An unlicensed Spring Valley chiropractor will spend the next 25 years in prison after he was convicted of sexually abusing his three children for years.
It's been a decade-long, agonizing journey for the suspect's family, who just wanted justice.
"I'm happy with the outcome, but I wish it had happened sooner," one of the children told us.
Stuart White, 66, was charged with super aggravated assault of a child under the age of 6 after he abused his son and fraternal twins when they were young, according to prosecutors. White's then 5-year-old daughter was the first of the children to tell their mother about the abuse.
"I didn't know what was happening," she said. "I just thought it was a normal thing and it was like a routine at that point."
She said now that her dad is going to prison, her family will feel safer.
"I think that it's finally something I can put in the past," she said.
Now 15, she decided to speak out, with hopes her story will help other victims.
"There's always someone you can talk to and will help you," she said. " If it's not your mom then it'll be somebody else."
The children's mother filed for divorce after they told her about the abuse. She said the last 10 years have been unrelenting and painful, but she's happy with the outcome.
Assistant District Attorney Denise Nichols said for the children to be able to get to the point to tell their stories and have a jury believe this is huge for all survivors of abuse.
"It was a very powerful two weeks of testimony, very emotional but we believe the jury absolutely did the right thing," Nichols said.
“Our children are the most vulnerable victims in our community, and when they are hurt or abused, especially by someone they should be able to trust, it is our duty to seek justice for them,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “Thanks to a law passed by legislature, convicted child molesters who abuse young children must spend at least 25 years in prison, day for day.”
That means White's 25-year prison sentence does not include the possibility of parole so he'll be 91 before he's released.
“The legislature gave this type of crime such a high minimum because they felt it was a very serious offense that deserved a strict punishment,” Nichols said. “These cases are a priority for our office, which has added prosecutors to our division specifically so we can get more of these cases to trial faster.”
White's ex-wife said after she divorced him, he moved to California, got remarried and started a new family.
He's denied all wrongdoing and is taking steps to get a new trial.
“Family and friends of Stuart White are distraught about the verdict. Efforts are underway to appeal the trial and prevent a miscarriage of justice," White's attorney said.