Unfortunately this is by far NOT the worst case - there are cases of abuse worse than this that go on for days, sometimes weeks, many times years - and many times in the child's own home. These cases are hard to follow and hear about, but we have to listen and pay attention - our awareness HAS to be raised in order to change laws and the way we look at the people around us.
This case will change the way apartment managers run their day to day. I know I will be even more stringent when it comes to locked vacants and accounted for keys. We've already implemented cameras in all areas of our communities.
We, as property owners and managers can do many things in our industry to help prevent something like this happening to the children in our communities, but like with our own safety - we, as parents, have to be even more diligent in ensuring we do all we can to keep our kids safe wherever they are. :twocents:
I really can't even imagine how it could be any worse than raping/stabbing/beating to a pulp a child. Sexual abuse that goes on for years, yes, I get, but as far as brutality? I can't fathom it.
I agree that our awareness has to be raised. I was already a helicopter mom, but now, they don't go out of my sight when they're with me. In fact, no one's kids who are in my care are out of my line of vision. My husband, OTOH, is keeping his head in the sand, and when I relayed the events in Jorelys' case to him last night, he said he didn't want to hear about it. I said you HAVE to. You HAVE to pull your head out of your butt so you can take care of our kids. The tactic rb used was one I wouldn't have thought of...I had already gone over the "no adult needs a child's help, don't give directions, no one's puppy is really lost, etc". But now they know it doesn't matter if someone has your toys, I will buy you new ones, you don't go.
That's the drive behind the 5k I am organizing. To raise money to bring these educational classes like RADKids and Revved Up Kids to schools. I'm hosting it at our school, and the first thing every parent I solicited asked was, "how much?" :banghead: Gee, I don't know, how much is your kids' life worth? Another response was, "we don't want to name the run after Jorelys, because she's not in our community." Okay, well YOU wait until it gets to our community, because I am not. I am so glad to see someone is bringing the classes to the kids at River Ridge apartments (where Jorelys lived), and they're working on it at her elementary school for the next school year. Whatever I raise will go to that school for starters to pay for the classes and the equipment.
That's awesome, vlpate, that your complex has cameras around the property now. That was another idea I was bouncing around for the funds to go. I don't know if it would have saved Jorelys, I don't know if having them will save the next victim where ever that may be, but maybe it will make the taking of the child that much more difficult knowing that eyes are on the perps. Hell, who knows...rb took her in broad daylight...she was gone before the sun even went down.
Every evening, as the sun starts to fade, my thoughts go to Jorelys...the fear she must have felt, the bravery she had to try and stand up after being stabbed and throat cut, to get home to her momma... it just kills me...
