Mother of abused children paroled after serving two years

A woman accused of standing by while her husband sexually abused their children was released from prison Tuesday after serving two years of her 30-year sentence.

The Iowa Parole Board voted 3-0 on Jan. 7 to release Kijua Lynn Beaudrie, 38, of Des Moines, who pleaded guilty in 2012 to three counts of neglecting a dependent person. Iowa Department of Corrections records show Beaudrie was released Tuesday on parole.

Her residence location is not public information, Fred Scaletta, spokesman for the department, confirmed.

Her husband, James Beaudrie, is serving a 35-year prison term in Fort Dodge for sexually abusing three of his daughters.

"This decision was based on Beaudrie's parole interview, positive institutional adjustment and the institution's recommendation for parole consideration," Scaletta had said.

Scaletta confirmed that Kijua Beaudrie worked in food service at the Iowa Correctional Facility for Women in Mitchellville from December 2012 to August 2013. She has worked at the Department of Correction's central office since then and answered the office phones.

Beaudrie "successfully adjusted," participating in Iowa Workforce Development Employment Class, earning a National Career Readiness Certificate, and receiving education in readiness, seeking safety and parenting. She had no discipline reports during her incarceration.

Now unsealed court documents show letters written by some of Beaudrie's children, telling a Polk County district judge that they did not want their mother to serve time.

"I really believe in my heart that my mother understands that she could have done something to stop what was going on, and I know she is sorry. She has told me on many occasions that she wishes she had done a lot of things differently," wrote one of the daughters.

Polk County authorities removed the Beaudries' nine children from the couple's care in 2012 after Des Moines police discovered that the family alternated between living in cheap hotels and behind the now-defunct GameSip store at Merle Hay Mall.

Authorities had said that Kijua Beaudrie knew about her husband's abusiveness and sometimes facilitated it by taking some of the couple's children into another room. Witnesses testified at trial that the father's abuse went beyond sexual. Some of the male children were beaten, one simply because he stuttered, according to a daughter.

"It was so hard seeing her at court. While she was incarcerated and not being able to hug her, or even touch her. That is one of the worst feelings I have ever felt and I am not willing to go through that again, or have her go through that again," the daughter wrote in her letter to the judge.

"I really want mom to stay out of jail. I love my mom so much and please do whatever is possible to keep her out of jail," another child wrote.

Prosecutors said Kijua Beaudrie lied to authorities when they began to investigate her husband because she was "determined to make her marriage work."

A "concerned citizen" who has "close contact" with the girls wrote a letter to the Polk County Court on Nov. 26, 2013, pleading that Kuija Beaudrie serve at least a third of her sentence.

"These girls have great emotional pain and have trouble in school and everyday functioning. On the outside they look fine, but on the inside they are a mess," the citizen wrote. "Kuija is playing a victim when really was also the perpetrator."

All of the children were put into foster care, spread among multiple families. Some of the children changed their names after the incident, court records show.

Defense attorney Laura Lockwood had argued that Kijua Beaudrie's low self-esteem due to post-traumatic stress disorder from her own childhood sexual abuse could have made it more difficult for her to come forward.

Kijua Beaudrie's sister, Heather Goenner, wrote the judge on Oct. 6, 2012, that Kijua Beaudrie "is a caring person with a big heart."

"Unfortunately, she lacks self-esteem, and confidence, along with self-worth. I believe because of this she allowed herself to be controlled for the past 16 years by her manipulative, intimidating and abusive husband James," Goenner wrote.

Kijua Beaudrie's uncle, Robert Belanger, wrote the judge that James Beaudrie took "complete control over every aspect of (Kijua's) life."

But District Judge Scott Rosenberg had rejected pleas for a suspended sentence and probation, arguing that Kijua Beaudrie failed to live up to a fundamental responsibility of being a parent.