harm anyone else.
There’s no question our vets aren’t getting the help and support they need. And some are getting into trouble with violent or self-destructive behavior. But the VAST MAJORITY, like burnt_crawfish’s husband, are doing their best to reintegrate into society and they are NOT hiding behind alcohol, drugs or violence.
This guy says his war experiences, drug and alcohol abuse should EXCUSE what he did? He didn’t know what he was doing - didn’t INTEND to hurt his baby - so he should be excused? I say it’s too bad the Army doesn’t have the right to court martial people AFTER they’ve mustered out. Army justice would be just what this animal deserves.
shivedheart
Mar 10, 2008 at 8:27 am
It is also a sign of medical technology and how much more our soldiers are surviving. Things that would have killed them in Korea and Vietnam, they are now surviving. They fight this war knowing so many people do not support them, and then they are sent home?
It sounds as though he had been home a few months (2006) before the child was born in June 2007. Was no one following his case? Didn’t anyone say anything about his abuse of alcohol and pain killers? Why was he left alone with an infant when he was clearly no yet ready?
I hope that poor baby gets the help she needs and that the brain damage isn’t permanent.
April RJ
Mar 10, 2008 at 11:26 am
I don’t even have words for this one. What a shame. Poor baby…
wendy
Mar 10, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Who leaves a baby with someone that drinks until they blackout, and who drinks until they blackout when there’s a baby and no other adults around?
PTSD sucks, a part of the brain called the amygdala stops working and the fight or flight response goes haywire– but it doesn’t turn people into baby rapists and killers.
I call bullsh*t. This guy knows what he did, and only he knows why he did it, I don’t buy his story of the suffering ex-soldier.
Ihavekidstoo
Mar 10, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Wendy, you hit the nail on the head. Post-traumatic stress most often leads to self-destructive behavior. NOT this kind of sick attack on an innocent baby.
loving_mom
Mar 10, 2008 at 9:45 pm
No excuse for what he did I agree 100%. I think burnt_crawfish said it best. Some moms are just so tired of dealing with baby by themselves that when dad comes home they are in the state of mind “FREEDOM!!” That is not how it works. Dad was home for a short amount of time. Had never met baby. Honestly she has not been alone with baby for a long time. 3 months is not a long time.
Soilders endure a lot for all of us to be able to say what we want to say and feel how we want to feel and there is a BIG difference in supporting our soilders and supporting a war they are fighting. I support our soilders not the war.
I think it is wonderful that they have to take classes to get back into the swing of things. Maybe they should enforce a parenting class with one on one sessions with mom and dad and children. Family counsiling would be good. In the mean time the army should be able to help mom and dad with some kind of child care until mom or dad (whom ever was the soilder) feels comfortable or able to take of baby. They spend billions of dollars on one bomber why not a few million on making sure that their soilders are not killing their children?
motherof1boy
Mar 11, 2008 at 6:25 am
How horrible!!!!! That man deserves the worst punishment there is out there!!!! I hope that little girl can grown and have a normal life!!!! There is NO excuse for what he did i know plenty of people that have been to Iraq and they are doing just fine!!!!!
mom2tbet
Mar 11, 2008 at 8:29 am
A person who rapes a baby is the epitome of evil.
I could possibly comprehend the situation if he had blacked out and accidentally smothered or neglectfully harmed the child in some way.
But to actively HURT the baby, and in such a manner, is a completely different ball of wax.
I refuse to acknowledge that his military career is to blame. Stressful, life altering situations happen to many people and they don’t go around raping their infant daughters.
I hope this baby recovers quickly and has the strength to over come this in her future.
wendy
Mar 11, 2008 at 11:13 am
mom2tbet wrote “I refuse to acknowledge that his military career is to blame. Stressful, life altering situations happen to many people and they don’t go around raping their infant daughters.”
Exactly!
And drugs and alcohol lower inhibitions, but don’t create the behavior. So even if he did blackout due to hazardous drinking– he’s still the one that thought up and carried out a heinous attack on his 3 month old infant.
momof2grannyto1
Mar 11, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Howdy ya’ll, I’ve been lurking here a long time. This is the 1st time I’ve not been able to refrain from screaming my fool head off.
Horsepucky, being in the war didn’t cause this DNA donor to hurt his baby. Sorry, he ain’t a daddy. Daddies don’t hurt their children like this. My best friend in the whole wide world has served 3 tours over there. He would kill HIMSELF before he would harm one hair on one of his kid’s heads. Nope, this fellas broken, and you can’t fix this kind of broken.
Got another friend who lives with PTSD, has pretty near his whole life. He was an abused child himself. No way on Earth he would hurt any child, much less his own.
In a word: firing squad (2 words)
Unbelievable44
Mar 11, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Not sure of the veracity of this article but another story:
http://southernsassoncrime.com/?p=1030
Lulabelle
Mar 11, 2008 at 6:45 pm
momof1grannyto1: rarely are comments here so dead on. You said it!
maminka1979
Mar 11, 2008 at 8:30 pm
momof2grannyto1: Thank you for taking the words out of my head and saying them out loud. “…you can’t fix this kind of broken…” That nails it on the head for all pedophiles (and lets face it people that is what this man is) cannot be fixed. To back you up even more, my grandfather served two tours of duty in Vietnam and spent a lifetime in the army serving in places he had to kill people on a regular basis. He suffered from PTSD the entire time I knew him (the waking up in his chair screaming and covered in sweat, watching him black out and just stare into space for five minutes unreachable, ect.) and he never abused any of the six grandkids that were always around. Not all men who go to war come back this monsterous.
Ihavekidstoo
Mar 12, 2008 at 3:03 am
Maminka, I’d take the thought a step further and say anyone who comes back from war this monsterous was probably pretty f***ed up all on his own BEFORE he ever went to war. I’m with you and momof1grannyto1 on the idea that you “can’t fix this kind of broken.”
That’s why I think the concept of registering sex offenders is a joke. Most never bother to register and just go back to their old ways. If they’re so dangerous we have to keep track of them for the rest of their lives they’re too dangerous to be out on the streets with our children. Keep them locked up forever in a dark, rat-infested hole.
luvin_my_babies
Mar 12, 2008 at 7:55 am
I have been an avid reader of this site for a long time now. I have never commented on any of the other stories, mostly because I would have nothing to say that hadn’t already been said (ie “WTF is wrong with people?”). This story is no exception, however what bothers me the most is the defence lawyer stated that at most this “man” should be tried for is second degree child abuse because`The statute says you must knowingly or intentionally cause harm,’ and Coleman was blacked out when it happened. Now, this is where it really bothers me because supposedly he would black out on rum and pain killers and would awake to find his baby girl bruised - I’m sorry, but after the first time this happened wouldn’t you think that something was wrong and maybe “I shouldn’t be drinking and popping pills while I’m looking after my daughter”. But no, he kept doing it and kept hurting his baby, and NOW he wants to use the fact that he didn’t “knowingly or intentionally cause harm.” Well, judging from his own story - Yes he did. He knew that if he drank and took those pills he may hurt his baby girl because it had happened before, so how can he say now that it wasn’t knowingly or intentional. This guy is a POS and is just trying to hide behind the uniform to get off on it. Hopefully, the judicial system will see through his facade and treat him like the animal he is. I know that I read that this little angel has permanent brain damage, but I pray that she is able to grow up to live a normal life and she becomes another example of God’s little miracles, as she so deserves to be.
wendy
Mar 12, 2008 at 10:04 am
luvin_my_babies, you are so right.
A blackout is only the inability to remember events (due to hazardous drinking)– it doesn’t take any responsibility away from the person; otherwise every drunk driver that rams his car into a family of 4 would have an instant defense “Oh sorry your Honor, I don’t remember..”
According to one website his PTSD came from working a desk in the army. Unbelievable.
Ihavekidstoo
Mar 12, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I’m also bothered by the argument that because he was blacked out when he allegedly did these things he shouldn’t be held responsible. How can anyone say he did not intentionally cause this baby harm? He sure as hell intended what he was doing when he did it.
One does not ACCIDENTALLY rape a baby. In fact, to manage that disgusting feat with a 3-month-old, I’d say you’d have to put a lot of thought into just how to achieve the mechanics of it. So even if he can’t remember it now, he certainly was thinking about it when he did it, drunk, drugged up or otherwise.
Frankly, I’d like to see the lawyer locked up right beside him for even suggesting such an outrageous defense.
wendy
Mar 12, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Lawyers are obligated legally to defend clients zealously, even the guilty ones. I would bet Coleman’s attorney throws up a little in his mouth every time his name is mentioned.
loving_mom
Mar 12, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Like I have said in previous statements I am not trying to defend this man and I think it is still sad that someone who has fought a war is going to go down as a scum bag. It is a sad day. Any man or women who serves is a brave person.
Personally, and I am sure I am going to get attacked here, I think the word “Pedophile” is a bit extreme for this case. What he did was wrong and yes he should serve his time. Granted he most likely won’t last long in the pen. In most, not all cases, I would label someone a pedophile if he or she had sex with multiple children. A lot of the time pedophiles will admit they are pedophiles and see nothing wrong with it. Child abuser/rapist/scumbag POS?? SURE!! I am sure I am going to be attacked here but, hopefully you all can understand what I am saying here.
wendy
Mar 12, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I hope you don’t get flamed, because I think I understand what you’re saying. I disagree, but I understand.
From what I read Coleman never saw action and never used his paratrooper training. He sat behind a desk (possibly because the army saw a reason to keep from handing him a weapon.) It’s quite likely that kids in Civil Air Patrol have seen more action than this guy.
edungrmi81
Mar 18, 2008 at 7:58 am
Too bad you will believe what you read. Is Anne-Marie Nichols even a reliable source? Was she there, has she interviewed Kirk, or anyone in the family?
I don’t think so, because her story is different from three other articles I have read about Kirk Coleman. Maybe we should spend less time reading garbage and more time letting a jury decide based on facts and evidence. My opinion is that all of you have too much time on your hands if you have nothing better to do than bolg all day about people who you do not know. There is not any proof that Kirk Coleman raped or abused his daughter. He is only being held accountable b/c he is the father and the mother pointed her finger. And as we all know it is always the father who is abusing their children, espically if they were away at war. Women rape too, and right now there is no evidence who did this crime.
In most cases I would pray for Kirk to get a fair trial, but I know that facts and evidence will prove that he is innocent, so instead I will pray for all of you to use your brains and not believe everything you see on the internet.
Innocent until proven guilty! PEACE!
Ihavekidstoo
Mar 18, 2008 at 9:23 am
Oh it’s always SO much fun when someone steps up to defend one of these losers.
Nope, I haven’t seen the evidence. Of COURSE not. Neither have you, edungrmi81, because right now only the prosecutors, defense attorney, judge and cops know all the evidence. And guess what? The judge felt there was enough evidence to hold Coleman without bail: http://blog.mlive.com/citpat/2008/03/no_bond_for_man_accused_of_rap.html
Now I may not know the evidence in this case but I DO know more than the average person about how the court system works. I used to be a court reporter. And I know it is DAMNED hard for a prosecutor to convince a judge to hold someone without bail, especially someone recently in the armed forces.
Futher, Anne-Marie Nichols doesn’t make these articles up and never purported to engage in reporting. She is a BLOGGER. She’s pulling information that is widely available through a number of resources - print, broadcast and online. So your rant is not really casting aspersions on HER credibility so much as it is reiterating that old diatribe the guilty use to defend themselves: the media didn’t get the facts right.
Do I think Coleman could be innocent? Sure, that’s possible. But even if he is, he’s STILL a loser who doesn’t deserve to be near this baby. Why? Because he ADMITTED to abusing alcohol and drugs to the point of passing out - all while he was supposed to be watching his baby. If he didn’t cause this harm to her, he certainly didn’t protect her from it either. Which is what he SHOULD have been doing while he was getting drunk off his ass.
Lulabelle
Mar 18, 2008 at 9:44 am
edungrmi81: It’s got to be hard to find someone to take up for this guy. The media has it wrong and he is a victim of circumstance? Hope you are around to explain it to his kid when, or if, it gets to grow up. I guess when he gets to feeling a little better he can always make another child.
Ihavekidstoo
Apr 1, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Here’s an update: http://blog.mlive.com/citpat/2008/04/dad_to_remain_in_jail_pending.html
He’s still in jail and the judge looks like he wants this to get to trial fast. Dare we hope this is that rare creature - a judge who does NOT have his head up his ass? So far it looks like he’s treating this case with the gravity it deserves.
dolejaly
May 31, 2008 at 8:32 am
As I have read several comments in regards to this case, the first mistake the courts are making is the charge that reflect to “intent” they should find an altering charge that reflects the same outcome. Intent is a hard thing to prove. Being responsible for your actions and negligence is no excuse. Sometimes I am not for sure which is worse the court system or the accused. From watching how the systems fail many of the problem is if the state wants the publicity or to waste their money in their oppinion. Whether this man served the goverment or what not should not be of interest here, the main issue here is a childs life was destroyed and someone done this to her, and obviosuly no one else was in the home..So theres the answer. I do not have all the details about this case, but it is obvious what the facts seem to be. Why is it even being brought up on what this man’s carreer was, Did it make a difference w/ a catholic priest and what some have done to innocent boys. Don’t judge one person on what another does because they have the same carreer. This man should be accountable for his own actions. This little baby didn’t have a fair trial, why should he? Seems people forget who the victim is and look for excuses of the accused. My heart goes out to the mother and this baby and how she must feel thinking she could trust this man and now her and that babies life will change forever, more than you can ever imagine. You can know someone your whole life and not really know them.
random
Dec 2, 2008 at 10:07 pm
PTSD doesn’t make one want to rape babies. What a vapid conclusion to draw. There is little connection, besides this single incident, of pedophilia resulting from battle stress.
Violence is another matter. However, psychology is more careful to differentiate a tendency to hit someone with a perversion that probably already existed within the ex-soldier.
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