CLEVELAND — In 1998, Laura Cowan and her kids were held captive inside a garage with no running water, heat or a bathroom in California after being manipulated into marrying a child abuser and polygamist named Mansa Musa Muhummed.
“When I was locked up in that garage, I said, 'Lord if my children and I survive this I dedicate my life helping others, so they don't go through what we went through,'” Cowan said.
Cowan says Muhummed would beat, torture and starve his 13 kids and three wives.
“The children would steal food because they were hungry, and he would only feed them at certain times. Sometimes he wouldn't feed them at all and that was a punishment,” Cowan said.
According to Cowan, Muhummed used a lot of torture techniques that were cruel and unheard of.
“One of his sons had stolen some rice but they wouldn't tell who did it, so he took one of his sons and he buried a hole in the backyard. He put him in it, and he covered him in dirt up to his chest. I couldn't figure out what that was about, but when he went in cabinet and got some honey and poured it over his head, seconds later the ants started eating him and biting him. Then he told and confessed who ate the rice,” said Cowan.
The torture came to an end when Cowan was able to pass a note with gruesome details to a post office clerk while Muhummed took her to pick up a package. Two days later, Sheriffs showed up at Muhummed's door, and he was arrested in November 1999.
He was convicted on 25 counts, including falsely imprisoning his wives, abusing children and torturing them. He is currently serving seven consecutive life sentences.
“All 25 stuck. None was dropped. I don't have to look over my shoulder because he is there for life. And it feels great because when I talk to a lot of victims that go through domestic violence, that's their number one fear,” Cowan said.
It took eight years of therapy and her faith to help her and her kids pick up the broken pieces, and now she shares her story, hoping to encourage other women dealing with domestic violence. Even if it still triggers her own trauma.
“I won’t ever sit here and go, 'Oh no I’m fine,' sometimes people do but you have to have a balance and take a deep breath. Sometimes, I have to walk away, but I still [have] support for them,” Cowan said.
Now, her story will be shared nationwide after Lifetime created the movie Girl in the Garage, the Laura Cowan story. The movie premieres Jan. 18 on Lifetime.
“It's raw so be prepared, but it has a good ending,” Cowan said.
Laura was able to watch the movie with her children before the premiere date.
"It was strong, and it took you back, I can say it brought some triggers. We just held each other while we watched it, took deep breaths and said 'Well, here it is.' They did a wonderful job and I was very impressed with the work. So, everyone must see it,” Cowan said.
The movie, starring Paige Hurd and Stephen Bishop, was set to premiere in Los Angeles with the full cast in attendance, but due to the California wildfires, it was canceled.
"I lived in Cali for 15 years, and some of the places they mentioned, I was there. I lived in Altadena, so it's devastating." Cowen said about the fires, "I understand why they had to cancel it, however, we're going to have it right here in Cleveland and pick up the ball and have our premiere at Pinecrest.”
Her story will not end there; she plans to release a book with details that were too gruesome for the movie.
“We all have a story, but it's what you do with your story that's your glory,” Cowan said.
It’s been 26 years since Cowan left the garage, and she says although she has healed from a lot of the trauma, it still impacts her day-to-day living.
"The trust factor is not there for my kids or myself when it comes to dating. I haven't dated either, and it's hard, and I don't know if that would ever go away, but we'd have to work on that,” said Cowan.
Cowan says she is also working on forgiving her abuser, something she has not been able to do.
“I'm trying to get there, but I haven't been able to forgive. Not for the torture we went through,” Cowan said.
In addition to working as a domestic violence advocate for multiple organizations and helping women leave domestic violence relationships, Cowan also hosts a weekly radio show called 'Dear. Ms. Laura'.
She talks about domestic violence 101, human trafficking, teen dating violence and how to stay safe by making a safety plan.
