Mother Charged With Incest With 16 Year Old Son Gets Under 4 Years, Claims “Genetic Attraction”
The California mom who re-connected with her estranged son, only to begin an incestuous relationship with him, has been officially sentenced. The stinger is that the woman doesn’t consider her illicit relationship with her son incest. She says it’s “genetic attraction.”
Rewind. In case you forgot the story, Inquisitr reported in May that Mistie Atkinson, 32, tracked down her estranged 16-year-old son on Facebook last year. The two were found in a hotel room on March 2nd engaged in incestuous activity. Police found nude photographs of the mother on the boy’s cell phone, including photos of her performing oral sex on him. Other text messages between the two indicated that they had planned to run away together. Atkinson was booked into the Napa County Jail and charged with incest, oral copulation of a minor, contact with a minor for sexual offense, and sending harmful matter to a minor.
For her troubles? Four years and eight months in prison, as handed down Wednesday in Napa County Superior Court.
Atkinson pleaded no contest to the charges leveled against her, and seemed to only take issue with one small detail – she doesn’t consider her sexual relationship with her son incest. “I don’t feel like I should have the charge of incest because there is something called genetic attraction that is a very powerful (phenomenon) that happens to 50 (percent) of people becoming reunited with a long-lost relative,” she wrote.
You know how they say that most statistical references are made up on the spot? There’s actually some truth to the one that Atkinson uses to defend herself. ABC’s Good Morning America ran a segment about genetic sexual attraction last month. This could be what Atkinson is referring to in her note. Although there isn’t any real scientific research into the subject, some psychologists say that biological family members who have been separated for a long period of time risk becoming sexually attracted to one another when they reunite, reports NY Daily.
Scientific backing or not, still gross.
Tags : california, crimes of incest, genetic sexual attraction, incest, lake county, mistie atkinson, mistie atkinson charged with incest, mother 16 year old son incest, mother charged with incest, mother charged with incest sentenced, napa county, strange news, ukiah, Weird News, woman charged with incest
Posted: June 22, 2012
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Jun 30, 2012
What possible purpose can be served by a prison sentence in this case? The rage to punish in this country is out of control.
Jun 30, 2012
Oh, I don't know — maybe to punish her for being a sick freak that HAD SEX WITH HER SON?
The fact that you're a psychotherapist and don't understand this is pretty scary.
Jun 30, 2012
No need to be scared. There is a distinction to be made between an illegal act and a crime. A crime requires free will and desire to do wrong (mens rea), not just illegal act (actus reus). I don't buy her "genetic attraction" argument as excusing the behavior, but the larger question is, why punish? If someone is really a "sick freak," they may not be capable of mens rea, and may need hospitalization (against their will) rather than a prison sentence.
There are several purposes to sentencing–one is general deterrence, sentencing one person to prevent others from repeating her behavior. It's a very valid purpose but works better for crimes like robbery. For example, if the sentence for bank robbery was a 10 day sentence, there would certainly be more bank robberies. In the case of incest, doesn't work so well. The cultural taboo is more significant than criminal sanctions. Another purpose of sentencing is incapacitation–to keep someone away from society so they can't repeat the crime while incarcerated. Good purpose of sentencing for other sex crimes, such as rape or real child sexual abuse. In this case, there's no reason to believe she would have sex with other sixteen yr. olds (and 16 is the age of consent in many states, even most, I believe.
To sentence someone to multiple years imprisonment because we are freaked out by her behavior, or think she is a sick freak, is neither rational nor helpful.
Jul 1, 2012
I suppose my desire to punish this worthless piece of garbage must be due to "genetic repulsion".
Jul 4, 2012
she is a sick freak and needs a physo ward and some brain washing to help her out people like that don't need to be out in public they need a physco ward and plenty of help or she may become a prison bitch next.
Jul 4, 2012
in the case of the kennedys and the duponts to start I guess it matters if you HAVE money. what do I mean I guess, lol.
Jul 7, 2012
James because it is a crime. A sick one at that. With that type of thinking I should be able to have sex with a 12 year old girl, as long as she says its ok…. no, your way of thinking needs to be reevaluated.
Jul 7, 2012
If she was a father having sex with his daughter, there would have been a fourteen year and eight month sentence.
Jul 8, 2012
Totally missed my point, Raffael. Yes, it's a crime but a crime does not automatically merit a prison sentence. For that matter, most people arrested for a crime are never prosecuted because of decisions made by district attorneys as to their priorities. Your argument regarding a 12-year girl just completely misses my argument–what has that got to do with the original case? For one thing, 16 is not 12–sex with a 12 year old is illegal in every state; sex with a 16 year old is legal in many states.
There are alternatives to a prison sentence for incest. There's a good chance that the 16 yr. old boy will feel more shame and guilt because his mother, who he never knew, has gone to prison as a result of the sex act.
To justify a prison sentence just "because it is a crime" simply doesn't address my point about clarifying the purposes of criminal sentencing.
Jul 24, 2012
Great. If she and her son had a boy, I'm sure he would grow up and become a blind guitarist. You know, the duelin' kind!
Jul 24, 2012
Why can't chicks like this just role play with legal guys instead? I would be game.
Jul 31, 2012
we punish our sex offenders here….sorry you think they should get away scott free
Jul 31, 2012
Wtf! Totally Disgusted!
Jul 31, 2012
Genetic Attraction"? Where's Darwin when we really need him?
Aug 1, 2012
I don't think that, Crispy. I've worked as a prison therapist with some very vile sex offenders who are serving very long sentences and should be. But I also know how to make distinctions.
Aug 1, 2012
there is no distinction….a sexual predator is a sexual predator…..its people with your mentality that let sexual predators out of prison to do it again and again.
Aug 1, 2012
If this were reverse the dad would have his balls chopped off. Where's the Equality in this? There is NONE…
Aug 1, 2012
How about stuatory rape?
Stuatory rape.
Aug 4, 2012
I believe in the phenomena of genetic attraction, but you can't make allowances for one gender over another. As others have said, if the genders were reversed there may have been a worse sentence. This will still have screwed with the boy's head and that should never have happened. People who have genetic attraction should keep away from each other!
Sep 7, 2012
If less people were blindly oblivious to the fact that this happens, and it happens alot, then maybe we can come to better conclusions than just putting people behind bars. America has the largest persons incarcerated per capita. Do we really need to send more people to jail?
How about serious investigations, asking if the 16 year old "Child" what his opinions are about it. Would his life improve if his mom were in jail? Where would he live?
And don't give me some baloney about how he was "led" or "swayed" into this. Kids are not stupid and you should stop treating them as such. If you don't think he is smart enough to have his own opinion about it, then why can recruitment officers send young men his age overseas to kill people?
At age 16, you can also join a trade union, work full time if you quit school, and apply for a passport without parental consent.
And don't get me started on what it says about incest in the Bible. You'd probably rip it up.
Sep 7, 2012
Why not, that's how I did it.
Sep 9, 2012
fucking bad
Oct 16, 2012
Sexual predator is a label that YOU are slapping on them. That doesn't make it the truth. I could start calling my computer desk a cow, and even believing it, but it still doesn't make it a cow. What James is saying, as I see it, is this – Did she do something wrong, as per today's societal measures? Yes, absolutely. But does she need to be punished with Jail?
If we keep throwing everyone in jail, who will run the jail?
Oct 16, 2012
Sexual predator is a label that YOU are slapping on them. That doesn't make it the truth. I could start calling my computer desk a cow, and even believing it, but it still doesn't make it a cow. What James is saying, as I see it, is this – Did she do something wrong, as per today's societal measures? Yes, absolutely. But does she need to be punished with Jail?
If we keep throwing everyone in jail, who will run the jail?
Nov 21, 2012
Hmm interesting. The excuse shaved off lotsa time and I can't help but wonder if she will have to report where she lives for the rest of her life. The world has gone nuts.
Dec 11, 2012
if this had been a father daughter issue the worls would have nailed him to the barn door, but this wacko women gets a slap on the wrist,,,