Ashley Billasano, 18, a Texas high school student, sent out 144 tweets in a six-hour span before killing herself, anguished over the sexual abuse she had endured beginning at age 14 and frustrated that justice in her case was never served.
The Houston Chronicle reports that Billasano’s 144-tweet burst detailed the sexual abuse “at the hands of a family member and other adults, and the frustration that arose when authorities failed to bring charges.”
Texas Child Protective Services wouldn’t comment on whether an investigation followed the teen’s allegations of abuse, citing privacy concerns. Billasano’s mother said that the detective her daughter spoke to “had trouble believing her,” and added:
“Here is someone who has been abused and is forced to be silent for so long. Then the one person you go to looking for help says they might not believe you. The CPS caseworker was a rookie right out of college. She did not know anything and kept saying she had to check with her supervisor.”
Billasano had moved in with her mom after the abuse allegations became known to her family, the Chronicle says. It was Billasano’s second suicide attempt; the first was about a month ago, her friend Ashley Escamilla said.
In one of Billasano’s tweets she told about finding out “there would be no indictments because of a lack of evidence.”
“That's when I changed,” she tweeted. “I didn't care anymore. And the people I was meeting gave me no reason to.”
The Houston Chronicle reports that Billasano’s 144-tweet burst detailed the sexual abuse “at the hands of a family member and other adults, and the frustration that arose when authorities failed to bring charges.”
Texas Child Protective Services wouldn’t comment on whether an investigation followed the teen’s allegations of abuse, citing privacy concerns. Billasano’s mother said that the detective her daughter spoke to “had trouble believing her,” and added:
“Here is someone who has been abused and is forced to be silent for so long. Then the one person you go to looking for help says they might not believe you. The CPS caseworker was a rookie right out of college. She did not know anything and kept saying she had to check with her supervisor.”
Billasano had moved in with her mom after the abuse allegations became known to her family, the Chronicle says. It was Billasano’s second suicide attempt; the first was about a month ago, her friend Ashley Escamilla said.
In one of Billasano’s tweets she told about finding out “there would be no indictments because of a lack of evidence.”
“That's when I changed,” she tweeted. “I didn't care anymore. And the people I was meeting gave me no reason to.”
Oh God. When will these stories be a thing of the past, and by that I mean not another child suffers abuse at the hands of another. Hope she's in a better place now. Sad, so sad.