A man who accused his mother of sexually abusing him has given an update, shedding light on his long-standing trauma and current challenges.
Back in 2015, Logan Gifford came forward with accusations that his mother, Doreene Gifford, had sexually abused him from the age of 10, per 8News Now.
The allegations led to a conviction for Doreene, who was sentenced to 8 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted sexual assault, incest, and lewdness with a child under 14.
Although she did not admit guilt, she took an Alford plea, acknowledging that prosecutors had sufficient evidence for a conviction.
But as troubling as the past has been, Logan's ongoing family situation has only become more complicated. Logan’s younger brother, now 15, has disabilities that require additional care both at home and at school.
Logan has been a primary caregiver for his brother since he was 11, shortly after his mother gave birth to him, as reported by PEOPLE.
However, the ongoing trauma and abuse that Logan suffered have led him to a shocking fear that his younger brother might be his son.
Logan expressed his deep concerns in a post on TikTok in July 2024, revealing that he had requested a DNA paternity test to confirm or dispel his fears.
The results, which were submitted to the court, revealed a 99.9% probability of paternity for both Logan and his father, Theodore “Ted” Gifford. The test results, however, raised more questions than answers.
Due to the fact that full siblings share approximately 50% of their DNA with one another, both Logan and his father had similar genetic markers to the teen, making it difficult to definitively determine paternity without advanced genetic testing.
In a follow-up post, Logan provided an update on the situation, saying, “I have been granted temporary sole physical and legal custody of [my] younger sibling following a court ruling by Judge Ochoa in Clark County Family Court.
"This decision comes as part of ongoing proceedings surrounding a complex and deeply personal paternity matter.”
Logan further clarified that while the test results were inconclusive, they did suggest a potential biological connection, and the next step in the process would involve advanced testing.
At a court hearing in late July 2024, Judge Vincent Ochoa remarked that the results were unsurprising, given the nature of sibling genetics. Logan’s legal team has since been exploring more advanced lab methods to determine the truth.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding paternity, Logan remains focused on his primary goal of ensuring his brother’s safety and well-being.
“This is about doing right by my sibling. My goal is to ensure their safety, stability, and long-term well-being,” Logan explained. "We are taking the science seriously, and my legal team and I will move forward with thoughtful care and urgency."
“Look at the mess that I’m left with,” Logan said in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“I didn’t ask for any of this. I was a child when all of this happened and yet now I’m responsible for picking up the pieces of something that really is still continuing to have an impact in my life and dragging me to deal with that. I feel that as though it is my obligation or my duty to [him] to do this and find out who his biological father really is.”
Logan’s custody battle is not just about a family torn apart by abuse; it’s also a fight to secure his brother's future.
His mother, Doreene, was released from prison on parole in July 2024 after serving nine years of her sentence.
Following her release, Doreene was arrested in January 2025 for violating parole conditions that prohibited her from having contact with her victims. She now resides in Massachusetts, though she remains a registered sex offender in Nevada.
In early 2024, Logan took legal action, filing a paternity petition in Clark County Family Court and requesting approval for an advanced DNA test. His goal is not just to clarify the boy’s parentage, but also to ensure that the best interests of his brother are protected.
If the DNA test results ultimately confirm that Logan is the father, it will add another layer of complexity to his ongoing legal battles, but Logan is prepared to face whatever comes his way.
“It’s ugly and visceral, but it doesn’t change the fact that it needed to be done,” he shared. "If it comes back negative, I’m still filing for custody, because it doesn’t change the obligation that I have to him now."
An upcoming hearing is scheduled for September 24, where the court will continue to address the paternity issue and make further decisions about the custody of Logan’s younger brother.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or rainn.org in the US, or contact rapecrisis.org.uk or call 0808 500 2222 in the UK.