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Local survivor's story similar to California captives

For one local woman -- the story of those 13 children out west tortured and starved by their parents hits very close to home.

Laura Cowan was desperate, broke and alone with two children when she moved in with a man and his family who promised to help her get back on her feet.

Her story was made into a documentary by TV One’s ‘Justice By Any Means’ and chronicled her ordeal of rape, torture and mental trauma. But her story is eerily similar to that of the California captive children.

“They were beaten and starved and tortured and held with chains by their parents it was everything that we were going through,” Cowan says.

She and her children were rescued nearly twenty years ago.

“[It was the] Same town, same sheriff's department that picked them up and called their place a house of horrors just like they called ours,” Cowan said.

Their story left her haunted.

“You'll have a moment, a sound, a flashback, a smell that will take you back, you'll never forget it,” Cowan said.

She and her children went through a decade of therapy to deal with depression and PTSD. She expects the California children will need the same.

“They can't do this alone they have to get professional help through the years,” she said.

Today Cowan is a staunch advocate for domestic violence survivors. She also hosts a radio show every Monday evening at 8 pm on www.voiceitradio.com

Laura Cowan was one of nearly two dozen who participated in our webinar on human trafficking today, click here to see it.

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