Haylee Donathan and Amanda Brown: a mother's choice

June 24, 10:59 PMTampa Crime ExaminerCharisse Van Horn

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Part 1

Haylee Donathan was found alive, and though we all rejoice at the fact that she is home, we must ensure that Haylee is healthy and hasn’t suffered emotional, physical, and sexual harm during this time. Tampa residents can learn a great deal from the Haylee Donathan case. First, we can see what happens when parents, particularly mothers, make poor choices and choose to associate with registered sex offenders.

The Haylee Donathan case reminds me of a similar scenario, one that occurred in Tampa, Florida but didn’t have a happy ending. The role of a mother is a cherished one. Mother’s are given the most precious gift, carriers of new life. With all gifts come responsibility and the task of caring, nurturing, and protecting children. The choices that mothers make have great consequences. The company one keeps, the people we bring into our lives, and the people we choose to allow around our children can be a matter of life and death. In the case of Amanda Brown, her mother made the same choice as Haylee Donathan’s, to date a sex offender.

Robbi Potter, the tier III registered sex offender escaped from a halfway home and ran off with Haylee Donathan’s mother, Candace Watson. When U.S. Marshals picked up the trio, Candace reportedly told officers that she was in love with Potter. Haylee Donathan has been missing for one month. Think about that, one month. One month with a registered sex offender, sleeping in the same room, and quite possibly the same bed. Haylee Donathan will need to undergo evaluation to determine whether or not she has been sexually abused.

On September 9, 1989, Amanda Brown’s mother, Kathryn Hartman met a sex offender. She wasn’t aware of his past; the sex offender registry hadn’t been established back in 1989. The man’s name was Willie Crain, and the choice that Kathryn Hartman would soon make would change her life, and the life of her daughter, Amanda Brown, permanently. It was Willie Crain’s daughter who introduced Kathryn Hartman to the sex offender. When the two met in a bar, they seemed to hit it off. After drinking, dancing, and spending time together they agreed to see each other again, they were to meet the next day.

Part 2

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More Information on Haylee Donathan

HLN Nancy Grace reports on case of found child Haylee Donathan

Missing Ohio girl found with mom, sex offender