The first day
Josh Powell had been investigated since his wife, Susan Cox Powell, disappeared in Dec 2009. Susan was reported missing when the family was living in West Valley CityUtah. That night, Josh claimed he had gone on a midnight camping trip with their sons. Susan stayed home because she was tired to take the boys out to the freezing midnight desert.
West Valley Police investigated, saying that when they arrived at the Utah house there were no disturbances. But they found Susan’s blood inside the home and a handwritten note saying she feared for her life at her husband’s hands. At the bank in which she'd worked, inside her safe deposit box, investigators discovered Susan’s handwritten will and testament. She’d written about how bad her marriage was and that Josh Powell had taken out a $1 million life insurance policy on her. “If I die, it may not be an accident." RF
Josh’s sister said he acted strangely, cleaning his minivan and garage, running around grabbing piles of towels to put in the washer. And close relatives said he never participated in search efforts. Worse still, Josh had filed paperwork to withdraw money from his wife’s retirement account 10 days after she’d disappeared! RF But without a body, police couldn’t charge anyone. In Jan 2010, a month after Susan disappeared, Josh avoided the media by moving with his sons into his father Steven Powell's Wash house.
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In June 2011 Utah police searched grandpa Steve Powell’s family home in Puyallup Wash, where Josh Powell, Braden 5 and Charles 7 were living. Investigators found videos taken by Steven Powell that showed secret recordings of his daughter-in-law's body parts and of him expressing his sexual feelings toward her. To ABC News, Steven noted his flirtatious daughter-in-law had made enjoyable sexual advances toward him! RF
Grandpa Steve was arrested in Nov 2011 and charged with voyeurism and possession of child pornography. “Because of all the things that the police encountered in the search of the Steven Powell home, it became apparent these boys were at imminent risk of harm. So after Steven's trial for pornography, Josh lost custody of his sons. Maternal grandparents Chuck and Judy Cox won custody of the children as foster parents; Josh got weekly supervised visitation.
In Feb 2012, new evidence emerged that Josh Powell’s laptop in Utah contained pornographic images. A judge then ordered Josh Powell to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and take a polygraph test. Powell told ABC News that he knew nothing about porn, and wondered why police were mentioning it now, ages after it was supposedly found. RF
Josh was happy that his children were with the maternal grandparents, a reversal from earlier statements saying the Coxes were poisoning the boys with hatred for him. But at the hearing, Josh’s affidavit attested to his love of the boys and his caregiving skills, insisting the boys come home.
Josh didn’t want to undergo psychosexual testing before he could regain custody of his sons but alas for him, the judge wouldn’t consider returning the boys until Josh had a psycho-sexual evaluation.
Pierce County Wash Sheriff's Department read the emails saying that just days before the deaths, Powell gave away the children's toys to Goodwill. In fact Josh sent long emails detailing what to do with his money and house utilities, to give to his cousins, his pastor and friends. And the lawyer in the custody case said he received a brief email from his client, saying I'm sorry, goodbye. Finally the county sheriff showed the emails that Powell sent authorities, confirming that Powell planned an intentional deadly blast. Did the sheriff tell Children’s Protective Services? RF x 4
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The social worker immediately called the police, but too late. Josh hacked the boys with a hatchet, poured petrol on and around them, and then exploded the house. Authorities found 3 bodies in the centre of the home as fire crews and police searched the rubble, next to a 10-gallon petrol tin inside. There was no evidence of gun wounds.
Subsequently
2 years earlier his wife Susan had gone missing in Utah. A Washington 911 telephone-dispatcher was reprimanded for allowing 22 minutes to pass, after taking a social worker's 911 call. The dispatcher not only violated department policies; he failed to recognise many red flags that required fast responses. Apparently he was confused about the role of the social worker.
I worked in Protective Services for many years and I understand that even had the police and fire brigade arrived quickly, the boys would definitely still have died. In advance Josh Powell bought the fuel, wrote emails to the family, divided up his assets, gave away his children’s toys to charity, and knew when the social worker was bring his sons to his home. But were there any repercussions against professionals (police, lawyers, children’s protective workers, dispatchers etc) when they ignored these red flags? Were they all required to attend learning sessions?
Josh Powell had been investigated since his wife, Susan Cox Powell, disappeared in Dec 2009. Susan was reported missing when the family was living in West Valley CityUtah. That night, Josh claimed he had gone on a midnight camping trip with their sons. Susan stayed home because she was tired to take the boys out to the freezing midnight desert.
West Valley Police investigated, saying that when they arrived at the Utah house there were no disturbances. But they found Susan’s blood inside the home and a handwritten note saying she feared for her life at her husband’s hands. At the bank in which she'd worked, inside her safe deposit box, investigators discovered Susan’s handwritten will and testament. She’d written about how bad her marriage was and that Josh Powell had taken out a $1 million life insurance policy on her. “If I die, it may not be an accident." RF
Josh’s sister said he acted strangely, cleaning his minivan and garage, running around grabbing piles of towels to put in the washer. And close relatives said he never participated in search efforts. Worse still, Josh had filed paperwork to withdraw money from his wife’s retirement account 10 days after she’d disappeared! RF But without a body, police couldn’t charge anyone. In Jan 2010, a month after Susan disappeared, Josh avoided the media by moving with his sons into his father Steven Powell's Wash house.
Beautiful Braden and Charles
safely living with their Cox grandparents
ABC News
In 2010, investigators spoke again to little Charlie about his mother’s disappearance. “We can’t talk about Susan or camping. I always keep things as secrets” he said. RF Charlie reluctantly told Pierce County Sheriff’s Dept that mum went camping but she didn't come home with them. Then clammed up. Only when the children started talking to their grandparents about what they remembered from that night did they say Susan was at the camp, before disappearing.
In June 2011 Utah police searched grandpa Steve Powell’s family home in Puyallup Wash, where Josh Powell, Braden 5 and Charles 7 were living. Investigators found videos taken by Steven Powell that showed secret recordings of his daughter-in-law's body parts and of him expressing his sexual feelings toward her. To ABC News, Steven noted his flirtatious daughter-in-law had made enjoyable sexual advances toward him! RF
Grandpa Steve was arrested in Nov 2011 and charged with voyeurism and possession of child pornography. “Because of all the things that the police encountered in the search of the Steven Powell home, it became apparent these boys were at imminent risk of harm. So after Steven's trial for pornography, Josh lost custody of his sons. Maternal grandparents Chuck and Judy Cox won custody of the children as foster parents; Josh got weekly supervised visitation.
In Feb 2012, new evidence emerged that Josh Powell’s laptop in Utah contained pornographic images. A judge then ordered Josh Powell to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and take a polygraph test. Powell told ABC News that he knew nothing about porn, and wondered why police were mentioning it now, ages after it was supposedly found. RF
Josh was happy that his children were with the maternal grandparents, a reversal from earlier statements saying the Coxes were poisoning the boys with hatred for him. But at the hearing, Josh’s affidavit attested to his love of the boys and his caregiving skills, insisting the boys come home.
Josh didn’t want to undergo psychosexual testing before he could regain custody of his sons but alas for him, the judge wouldn’t consider returning the boys until Josh had a psycho-sexual evaluation.
Pierce County Wash Sheriff's Department read the emails saying that just days before the deaths, Powell gave away the children's toys to Goodwill. In fact Josh sent long emails detailing what to do with his money and house utilities, to give to his cousins, his pastor and friends. And the lawyer in the custody case said he received a brief email from his client, saying I'm sorry, goodbye. Finally the county sheriff showed the emails that Powell sent authorities, confirming that Powell planned an intentional deadly blast. Did the sheriff tell Children’s Protective Services? RF x 4
Memorial to Susan Cox Powell and her sons Braden and Charlie,
at a candle vigil in Tacoma Wash.
Feb 2012, ABC News
The last day
Washington's Dept of Social and Health Services social worker had taken the children to visit their dad’s home, a protective worker who was legally required to sit near the children throughout the visit. She pulled up in the car, and the kids ran out ahead of her when Powell slammed the front door and locked it. The distraught social worker wasn't able to get in, even when she smelled gas. RF
Listen to the urgent call from the social worker, and the repetitive questions from the 911 dispatcher on youtube.
Washington's Dept of Social and Health Services social worker had taken the children to visit their dad’s home, a protective worker who was legally required to sit near the children throughout the visit. She pulled up in the car, and the kids ran out ahead of her when Powell slammed the front door and locked it. The distraught social worker wasn't able to get in, even when she smelled gas. RF
Listen to the urgent call from the social worker, and the repetitive questions from the 911 dispatcher on youtube.
The social worker immediately called the police, but too late. Josh hacked the boys with a hatchet, poured petrol on and around them, and then exploded the house. Authorities found 3 bodies in the centre of the home as fire crews and police searched the rubble, next to a 10-gallon petrol tin inside. There was no evidence of gun wounds.
Subsequently
2 years earlier his wife Susan had gone missing in Utah. A Washington 911 telephone-dispatcher was reprimanded for allowing 22 minutes to pass, after taking a social worker's 911 call. The dispatcher not only violated department policies; he failed to recognise many red flags that required fast responses. Apparently he was confused about the role of the social worker.
I worked in Protective Services for many years and I understand that even had the police and fire brigade arrived quickly, the boys would definitely still have died. In advance Josh Powell bought the fuel, wrote emails to the family, divided up his assets, gave away his children’s toys to charity, and knew when the social worker was bring his sons to his home. But were there any repercussions against professionals (police, lawyers, children’s protective workers, dispatchers etc) when they ignored these red flags? Were they all required to attend learning sessions?