Accused
Subtitle: my fight for truth, justice and the strength to forgive
By: Tonya Craft with Mark Dagostino
Contributors: Dagostino, Mark, author
Publisher: BenBella Books, Inc.
Published: 2015
Place of publication: Dallas, Texas
Language: eng
Number of pages: 413
ISBN-13: 9781941631737; 9781941631744
Subjects: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Educators; Trials, litigation; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs; Trials (Child sexual abuse); BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Lawyers & Judges; Kindergarten teachers; Biography
Description: "This is the true story of a woman who prevailed against the most heinous accusations imaginable. Tonya Craft was an ordinary woman who was living a wonderful life. A kindergarten teacher who was passionate about her work and the mother of two fantastic children, she lived in a comfortable house and enjoyed spending the summer with her kids. But on May 30, 2008, Tonya's happy life came to a screeching halt. Two strange men appeared at her door and accused her of a deplorable crime: molesting three children--friends and classmates of her own children. Tonya knew she was innocent and that there wasn't one shred of truth to the allegations. What she would soon learn was that for the falsely accused, the truth unfortunately offers little protection. With frightening speed, Tonya was arrested and charged with 22 counts of child molestation. She suddenly faced the very real possibility that she could lose everything--her job, her family, her reputation, her freedom. Tonya's life spiraled into a witch-trial nightmare of guilt before innocence as her children were taken away without a goodbye and her own daughter was forced to take the stand against her in a courtroom. The situation seemed hopeless, and Tonya was shell-shocked and heartbroken. But somehow she found the strength to fight. Tonya rallied, and took charge of her own defense, even defying her own lawyers on a few occasions. Tonya's goal was not only to avoid conviction; it was to clear her name, and, most of all, to regain custody of her children. This book is about more than Tonya's shocking trial and her fight for justice. Her story offers an uncommon example of undying love, faith, and forgiveness--especially when she explains how she forgave the very people who caused her harm"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 407-411).
Table of contents: title: Author's Note; title: Prologue; title: Part I. The Promise; title: Part II. The Marathon; title: Part III. The Fight; title: Part IV. Freedom; title: Epilogue: Revelations.