Mr Dprince Knows

When Christmas season arrives, children and adults alike, begin to dream of the sparkling lights on a Christmas tree, of presents galore, of the kitchen smells filled with cookie and desert aromas, and of good happy times filled with merriment and cheer.

While growing up in Texas, the first of many holiday thrills was the writing of the traditional letter to dear ol’ Santa. In it were expressions of our deepest desires for gifts, not just for ourselves, but for everyone we knew. Those were the days remembered so well. We could not see those memories any different for anyone else, until today.

A nine year old girl was involved in writing a wish list for Santa, a school project enjoyed each year. When her teacher gathered up the student’s wish list she was shocked at what she read. The young girl had wished not for toys and assorted gifts. She asked Santa to please have an older relative to stop assaulting her.

The wish was relayed to the counselor of Cesar Chavez Elementary School. the child only wanted for the relative to stop touching her and her sister inappropriately. Alerting the Hidalgo County Sheriffs Department, an officer was dispatched to the school where he and child welfare workers interviewed the girl.

Their initial findings were of continual abuse over the past four years by a 55 year old relative, Andre Cantu. The alleged molestations occurred at night when everyone was asleep in the child’s home. A ten year old sister was also involved and had been molested since grade school. She could not remember an exact date and time.

Cantu, who had contact with many children on a daily basis, was a worker for a local school. He was arrested December 16, 2008 on charges of child molestation. Currently he is being held on a $100,000 dollar bond. If he should be convicted of the charges pending, Cantu could recieve and serve a maximum of 99 years in prison.

The power of believing in Santa is always great. If not for the love of Santa, these children might still be enduring the horror of molestation. Maybe, it was just a lucky coincidence, but maybe it was the magic of Santa Claus that led to this Christmas gift of freedom, peace and joy for these children.