Kriti Mehrotra
It was in 2021 when everything turned upside down for the blended VanScyoc-Rutherford family as a dark secret held by two members came into the limelight, shocking the entire nation too. Renowned family physician Justin Rutherford was one of them, as explored in ABC’s/Hulu’s ‘Betrayal: Under His Eye,’ whereas the other was his stepson and the victim of his abuse, Tyler VanScyoc. The matter initially started off with a report of a secret camera inside a bathroom of their Amity Township, Pennsylvania, home, but it eventually gave the survivor the courage to come forward.
Tyler VanScyoc Still Vividly Remembers When the Abuse Began
Born on July 27, 2005, in Virginia, to Stacey Lynn Fleener and her first husband, Tyler VanScyoc’s initial years were admittedly far from comfortable, happy, or stable. That’s because his parents sadly separated when he was merely 2 years old, following which he was primarily in the care of his mother and 6-year-older sister Mikayla as the former their best to make ends meet. As per the aforementioned original, there were times they lived in a trailer and times when they were able to afford a 2-bedroom apartment, but things seemingly changed for the better in 2015.
That’s when Stacey began dating then-medical student Justin Rutherford, just for them to fall head over heels in love before her children even got to meet him a few months down the line. According to reports, he actually won them over within hours with his bubbly, charming, and silly personality, resulting in him becoming the lead male figure in their lives despite their father still being in the picture. This was to such an extent that they were soon a family in every sense of the term, with the new graduate’s girlfriend and her kids even relocating to Pennsylvania for good for his residency.
However, by this point, Justin had reportedly already started abusing the then-10-year-old Tyler. As per his account, the doctor had ingrained himself into the family and was actually left in charge when the matricarch decided to go on a girls’ trip, only for him to take nefarious advantage of it. Tyler claimed that the adult got him drunk till he blacked out, meaning he doesn’t remember anything from that first time apart from waking up naked underneath the sheets with him. He then added that he knows he was sexually molested because it continued for years to come, with it seemingly getting worse over time.
Tyler VanScyoc Came Forward With the Truth After One of His Friends
It was in July 2021 when authorities came knocking on the family’s front door after reports that a friend of Tyler’s found a secret camera in a bathroom after a relaxing day in their house pool. He allegedly took the camera and left as quickly as possible before informing his parents, who didn’t waste any time in contacting the police so that a full-fledged investigation could begin. What they recovered from this device was thousands of images as well as videos of Stacey’s children, their partners, and their friends, which helped them obtain a search warrant for their home.
During the execution of this warrant is when the suspicion on Justin intensified because he hesitated to answer many questions and also tried deleting some things from his phone before handing it over. Moreover, his wife and the mother of his kids identified his hand from the photo that officials believed displayed someone activating the motion sensors of the camera. Stacey subsequently kicked her husband out and sent her then-16-year-old son to her sister’s place in Virginia so as to protect him from any drama and ensure he could start the new school year without any pressure.
Neither the mother of four nor anyone else had any idea that Tyler was already involved in the matter because the man who presented himself as a loving stepfather was also his abuser. Nevertheless, officials soon informed the family that there is a chance the charges against Justin might only be misdemeanors, even though another one of Tyler’s friends had come forward to claim the doctor had once molested him. This was because the latter’s story could not be corroborated, and so when Tyler heard the news, he gathered the courage to reveal his truth since he could not bear the thought of the child abuser getting a chance to walk away scot-free.
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Despite the Dark Moments of His Past, Tyler is Focused On His Future Today
While it’s undeniable that admitting to almost 6 years of abuse takes incredible bravery, Tyler did not come forward for attention or fame but solely for justice for himself, his family, and all others targeted by Justin. It did almost break him when the latter managed to flee the nation for a while before returning, immediately getting arrested, and then reportedly plotting his murder so he could not testify, but he sought help. Tyler admittedly attempted suicide once, but when he realized he had the unwavering support of his entire family, he agreed to a psychiatric hold and then accepted help. In the end, he faced his perpetrator after he pleaded guilty and gave an emotional impact statement that made it clear he would not let the darkness win.
Tyler still has bad days from time to time while also seemingly struggling with anxiety, but it’s evident that he is currently dedicated to focusing on the positives of life more than anything else. The Skyline High School graduate is based in Gerrardstown, West Virginia, as of writing, where he is surrounded by not only his family but also his fiancée every step of the way. He is happily engaged, and while he admits that many might consider him too young to want to settle down, he believes he has found the love of his life, so he wants his forever to start as soon as possible. Coming to his professional standing, it appears as if the fitness enthusiast is hoping to get his Personal Trainer certification soon, but until then, he is happily serving as a Landscaper at Ricks Landscaping & Construction LLC.
