----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 3:10 PM Subject: Taylor McLaren Dear Leonard: IM very familiar with Taylor McLaren, and have been following your site for a few months. It actually prompted me to call the Astior/Oregon authorities and tell them what I knew of Taylor. IM guessing that in some respects your heart is in the right place, and your motivated by what you believe is a massive injustice on the part of the "system." Your like a lot of people that are in Taylor's past; good people who had big hearts, people who empathized with her "just doing her best" to raise her kids, people who by nature just wanted to be good Samaritans. Id like to tell you of my brief interaction with Taylor McLaren. I need to preface it with a few acknowledgments. One, you don't know me, or have any idea of the type of person I am. It would be ridiculous to assume that IM connected with the authorities in any respect, as it really wouldn't make sense. IM just one person, who has had the ooportunity to observe Taylor, her parenting, and her behavior. I will not lie to you, or even exaggerate. Please, you need to at least read what I have to say. I will tell you the exact things I told the Oregon authorities. This is not fiction -- it is fact. This information covers the time when she and her children lived in Thousand Oaks California. - Yes, Taylor took her children to Disneyland, but Taylor's children never went to school, they stayed at home while she worked, or when she frequently went out in the evenings. The kids were pretty much left to fend for themselves (note they were at that point 10 or 11). When asked about them going to school, she claimed they were being home schooled -- and that the government had no business raising her kids. this was not the case -- they were not home schooled and I can vouch for that. This is long before the events of the last year. Both Michael & Danielle were exceptionally bright children, however Michael spent the majority of time playing computer games, and Danielle playing at other peoples homes, or playing in the neighborhood. -Taylor would borrow money from various sympathetic people for all sorts of reasons. In one instance she borrowed 5000 from a friend because her car broke down in Oregon. Her story was that her children and her had to spend the night in the car, and that she desperately needed a loan so she could buy a used car. Being a practical woman, Taylor bought a used Porsche. She later denied that a lone was ever made, and that it was instead given as a gift. Taylor said she never had to pay it back. In small claims court a phone message tape was produced revealing Taylor screaming into the phone about, as she called it, the "loan." The court ordered 50% to be paid back. Taylor skipped town. -Taylor told story, after story, after story of her difficult past. Her story, was that she didn't want to be found by her ex-husband. She told stories numerous old boyfriends stalking her. She told stories about being raped and sodomized by a local police officer, and being followed threatened, and stalked. Taylor's stories made it look like she was the worlds whitest lamb protecting her babies in a world filled with wolves. - Danielle had to keep the only photo she had of her father hidden from her mother because she knew her mother would destroy the picture. One day Danielle was having a casual conversation with one of her 11 year old friends and happened to mention her father -- Taylor slapped her hard across the face for the infraction. - Their apartment was a flea ridden, cock roach infested mess. Granted the whole complex was a mess, but the kids were left to fend for themselves. Consequently the dishes were rarely done, food & clothes all over the floor, and they pretty much handled what they could. The kids weren't even teenagers yet. -If Taylor wanted to go somewhere, and Danielle was sick. She was either left, or dragged along. Doctors? Only Urgent Care. It wasn't a financial issue, it was an issue of not creating a paper trail so that someone might locate her. I could go on, and on but at this point there is enough for you to get a picture of events. I read the appeal from Michael for his Mother, and what else can anyone expect? Its his world, his family, his mother -- no matter how abjectly diminished that world was, Michael has always been the kind of kid that looks out for his Mother -- especially in light of her telling him stories about all her abuse, and her claim that she was only protecting him from the same. When he was 12 (or so) Michael looked out after his Mother and Sister. I would expect no less from that young man -- No matter how negligent she was. But that's only a reflection on Michael's good character -- not Taylor's. Children will frequently defend even horribly abusive parents. They are children Fact is, when Taylor left the area, I said to a friend of mine. "Taylor's going to show up one of these days, but It'll probably be on the news, or on a wanted poster." Respectfully, I really wish I had been wrong. My assumption was that she was one of those Irish Traveler types -- People who travel the country scamming decent people and elderly out of their hard earned money. I am really saddened that its this bad. As I said, IM guessing you and a lot of other good hearted people are coming to this Taylor's aid. Please, Taylor is not deserving of it -- please trust that. She will tell you what you want to hear, or what she feels you need to hear. I don't know is she's mentally ill, or if she only operates without a conscience or empathy. What I do know -- she is not the person that she makes herself out to be. IM a believer in helping those who are suffering injustices. I too misplaced my trust by trusting in Taylor's stories. All I ask, is to do some background research of your own. It would be best to find someone like her, who is actually in the positions she describes. There are those who deserve your efforts, dedication and generosity. Taylor McLaren does not. Respectfully