'Leaving an abuser is rarely easy': Internet slams trolls asking why missing Ana Walshe married Brian
This article is based on sources and MEAWW cannot verify this information independently.
COHASSET, MASSACHUSETTS: Ana Walshe, a mom of three who has been missing for days now, has been slammed on social media for marrying the man who threatened to kill her. Ana met Brian Walshe in 2008. Named Anna Ljubicic Knipp at the time, she was working at the Wheatleigh Hotel in the Berkshires. Brian, on the other hand, is the son of the renowned Boston neurosurgeon.
A Serbian newspaper reported that Ana's mother said her daughter met Brian when she cleaned his apartment. The two tied the knot in Serbia in 2015 and began living together in a wealthy seaside suburb south of Boston. Their relationship, however, soon began to get toxic as time passed. A new report claimed that Brian once allegedly said he would kill Ana and his friends.
READ MORE
In a Facebook post on a group, a user recently wrote, "For everyone who is surprised that Ana married Brian despite the apparent abuse prior to their marriage, I just want to point out that leaving an abuser is rarely easy or simple. Even if someone knows that they’re experiencing abuse, they may feel that they can’t leave for financial reasons, threats of more abuse or harm to friends/family, and so much more. Sometimes they love the person and feel like they can work it out and that they’ll change. There are a myriad of complicated reasons why leaving feels impossible."
The post continued, "If she *was* planning on leaving an abusive situation, then it’s also important to consider that the time before and after leaving is when things are the most dangerous. Abuse is almost always about controlling the other person, and losing that control tends to push abusers over the edge. I can’t speak for Ana and say that this was her experience, as I don’t know her personally, but I wanted to point out this perspective. I’ve been in an abusive situation before and I’m so grateful that we never ended up living together or getting married like we planned. This stuff can escalate in horrible ways, as we’ve seen in far too many cases. I feel so bad for Ana and the kids, and I truly hope that those who love this family can get justice for her."
Many users agreed, with one saying, "100%. From all these copious court documents, its very clear he was a master manipulator, with an unlimited ability to mimic empathy and compassion and convince people he is remorseful and will "change" even when he is incapable of it." One said, "sociopaths are some of the most charming people in the world, and he clearly was a sociopath". Another user wrote, "No one really knows what goes on behind closed doors... my heart breaks for those 3 little innocent children."
"Beautifully said, so much true in your words, it’s time people stop judging and pointing fingers at women when “they stay in an abusive relationship”, as someone who experienced domestic abuse for many years I agree with you wholeheartedly. Thank you so much for this post. #justiceforana," one user wrote. Another said, "It’s a very difficult thing to try to comprehend, and I don’t like it when people judge other people for what decisions they make may not be the same. Once you make staying in an abusive marriage happens for a lot of reasons sometimes people are trapped they just can’t see a way out no matter how much you see away out for them you’re not in their shoes. This is a very very good post and I thank you for making it." "100% and if you've never been in an abusive relationship you just don't understand," wrote one user.
The disappearance of Ana Walshe
Ana mysteriously went missing on New Year's day. Brian claimed his wife took a car service to Boston’s Logan International Airport and since then she has been missing. Cohasset police were recently seen searching behind an apartment in Swampscott. Authorities have been looking for items that Brian may have disposed of while traveling. He was arrested on a charge of misleading investigators working on the case and held on a $500,000 bond. A not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf soon after.
During his arraignment, Brian told authorities that he stepped out to get ice cream with his son on January 2, according to prosecutors, The Sun reported. However, he was spotted on surveillance video purchasing cleaning supplies at a Home Depot in Rockland. Police reportedly found a broken knife and blood in the basement of the couple’s home, a prosecutor said, as reported by KKTV. However, it is unknown whose blood it was. In the latest developments in the case, law enforcement sources told CNN that materials including a hacksaw, torn-up cloth material, and what appears to be bloodstains have been recovered as evidence.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.