Friends of Fran and Dan Keller
Donation protected
In 1991, Fran and Dan Keller were unjustly prosecuted and convicted of child abuse in the now notorious Oak Hill Day Care case, during which they were accused of fantastic and even impossible crimes for which there was no actual evidence. They spent 21 years in prison for crimes that never happened – they were finally freed in 2013, after the Travis County prosecution was abandoned on appeal, for lack of evidence. The entire prosecution was a local manifestation of a national “Satanic Panic” – it remains a stain of injustice that blighted many lives, and stole more than two decades from the Kellers.
Although the Kellers have been released from prison, they continue to seek formal exoneration and possibly compensation from the state of Texas. Meanwhile, they suffer from health problems aggravated in prison, insufficient income for basic expenses, and financial insecurity due to their lengthy incarcerations.
Accordingly, people familiar with the Kellers’ story (reported extensively by Jordan Smith in the Austin Chronicle) have begun an independent fundraising effort on behalf of the Kellers, with the goal of supplementing their incomes (primarily meager Social Security benefits) and helping with medical, housing, and other expenses. We’ve set an initial goal of $75,000, with hopes of raising enough money to ease their circumstances and provide some financial security. All donated funds (excepting only GoFundMe charges) will go directly to Fran and Dan. It is our hope that the residents of Austin and Travis County — who share responsibility for the unjust prosecution pursued in their names – will donate generously, to make some small amends to the Kellers. And we welcome donations from people everywhere who wish to partly undo a grave injustice.
To borrow the words of the Kellers’ attorney, Keith Hampton: “We as a society did this. We as a society can't turn back the clock, but by God we can do a little something for the Kellers, and this is it."
Those interested can learn more about the case in the Chronicle archives, including “Believing the Children” (March 27, 2009) and “Learning From Our Mistakes” (March 10, 2016).
Photo by Jana Birchum. Used with permission.
Although the Kellers have been released from prison, they continue to seek formal exoneration and possibly compensation from the state of Texas. Meanwhile, they suffer from health problems aggravated in prison, insufficient income for basic expenses, and financial insecurity due to their lengthy incarcerations.
Accordingly, people familiar with the Kellers’ story (reported extensively by Jordan Smith in the Austin Chronicle) have begun an independent fundraising effort on behalf of the Kellers, with the goal of supplementing their incomes (primarily meager Social Security benefits) and helping with medical, housing, and other expenses. We’ve set an initial goal of $75,000, with hopes of raising enough money to ease their circumstances and provide some financial security. All donated funds (excepting only GoFundMe charges) will go directly to Fran and Dan. It is our hope that the residents of Austin and Travis County — who share responsibility for the unjust prosecution pursued in their names – will donate generously, to make some small amends to the Kellers. And we welcome donations from people everywhere who wish to partly undo a grave injustice.
To borrow the words of the Kellers’ attorney, Keith Hampton: “We as a society did this. We as a society can't turn back the clock, but by God we can do a little something for the Kellers, and this is it."
Those interested can learn more about the case in the Chronicle archives, including “Believing the Children” (March 27, 2009) and “Learning From Our Mistakes” (March 10, 2016).
Photo by Jana Birchum. Used with permission.
Organizer and beneficiary
Laura Acklen
Organizer
Austin, TX
Keith Hampton
Beneficiary
