A Las Vegas man, who endured repeated sexual abuse by his mother starting at the age of ten, now fears that his younger brother might actually be his biological son.
Doreene Gifford sexually assaulted her son, 26-year-old Logan Gifford, regularly from the time he was ten until he turned sixteen.
The abuse only stopped when Logan finally reported his mother to the authorities. He later testified against her in court, leading to her accepting a plea deal in 2015. She was sentenced to 8–20 years in prison for attempted sexual assault.
During the trial, Logan detailed how his mother’s abuse began and revealed that he had been exposed to drug use as a child. Despite the evidence, Doreene has long maintained her innocence.
He alleged that during his mother’s sexual assault, she took him into the bedroom she shared with his father, Theodore, where a pornographic DVD was playing.
As a result of his mother’s horrific actions, Gifford was forced to help raise his younger brothers, including a 15-year-old who might also be his son.
The child, whose identity Gifford has kept private, suffers from cognitive impairments. Children born from incest are at a higher risk of genetic disorders and disabilities.
In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Gifford revealed that he believes he could be his sibling’s father, as the child was born around the time of the assaults.
“Look at the mess I’m left with,” he told the publication. “None of this is something I ever asked for.”
Logan Gifford, seen here, is seeking a paternity petition to identify if his brother is his son after being sexually abused by his own mother
Gifford, pictured here at age 10, had earlier taken the stand to describe when his mother’s mistreatment first began.
To find out if his sibling might actually be his biological child, Gifford has filed a paternity case in a Las Vegas courtroom.
His attorney, Timothy Treffinger, said the mother denies Gifford is the dad but is willing to proceed with DNA testing to confirm it.
Gifford suspects another abuse episode could have taken place near the end of 2008, possibly when his brother was conceived.
He also shared that he became familiar with child welfare services after his younger brother, Liam, tragically drowned in a swimming pool at age three.
Eventually, more incidents unfolded until approximately 2014. His mother later accepted a plea deal for attempted abuse and lewd behavior involving a minor.
An Alford plea refers to the type of plea she ultimately entered.
Here, the accused essentially acknowledges that prosecutors have enough proof to move forward with the case.
At the time of sentencing, her court-appointed attorney said Gifford held deep-seated anger toward his mother and that his version of events was full of inconsistencies.
The statement described Doreene’s upbringing by abusive parents who were often incarcerated, a traumatic time in foster care, an abusive marriage, and eventual addiction to crystal meth.
“I was just a child when all this went down, but now I’m stuck trying to piece together the mess it left behind and forced to face the lasting effects,” Gifford added.
Gifford is seen alongside his younger brother, whom he suspects could actually be his biological son. The boy, whose name Gifford has opted to keep private, faces challenges with cognitive development.
“Gifford during his childhood. He suspects his sibling may have been conceived near the end of 2008, a time marked by further abuse. This image captures him in his younger years.”
“I feel a deep sense of responsibility toward him—to uncover who his real father is,” Gifford said.
He told the outlet that a therapist once raised the possibility that he could be his brother’s biological dad.
“I was just 17 then,” he added. “It completely blindsided me.”
After his brother began receiving disability benefits, he came to live with Gifford, who now holds temporary guardianship.
Before moving in with Gifford this past January, the teen had been staying with Theodore.
If the court finds that Gifford is the father, the case will shift into a custody matter. If not, it remains a guardianship concern.
Regardless of paternity, Gifford’s lawyer notes the process is complicated since both brothers carry Theodore’s DNA.
“As someone who survived sexual abuse, the idea that my own brother could be the outcome of that trauma is devastating,” Gifford said.
But now he’s with me. There’s no way to rewrite the past. What matters is that he deserves a safe, nurturing life fit for a child.
Doreene was taken into custody this January for violating her parole terms, which barred her from contacting the victim, after being released in July of last year.
“State officials confirm she is currently detained at the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Facility, with a court date set for April regarding her alleged parole breach.”
