Expert: Dana Q - 7/2/2008

Question
Hi my name is Karrie and I have a younger sister by 15 years, she is 19.  I am the big sis and she talks with me a bit but lately here she has been getting a little more quite on the personal side of her life.  3 months ago she found out she was pregnent with someone she had been dating for only a few months.  My sister has decided to keep the baby and continue to live with my mother and without her boyfriend.  We are a very close tight family seeing that it is just us girls.  Well the other day while my sister was trying on maternity cloths a note slipped from her pants she handed me.  I opened it up to read it and all I saw was profanity. I then heard my sister start to open the door and so I shoved the letter in my back pocket.  She has no idea I have this letter.  The letter goes to say:

I do not like the way you have been acting lately.  Your a dirty c*** and a w****.  Why did it take you so long to call me back.  It only takes you 3 mintutes to get home.  What were you doing.  I am telling you this now b**** if I see you even talking to another guy, I will KILL YOU and him.  I will slice both of your throats open and maybe stick around to hear it gurgle.  You think the way I f*** you is too hard, just wait till I see you again.  The only person you will be begging for is GOD.

I had to stop reading the letter because my tears completely blurred my vision.
I have no idea on how to approach this.  I don't want to come on too strong and then she takes off to him but I also want her to know that she is not in a good situation right now.  Help.  I am also going to take this letter to a friend of mine who is  police officer and get his take on it.  My main concern is scarring off my sister and she runs right into the frying pan.  ANY ANY ANY advice would be welcome, I am such at a loss for words.

Answer
Hi Karrie,

Thanks for writing to me. You should contact the police immediately.  That letter is a threat of violence, which is a crime.  Your sister needs help; this person is abusive and dangerous.  Call the police first; then talk to her about the letter.  You may make her angry by calling the police, but you need to do it because this person has threatened to kill her.

Dana Q