How Did This Happen? Louisiana Woman Must Pay Alleged Rapist Child Support

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I think we can all agree that divorced parents need to do better on the whole child-support thing.  Unfortunately, what was meant as a way for separated adults to remain responsible for their children has more often than not turned into a weapon that bitter people use to get back at each other.

Most often, we see fathers failing to hold up their end of the bargain - but the problem goes way deeper than that.  Now, an issue arising from Hammond, Louisiana has added a dark and complicated layer to an already confusing process.

According to a report from Revolt, 32-year-old Crysta Abelseth has been ordered to pay child support payments to a man who is accused of raping her.  During an interview with WBRZ, Abelseth said that she met a man named John Barnes after a night out at a restaurant with her close friends.  The then 30-year-old Barnes allegedly offered a ride home to the then 16-year-old Abelseth.  She claims that he took her to his house instead, where he raped her on his couch.

To make this horrible situation even more complicated, Abelseth soon learned that she was pregnant.  As most people assumed that the baby was her boyfriends, and Abelseth says it was easier at the time to let people believe that was the case.  Thankfully, she delivered a healthy baby in 2006 - and all was well until Barnes learned of the birth in 2011.

A court-ordered DNA test would confirm with 99.97 percent certainty that the child is Barnes’.  Barnes was awarded 50/50 custody of the child at the time, and was awarded cull custody this year.  Because of that change in custody, a judge has ordered her to pay child support payments to Barnes.

In July of 2015, Abelseth walked into the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and pressed charges against Barnes for simple rape.  Filing charges 9 years later may seem like it's too late, but it isn't.

According to the report, underage victims of abusive crimes get an extra consideration because the very nature of the psychological damage caused by crimes like this sometimes make it nearly impossible report until you get help.  Abelseth was informed by her therapist that she had 30 years after she turned 18 to fine charges.

Unfortunately, Abelseth claims that although she filed charges 7 years ago - nothing has been done.  The report also points out that the accused, John Barnes, is allegedly the owner of a local web company that at one time listed Ponchatoula Police as a client on their website.  The website has since been updated.