I take what Melissa's family says with a grain of salt. This is a PR exercise IMO.
Of course, they are well-spoken, they're preachers.
Respectfully snipped:
Great point! Hadn't thought of that. ITA it was probably the best PR strategy.
I agree with you. That is appalling. It's a lack of respect for the victim. WTH did they do that for? They could have relocated, or even had the service on the lawn outside.
What were they thinking? :waitasec:
link please. I did not see thisIt was stated around noon Sunday by LE that the murder occurred in the church.
I would hope that the Lawless family was informed before the public announcement was made, since it involves property they probably own or are legally liable for.
I couldn't go back in the church, but I sense vibes at places where violent deaths have occurred, even when I didn't know about it before hand.
Maria
link please. I did not see this
I wish that the media had never asked or published how the Chavez' and Cantus' are feeling to be so close to Melissa's relatives. We can only imagine how they feel, and for the media to sensationalize it like that is really in poor taste. I guess it comes with the territory. I wish a network would pay for Sandra's family to stay at a fancy hotel or to go to New York or whatever they want like some of these other family's get. URRGGG!
I thought that the statements were very well done. I agree with SeekingJana that there does seem to be some denial going on. I know it was the Easter Sunday Service, but considering the extreme nature of what has happened there... I don't think I would have been able to go if I were a member of the congregation. I'm not sure if I would ever be able to go back if it is determined that the crime occurred there.
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/full_story?page_label=home&id=2306852-An+Easter+like+none+other&widget=push&article-An%20Easter%20like%20none%20other%20=&instance=home_news_lead_story&openSheneman said investigators have no motive for the slaying. Police declined to say where or how the girl was allegedly killed, though investigators said they believed she died very soon after she was last seen.
http://cbs13.com/local/sandra.cantu.2.983230.htmlPolice in Tracy, California, believe 8-year-old Sandra Cantu was murdered in the church where her accused killer served as a Sunday school teacher, according to CBS News
I think it was very inappropriate to have Easter service at the church where the little girl was murdered. With so few members they could have had it somewhere else or just cancelled. I don't really see why the media wants some sort of statement from an alledged murderers family in the first place. What can they really say to make any difference at all since they didn't do the crime.
How come they were even allowed in the church- IMO I would think it will still be considered a crime scene and cordoned off. I can't believe the police allowed a bunch of people to go traipsing around in there!
(Bolded by me) It is exactly what Pastor Lawless said they had spent the past day or so asking themselves in private conversations. It was at the end of the short CBS video for those who need a link...it is located on the media thread.Last night, as I laid down and couldn't fall asleep, I thought of not only Sandra and her family, but of the Lawless family too.
I tried to put myself in their shoes. How would I feel if my own child, cousin, sister had commited such an atrocity?
I couldn't quite go there because it was too painful for me to imagine. I know myself, and know that I would until my last breath ask myself over and over, what could I have done to prevent this? What did I do wrong? What did I not see?
As far as the church service, I don't have an opinion one way or another. I do doubt that the Lawless family has followed media coverage for some reason, and I don't think LE would have shared that information if proved factual with their family. I do think, that they went to the place where they could find guidence and comfort for themselves and I was thankful to hear that they mentioned Sandra and her family in their words.
I am reserving my anger, my disgust for the one that is under arrest right now. JMHO
I take what Melissa's family says with a grain of salt. This is a PR exercise IMO.
Of course, they are well-spoken, they're preachers. Surely they are in shock, but they are also in denial and when the dust clears they wil be in court supporting Melissa and trying to get her the best deal -- lightest sentence possible....too bad for the Cantu's they don't get that. They have lost their daughter and no matter what happens now, they are the losers.
The Huckaby family has now given a new picture of Melissa to the media to show on tv. I couldn't find a link to the picture, but they showed it on KRON-TV this a.m.
I interpret this as being the family's attempt to show people that Melissa isn't really the monster she appears to be in her mug shot. Trying to see it from their point of view, I guess I can understand, at least right now when they are still in shock and denial.
Yesterday, Easter morning, I don't think the Huckabys (or Lawlesses) knew for sure that the church was where Sandra was killed. I don't think that info had come out yet, but they must have known it was the site of so many searches. That in itself would have made me too squeamish and upset to go into the church.