The Case of Katelyn Burns

The Case of Katelyn Burns is a riveting story that encapsulates many contemporary social issues, including feminism, domestic violence and the farthest fringes of psychopathy. It is the story of Katelyn, a troubled young woman that is deeply loyal to her dysfunctional family. She is willing to put everything on the line to protect her timid mother, Julia, and sister, Lauren, from her abusive and cunningly manipulative stepfather, but she may never know the extent of the abuse and betrayal. Katelyn's mother remarried when she was a young girl. Her stepfather, Tim turned out to be incredibly abusive to Julia and the two girls. Katelyn was the black sheep of the family since the day that he entered the picture. Katelyn became the outcast, because she was the only one with the courage to stand up to Tim. Tim managed to turn Lauren and Julia against the eldest sister as retribution for failing to fall in line. Tired of being unable to control Katelyn and fearing that she would get Julia and Lauren to break the cycle of abuse, Tim kicked her out of the house at a young age. Left without a strong support network or guidance from a caring pair of parent figures, she found herself frequently in trouble with the law. Despite feeling disappointment that Julia didn't protect her, she didn't blame her mother after being expelled from their home. Katelyn understood that her stepfather was a clever manipulator that succeeded in getting his wife to be an unwitting enabler of his extensive abuse. Katelyn recognised that her mother and sister were not strong enough to stand up for themselves, so she assumed the role of protector after returning home. Although Lauren is the youngest in the family, Katelyn believes she is as powerless as their mother. Lauren and Katelyn seem to have a deep bond that is impossible to break. Lauren appears to look up to her older sister for support and admires her conviction, despite Katelyn's criminal record and long history as the estranged member of the family.