Victim Impact Statement

    My name is Toni McMorrow, I am the mother of Brandon, who through no fault of his own became victim to Aaron Cote’s depravity. Because of that, I have had the painful and agonizing experience of watching my son go from a carefree and innocent young adolescent, to an anguished young man who has suffered life altering trauma.

   Before Brandon was sexually abused by Aaron Cote, he enjoyed typical teen age activities, such as going to school, skateboarding, spending time with friends and attending church youth group events. He was also interested in the possibility of becoming a pilot or an astronaut. He made good grades in school and was a well liked student. In the ninth grade, Brandon declared to his Principal that he “would be the first graduate of Northwest High School, to go to the Air Force Academy”.

     After the criminal victimization by Aaron Cote, Brandon became very depressed. He began to fail in school and in the span of about six months, amid severe turmoil, Brandon quit going to school. During that time he also began to self medicate with drugs to numb the pain and survive the nightmare of the sexual molestation. He suffered with symptoms consistent with post traumatic stress disorder, as a direct result of the sexual trauma. His God given right to a safe, ordered and healthy human development was forever stolen from him.

  Brandon went on to spend his high school years in a level four, in-patient, drug treatment center, a thousand miles away from home. I felt the tortured grief of the loss of him from my life. I felt anger, pain and guilt, that I had failed to protect him and keep him safe. Safe from the last place on earth that I thought a sexual predator would be lurking; inside of our own church at Mother Seton, wearing the collar of the priest. I did not get to see Brandon go to his prom, he had none. I didn’t have the opportunity to see him finish high school with his friends, or to attend his graduation. Those wonderful, important life experiences were just a few among so many that were lost in the fallout, due to Aaron Cote’s criminal, injurious, conduct.

    I have spent countless difficult days and innumerable sleepless, anxiety filled nights, in fear, pain and worry for Brandon. As a result of Aaron Cote’s actions, I have also suffered from symptoms consistent with secondary post traumatic stress disorder. I continue to have great feelings of mistrust for people especially men and clergy. I was raised a Catholic. This “priest” Fr. Cote, was supposed to be a representative of God. He presented the Roman Catholic Mass in our Church. I took the Body and Blood of Christ, from his hands. After I learned about Aaron Cote’s documented twenty plus years history of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse of children, followed by the court documents that illustrated  the fact that Cote’s church superiors had knowledge of these scandalous, wicked, crimes against children, I was sickened, appalled and outraged. It was then and there that I lost my faith in the Catholic Church as well. I have subsequently quit going to the Catholic Church. Thus, the place where I should have been able to go for solace and sanctuary has now become for me a place of mistrust, distress and sorrow.

  Court documents clearly show that Fr. Aaron Cote is a serial, child sexual predator. He has refused to acknowledge his responsibility for the crimes that he has committed. He is surrounded by his superiors, who have enabled and have deceitfully hidden his sexual crimes against children. I believe that Mr. Cote needs the maximum amount of time and consequences allowed, to confront his conduct. I am asking you, Your Honor, with the authority that the state of Maryland and our society has endowed you with, to sentence this man for as long as the judicial system and your judgment will permit.