Former Denver police officer is allowed to move freely because he allegedly raped his daughter – but her mother has to go to prison because she refuses therapy.

A retired Denver police officer has been released after being accused of sexually abusing his daughter, but his ex-wife claims she was arrested for refusing therapy.

Rachel Pickrel-Hawkins says she was sent to prison because she refused to send her two youngest sons to court-ordered therapy with their father, 55-year-old former Aurora police sergeant Michael Hawkins.

Pickrel-Hawkins was found guilty of contempt of court after she decided not to continue with reunification therapy ordered as part of her divorce proceedings, which began before charges were filed against Hawkins.

She told the Denver Gazette that the therapy had caused harm and accused the therapist of supporting Hawkins' efforts to gain custody of the children and of pressuring her to forgive her father.

Hawkins, who is free on bail, is also accused of sexually abusing Pickrel-Hawkins' two eldest daughters, whom he had adopted.

Former Aurora police sergeant Michael Hawkins (pictured) is free on bail after being accused of sexually assaulting his daughter and adopted daughters

The couple has four children, three of whom are minors, and Hawkins is seeking custody of the two youngest boys, ages 10 and 13.

According to court documents, Hawkins sexually abused his 17-year-old daughter throughout her childhood, starting when she was five, and nearly drowned the couple's older son, now 19.

The 19-year-old said Hawkins used police tactics to keep him underwater during a trip to Costa Rica in 2018.

The teenager claims he believed his father was vengeful because he had previously confronted him about seeing his hand in his sister's underwear.

Pickrel-Hawkins currently has custody of the minor children, who live in a home for domestic violence victims. She told the Denver Gazette she has arranged for her relatives to care for her children while she is in jail.

In addition to serving seven weekends in jail, the judge ordered Pickrel-Hawkins to pay the full $370 cost of any sessions her sons attended alone, and to split the bill with her ex for any sessions he attended.

Pickrel-Hawkins currently has custody of the minor children, who live in a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

In addition to ordering Pickrel-Hawkins to serve seven weekends in jail, the judge also required her to pay the full $370 cost of any sessions her sons attend alone and to split the bill with her ex for any sessions he attends.

In his decision, Larimer County District Court Judge Daniel McDonald expressed doubts about the allegations against the former police officer.

McDonald wrote on July 6: “The court further finds that no criminal charges have been filed and the Department of Human Services' determination can be based solely on the child's statements without any corroborating evidence.”

Although the judge's decision came before Hawkins was charged, Pickrel-Hawkins claims the judge was aware of the criminal investigation.

Later, on July 29, after nearly two years of investigation, Hawkins was charged.

Hawkins was hailed as a hero after he was among the police officers who responded to the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012 that left 12 people dead.

In his decision, Larimer County District Court Judge Daniel McDonald questioned the allegations against the former police officer.

Hawkins was charged with six counts of sexual abuse of a child by a person in a position of trust and one count of minor child abuse.

Hawkins was hailed as a hero after he was one of the police officers who responded to the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting that left 12 people dead.

His daughter told investigators that she was raped that same year after her father suffered post-traumatic stress disorder

Later on July 29, Hawkins was charged after a nearly two-year investigation.

Hawkins was in the news in 2017 after a woman accused him and three other officers of stomping on her head after she was falsely accused of attacking Hawkins.

Hawkins made headlines again in 2017 after a woman accused him and three other police officers of stomping on her head after she was falsely accused of attacking Hawkins.

Aurora paid the woman $335,000 to settle the lawsuit.

Hawkins retired the following year after passing a medical examination confirming his fitness for duty.

DailyMail.com has contacted Aurora police for comment on this story.