Southlake Couple Found Guilty in Case Involving Girl's Unpaid Domestic Labor

A federal jury found a Southlake couple guilty Thursday of benefiting from an African girl's unpaid domestic labor in their home, a verdict that could mean a decades-long prison sentence for the pair.Mohamed Toure and Denise Cros-Toure were immediately taken into custody after the verdict was read, their children visibly shaken as they left the room, KTVT-TV (CBS 11) reported.The couple were found guilty on two counts, including harboring an alien for financial gain and conspiracy for the same, accused of forcing the victim to work long hours without pay.Djena Diallo of Guinea spoke no English when she was brought to Texas 18 years ago and had no friends or family here. She was made to cook, clean, perform yard work, paint and serve as nanny for the couple's five children, all while being denied academic and other opportunities given to the children despite being of similar age.Though Diallo, now an adult, testified that she could on occasion come and go, the couple coerced her labor by isolating her from family members, emotionally and physically abusing her and confiscating her documents, causing her to illegally overstay her visa once it expired.Diallo escaped in August 2016 with the help of former neighbors.Asked for comment, David Finn, a member of the couple's legal team, told the Morning News, "My parents told me if you don't have anything good to say, stay silent. Good advice right now." Toure is the son of Guinea's first president, who served in that role for 26 years. Cros-Toure's father was the nation's secretary of state.  Continue reading...