nikko. samantha. jianna. mia. gino. >> sounds like a busy home. >> they're wonderful, my dream. >> reporter: she says despite smiling faces there was a shocking, ugly secret in the family. years of emotional and physical abuse by david. >> what would he do? >> throw things, hammers, at me. blackize, broken ribs. we had to lock ourselves in the bedroom, we were scared. we didn't know how his behavior was going to be one day to the next. >> reporter: she claims david didn't just target her but went after the children too. >> how often did that happen? >> once is more than enough. it happened a lot. >> reporter: after 20 years of marriage, sandra says she reaches her breaking point and finally files for divorce. she says frightened for her life, she also gets an order of protection against david. and then she calls police on him at least 20 times. claiming he continuously violates it. >> he broke into the house, came running up the stairs, jumped onto the bed that i was at, started choking me, then took a pillow and