Josh Powell to boys: "I've got a big surprise"

CBS/AP

SEATTLE - Josh Powell told his 7-year-old son he had a "surprise" for him moments before attacking and killing him and his 5-year-old brother, according to the state social worker who was supposed to supervise a visit between Powell and his sons.

In an interview to air Friday on ABC's "20/20," Elizabeth Griffin-Hall said that Powell slammed the door on her after the children were inside the house on Sunday. Hall said she banged on the door and heard Powell tell his son Charlie: "I've got a big surprise for you."

She also heard Braden, Charlie's younger brother, crying.

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Authorities said Powell used a hatchet on his children then set a house fire that killed them all.

Powell's wife, Susan, vanished in Utah two years ago. Powell had long been a person of interest in the case but maintained that he had taken his sons -- then 2 and 4 -- on a midnight camping trip in freezing temperatures when she disappeared from their home.

Late Thursday, authorities told The Associated Press a computer in Powell's Utah home two years ago had computer-animated images that depicted "incestuous" sex. Pierce County Sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said the images collected by investigators were realistic computer-generated depictions of incestuous parent-child relations.

The images were disconcerting enough that they prompted a psychologist to recommend last week that Powell undergo an intensive psychosexual evaluation.

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An attorney for Powell's in-laws wasn't invited to see the materials before a custody hearing last week. Lawyer Steve Downing said he might have asked the court to change the terms of Powell's supervised visitation with the boys -- if he had seen the images.

On Sunday, the social worker drove the boys from their maternal grandparents' home to their father's house outside Puyallup, about 35 miles from Seattle. Josh Powell lost custody of the boys last fall, after his father, with whom they lived, was arrested in a child pornography and voyeurism investigation.

Griffin-Hall said Charlie and Braden loved being with their father.

"One of them said what he wanted to do was go home and live with his daddy," she told ABC, adding that the boys would "light up" during visits with Josh Powell.

After Powell locked her out of the house, Griffin-Hall called 911 and her supervisor. Logs show deputies weren't dispatched until eight minutes after Griffin-Hall's initial contact with authorities, though police say any delay would not have stopped what ultimately happened to the boys.

The 911 dispatcher's handling of that call has been criticized, and an investigation has been launched into the emergency response.

The social worker said she told her boss "something terrible is happening here, and I was on the phone with ... when the house exploded.

"I wanted to get to the kids," she said. "I wanted to get to the kids. I would have broken in if I could."

But Griffin-Hall told ABC she doesn't think she could have saved them.

"How this happened is that Josh Powell was really, really evil. I couldn't have stopped him," she said. "I did everything I was supposed to do. I did everything right and the boys are still dead."

She said she loved the boys and was like a "grandma" to them.

"They are not going to grow up," Griffin-Hall said. "The world lost two beautiful boys to a monster."

[th9876]

I think we've all seen and read enough of this story. What is there left to know - the father was a monster and he killed his family. It is time for the media to shut this story down.

[themanfrombrum]

Yeah, agree. The media have yet to hammer that final nail in his coffin.

[Hera63]

I agree. This man was a bastard, and there is absolutely NO excuse!! Many people are abused, molested and worse in life, and they don't kill their families. In fact, in general, they want a better life. I know this first hand. I was molested as a young teen, and a very special relative recogized this, as she too had been abused the same and WORSE in an entirely different era where no one interferred in family situations. This woman was the toughest, and most loving woman in life, and fiercely PROTECTED her children and grandchildren and taught be to be that kind of parent, daughter, sister and friend. This monster's time in the news is UP! However, let us never forget the innocence that was lost. SUSAN probably died trying to protect her children, and Charlie and Braden's only crime was loving their monstrous father. These three deserve to be remembered. They died horrible deaths, cut horribly short by a selfish psychopath! If I never hear his name again, I'm good with that. I personally believe the only attention worthwhile is to the beautiful faces shining back at us. How can anyone have so much, and destroy it all? Personally, I have to most beautiful children in the world, they're adults now, and I still think of them as the greatest accomplishments I ever did in my life. So media, pay attention, we don't care about anyone who would do such a heinous thing.

[debbie1120]

Since he had supervised visitation, why wouldn't they have to meet in a public place instead of a private home?

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Indeed, the plot sickens.

[venusvegasvada]

This headline is a little over the top. They died. It's horrible.
We get it. We got it the first 5 stories on it, the horror and unbelievable actions of this man.

It's getting to the point of sensationalism. Imagine what effect seeing this headline has on the families? It's cruel to them and to the boys memory. Have some respect.

[wlhoppers]

The headline didn't strike me as such when I first saw it but you are absolutely right.

To keep re-crafting the story to make its sad conclusion even more grim is Enquirer-style "journalism" and becoming more and more typical of CBS.

venusvegas is right. Have some respect.

[lonestar9000]

This probably all started with Josh Powell's sicko pedophile father. Josh was no doubt a victim himself, and I think his father might be a better candidate for the murderer of Susan Powell. She may have find out he was a pervert and confronted him, so he killed her and had Josh cover for him. Josh was probably emotionally dominated by his father, as so many molestation/incest victims are.

[credibility2]

...even if true, that's still no reason for him to do what he did...this guy was a coward, domestic abuser, pedophile and a twisted piece of human debris...

[suzala5656]

Although these detailed facts are extremely disturbing and painfully sad, I believe they are important to know for one simple reason: what preventative measures and/or changes to current laws can be taken now against similar, future heinous acts by evil-minded, ill-intended, deranged sociopaths (ie josh powell, casey anthony, et al)? We learned from little Caylee to prosecute parents for not promptly reporting a missing child; based on baby-killer-casey's ongoing attention-seeking antics, I'm sure there are more restrictions, revisions & amendments still yet to come. She eventually WILL pay for her sins, most likly by her own un-doing. As for the Powells, with hindsight being 20/20, let's see what we can learn from Susan, Charlie & Braden's tragic example so we can better prevent & intercede upon future harmful intents and/or attempts. Obviously, custody laws need serious revisings.

[Jhihmoac]

The Devil to Josh Powell: "I've got an even BIGGER surprise!"

[wlhoppers]

Let's hope so.

[moonflower2010]

RIP , Charlie and Braden.

[bingham22]

While it is horrific to keep hearing the details of this tragedy; it does serve a purpose if even one court gets a clue as to who they should let have even partial custody of children. Josh Powell was apparently a man without a conscience and this should have been visible to those supervising the case. I have a seven year old boy and I can tell you that seven year olds are very vocal. If Powell's seven year old told the authorities that "mommy was in the trunk.", and they had the evidence of a large wet spot in the carpet in the family home, that should have been enough to hold the Dad. Hopefully court systems around the Nation can learn a lesson from this awful awful crime. The comfort here is that Josh Powell got a "big surprise." himself when he stood before God with his kids and Susan likely there as well. Justice may not be served in this life but it certainly will be in the life to come.

[andie52]

I don't know if it would have mattered but sending an older social worker to the house was also not a great call. Someone younger may have been able to stop the boys from running to the door ahead of them.

[midvale3]

Yeah, he could have used the axe on the younger social worker and there'd be 4 dead.

[andie52]

A younger social would have had a faster reaction time. she didn't even have her phone on her she went back to the car to make the calls.