Dr. Jenn Carson, who has grown to become a social worker, suicide hotline manager, and trauma expert, dedicates her life to assisting those overshadowed by the criminal actions of family members, actions with which they had no involvement.
Jenn was originally the daughter of James and Lynne Carson, who separated in 1978. A year later, her father remarried Suzan, a mother of two.
It was under his new name, Michael Bear Carson, that he and Suzan became infamously known as the ‘San Francisco Witch Killers’.
Both are currently serving 75-years-to-life sentences. The shocking reality of her father’s true nature was revealed to Jenn in 1982 when the Secret Service visited her mother’s home.
Reflecting on her earlier years, Jenn told People magazine that her father was initially a loving parent who read to her and braided her hair.
“In my preschooler mind, she’s the wicked witch,” Jenn described. She shared haunting memories of abuse: “I’ve had glimpses of memories my whole life of her pushing me under bath water — like holding me under and I couldn’t breathe.
“I’m in this house of horrors. She’s not feeding me. She’s telling me that I’m the devil. I’m going to go to hell. I deserve to die.”
Thankfully, her mother managed to extricate her from this nightmare, and they spent the next five years in hiding, fearing that Michael and Suzan would find them.
“By nine, I viewed every adult as a potential killer. The whole world terrified me. I also feared that I would grow up and kill people,” she revealed.
“He’s the knight on the white horse – an incredible man,” Jenn credits him with starting her journey toward healing.
He supported her getting counseling, involved her in Girl Scouts, and the church choir, providing a structured and nurturing environment.
She emphasizes the possibility of overcoming adversity, stating, “Not only can you survive after adversity, trauma, battles with mental illness, and so on, you can get help and then you can thrive.”
“And it’s okay to get help because things can get better,” she encourages those facing similar challenges.
