Valérie Bacot was just 12 years old when Daniel Polette, her mother’s partner at the time, began sexually abusing her. What followed was a nearly 25-year nightmare that included rape, beatings, threats, and sexual exploitation.
Although Polette was imprisoned for the abuse, he was released and began approaching the teenager again. At 17, Valérie became pregnant by her abuser, and her own mother kicked her out of the house.
She ended up living with him; they got married and had four children. However, the violence never ended.
Polette even forced her into prostitution and constantly threatened her with a firearm.
Everything changed in March 2016, when Valérie began to fear that her 14-year-old daughter might also become a victim of abuse.
She decided to take her husband’s gun and shot him in the back of the head while he was driving. Then, with help from her children, she buried the body in a forest.
