Dig, Season 3, Episode 4: "The Girls, Part 4: ‘This is my story to tell’"

Date: November 11, 2025
Host/Reporter: Jess Clark, Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting

Episode Overview

This fourth installment of Dig’s “The Girls” series focuses on the long fight for justice by a group of women who allege they were sexually abused as children by teachers and coaches in Louisville, Kentucky’s public schools. After enduring institutional failures by schools, churches, law enforcement, and child protective services for years, these women—denied a voice for so long—band together to demand accountability. The episode intimately chronicles their struggle to be heard, the obstacles they encounter—especially from a reticent justice system—and the cautious hope they carry as indictments are finally handed down.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Speaking Out and Public Protest

• Protest at School Board (03:15 – 06:00):
  Survivors and supporters, wearing shirts reading “Stand with child victims, not pedophiles,” protest outside a Jefferson County Board of Education meeting, demanding answers and justice.
  • Summer Dickerson (activist):

    “If we are not protecting our children, what are we doing? Our babies are the future and their own school district will not protect them. What are we doing? We have questions and we want answers.” (04:10)

  • Survivor Alexis Crook prepares to give a public statement at the meeting, only for her name to be left off the comments list and, after insistence, is allowed to speak with restrictions.
    • Alexis Crook (survivor):

      "It’s truly unfortunate that I have to speak on this tonight… 20 years is a very long time for the same predators to continue to have their pick of victims within the school. Moving staff doesn’t fix the problem." (11:50)

2. How the Survivors Found Each Other (17:15 – 23:30)

• Alyssa Foster’s Facebook post about her abuse gains traction, sparking connections between other victims.
• Ariel Stoner, previously isolated by fear and shame as Ronnie’s daughter, finds strength in community:
  • Ariel Stoner:

    “Once I came out, I just haven’t stopped because I don’t want him to get away with that.” (21:30)

• Together, they join lawsuits and share their experiences, supporting each other through their trauma and the labyrinthine legal system.

3. Law Enforcement and Prosecutor Frustrations (31:00 – 54:50)

• Detective Michelle Rush begins a new investigation after the women come forward.
  • Rush often tells the women not to discuss their cases publicly, fearing it will harm prosecution.
    • Alyssa Foster:

      “We didn’t say anything for 10 and 20 years. I shouldn’t have to wait another five to be able to speak on what happened to me when I was a 13 year old child. That is not fair to me…this is my story to tell.” (39:15)

• The survivors find this silencing hard to swallow; distrust grows due to poor communication and previous failures.
• The police file is sparse, lacking a thorough investigative log. Eventually, Alyssa and Ariel’s cases appear to close, “for lack of evidence” or because of recantations, often under duress or intimidation.

4. The Challenge of Prosecuting Child Sexual Abuse (54:50 – 1:06:00)

• Jess Clark interviews Doris Lee Gilbert, a former assistant Commonwealth prosecutor, about why so few abuse cases go to trial.
  • Gilbert:

    “Often, for example, especially when it happens in a family, I can't tell you the number of cases I've seen where a child is abused and mom sides with the abuser… Sometimes the harm that you cause to the victim outweighs what feels like the possibility that you could actually get a conviction.” (56:00)

• Prosecutors require not just probable cause, but a strong belief they can win beyond a reasonable doubt, or else they risk retraumatizing victims without a conviction.
• Police investigations are often minimal—averaging just a forensic interview weeks after the initial disclosure, with little urgency unless abuse is extremely recent.

5. Renewed Legal Motion & Tactical Persistence (1:08:00 – 1:25:00)

• Alexis’s Breakthrough:
  Alexis Crook is contacted by investigator Rush; prosecutors now want her to testify, possibly to bolster an ongoing case against Donnie by showing a pattern.
  • Alexis recognizes the systemic opportunism but vows not to let Alyssa and Ariel get left behind:

    “If you need me, then I need you to do me a favor…I'm about to try to play the Commonwealth. I am. I swear to God, I'm gonna be like, you want to use me as a pawn. I'm used, y', all, too.” (1:16:35)

  • After persistent advocacy, her case and those of her peers are finally considered together.

6. Grand Jury Indictment and the Arraignment (1:26:00 – 1:38:30)

• Indictments against Ronnie, Donnie, and Zach Kilgore are quietly handed down—alleged survivors are not notified, fueling more feelings of exclusion:
  • Alexis:

    “My mother knew they were indicted before we did...And had I not sent a manic email and left manic voicemails, we wouldn’t have been told. And I feel like this has never been fair for us.” (1:33:00)

• Arraignment:
  Survivors line the hallway to face their abusers. The accused are put on home incarceration, not remanded to jail, disappointing the survivors yet again.

7. Navigating the System—Silence Demanded (1:39:00 – 1:48:00)

• Prosecutors request survivors take down social media posts, citing defense strategy concerns.
  • Alyssa Foster:

    “All I wanted to do was tell them to fuck off. And I was like, yes, sir. Okay, sir.” (1:44:30)

• Ariel expresses her exasperation:
  • Ariel Stoner:

    “We said something way before them. We said something…Just because y' all didn't know that don't mean it didn’t happen.” (1:47:20)

8. Bond Hearing and Small Victories (1:50:00 – 2:05:00)

• The judge sets bond at $500,000 each, surprisingly tough. The survivors feel a small sense of triumph as the men are briefly led to jail.
• Survivors and their families express a complicated mixture of relief, vindication, and enduring frustration.
  • Alexis’s mother, Kimberly Burns:

    “I have to tell you, prosecutors desire to flex on them when they look back was really strong…I was gonna be really out of line.” (2:03:30)

  • Alyssa Foster, dancing in the lobby: “God did. I could twerk outside of court now.” (2:04:00)

9. Aftermath: The Emotional Toll (2:06:00 – End)

• Despite indictments, healing is elusive. Survivors are haunted by anxiety, fear of retaliation, and the possibility of the justice system failing them again.
  • Alyssa Foster:

    “What are you scared of? Everything going wrong the way it always has. There being like a plea deal… That’s not justice, just the ball being dropped.” (2:10:00)

• Ariel, especially, struggles with isolation and self-doubt:
  • Ariel Stoner:

    “Do you ever feel proud of yourself for what you did?”
    “Oh, no. Well, yes and no. Mostly, I would say 90% no. Sometimes I feel like, am I doing the right thing?…But there’s a small part of me, 10%, that glimmers through.” (2:14:00)

• The survivors ultimately find their greatest strength in each other; their solidarity has propelled the case further than any institution ever did.
  • Alyssa Foster:

    “We give each other strength, you know what I mean? …The only thing I think that has kept us here is for us wanting each other to be able to truly heal from this and get justice from this and to be okay.” (2:19:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Summer Dickerson (activist, 04:10):

  “If we are not protecting our children, what are we doing? Our babies are the future and their own school district will not protect them. What are we doing?”

• Alexis Crook (board meeting, 11:50):

  “20 years is a very long time for the same predators to continue to have their pick of victims within the school. Moving staff to different schools or placements doesn’t fix the problem.”

• Alyssa Foster (on silence, 39:15):

  “We didn’t say anything for 10 and 20 years. I shouldn’t have to wait another five to be able to speak on what happened to me... This is my story to tell.”

• Ariel Stoner (on speaking out, 21:30):

  “Once I came out, I just haven’t stopped because I don’t want him to get away with that.”

• Doris Lee Gilbert (prosecutor, 56:00):

  “Sometimes the harm you cause to the victim outweighs what feels like the possibility that you could actually get a conviction.”

• Alexis Crook (on negotiation, 1:16:35):

  "I'm about to try to play the Commonwealth...if you need me, then I need you to do me a favor."

• Ariel Stoner (on exclusion, 1:47:20):

  “We said something way before them…Just because y' all didn't know that don't mean it didn’t happen.”

• Alyssa Foster (on justice and hope, 2:19:00):

  "The only thing I think that has kept us here is for us wanting each other to be able to truly heal from this and get justice from this and to be okay."

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:15] Protest outside Jefferson County Board of Ed
• [11:50] Alexis Crook’s statement to Board; mic cutoff
• [21:30] Alyssa, Ariel, and Alexis find each other online
• [31:00] Michelle Rush begins police investigation
• [39:15] Alyssa defends right to speak, “my story to tell”
• [54:50] Interview: Doris Lee Gilbert on prosecution challenges
• [1:08:00] Alexis notified of renewed prosecutorial interest
• [1:26:00] Grand jury indictments filed
• [1:33:00] Survivors learn of indictments last
• [1:44:30] Prosecutors ask for social media silence
• [1:50:00] Bond hearing: bail set at $500k, minor victory
• [2:14:00] Ariel on self-doubt and pride
• [2:19:00] Group reflects on strength and hope

Final Reflections

This episode offers an intimate, uncompromising view of the emotional and bureaucratic gauntlet survivors must run to be heard and gain justice. While indictments are finally secured, the struggle for accountability and healing is ongoing. The system’s inertia, secrecy, and tendency to sideline victims is laid bare. Amidst setbacks and self-doubt, the most transformative breakthrough endures: the women’s solidarity with—and for—each other.

As Alyssa puts it:

"We give each other strength… The only thing I think that has kept us here is for us wanting each other to be able to truly heal from this and get justice."