Murder trial of custodial dad: Victim's sister testifies (Centennial, Colorado)

Custodial dad AARON THOMPSON is currently on trial for the presumed murder of his 6-year-old daughter who has been "missing" since 2005. We've posted on this case several times before. Now we hear from the little girl's older sister, who tells how the father abducted them from their mother in Michigan--who he was still legally married to--only to leave them in homelessness in Colorado. And it went down hill from there in terms of abuse and neglect.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_13204000

denver and the west
Aaroné Thompson's sister testifies about harsh treatment
By The Denver Post
Posted: 08/26/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT

CENTENNIAL — Aaroné Thompson's older sister and mother testified Tuesday about the child's father, who is being tried in the little girl's death.

But neither seemed too happy to be there.

When Aaroné's sister, Shaunterius Johnson, was asked to identify Aaron Thompson in the courtroom, she couldn't comply.

"I can't even look at him," Johnson said of Thompson, who was her stepfather.

Thompson faces 60 criminal counts, including child abuse resulting in death and other child abuse charges relating to the seven other children living in his Aurora home.

Thompson reported Aaroné missing in November 2005, but authorities believe she died two years earlier and that Thompson and his live-in girlfriend, Shelley Lowe, covered it up.

Johnson recalled how she, Aaroné, another brother and Thompson left Michigan for Denver almost eight years ago.

The family was living in homeless shelters and motels until one day Lowe spotted them carrying their belongings in large garbage bags.

Soon after, Thompson and his family moved in with Lowe — even though he was still married to Lynette Thompson, who was in Michigan.

"Shelley Lowe's kids had a bed, and we didn't," Johnson said. "She had us sleeping on thin white sheets on wood floors. Aaroné had to lay on me."

Lowe cooked meals for her own children but not for Johnson and her siblings, she said. "It was horrible the way she was treating us."

Johnson said Lowe, who died in May 2006, was "very jealous" of Aaroné, citing Lowe's reaction to cute outfits Aaroné would wear.

Johnson and her brother eventually moved back to Michigan to live with their mother.

Lynette Thompson said the last time she saw Aaroné was in October 2001, when the girl left for Denver with her father.

Carlos Illescas, The Denver Post