SPLENDORA, Texas – A woman sat down exclusively with KPRC 2 Reporter Corley Peel about the years of sexual abuse boys in her family faced.
Last week, 81-year-old Albert Carlson was convicted for continuous child sex abuse and sentenced to a lifetime in prison without parole. Prosecutors said Carlson preyed on neighborhood boys in Splendora who came from impoverished homes. They were between the ages of 10 to 17 years old during the time of the abuse.
KPRC 2 is not naming the family member to protect the victims’ identities. She said her family lived with Carlson for roughly five years. He got their entire family involved in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
“He and my husband decided maybe he could help us out. He was an abiding member of the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We just, we tried to put our faith in it and we needed to get ahead. Then it all soon changed,” she said.
The woman said Carlson would buy the boys expensive gifts her family couldn’t afford.
“He would buy the best PlayStations, he would buy the dirt bikes, he would buy four wheelers, buy skateboards, take the kids to skate shops, take them to skate clubs and just anything that they wanted to do. But it was mainly for the boys. The girls didn’t have the opportunity to do that, and he would tell them that,” said the woman.
Looking back, the woman said she realized a lot of Carlson’s behaviors were suspicious.
“He had his little private Bible studies in his bedroom for the boys. I always thought it was weird. He didn’t ever let our daughter join in on it,” said the woman.
She said he would take the boys on business trips by themselves. In 2020, one of the boys opened up to her about the sexual abuse.
“Then another family member had a similar story. And then a real close family member. The day that I called the police, I found out that it did happen to them for six years, right behind the very doors we lived in,” she said.
Investigators quickly learned Carlson had a previous conviction in Utah for lewdness with a child in the 1980′s. Prosecutors said that case involved a boy he met through church. The woman said she became concerned after learning Carlson lived in several other states.
“He would tell the stories when we lived there about how he had skate clubs in California and all these other states that only kids that skip school and stuff like that would go to. So, there’s got to be more victims out there and they have to come forward if there is. We have to put a stop to this man,” she said.
Prosecutors said five victims testified against Carlson during the trial. One of them was from the Utah case. The woman said a sixth possible victim did not get the chance to face Carlson, because he passed away a year ago. She said Carlson was found guilty on his birthday. The woman was sick the day she was supposed to read her victim impact statement in court, but she shared it with KPRC 2.
“I want you to know you deserve everything you’re about to get, and I hope you live a long life so that you have to live with the shame of your guilt. You took my family’s trust and made them victims along with all the others. You tried to lure us in with your church. But we’ve seen through your lies. I just wish I could have seen how evil you really were before you hurt many children. But I’m thankful that those kids trusted in me to help them put you in jail and give them some kind of closure. That you will not be able to hurt any more children in this lifetime. And may God have pity on your soul because I don’t,” she said.
The woman said some of the boys are now struggling with their faith.
Prosecutors believe there are more victims out there, and they encourage them to come forward. They said Carlson plans to appeal.