Erica Windemere was supposedly a 14 year old girl afflicted with ALS. In reality, the name was an alias used by Barb and Toby Windemere as part of an elaborate scheme to con money out of those sympathetic to 'Erica's' situation. The novel Through the Darkness was seemingly authored by her. It described her life story and the many difficulties she faced, including her disease and her home life. This included being threatened by her mother and passed around a rape gang.