Annette “Annie” Farrell is a proud survivor and mother of four young children, currently serving a term of 15 years at   Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. After striving for over a decade to protect herself and her family from their abusive father, Annie was convicted of aiding him in the crime of sexual assault.  At the time of the offense, she was suffering with bipolar disorder and substance abuse issues. Originally, Annie (who had no felonies) was sentenced to 20 years in prison while her abuser (who had a prior violent felony) was sentenced to 15 years. It is not unusual in cases like this for a woman to receive a harsher sentence. Her sentence was subsequently deemed excessive on appeal and reduced to 15 years. 

As a child, Annie was terrorized by her step-father, who physically abused and assaulted her and then violently attacked her when she was pregnant with her first child at the age of 14. . Annie was 14, the father of the child, her abuser, was 21. After she gave birth to her first child, Annie began working at a club to support her mother, newborn and sisters. Although Annie’s mother did not approve of her working at the club, she was grateful for the extra support to make ends meet. The father of Annie’s children became verbally and physically violent toward her, during the course of their relationship which spanned more than eight years. He routinely  used weapons to viciously cut Annie across her face and body, once stabbing her in the legs. Her body is scarred from the cumulative effects of the abuse. Despite this abuse, Annie had three more children with him, the last of whom was born only two weeks prior to her incarceration in 2017. 

After Annie’s abuser hit her, she would try to protect her children by telling them that she fell, but they didn’t believe her, and often protested their father’s violence. Annie’s oldest son would try to throw shoes at his father to protect Annie from attack.  

In her time at Bedford Hills, Annie has become involved with an Alternatives to Violence program. She has become a leader in the program and started facilitating classes in the fall of 2019. Annie is a prolific writer and poet who enjoys consuming the many books she receives from her grandmother. She wants to write a book of her own and learn new ways of healing through poetry. Annie works regularly with other survivors of gender-based violence on healing and encourages other people to write as a form of therapy. She dreams of continuing her literary and healing work when she is released. Annie has also been taking classes at Bedford Hills in preparation to continue her collegiate career. 

Annie’s mother and children live in Brooklyn, NY and due to the high cost of travel and difficult family dynamics, are rarely able to visit. She misses her children and worries about their growing up without their mother in their lives. Annie is especially concerned about her youngest daughter who was born just weeks before Annie’s incarceration. Still, her children hold on to Annie’s love for them, and share her love of the arts. Her three daughters recently formed a playful music group called the “Plum Girls.” They miss her deeply and await her homecoming so they can be together as a family. 

Explore more

Joy Powell

Joy Powell is an activist, pastor, survivor, and mother who is serving two sentences at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for…

Annette Farrell

Annette “Annie” Farrell is a proud survivor and mother of four young children, currently serving a term of 15 years…

Tanisha Davis

Tanisha Davis is a caring 32 year-old single mother serving a 14-year sentence in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women…

Joanne Armour

Joanne Armour is serving 20 years to life for defending herself and her 14 year old daughter against an attack…

Breanna Simpson

Breanna Simpson is serving 25 years for defending herself against a man who tried to kill her on numerous occasions.…

Cynthia Galens

Cynthia Galens Cynthia Galens is a survivor of three abusive relationships, including two marriages. The third relationship ended in the…

Laura Martin

Laura Martin Laura Martin is serving a 20-year sentence for killing her father, a man who had physically and sexually…

Theresa Debo

Theresa Debo Theresa Debo has survived a lifetime of horrific abuse. Now 14 years into a 22-years-to-life sentence for second…

Kelly Forbes

Kelly Forbes In 2001, Kelly Forbes immigrated from her native Trinidad with her young daughter to Brooklyn. She was a…

Darlene Benson-Seay

Darlene Benson-Seay Though she didn’t do it, Darlene Benson-Seay is incarcerated for killing her boyfriend, Ronnie, who abused her violently…

Sherrita Crumpler

Sherrita Crumpler Sherrita Crumpler is a 35-year-old woman currently serving a 17 Year sentence at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. A…

Kelly Harnett

Kelly Harnett Kelly Harnett was there in 2010 when her abuser murdered someone in a New York park. Because she…

Jessica

Jessica The first time Jessica’s partner hit her was when she picked him up from a stint in prison, where…

Betsy Ramos

Betsy Ramos Betsy Ramos has been behind bars for 22 years for second-degree manslaughter. At 15 years, she had served…

Rachel Ball

Rachel Ball Rachel Ball grew up in upstate NY. She is currently serving 8 ⅓ years for criminally negligent homicide,…