A few years ago, Gregory Jean Jr. went for a casual visit to his father and stepmother’s home. But this casual visit turned out to be more than he had bargained for, and so, he came up with an escape plan. He would finally beat them at their own game and get the happy ending he deserved...
A New Partner
Four years ago, Gregory Jean Jr. went to visit with his father’s family in Atlanta. Gregory Jr.’s father was living with a new partner at the time—her name was Samantha Davis. He didn’t know it at the time, but Gregory Jr.’s life was about to change...
Only One Returned
Gregory Jr. and his brother, Samuel, went to visit with their father in Atlanta, leaving their mother’s home in Florida. When the trip came to an end, however, only Samuel returned back to Florida...
Enter Samantha
Samantha Davis, Gregory’s new stepmother, allowed Samuel to leave but told Gregory Jr. that he had to stay in Atlanta with them. Gregory had no idea that this would end up turning his life upside-down. He wouldn’t sleep in his own bed again for four years…
The Lies Begin
Samantha lied to her stepson, telling him that his mother didn’t want him anymore. And she told him it was better for Gregory Jr.’s father if he just stayed there with them…
A Seemingly Normal Life
At first, Gregory Jr. had a fairly normal 12-year-old life. He attended Point Middle School, but soon, things would turn into a nightmare for the young boy…
Abuse Begins
Samantha’s temper quickly revealed itself. Anything Gregory did would earn him a beating. He was starved, abused, and humiliated in front of his stepsiblings…
No Bed
Gregory Jr. was then forced to sleep in the garage on a camp cot behind a temporary wall. He slept with just a thin blanket throughout all the seasons, no matter the temperature…
All Alone
His step-siblings, however, were sleeping comfortably inside. He just didn’t understand what he had done to deserve this...
Very Humiliated
Samantha even went as far as taking away Gregory Jr.’s access to a toilet and forced him to use a metal bucket instead…
Laughing and Pointing
His step-siblings would watch him, pointing and laughing. They were cruel, just like his wicked stepmother, and then, it only got worse…
Spelling for Meals
To earn a meal, she would force him to write out words in the dictionary before allowing him to eat…
Skipped Meals
If he didn’t finish the words before 8:45 AM, he would be deprived of breakfast, and if not by noon, then he got no lunch. But that wasn’t all…
Living in Shame
There was one instance when Samantha stripped him naked and forced him to wear a diaper. She brought his siblings and their friends in to laugh at him…
Cleaning Up
When Gregory wasn’t being verbally degraded, he was forced to be their helping hand around the house cleaning and doing all of the household chores…
Cleaning to Survive
"I had to clean the house and yard, and if there was even a leaf out of place my step-mom would beat me with a stick," Gregory Jr. said.
No Breaks or Holidays
He had no breaks, not even on holidays. In fact, he was not even permitted to celebrate Christmas with the family…
No Christmas
For two years in a row, Gregory was shunned from Christmas celebrations as punishment for talking in school…
No Play Time
He received presents like a Playstation and a basketball hoop but wasn’t permitted to play with them. Eventually, Gregory Jr. finally opened up to another adult…
His Plan Backfired
Gregory Jr. told a counselor at his school what was happening to him in detail. "At first, they believed me," he said…
A Visit Home
But when they came to the house to question the family, things started to backfire and all he could do was watch as lies were told…
Hiding the Evidence
Social workers came and visited the house, but Samantha hid his camper cot, the bucket toilet, and the stick she used to beat him before they got there…
The Ultimate Punishment
Because of this, Samantha pulled him out of school and “home-schooled” him. Gregory Jr. was too scared to alert his neighbors or other outsiders after that. Then, Samantha gave him a serious work schedule…
The Live-In Servant
On Sundays, for example, Gregory Jr. had to clean the inside and outside of the house, and then write out “punishment” words from the dictionary. This was tame, though, because the rest of the week was even worse…
More Cleaning
On Thursdays, he would sweep the yard, the roof, and the inside of the house. On Fridays, he would do more “punishment” dictionary work while the rest of his family went out to dinner or the movies. His life was a living nightmare…
Missing His Home
At this point, Gregory hadn’t seen his mother or biological siblings in nearly four years. He was determined to persevere if it meant being able to see them once again. That was when he came up with an idea…
An Interesting Twist of Fate
Gregory Jr. got creative, using the only tool he really had access to. He didn’t escape by shimmying out of a chimney or digging a hole in the floor, instead, he used what he had at his disposal: technology…
The Cell Phone
His father had given him a cell phone in order to contact school friends but threatened him to not communicate with his mother. When he did call her, it had to be on speakerphone in front of his step-mother…
Using his Head
Gregory Jr. downloaded an app called “Magic Jack.” He connected to WiFi and logged on to the app. This app allowed him to send and receive texts and phone calls without using his actual phone number…
Contacting his Florida Family
He used the app to make contact with his mother, brother, and older sister. He finally was able to reveal the truth about the past four years: that he was being relentlessly abused by his terrible stepmother…
Mom to the Rescue
His mother, Lisa, called 911, telling the emergency response team that her son was kept behind a wall in the garage. Officers barged into the home without warning…
Acting Fast
Samantha was enraged when the cops appeared. “Get him,” she said to Gregory Jr.’s stepbrother, hoping to incapacitate him before police could find him. His stepbrother punched him in the face and shoved him down the stairs…
Taken into Custody
Samantha and Gregory Jr.’s father were arrested and charged with false imprisonment, obstruction of justice, and cruelty to a child. Meanwhile, Gregory Jr. was finally reunited with this real mother…
A Bittersweet Reunion
Gregory Jr. and his mother had a tearful reunion outside of the police station. She was able to take him back to Florida where, finally, Gregory Jr. slept in a proper bed. He also was able to express his opinion on Samantha and his father…
A Forgiving Heart
Gregory Jr. said that he wants Samantha and his father not to be penalized for their actions. He never wished for them to go to jail. Gregory Jr. was determined to put the terrorizing experience behind him and he now has new plans for his future…
Future Lawyer
Gregory Jr. wants to be a lawyer who helps children in need: “If there is another kid who is in trouble and no one can hear their cries for help I would say to them; ‘stay strong, hold on.'”