Every Parent’s Camera Roll P7 - Kelly Nichols

We recently covered the story of Kelly Nichols, who was accused of creating child pornography involving her own two daughters. Those two girls, now grown women, have said that nothing happened, that they had a wonderful childhood, and that they felt nothing but love and safety.

Throughout their parents' trial, and the sentencing and appeal hearings that followed, they were referred to as 'the victims'. Yet both have said that the only thing they are victims of is the system itself. A system that claimed to be fighting for them, but would not listen to a word they had to say.

Today, they finally get the chance to have a voice, and to set the record straight about their parents in their own words.

Kelly and Doug Nichols and their two daughters are, seemingly, your normal all-American family. Kelly grew up on a farm in rural Illinois; she has a strong faith and even stronger family values. She and Doug met when the pair were in their early twenties, dated for four years, and then got married. Doug worked in IT, while Kelly enjoyed a long and happy career as a dental hygienist, respected and loved by her patients and by the community.

As the family grew, they did all the things young, busy families do. They went on adventures and holidays, the girls played sports, and they attended church every Sunday. And, like almost all families, they documented the years through pictures and videos, especially of their two young daughters. Treasured family memories. Memories that would one day land them both in prison, arrested, tried and convicted of possessing and producing child pornography.

It all started when allegations were made against Kelly's husband, Doug. Allegations he denies. Allegations we cannot go into, as they are still making their way through the court system. These allegations had nothing to do with Kelly, but they would be the catalyst for what came next.

As part of the complaint, the person making the allegations told police that if they took Doug's phone and computer, they would find evidence to back up her claims. So they did. But they found nothing. What they did find, however, while searching through the computer and phone, was those very family memories: thousands of pictures and videos of the two kids. As police went through the files, they said they found what they deemed to be images and videos of a sexual nature.

They took what they had found to a grand jury, and very quickly this supposedly normal all-American family were having their lives dissected and pulled apart online, their faces plastered across the internet under headlines like "Decatur Couple Arrested on Child Porn and Sex Charges."

This is a case where we can truly say: it could happen to you.

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