Bayan shekaru hudu, mahaifin yaran "ya zo Stamps ba tare da gargadi ba" kuma ya mayar da su ga kulawar mahaifiyarsu a St. Louis. A lokacin da yake da shekaru takwas, yayin da yake zaune tare da mahaifiyarta, Angelou ta yi jima'i da kuma fyade ta dan uwan mahaifiyarta, wani mutum mai suna Freeman. Ta gaya wa dan uwanta, wanda ya gaya wa sauran iyalinsu. An sami Freeman da laifi amma an daure shi ne kawai a rana daya. Kwana hudu bayan da aka sake shi, an kashe shi, mai yiwuwa ta hannun 'yan uwan Angelou. Angelou ya yi kusan kusan shekaru biyar, yana gaskanta, kamar yadda ta ce, "Na yi tunani, muryata ta kashe shi; Na kashe wannan mutumin, saboda na gaya masa sunansa.
mahaifiyarta