Alexzandrea Thomas and Her Three Children Speak Through Silence: Survivor Breaks Years-Long Silence After Her Father, Kenneth Cook, Is Convicted of Incest, Sexual Abuse, and Child Neglect in West Virginia Case That Shook a Community
MACARTHUR, WEST VIRGINIA – In a case that has left a small Appalachian town reeling and sparked wider conversations across the nation about systemic failures in child protection, Alexzandrea Thomas, a 26-year-old survivor, has come forward to speak publicly for the first time following the conviction of her biological father, Kenneth Cook, on multiple charges of sexual abuse, incest, and child neglect—crimes that persisted for over a decade and resulted in the birth of three children, now survivors themselves.
Cook, 52, was arrested last year after a lengthy investigation revealed deeply disturbing patterns of abuse, coercion, and institutional negligence. He has been convicted on six felony counts: sexual abuse by a parent or guardian, third-degree sexual assault, child neglect resulting in serious injury, and three counts of incest. He remains in custody at the Southern Regional Jail on a $500,000 bond while further charges may be pending as investigators continue to examine the case.
“I Survived Him”: Alexzandrea Thomas Speaks Out
In a written statement released just days after the trial concluded, Alexzandrea Thomas broke a years-long silence she says was enforced through fear, manipulation, and indifference from those who should have protected her.
“I’m only speaking out now because I’m overwhelmed with messages, and I want people to understand the truth,” Thomas said. “I reported him repeatedly since I was 9 years old, but no one believed me.”
Her words are both a reckoning and a release—an attempt to reclaim a voice silenced by abuse and disbelief for much of her life.
A Childhood Stolen by Secrecy and Control
According to court testimony and Alexzandrea’s own account, the abuse began when she was just a child. Her early attempts to report it were consistently dismissed. Even worse, she says, the very system designed to protect her worked against her.
“My grandmother worked closely with Child Protective Services,” Thomas explained. “She convinced everyone I was lying.”
This detail has raised serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest and misconduct within local CPS operations. Alexzandrea stated that on multiple occasions, after she confided in teachers or school counselors, CPS investigations were opened—only to be quietly closed again with no protective action taken.
“When my grandfather found out, he didn’t even look surprised,” she wrote. “That told me everything I needed to know. I was alone.”
A Home Turned Prison
Court documents and witness statements paint a harrowing picture of Alexzandrea’s living conditions. She was denied access to a phone or a vehicle, barred from forming relationships outside the home, and actively isolated from her mother’s side of the family.
“When he realized I was growing close to a neighbor, he threatened to shoot him,” Thomas said. “He made sure I left the room whenever that neighbor came over.”
As her world grew smaller, her dependency on her abuser deepened—a classic pattern in long-term incest abuse cases. Kenneth Cook ensured she remained under constant supervision, tightly controlled, and psychologically conditioned to obey.
Children Born of Abuse
The most tragic consequence of this abuse was the birth of three children, all of whom have been confirmed through genetic testing to be Cook’s biological offspring. The youngest child was born with severe health issues, including extreme malnourishment.
Hospital staff at Charleston Area Medical Center became alarmed when the infant, then a year old, weighed only six pounds. A social worker initiated an emergency welfare check, which led to a cascade of revelations.
“My baby spent the first week of his life in the hospital but was denied further medical care afterward,” Thomas recounted. “I was trying to care for a very sick baby on my own, with no support and no access to healthcare, because he feared the truth would come out.”
The discovery triggered a broader investigation, leading to Cook’s arrest and the forensic confirmation of incest.
The Systemic Collapse That Failed Alexzandrea
Perhaps even more disturbing than the crimes themselves is the glaring failure of oversight. Thomas first reached out for help at nine years old. Despite that—and despite multiple school reports, hospital alerts, and interactions with CPS—the abuse continued unabated for more than a decade.
“You don’t know how many times I thought about ending my life,” she said in her statement. “Because it felt like it would never stop.”
Experts in child protection law say this case could prompt major policy reviews in West Virginia. Whistleblowers within the Department of Health and Human Resources (
