Experts Share Warning Signs Of Abusive People, How To Research Criminal History

The Henryetta tragedy has many parents wondering how they can research the adults around their children. Experts said it's hard to tell what a person is capable of doing, but there are easy ways to look up someone's background in Oklahoma.

Wednesday, May 3rd 2023, 5:18 pm

By: Kristen Weaver

HENRYETTA, Okla. -

The Henryetta tragedy has many parents wondering how they can research the adults around their children and look for red flags.

Experts said it's hard to tell what a person is capable of doing, but there are signs to look out for and easy ways to look up someone's background in Oklahoma.

Janette Mayo said her daughter Holly and three grandchildren were among the victims found in Henryetta this week.

She said Holly was married to the suspect, Jesse McFadden, and Holly knew McFadden was a sex offender, but he'd lied to her about the details.

“He was very quiet, very subdued, very easy going, stayed away from the family 90 percent of the time. But if it was a birthday party or anything, he was right there around children," Janette said, "where he should never have been.”

Mayo said McFadden was controlling, isolated Holly and her kids, and moved them two and a half hours away.

“Seeing someone became more withdrawn, that's certainly one of the most common things we see in a domestic violence capacity," said Ashley Nix.

Ashley Nix is a Special Victims Unit prosecutor in Tulsa County.

She said abusers will slowly pull their victims away from their families. She also said many sex offenders repeat their crimes.

"Sexual offenses have a high recidivism rate, especially when it is child sex abuse related," said Nix.

Rose Turner with Domestic Violence Intervention Services said sex offenders and domestic abusers tend to cut off the victim's finances, threaten to hurt or kill the victim's loved ones, and are all about power and control.

"You can't tell by looking at someone if they’re an offender of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sex offender," Turner said.

Both women suggest people learn to use the state court's website, OSCN.net, where you can see anyone's charges, convictions, protective orders, even lawsuits.

You can also search local, state, and federal sex offender registries by name or address.

Another resource is the Oklahoma Department of Corrections website that shows people's current and past convictions.

McFadden was listed on that site for serving time for rape and was listed as a sex offender.

DVIS has a 24/7 hotline for anyone in a domestic abuse situation, (918.743.5763) or text SAFE to 207-777 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

WEBSITE LINKS:

https://oscn.net/v4/

https://www1.odcr.com/

https://sors.doc.ok.gov/ords/svorp/f?p=119:1:15325324092645:::1

https://www.nsopw.gov/