I'll provide backstory if it's requested but I'm going to keep it short-ish for now.
My dad was falsely accused of raping my 13/14 year old cousin a few years ago. The story was completely fabricated (I would know since (A) I know my dad, (B) I was supposedly there in these "stories") and my dad was deemed innocent when the charges were dropped before pre-trial. To say it was devastating to lose about half of your family is an understatement: at least at the time until details came around.
The trial involved many members of my mom's family (their statements contained fabricated evidence and false accusations) and I haven't spoken to any of them for nearly three years. I lost a grandma, two uncles, an aunt, and multiple cousins because of this. My mom still talks to many members who were involved in this case and I won't lie, it bugs the hell out of me. However, it's her life and I keep my mouth shut about it.
As of now, I'm doing much better for myself than before. I moved out of my parents house and far enough away for them to have a little trouble finding me, I work for my dad and have since 2005, and I now share my life with the best person I've ever known, so I feel like I'm overall better off. Crazy, I know, but I do go on sites that track and host information about how to find/reach me (spokeo, that kind of crapola) and I will do what I can to keep that information hidden. I don't have any social media and had blocked all of their emails/phone numbers on the day I heard about the charges.
In a way, I'm relieved they're gone. I figured, if they were immoral and sinister enough to make up charges as serious as this, I don't want these people in my life. Ever. No exceptions. But, on another side, I think about if I happen to have kids in the future. Do I tell them what exactly happened between these family members? Do I tell them I don't have any family on that side? Do I tell them that they're dead? I want to let them make that decision for themselves but why would I endanger my child to "meet" someone they happen to share genes with? I feel like I'm being unfair ... but when my dad faced nearly 225 years in prison, I feel like I have a little bit of ground to have judgment on that.
But, in another way, I do miss the times we had together. Some of these family members were very close to me and a lot of my childhood was spent with them. It's strange. I can understand why the phrase "they're dead to me" is passed around after times like this.
So yeahhhhhhhhhh, that's meh story. Sorry for typos if there are any.