She Chained My Little Girl So Her Daughter Could Take Her Place—Then I Made Her Leave the Family Portrait Alone.
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Chapter 14 / 27
Chapter 14 - CLARA ASKS ABOUT THE CHAIN
At six, Clara asked:
“Why chain and not lock door?”
I did not know.
So I asked Miranda through therapeutic correspondence.
Her answer:
Because I thought a locked door would make noise when Clara hit it.
The honesty made me sick.
Clara did not need that detail.
Dr. Hayes advised a simpler truth:
Miranda used the chain because she wanted Clara to stay in the room long enough for the picture.
Clara asked:
“Was she scared I’d come?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because then you could tell me what happened.”
She thought.
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“So she knew bad.”
Children discover mens rea quickly.
