Key Events Summary
This case timeline provides highlights of key events that take place over the course of 12 years of Damon’s 16 years of his life.
Details of these events can be found in the Case Facts and Chronology section.
August 1990 Mr. Moelter and Ms. Dumas marry in Maui, Hawaii.
1992, 1994, 1996 Damon and his brothers are born. Damon is the youngest
Damon at 4
August 2000 Ms. Dumas leaves Maui for Reno Nevada with the boys to attend school to study psychology at the University of Nevada; Mr. Moelter stays behind to work as a surveyor and to manage and prepare their Maui multi-tenant property for sale.
December 2000 Ms. Dumas moves with the boys to Salinas, California to attend college at San Jose State (the University of Nevada psychology program was impacted).
May 2001 Mr. Moelter files for divorce. Upon receiving the divorce papers Ms. Dumas leaves two threatening voice mails for Mr. Moelter (voice mail 1 and voice mail 2).
Damon at 5
August 2001 Ms. Dumas, without communicating to Mr. Moelter, moves with the boys to San Diego, California to attend Alliant University to study psychology (the San Jose State psychology program was impacted). Mr. Moelter was unable to locate Ms. Dumas and his sons for over a week. Ms. Dumas family denied any knowledge of Ms. Dumas’ and his sons’ whereabouts during this period
March 2002 After a year and a half of being separated from his sons, Mr. Moelter moves from Hawaii to California having finally sold their Maui real estate holdings. Previously he had been making trips to California to visit with his sons.
Damon at 6
August 2002 Ms. Dumas and Mr. Moelter divorce is finalized.
October 2002
Per the divorce decree visitation schedule the boys stayed with Mr. Moelter every other weekend and Wednesday afternoons from 3-6pm.
Ms. Dumas emails Mr. Moelter about the boys’ first overnight visit with him including Damon’s bed wetting issues – that he should bring Damon to the bathroom at night, and that Damon sometimes gets up in the night to sleep with her and so may do so with him [Mr. Moelter].
February 2003 Ms. Dumas tapes two interviews she conducted with her sons regarding visits with their father and contacts child protective services (CPS) to report her molestation allegations.
March 2003
- Independent investigations are started by CPS and the police.
- A video taped interview of Damon is conducted by Children’s Hospital.
- Ms. Dumas requests a temporary restraining order (domestic violence) against Mr. Moelter. Mr. Moelter is served with the restraining order, and as a result is no longer allowed to visit with his sons.
- Investigations are closed by both the police and CPS. No charges are made.
- Despite no charges Mr. Moelter is put on the California Child Abuse Central Index
- Police mistakenly mail a letter addressed to Mr. Moelter, notifying him that his has been put on the California Child Abuse Central Index, to Ms. Dumas who illegally opens it and later posts it on her website
- Mr. Moelter is granted supervised visitation with his sons by the judge who issued the domestic violence restraining order.
April 2003 Judge transfers case to Family Court to evaluate custody arrangements.
May 2003 Ms. Dumas alleges that Mr. Moelter has inappropriate contact with Damon in the presence of the supervisor. The supervisor rejects this allegation.
Damon at 7
August 2003
- TC is appointed the minors’ attorney by Family Court to represent Damon and his brothers.
- Mr. C conducts interviews and observations over a period of the next sixteen months.
- Court appoints Dr. G, a licensed family and marriage therapist, to help the boys cope with their parents’ conflict
- Mr. Moelter begins unsupervised visitation with his sons
- Mr. Moelter hires private supervisor to protect himself from further unfounded allegations by Ms. Dumas
October 2003
- Dr. M, a licensed psychologist conducts a custody evaluation and reports to the Court:
- He is concerned that Ms. Dumas’ fixed belief about the alleged abuse might negatively influence the boys and their relationship with their father
- He is concerned about Ms. Dumas’ ability to adequately care for the boys given her emotional instability.
- He warns Mr. Moelter to take steps to protect himself against further allegations by Ms. Dumas.
Damon at 8
October 2004
- Dr. G, the boys’ therapist writes a letter to Mr. C, the boys’ attorney, about her concern that Ms. Dumas is interfering with the boys’ therapy by focusing them to discuss the alleged abuse.
Damon reports alleged incident to his teacher at school. CPS and police investigate and conclude it is the same alleged incident that had already been investigated.
November 2004
- Ms. Dumas abducts the boys and goes into hiding for the next three years and three months the day before boys’ minor attorney report his finding of alienation to the Court.
- Minors’ attorney (Mr. C) in his report to the Court concludes that the boys are being alienated from Mr. Moelter by Ms. Dumas and recommends that Mr. Moelter be given sole legal and physical custody of his sons and that Ms. Dumas have no contact with the boys for 90 days
- Based on Minors’ attorney’s recommendation Judge gives Mr. Moelter sole legal and physical custody of his sons
- Judge issued a bench warrant for Ms. Dumas’ arrest for kidnapping.
Damon at 11
February 2008
- Ms. Dumas returns the boys to San Diego on the promise that the DA would drop the abduction charges and re-investigate the charges of molest.
- A new Family Court judge is appointed to review custody of Damon and his brothers because Mr. Moelter sons are now alienated against him (they believe that he molested Damon and that he might kill them).
- Court appoints three minor attorneys to represent Damon and his brothers individually
- Damon and his brothers are placed in the physical custody of guardians. Mr. Moelter shares legal custody. Ms. Dumas is granted limited supervised visits with the boys.
March 2008
- Damon returns to school in the 6th grade
- Damon’s middle brother returns to school in the 8th grade
- Damon’s oldest brother must complete the school year via home schooling
May 2008 Judge appoints licensed psychologist to conduct a 730 Family Psychological Evaluation including the allegations of molest. Ms. Dumas refuses to participate in evaluation.
July 2008 Psychologist concludes, even five years later, in his report to the Court that Ms. Dumas is responsible for abuse to the children not Mr. Moelter.
August 2008 Detective B, five years later, removes Mr. Moelter from the California Child Abuse Central Index because a polygraph test given by Jack Tramarco clearly demonstrates Mr. Moelter has never molested Damon and that the 2003 polygraph had been done incorrectly (see Q&A 7). Mr. Moelter was only one of two individuals among tens of thousands accused of abuse on the index to be removed from this index before the ten year expiration (if no charges are filed).
Damon at 12
November 2008 Damon’s brothers begin reunification therapy with Mr. Moelter, two one-hour sessions per week. Damon and his brothers continue to have supervised visits with Ms. Dumas.
December 2008 Mr. Moelter’s wife joins reunification therapy. Damon and his brothers continue to have supervised visits with Ms. Dumas.
January 2009 Damon joins his brothers in reunification therapy with Mr. Moelter and his wife
April 2009 Ms. Dumas joins reunification therapy with the boys and Mr. Moelter.
May 2009 Ms. Dumas ceases to participate in reunification therapy. For several months after that Ms. Dumas refuses to participate in supervised visits with the boys stating that she shouldn’t have to do supervised visits because she hadn’t done anything wrong.
Damon at 13
October 2009 Mr. Moelter gains sole physical and legal custody of Damon’s brothers. Damon continues to live with the guardians but visits with Mr. Moelter on weekends and his brothers. Damon and his brothers continue to have supervised visits with Ms. Dumas.
June 2010 The day before Father’s Day Ms. Dumas posts flyers around Mr. Moelter’s neighborhood implying that there is a child molester at Mr. Moelter’s address and that their children may be in danger.
July 2010 In Montenegro [final] ruling Judge awards Mr. Moelter sole and legal physical custody of Damon and limited unsupervised visits with Ms. Dumas.
Damon at 14
May 2011 A few days before Mother’s Day Ms. Dumas had mailed flyers to Mr. Moelter’s parents’ neighborhood warning that their son is a child molester and visits regularly. Mr. Moelter, his wife and sons, including Damon, had plans to visit his mother for Mother’s Day.
June 2011 Ms. Dumas mails flyers to Mr. Moelter’s wife’s parents and brother alleging that Mr. Moelter is a child molester and warning that he may endanger other children.
July 2010 – July 2011
Damon is developing the normal life of a teenager:
- is a freshman in high school, straight A’s
- completes his first fantasy fiction novel
- stars in several school plays
- takes weekly Ninjutsu lessons
- has several good friends and a girlfriend
July 2011 Damon runs away
Damon at 15
August 2011
- Damon posts YouTube video alleging that he was molested by Mr. Moelter, that he told the police, CPS, teachers, etc. but nothing was done and asks for help.
- Eyewitness places Ms. Dumas and Damon together in Palm Desert, California in Sun City where Ms. Dumas’ parents live.
September 2011
- Eyewitnesses and photographs place Ms. Dumas and Damon together at Rancho Bernardo high school.
- Ms. Dumas leaves a blackmail letter at Mr. Moelter’s house threatening to go to the media if he does not agree to give her custody of Damon before the September 29 hearing
- Kathleen Russell, a media consultant involved with Ms. Dumas, publishes press release urging people to attend September 15th San Diego Fourth District Appellate Court hearing on an appeal by Ms. Dumas of Judge A’s custody ruling regarding Damon claiming ruling was based on controversial “Parental Alienation” theory. Appellate Court denies appeal.
- Judge A hears motion by Ms. Dumas to change custody because Damon has run away. Ms. Dumas does not appear in Court by her own choice. Judge A calls Ms. Dumas but later hangs up the call because Ms. Dumas does not stop talking/interrupting. Judge A denies motion for change in custody.
October2011
- Judge A issues protective custody warrant for Damon.
December 2011 Damon files for emancipation in Alameda County juvenile court. Hearing is set for January 2012.
January 2012
- Damon fails to appear before the judge for his emancipation motion. Alameda County Juvenile Court judge dismisses emancipation motion without prejudice but recommends to Damon’s attorney that Damon refile in San Diego.
- Judge A ismisses the protective custody warrant for Damon.
May 2012 Ms. Dumas distributes flyers on cars in the boys’ high school staff and student parking lots regarding Damon’s case, urging people to sign a petition to Judge C (new judge who replaced Judge A whose tenure had ended in Family Court).
June 2012
- Hearing in front of new family court judge regarding change in custody motion filed by Damon.
- Judge denies motion and upholds previous rulings and finding including Ms. Dumas is detrimental to Damon.
Damon at 16
August 2012
- Damon posts video to YouTube alleging that Mr. Moelter raped him and is molesting other children.
- Damon writes an affidavit alleging that Mr. Moelter abused him at his grandmother’s house in 2001.
- Damon posts video “affidavit” to YouTube alleging that Mr. Moelter abused him at his grandmother’s house in 2001 and requesting that the Monterey DA press charges against Mr. Moelter.
- A copy of the video “affidavit” and written affidavit appear at the office of Damon’s attorney Kim Robinson with instructions to submit to the Monterey DA.
- Kathleen Russell publishes press release regarding Damon’s YouTube video and affidavit to garner public attention in her attempt to get the Monterey DA’s office to press charges against Mr. Moelter.
- Monterey DA does some preliminary investigation but cannot go further unless Damon goes in to meet with the sheriff and provide more information. Damon does not appear.
September 2012
- Damon appears in multiple interviews and segments on Fox LA’s new series “Lost in the System” alleging that Mr. Moelter abused him,
that he told the police, CPS, teachers, attorneys, judges, etc. and that they ignored him and that the court is forcing him to live with his abuser. - Damon calls Monterey sheriff’s office alleging that he was molested by Mr. Moelter in 2001 at his grandmother’s home in Monterey.
The deputy who took the call asks Damon for his contact information. Damon refuses to provide this information.
According to the deputy when questioned further about the allegations the deputy describes Damon as becoming very hostile and angry.