Maysea Dupuy took to her Facebook page to share a deeply personal story of being abused by her high school coach, David Castillo.
She opened up about the abuse she suffered, and now she is turning that pain into a call for others to stay safe and speak out.
Maysea began the post by clarifying that she isn’t sharing the details of the incident to shame anyone, but rather to inform and encourage people respectfully. She wrote:
This is NOT a post to shame anyone (that is not my job or anyone’s job, so please don’t use this in that way)
Maysea Dupuy
This IS to respectfully inform and encourage people (so please use it in this way)
Circumstances like these happen all around us (more then we like to talk about, unfortunately), so I hope my story will bring encouragement and awareness.
Maysea started high school in 2020, when she first crossed paths with David Castillo during her freshman year. He was her cross-country coach that year, and he stuck around in that role all through her four years at school.
By 2022, they had gotten closer, and she started working at his physical therapy clinic. The following year, in 2023, she even helped him out with athletic training at the high school during football games.
For about two years, she worked at his clinic, seeing him as a father figure, until some circumstances she never saw coming, even in her wildest dreams.
Initially, David made her feel safe and comfortable, which is why they became close in a short period of time.
Maysea, in fact, grew close to his family, including his wife and their photo business.
Over time, David became like a father figure whom she trusted more than her own parents.
“The most simplest way I can put it is he became like a father figure to me, trusted him more than my own parents, and I felt like part of his family. I would take every word he said to heart and I trusted him completely,” Maysea wrote.
Nonetheless, David took advantage of the vulnerability and her innocent soul to fulfill his disgusting desires.
She didn’t see the red flags at first because she believed in the man she thought he was, but then it crossed a line.
It started with small gestures like longer hugs, teasing her, and touching her back which made her uncomfortable.
However, she brushed off the thoughts and the warning signs because that’s how much she trusted him.
It’s that slow build that grooming that sneaks up on you, she said. “Grooming is a real thing, and it is hard to explain.”
Above all, it was merely a trailer for David’s actions, which began to accelerate over time.
It was on November 5, 2023, when he made the move and stole Maysea’s innocence.
After a strong cross-country season wrapped up, Maysea went to the clinic to ice her sore knee and ankle while Castillo was working out. That’s when he made his move.
She didn’t go into every detail of what happened in the clinic before she left. But she describes freezing up, her body not listening to her brain screaming to run.
Maysea wrote with disgust:
I will not go into much details concerning what happened in the clinic before I left, but I will say that things happened. And the most frustrating part was the fact that my body wasn’t doing what I wanted it to do. I wanted to get up and get out, but I couldn’t move or speak. My body failed me.
Maysea Dupuy
Following the traumatizing day, Maysea struggled with shame and confusion.
She tried to shove it down, keeping going as if nothing had happened. However, she felt trapped, like chains held her to this person she’d once respected.
That said, it was on November 9, 2023, when she had had enough and mustered up all the courage to open up to her parents.
The school got involved, and soon enough, Castillo was facing charges for sexual abuse and assault. He ended up with six months in jail and 20 years of probation, plus a ban from being around kids or schools.
Maysea described the time as the hardest and most challenging time of her life. She felt hopeless, lost, depressed, confused, scared, undeserving, and lonely.
In fact, she was also suicidal and got anxious about her future. But she’s fought her way out of it with the help of some cognitive therapy.
Meanwhile, she is in a better place now, healing from her darkest times.
Despite all this, Castillo hasn’t shown real regret, and his wife believes he hasn’t done anything wrong.
She ended the post again, saying that her motive for sharing this was not to tear anyone down or stir up drama, but to warn people in Prescott and the Verde Valley area.
