Defying Silence

A Memoir of a Mother's Loss and Courage in the Face of Injustice

De: Hera McLeod

Narrado por: Hera McLeod

Two weeks after giving birth to her son Prince, Hera McLeod discovered that everything she knew about her son's father was a lie. After a 12-month custody battle, full of terrifying evidence she uncovered, Prince's father murdered him during one of the first court-ordered unsupervised visitations.

Determined to get justice for her son, Hera embarked on a mission to hold both the killer and the system that enabled him accountable. This story takes you through Hera's experience as the romantic target of a serial killer and the deep fractures in the American justice system that routinely leave women and children vulnerable. It will arm you with the knowledge necessary to join the fight, ideas for reform, and the inspiration to speak out against the silence.

©2023 Hera McLeod (P)2024 Hera McLeod

Impactful

I went through audible for this book. I would recommend reading if you can, as the audio is a bit off, she stops mid words and sentences throughout. Despite that, I enjoyed this book. It brings light to how difficult it can be for mothers to protect their children, how the system portrays women and the part I know all too well, almost blaming a mother for having a child with a con. I had so much disgust for those who were supposed to protect her child and yet they didn't. I hope judges read this and acknowledge the severity of their decisions and their full attention in family court.

This is a must-read for all women and daughters

I truly believe that this book should be a requirement for all young women looking at their life choices and the implications of marriage and family. The criminality happening in family courts today is beyond the pale, yet the public doesn’t seem to know anything about it. Women have no clue how dangerous it can be to have a child with the wrong man, yet so many men with deviant tendencies are out there luring women with romance. They can hide in plain sight, appealing to our desires for a good, decent, loving and thoughtful partner. Only when their target is in their control do their real identities emerge—and the legal system does not (and often will not) protect their victims from harm.

Hera tells her story and exemplifies just how deep and disturbed this kind of scenario can be. All she wanted was a safe and secure relationship, and her partner became her tormenter. Worse, he used their child as a pawn to control her, and the courts did nothing to protect both her and her son. NOTHING. One dangerous incident after another unfolded and even Hera’s impeccable background and security clearance couldn’t sway their judge to support their safety. The man was a serial killer, yet he slipped through the system with ease and was fully empowered to murder her child. It’s utterly mind blowing.

Here's the thing. Hera is not alone. The family courts are the most broken aspect of our public system, as can be the case when any fully empowered ‘court’ operates as both judge and jury–with no checks and balances. Can you imagine being criminally charged and one person was able to listen to what they considered to be fact (with no actual mandated fact checking) and make a decision on your future? With sealed records, so no outside entity could factor in? Welcome to Family Courts. It’s obscene, and Prince didn’t have to die There were a million chances to protect Hera and Prince, and the murderer involved was the worst of all bad actors. There are thousands of others out there like him, and mothers and their children die at their hands every week. This story needs to be known and amplified.

Thank you, Hera, and God bless you and your harrowing and journey. Your willingness to share your story and the impact it can–and will– have is going to impact millions of women. But ladies, we have to teach our daughters. They have to know what to look for and how to protect themselves. Start now, and read this book.

Whirlwind

Great story and a great read. The editing of the audio could use a bit of work but glad it’s even on audible!

A well told story of common injustice

I am a mother who has also experienced the bias, incompetence, and negligence of the Family Courts. More people need to know how this institution as well as the entire child well fair system keeps children in grave danger.

Ms. McLeod shares her tragic experiences in a way that's clear, powerful, inspiring, and makes for a book that is impossible to stop reading.

I highly recommend this book.