Chapter 9 - Vanessa Finally Admitted She Had Given Lily Something Without My Permission
The first real admission came through her attorney.
Vanessa acknowledged that on “a small number of occasions” she had put part of her own sleep medication into Lily’s bedtime drink because the child was refusing to sleep.
She called it:
“misguided caregiving.”
My lawyer told me not to react to the phrase.
Facts first.
Had she consulted Lily’s doctor?
No.
Had she told me?
No.
Had she obtained any prescription for Lily?
No.
Had she continued after Lily became dizzy?
Yes.
Then the deeper question.
Did she do it only to make Lily sleep?
Vanessa said yes.
The incident file said otherwise.
She documented the symptoms as proof of instability.
She contacted residential programs.
She invented the parking-lot equivalent? Wait wrong story; for this one we need invented medication theft event. Use that.
She fabricated Lily stealing medication.
She told professionals Lily’s episodes were worsening.
She prepared placement documents before the final event.
The medication was not merely hidden caregiving.
It became part of a narrative Vanessa actively used.
Then she admitted something else.
She exaggerated Lily’s symptoms to Pine Hollow because she believed the program would be “good for her.”
Why?
“Because Lily and Mark were emotionally fused.”
That phrase appeared constantly.
Vanessa believed my relationship with Lily was unhealthy because I still adjusted major decisions around my child.
Maybe I was overprotective sometimes.
That did not justify chemically altering a child’s state.
Then Vanessa said:
“I thought if she spent a few weeks away, Mark would see how much calmer life could be.”
There.
The goal again.
Not Lily’s treatment.
My experience without:
Lily.
Then she was asked why she told Lily that I thought she was difficult.
Vanessa said:
“To make her cooperate.”
Why tell Lily mentioning Rachel hurt me?
“So she would stop spiraling.”
Why remove Rachel’s pictures?
“To help the household move forward.”
Every answer contained the same belief.
Vanessa got to decide what everyone else needed in order for the family to become the version she:
wanted.
Then came the question about Buddy.
“Why try to send the dog away?”
Vanessa looked embarrassed.
“Because Lily used him as emotional reinforcement.”
No.
Then:
“Because he barked at me.”
Closer.
Then:
“Because he was always around when I prepared her drinks.”
There.
She had noticed.
Not that Buddy scientifically detected medication.
That his behavior made Lily suspicious.
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And she wanted the witness gone.
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