A recent Connecticut case, State v. Hector M., (Superior Court of Connecticut, Judicial District of Waterbury, Decided November 25, 2022, Filed UWY-CR10-0390108-T), demonstrates the rare but graphic and insidious nature of grooming and incest. The reader should be advised that the facts underlying this case, discussed below, are horrifying.

Underlying case and appeal

Hector M. and his daughter, "Y", began living together in 2008 when the girl was 13. Hector told his daughter that he purportedly had a good friend, Estephan Elson, with whom he claimed he had served in the armed forces, and that Mr. Elson had a sexual relationship with his 16-year-old daughter. Email communications ensued between Hector M. and Y, and also between Y and Hector M., under the guises of Estephan Elson and the illusory Elizabeth Elson. Approximately 14 months later, the grooming intensified, with Hector telling his daughter, directly, and through his gaslit creations, Estephan and Elizabeth, that Y was created to "be the woman of his life. . . taking care of him, and also having sexual intercourse with him."