The sexual abuse suffered at the hands of her adoptive father, Stephen Douglas James, began when she was 11, the girl reported, but she did not initially tell anyone of the abuse because she was afraid that her father would hurt her or her brothers. She finally told her adoptive mother, who confronted James about it. James admitted to the acts and tried to escape trial by faking his suicide, which included severing his ring finger and leaving it in a hotel room with a divorce decree and suicide note, but was caught, charged, and sentenced to two life terms in prison. The girl was homeschooled along with her three adopted brothers and the couple’s biological children. Before the abuse came to light, James taught science lessons for other homeschooled children in the community.
Date: December 2001
Location: Bastrop County, Texas
| Documents: | Date: |
| Severed finger leads to search of Gulf | 2004-08-09 |
| Finger cut off month before disappearance | 2004-08-27 |
| Bond-jumping charge filed against missing man | 2004-08-29 |
| Fugitive free on bond in Louisiana | 2005-12-10 |
| Fugitive recaptured in Louisiana | 2005-12-16 |
| Bastrop man receives life in sex abuse of daughter | 2007-07-20 |
| Man who faked death gets life | 2007-07-21 |
