Former Denver cop charged with raping his daughter is allowed to roam free – but her mom is sent to jail for refusing therapy
A retired Denver police officer has been released after being accused of sexually abusing his daughter, but his ex-wife claims she was arrested for refusing therapy.
Rachel Pickrel-Hawkins says she was sent to prison after refusing to send her two youngest sons to court-ordered therapy with their father, former police officer Michael Hawkins, 55.
Pickrel-Hawkins was found guilty of contempt of court after she decided not to continue reunification therapy ordered as part of her divorce proceedings, which began before criminal charges were filed against Hawkins.
She told the Denver State Gazette the therapy was harmful and accused the therapist of supporting Hawkins’ efforts to gain custody of the children and pressuring them to forgive their father.
Hawkins, who is out on bail, is also accused of sexually abusing Pickrel-Hawkins’ two eldest daughters, whom he adopted.
Rachel Pickrel-Hawkins says she was sent to prison after refusing to send her two youngest sons to court-ordered therapy with their father, who is accused of raping their daughter.
Former Aurora police officer Michael Hawkins (pictured) has been released on bail after being accused of sexually abusing his daughter and adopted daughters
The couple have four children, three of whom are minors. Hawkins is seeking custody of the two youngest boys, ages 10 and 13.
Court documents allege that Hawkins sexually abused his 17-year-old daughter throughout her childhood, starting when she was 5. He also nearly drowned the couple’s eldest son, now 19.
The 19-year-old alleged that Hawkins used police tactics to keep him under water during a trip to Costa Rica in 2018.
The teenager claims he thought his father was being vengeful because he had previously confronted him about seeing his hand in his sister’s underwear.
Pickrel-Hawkins currently has custody of the minor children, who are living in a shelter for victims of domestic violence. She told the Denver Gazette that she has arranged for her family members to care for her children while she is in jail.
In addition to sending Pickrel-Hawkins to jail for seven weekends, the judge ordered her to pay the full $370 cost of any sessions her sons attend alone and to split the bill with her ex for any sessions he attends.
Pickrel-Hawkins currently has custody of the minor children, who are in a shelter for victims of domestic violence
In addition to being jailed for seven weekends, Pickrel-Hawkins was ordered by the judge to pay the full $370 cost of sessions her sons attended alone, and to split the bill with her ex for sessions he attended.
In his ruling, Larimer County District Court Judge Daniel McDonald questioned the charges against the former police officer.
McDonald wrote on July 6: “The court also notes that no criminal charges have been filed and that the Department of Human Services’ finding may be based on the child’s statements alone, without any corroborating evidence.”
Although the judge made his decision before the criminal charges against Hawkins, Pickrel-Hawkins claims the judge was aware of the criminal investigation.
After an investigation that lasted nearly two years, criminal charges were filed against Hawkins on July 29.
Hawkins was hailed as a hero after he was one of the officers who responded to the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting that left 12 people dead
In his ruling, Larimer County District Court Judge Daniel McDonald cast doubt on the charges against the former police officer.
Hawkins was charged with six counts of sexual abuse of a child by a trusted person and one count of child abuse.
Hawkins was hailed as a hero after he was one of the officers who responded to the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting that left 12 people dead.
His daughter told detectives she was raped the same year after her father suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder
Criminal charges were later filed against Hawkins on July 29 after a nearly two-year investigation
Hawkins made headlines in 2017 after a woman accused him and three other officers of stomping on her head after she was wrongly accused of assaulting Hawkins.
Hawkins was in the news again in 2017 after a woman accused him and three other officers of stomping on her in the head after she was wrongly accused of assaulting Hawkins.
Aurora paid the woman $335,000 to settle the lawsuit.
Hawkins retired the following year after undergoing a medical examination to prove he was fit for duty.
DailyMail.com has contacted the Aurora Police Department for comment on this story.