For Charlie and Braden

For those of you who are parents, I have a question for you.

How often have you dragged your kids out of bed at 12:30 A.M. to go on an impromptu camping trip? In December, with snow on the ground? Never?  I didn’t think so.

What would you think of a father who would do so, especially if you knew the children were four and two-years old? And what would you think if you knew he happened to take these small children camping, in the winter, at 12:30 A.M. at the same time that their mother disappeared?

Wow. What an alibi. Josh Powell couldn’t possibly be responsible for his wife Susan’s disappearance, after all, he was on a camping trip.

At 12:30 A.M.

With his 2 and 4-year old.

In the snow.

Without their mother.

Over the past two years, we have watched the drama as Josh Powell maintained his innocence. We have seen his father and father-in-law almost come to fisticuffs on television over the issue. We have observed Josh’s own sister taking a stand against him, saying she believed he was responsible for the disappearance and probable death of Susan Powell. Custody battles have erupted with the children finally being placed in the care of Susan Powell’s parents, because of child pornography being found on computers in the home that Josh Powell shared with his father. A polygraph test was ordered for Josh, something he had refused to take before. In fact, he had refused to cooperate during the entire investigation.

Friends, family members, and complete strangers have fretted over the wisdom of allowing Josh visitation with his children. They feared for their safety. They wondered what Josh would do when faced with a polygraph test.

Their fears were not unfounded.

Today, when a case worker brought Josh Powell’s two boys, now five and seven, to his home for a supervised visit, the feared outcome became reality. The children ran to their father’s door ahead of the case worker. Josh Powell let his boys in, and slammed the door in the face of the case worker, who was supposed to supervise the visit. She smelled gas and hurried to her car to make a phone call. The house exploded behind her.

Before he killed himself and his two boys, Josh wrote a message to his lawyer. “I’m sorry, goodbye.”

I don’t know whether Josh Powell killed his wife. His father admitted that he and Josh’s wife had flirted with each other. After listening to this bizarre tale over the last two years, I wondered several times whether Steven Powell was actually Susan’s killer, with Josh covering it up. Who knew? The case was perplexing.

The only thing that is certain, is that Josh Powell died a murderer. He killed two small boys today in an “If I can’t have them, no one can” tantrum.

My husband asked me if I was going to break with tradition and use “stronger words” than I normally use on my blog. I told him no. I feel that there is always a better choice than using profanity. But I’m going to retract that statement. I think of two little kids whose own father blew them to bits because he loved them so much, and the only thing that comes to mind is this:

Damn you, Josh Powell. Damn you.

I won't be responding to comments on this post, as I feel it would lessen the impact of your contribution. Thank you for your comments.