Who Was Daisy Coleman & What Happened Between Her and Matthew Barnett?

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Who Was Daisy Coleman & What Happened Between Her and Matthew Barnett?

As a passionate advocate for survivors of sexual assault and a firm believer in justice, I am deeply saddened by the tragic story of Daisy Coleman and her friend Audrie Pott. The events that transpired between Daisy and Matthew Barnett are nothing short of horrifying and heartbreaking.

Daisy Coleman, as depicted in the Netflix documentary “Audrie & Daisy,” recalled an incident where Matthew Barnett, a senior in their high school, is accused of sexually assaulting her when she was just 14 years old. This occurred at a house party in January 2012, following heavy consumption of alcohol. After the assault, Coleman stated that Barnett abandoned her on her family’s lawn in frigid weather. Tragically, Coleman’s friend Audrie Pott, who was only 13 years old and had been with them that night, also experienced rape and took her own life just a few days later.

According to reports, after Daisy Coleman spoke out about the assault, she encountered criticism and bullying. Initially, the county prosecutor chose not to pursue charges against Matthew Barnett and two other boys. There were rumors that their privileged background played a role in this decision. However, in 2014, Barnett admitted guilt to a lesser charge of child endangerment. He maintained that his encounter with Coleman was consensual, contradicting her assertion that she had lost consciousness during the incident.

Before the release of Netflix’s documentary “Audrie & Daisy” in 2016, the story of Daisy Coleman and Matthew Barnett received widespread attention in the media. Sadly, Daisy took her own life in 2020, four years after she was featured in the film.

What happened between Daisy Coleman & Matthew Barnett?

Based on reports from NPR and ABC News, it is alleged that Matthew Barnett sexually assaulted Daisy Coleman on the night of January 8, 2012. During the investigation, evidence such as text messages and interviews with Barnett and Coleman came to light. Coleman mentioned in her statement that she and her friend Audrie Pott had been drinking in her bedroom without permission from her mother that night. She also shared that she received a text message from Barnett inviting her to hang out, to which she replied that she would have to sneak around since it was past one in the morning.

That night, Matthew Barnett texted Daisy Coleman and Audrie Pott inviting them over for drinks and relaxation. Coleman responded excitedly, “Oh my god. Sure thing.” She asked if she should bring some alcohol along. Barnett then fetched the two girls from Coleman’s house, and all five of them secretly entered Barnett’s home to continue their night with more alcohol.

Around 5 a.m., three hours prior with the temperature below freezing, Coleman was discovered on the porch of her household’s residence. She was unresponsive, clad only in a T-shirt and sweatpants.

According to reports, Matthew Barnett was questioned by authorities shortly following the alleged sexual assault on Daisy Coleman. At the time of the incident, Barnett acknowledged having had sex with Coleman but insisted it was consensual. He further stated that Coleman was not intoxicated during the encounter. However, Coleman, who was only 14 years old at the time, asserted that she had passed out due to excessive drinking. She maintained that Barnett had raped her and then abandoned her in the front yard.

After the incident came to light, Daisy Coleman and her family were subjected to harassment. At school, Coleman was tormented by her peers, and she experienced cyberbullying as well. The harassment forced the Coleman family to relocate, but the bullying did not stop. In the aftermath of the alleged sexual assault, Coleman made several attempts to end her own life. Tragically, Audrie Pott, another rape survivor, also took her life in the following days.

ABC News stated that Nodaway County prosecutor Robert Rice dismissed the case against Matthew Barnett three months later. According to Rice, there wasn’t enough evidence, but later on, he was criticized for dropping the charges due to the Barnett family’s political influence. It’s reportedly mentioned that Matthew Barnett is the grandson of ex-Missouri State Representative Rex Barnett.

In the beginning of 2014, Barnett admitted to a minor offense related to child endangerment in January. Later on, in 2016, Daisy Coleman shared her story about the alleged rape in the Netflix documentary “Audrie and Daisy”. Tragically, she took her own life at the age of 23 in 2020.

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2024-07-29 14:00