Dear Toni,
I have read your entire blog in less than 24 hours and Morgan and your family’s story has hit me so hard.
I watched the Dr. Phil show taping and read the interviews. I’ve actually been to some of his tapings myself. I am a strong supporter of Dr. Phil’s opinions and views, however this is one time I disagree with him. It is quite apparent that the efforts in the investigation are nonexistent. The primary reason this story is getting out is because of your blog and the stir it has caused. I am pleased that you didn’t let Dr. Phil convince you to take this down, (no offense Dr. Phil).
I am deeply sorry for the loss of Morgan. I am sorry your life changed the first time she heard that tapping on her window and will never be the same. I am sorry your local law enforcement completely failed you. I am sorry for the harsh realizations that have come with your 20/20 hindsight. I’m just a few months younger than your daughter and I can’t even imagine being in that situation and she was so brave and powerful.
You tried to do everything that you could in the months of her stalking. I can imagine my dad leaping from his room with the wooden baseball bat he has under his bed, doing exactly what your husband did every night something happened, just trying to catch this monster. You never left Morgan alone, maintained constant communication, you reported every bit to the police, took meticulous records, (obvious by your detailed posts), and listened to everything you were supposed to do. You spent an insurmountable level of energy, time, and money into placing technology and cameras where needed. You’re not in any security or surveillance company and put them exactly where anybody else would. I know my parents would just beat themselves to a pulp with guilt in your situation, but from my perspective and hopefully from a perspective similar to Morgan’s, you have gone so far above and beyond to protect her out of this overwhelming amount of love you have for her. I’m sure she knows you tried to do everything you possibly could. Please don’t take offense, I just know how I would feel if my parents were experiencing what you and your husband are feeling.
Your family reminds me so much of mine and I was hauntingly reminded of how this can happen to anyone. I am glad you have revealed your insights to strengthen our defenses against anybody else with severe mental distortion that would do this as well.
I’m not a parent. I’ve never experienced stalking as severe as yours. I’ve never lost a child. So it is impossible for me to say I understand. The level of frustration of knowing exactly what has happened with no one listening compares marginally to Jodie Foster’s role in Flight Plan.
I went in reading your blog knowing that Morgan had died, though it was still horribly shocking. I continued reading in hopes that some kind of hope would spring from this and I was woefully mistaken. I sincerely hope something happens and soon.
I know you are receiving large amounts of input about the case and I’m sorry to pile on more. It seems however, that you are appreciative of fresh perspectives and I hope I can contribute something. I personally suffer from depression. The signs in anybody are completely obvious in even small amounts of information. After the large amounts of information about your daughter’s life, I can conclude with absolute sincerity she did not commit suicide and I am happy you have stood by your claim. She would have withdrawn from friends LONG before a suicide, yet she maintained an incredibly vigorous social life, even under the suffocating presence of a stalker. She stayed in physical activities (ballet) and ventured out of the house often, again notably impressive with the stalker’s behavior. She didn’t want to leave Wylah even for a few days to go to her sister’s house, she wouldn’t leave her forever. If suicide is an option, easily accessible medications or alternative methods would be used before the complicated process of creating the mix found in her system. I can go on and on with the evidence against suicide.
Personal brushes with stalking (though not as severe as your case) as well as numerous psych classes, relationship studies, and personal events lead me to the next input about your case. Though I do not believe ? (I’m following your naming system) was in your house the night of your daughter’s death or the main lurker around your house, she was an accomplice in the eyes of the law because she, without a doubt, was aware of K’s activity. Her snow march was absolutely a sloppy attempt at an alibi and diversion tactic. I feel like the relationships other teenagers have with their parents are sadly much more different from your strong relationship with your daughter. Which brings me to ?’s father. I believe he is aware of his daughter’s misbehavior, but like a loving father, he tries to protect his daughter. Though the extent of knowledge about exactly what her behavior is not known, I sincerely believe he doesn’t know much, and I don’t think he wants to know. Parents with aggressively misanthropic children will oftentimes grow fearful of their own children, slipping into a denial. He may never accept the idea of his daughter being anything other than his own little angel, and who can blame him? ? is however, obviously an active woman who makes her own choices, so it is far better to hold her responsible instead of letting her father continue to try to clean up after his daughter’s mistakes.
Now we are brought to Keenan VanGinkel. Your true offender. He fits the profile of a stalker so perfectly, students in a middle school level intro psychology class would easily match him up to the profile of a stalker. Proximity, expressed fascination to peers, delusion of a relationship with your daughter, hunting skills and knowledge, a teenager with access to internet, a sense of superiority to law enforcement and the law (which is horribly and sadly slightly accurate due to his ability to evade for so long), physical capability and manipulative abilities are just qualities off the top of my head for the cover boy of a perfect stalker. He is able to manipulate his girlfriend, even after a supposed relationship split, to remain in his life and active in protecting him. His girlfriend is aware of his infatuation with another girl, your daughter, yet continued to stay with him, a sad glance into their flawed relationship. I’m not giving this lowlife any excuses, but he is obviously mentally irrational. Somehow this \”relationship\” with your daughter made sense to him. I don’t think you will ever really understand why this monstrosity happened to your family, because you will never understand the mind of this man. Which is actually a very good thing. BUT I do know you are fighting to cage him up so he can NEVER carry out another \”relationship\” like this with any other woman which evidenced by history and psychology, is absolutely inevitable whether it be now or in twenty years. I applaud you and your efforts and I absolutely believe this is exactly what the next step is.
I want you to know I care deeply and support you in your tireless efforts. You could be saving ME for all I know. Thank you from me, your readers, the people you have helped, the people you have informed, and I know your lovely daughter would thank you too. With a cute little 🙂 I really feel the world has been cheated out of a beautiful person.
21 year old University Student
