dylanasarticle

Dylana

Dylana's Story

Community asked to help traumatized girl get to U.S.

It was her first time away from home.
Her mom never dreamed it would end so tragically.
While spending three weeks of her summer vacation with relatives, a 5-year-old German girl was raped repeatedly by an uncle.
According to U.S. Army reports, the man, a soldier stationed in Germany at the time of the crime, was found guilty and sentenced to eight years in prison.
He will be eligible for parole in August.
That's something that sickens the little girl's mother,
who says her daughter is having an extremely difficult time trying to overcome what happened that fateful summer.

Question Of Survival
Now, at age 9, the girl is suffering physically and psychologically, and the family isn't sure she'll survive.
They are counting on the generosity of Liberty Council residents to help reunite the youngster with her father, Ronald Flis, a Fort Stewart soldier.
About $4000 in donations is being sought to help being the girl, her mother, her 16 year old sister and 13 year old brother to Hinesville.
One of the people instrumental in trying to raise money needed for airfare, passports and related expenses is the girl's stepmother, Melissa Flis.
She said the military would pay for the girl's trip here, but wouldn't cover the cost of her mother and siblings.
"We don't want to separate her from her mother," Melissa said
"We don't want to do that."
Despite the fact the girl's mother, Tanja Ike, was one time married to Ronald, Melissa believes the best thing for the girl is to have her immediate family together and living here until the youngster can get psychological counseling.
In fact, she said they would all live together until Tanja can get on her feet financially.
Currently, the German native works full-time as an office manager, but barely makes enough to make ends meet.

Can't afford Trips
Tanja's meager salary isn't enough to cover the cost of transporting her daughter six to eight hours, twice a week, to the nearest base for counseling.
In a telephone interview Thursday, Tanja cried when trying to explain what happened to her daughter and how it had affected the youngster's life.
Since she was molested, the girl cut her long blonde hair into a boyish style and refuses to acknowledge she's a girl.
She bathes with her clothes on, wets the bed, and refuses to be in a room with the door shut, cries often and suffers from depression.
Tanja described arriving home from work early one day to find the youngster balancing on a windowsill, contemplating suicide. "I thought she was going to jump," her mom said.
On another occasion, the girl was found standing in front of a mirror, holding a knife and screaming at her reflection, "I hate you."
Five months in a psychiatric hospital didn't help much. Long term treatment is needed, according to Tanja.
In addition to her mental trauma, the girl also suffered pyhsically. The rape left her insides torn and scarred.
She lost bladder and bowel control. "She can't tell when she has to go to the bathroom," Mellisa said.
Both women, however, feel the youngster will overcome her nightmarish situation if they work together as a family to see her through it.
"She needs her father as well," Tanja said. "He's the man she really talks to. She cares about him a lot. "I feel guilty because I can't do anything else than what I am doing now."
Mellisa also feels bad about being unable to afford to bring the girl and her family to the United States.
She also fears what will happen if the girl doesn't get help. "she's going to end up killing herself She's going to end up hurting herself," she said. "What I see is a father and a child who want to be together and can't. It's a shame. It kills me. It breaks my heart."
Anyone wanting to send a donation can do so by sending them to: Ronald Flis, 7401 B Pusan Ct, Fort Stewart, GA 31315 Or Tanja Ike, Wilhelmsruher Damm 226, 13435 Berlin, Germany.
Written By Sonia Campbell