Did Aimee Louise Sword Rape Her Long Lost Son?

September 15, 2009

Police in Waterford Township, Mich., have accused 35-year-old Aimee Louise Sword, aka Aimee Pope, of sexually assaulting her biological teenage son, whom she reportedly put up for adoption over a decade ago. Since the reports first surfaced late last week, the mainstream media has had a field day examining details of the story; however, some of the "facts" in the case could be a bit skewed.

According to the majority of reports in the mainstream media and on the Internet, Sword "tracked down" her son on the Internet and then proceeded to "seduce" and "rape" him. That definitely makes good fodder for a ratings grab, but is it entirely true? According to a source close to the case, Aimee did not track down her son at all but was approached by a social worker and asked to get involved in his life because he was having a lot of problems. Which is true? At this point, who knows?

So what of the alleged rape? Unfortunately, we really don't know much about it. According to police, Child Protective Services contacted them late last year and informed them that an incestuous relationship had occurred between Sword and her son. Authorities have yet to provide any information about when or where the alleged incidents took place.

Sword's attorney told The Oakland Press that his client "maintains her presumption of innocence." Several of her friends are also standing by her, leaving several comments on the Internet. In one, which was quoted in an article by mlive.com, the author claims there is a lot more to the story than has yet to be revealed and that "putting an innocent woman through this is unjust."

An article at unfictional.com suggests that Sword was "coerced" and gave in "due to the feeling of guilt of having him put up for adoption." The same article quotes someone who claims to have known Sword and says she was "not sound of mind" and "somewhat of a smooth talk con person."

Experts are also busy weighing in on the case. In an interview with Myfoxdetroit.com, Gerald Shiener, chief of Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry at Sinai Grace Hospital in Detroit, said, "Our first reaction to hearing about something like this is that this is every man's nightmare. It's an abomination. This could be his first sexual experience, and his first sexual experience could be something so conflicted, so unusual, so prohibited that it will stay with him for life."

Click here to continue reading this story >

Sword has not spoken to the media; however, she reportedly did post a recent comment to her now defunct MySpace page, saying she is inspired by rapper Lil' Kim because "she rises during the worst of obstacles."

A second comment, posted to her page on Aug. 23, is also interesting. She purportedly wrote, "I know wut u did n wut u said ta dem folks n stil...I love you!"

As a result of the allegations, Sword was arrested and charged with three separate counts; however, two of them were later dropped, leaving her charged with a single count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Sword is currently out on bond awaiting her next court date.

So did she do it? It is really too soon to tell. If she did, she deserves whatever punishment the judicial system deems fit, and if she didn't, she is certainly going to have a difficult time moving forward with her life, given all the attention the case has been receiving. People are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, but this is often not true in the public court of opinion.

I would be interested in hearing Aimee Sword's side of the story. So Aimee, if you happen to read this, shoot me an e-mail.

Photo Credit: Waterford Police Department

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission from Discovery Communications. All quotes must include a link back.

Comments

[Kgoober]

I'm on the fence on this one due to lack of knowledge and more details. The son could possibly be lying as revenge for being put up for adoption. You never know...

[Abrazo Adoption]

Thank you for one of the more balanced reports seen in the media to date... given that Ms. Sword has not confessed nor been tried, the public's readiness to convict her based on lurid supposition along says more about American society than it does about Ms. Sword or the fifteen-year-old son she was reportedly attempting to help at his parents' request.

And while Dr. Shiener doesn't seem familiar with the phenomenon, genetic sexual attraction is a well-known danger for those who are reuniting with long-lost relatives, and it's not uncommon in adoption reunions, in particular.

Essentially, the emotional intimacy of such reunion are so overwhelming and the participants are usually so unprepared, they mistake the affinity they feel for sexual attraction, having no other context in which to understand it.

It remains to be seen whether or not Ms. Sword did, in fact, engage in inappropriate sexual contact with the son she placed at the age of five; whether the boy is possibly making a false outcry to punish her for her adoption decision, or to gain notoriety; or whether other factors are at play.

Yet your restraint in not joining the rest of the court of public opinion in prematurely condemning this woman is much appreciated by those of us who recognize that the plight of most birthmothers is painful enough, without the added wrath of those who would so readily tar and feather her even without solid proof of any actual misdeeds.

[RJ the Fiction Writer]

It would've been more entertaining if you sensationalized it and drawn more web hits... but you'll have to settle for the respect of a few fair-minded people.

Thanks for the report... I may not always be open-minded, but when I read this story (fully sensationalized in another publication) I shook my head while reserving judgment. If it proves to be true, it rings of Sante and Kenny Kimes...

[Nikki]

If she was a man and he was her daughter. . .

[Tara]

I completely respect you for being high-minded and providing an unbiased view. While crimes against the most vulnerable among us are on the rise, I believe that sensationalism will lead to further desensitization.

Thank you for not contributing to that unnatural phenomenon, while still providing an interesting and informative read.

[Mark Williams]

Okay,

my question, as wierd as it may sound, is that if she gave up legal rights to the child and is no longer his mother, could she have sex with him if it was consentual?

I know that sounds sick, but (and this is a lot of IFs) If the child was 17 - the Michigan age of cencent - and not legally under the care of Ms. Sword and she has no legal rights to the child and they both agreed to having sex, couldn't they do it?

[Celeste]

No incest is against the law.

[billy H. :)]

iam doing a paper in law class on this case. Eventhough she gave up rights to her child, that dont mean she can go and have sex with him. it is still her biological son no matter what. that would be called incest. :)
that is a nnasty way to have sex for the first time, huh?