Casey: (video starts mid-sentence) -of custody.
Reporter: Some person who didn't want to say that person's name, thought perhaps that may be unethical to continue to receive-
Casey: You have to understand about that. Along with that comes Medicaid, and I knew that was Erica's only way of going to the doctor if she became sick and needed to go to the doctor. So, if you cancel that too, you cancel her insurance that she has, and that was her only health insurance at all. And, I actually have the letter over there that tells about receiving that. And, there's two criterias for it- legal responsibility or financial responsibility. (But in two years, she never went to the doctor even for a check up, immunizations, have her learning disability looked at?)
Reporter: So, how did you use the money, then?
Casey: It- just put it in the bank, and just like we received it, and it's in- it's sitting in the bank. 'Cause-
Reporter: No one went to Irene, Nan?
Casey: No, we don't even know an address. I still have her Medicaid card sitting here.
Reporter: How would she get-
Casey: If she needed that.
Reporter: - to the doctor?
Casey: She would have to call and do it. Now see, they did mention about treatment one time for her. And Nan, when we called her back, we went to see- we called to see how that went when she was at the ER, supposed to be, that night- um, she said she got her treated. (Nan, an elderly old lady, just pays the ER bill without insurance even though the child has insurance?? When did this accident occur -if they haven't talked to her since Feb 2012 when she asked to stay forever -it had to be in Dec-Feb time frame. What kind of treatment??? )
Reporter: This is up in Asheville?
Casey: Yes. And they- the detective said they called a hospital. The hospital me and my husband searched for and found was Mission's Hill, wasn't it? Hospital, that we assume that's where she went to. Um, but they won't give you any information over the phone. And, the detective said they was checking all that and checking it out.
Reporter: Do you know how to contact the biological parents?
Casey: Uh, the mom has called me almost every day up until this week. (earlier in this story, you thought she was in LA but not sure but you talk every day???)
Reporter: What's she saying? What's she calling for?
Casey: She was actually supposed to come here and wanted to stay here with me until she could talk, in case they needed her. Up until Monday, now she doesn't, she hasn't responded to me anymore.
Reporter: Have you tried to call her back?
Casey: Yes. They said- well, the last time she said that was somebody from the media called her and told her that I killed her. And that was- she hung up.
Reporter: But, had you been in contact with her for this whole time?
Casey: Yes.
Reporter: Regular contact with her?
Casey: Yes, all of us has. My daughter-in-law, all of us has talked to her constantly.
Reporter: So, where is she at now?
Casey: I think she's still in Louisiana. I have no idea. As of Monday, that's where I think she still was at.
Reporter: So, who are her parents in relation to you, then?
Casey: Her, the-
Reporter: Biological mother.
Casey: Her parents, they're not- she was married to my husband's brother. She was our sister-in-law.
Reporter: Who is not the father of the child?
Casey: Yeah. She's not- not of Erica.
Reporter: That's Billy?
Casey: Yeah.
Reporter: So, in addition to you guys not knowing where she is, not being able to find Nan, the father- biological father- does not know where she is? That's what he, perhaps, is telling you-
Casey: That's what he's saying.
Reporter: - or investigators and the biological mother does not know where she is, either?
Casey: Yeah, and when I told- she did not know there was other ladies there with her to pick her up (She is making it sound like Carolyn knew Erica was with Nan but that contradicts the facebook messages and what Carolyn has said) and she's- I told her about Strawberry and her exact words was, I hate to say that on this, but she was like, "That *****. If I know she's in on this, I'm going to kill her." and I said, "You've met Strawberry before, Carolyn?" and she goes, "I lived with her for almost 6 months." (I have not heard Carolyn confirm or deny that she knows Strawberry) That's- I didn't even know she knew these people, not the Strawberry woman and Kelly. I knew she knew Nan (She doesn't) . I didn't know she knew Strawberry and them.
Reporter: And, she's the one who put you in touch with Nan?
Casey: Yeah. (how??)
Reporter: The biological mother-
Casey: Yes.
Reporter: -put you in touch with Nan?
Casey: Yes. She gave- Nan said all of our information, Erica's birthday and everything come from Carolyn Parsons. Everything. (So Nan just claims Carolyn told her -no apparent personal introduction)
Reporter: What's the last thing investigators either asked or said to you? When was it? I mean, I know you-
Casey: It was- the last thing they said to me was I was going to regret going to my lawyer. We had probably a three hour conversation about going to the lawyer. 'Cause when we went back up for more questioning and we told them straight out that after at 4:30 we had an appointment, they- nothing was said about Erica during that time, at that point. It was all the lawyer, and we would regret it.
Reporter: Mr.Sherill, have you spoken to anyone in law enforcement?
Sherill: Haven't heard a word.
Reporter: Is that unusual in a case like this?
Sherill: If they wanted any information, they know where to find it. They've never spoken to me.
Reporter: They said uncooperative, in your opinion-
Casey: It's 'cause we went to the lawyer. No, we did exactly what he told us to do. Matter of fact, when he come- the very first day of questioning when he showed up at our house at 9 o'clock in the morning and asked us would I be willing to follow him back to look at pictures and to try and identify Nan and Strawberry and Kelly, we just got my pocketbook and we followed him straight back up there. We stayed all day, and the very next day was back up there again. And then when we said we was getting a lawyer, that's when heck broke loose and he said we would regret it. But, I did tell him I was more than willing to still come back up there and answer any questions and do what he wanted as long as lawyer Sherrill could be there, and he would not let me come.
Sherrill: As an aside to that, the department of social services came out here- what was it, July 30th?
Casey: Yes.
Sherrill: 31st?
Casey: 30th.
Sherrill: And did an assessment to if there was any danger, do you have that with you?
Casey: Yes, I do. Do you want to grab that folder for us over there, Kayla?
Reporter: Two other juveniles were removed, is that correct?
Casey: Yeah.
Reporter: It was two?
Casey: Yes.
Reporter: And, they were removed because they're under 18, is that correct?
Casey: They never told me why they was being removed. I do not know.
Reporter: You have other kids here, but they're older?
Casey: Yeah. I got a 17 year old daughter.
Sherrill: The assessment is a safety assessment, and they're marked here, um.
Reporter: What is the date?
Sherrill: The current date it says is July 30th, 2013. Their signatures are actually dated July 31st, 2013.
Sandy: They left at 1:30 in the morning.
Sherrill: Every- there are 11 questions as to whether there is danger to the child or children. The first 11 questions are marked 'no'. The 12th question has an 'other', so it's not a standard question, and it says, "The whereabouts of Erica Parsons is unknown." Then, they have a plan, again marked 'other', that says 'See below', and they say, "The plan in effect until safety issues have been resolved is parents agree to make every effort to contact Erica by Facebook, or find contact information for her caregivers." Then, it was what, August 1st-
Casey: Yeah.
Sherill:- that you called me?
Casey: Yes. This was like at 1:30 in the morning, so it actually had turned into July the 31st, and just 24 hours later.
Sherill: Okay. You called me on August 1st, and at 8 o'clock that night, the department of social services came out and took the children.
Reporter: Two of them, correct?
Casey: Mhm. Not even twenty- the only difference was, um- cause we got a lawyer and they told us that we would regret it.
Reporter: Getting back to some of the other things you said before- why, in your words, were they accusing you of murder and/or selling her? I know you talked about the medical bills.
Casey: Yeah.
Reporter: But, why did they say that?
Casey: The murder is all James. All of it James. All of it James, 'cause he said that. He said that. That's the only reason. And his is retaliation. He's mad at me.
Reporter: Did they say they have any evidence against you-
Casey: No.
Reporter: -of a crime?
Casey: Nothing.
Reporter: Have they told you if you're a suspect?
Casey: No, they haven't. They haven't told us anything like that. Nothing.
Reporter: So, suddenly, someone could just get into contact with Erica.
Casey: Exactly. His exact words were actually, when we told him we was going to the lawyer, was- cause I was crying, he said, "Why would you be going to a lawyer?" and I said, "Cause of what Scott said that you told him." And um, his words was, "Everything that you've told us has checked out." (ROFL) So, I don't understand why they're saying now that we have lied about the stuff when his words was, everything that we've told him has checked out. Did he not?
(Sandy nods)
Casey: He told us that in the lobby of the courthouse. His exact words to us. He said, "Everything you have been telling us has checked out. We've got it. We've got Strawberry. We've got the Kelly. Everything." And, he said, "So, you still want to go to this lawyer?" I said, "Yes." And that's when he actually, he had a cell phone in his hand, he said, "You are going to regret doing this." He said, "Do you understand what I'm saying?" I said, "Yes." And I didn't know what he meant then either, and he got on his cell phone and we walked out of the court house and walked to his office, and then when we got home just like an hour later we knew what he meant by that.
Reporter: Assuming Erica, like many teenagers, has access to the internet- she can probably see what is happening, what would you say to her?
Casey: Well, actually, her half-sister actually told the detectives that she had talked to her just earlier this year on Facebook and asked her, "How are you doing?" And she replied, "I'm fine." And that was her step- it's her half-sister, Carolyn's biological daughter, Brittany Cline (If Erica only met Carolyn once -how did she have a relationship with Brittany??). And, we was told that during the two days of questioning, that Brittany had contacted her and said she's doing fine. (Has Brittany verified this??)
Reporter: So, that was three months ago?
Casey: She said, "Earlier this year, I talked to Erica on Facebook." She had a Facebook page and she talked to her and asked her, "How are you doing?" and she replied, "I'm fine."
Reporter: How would she be able to find one?
Casey: I cannot find no Facebook. Brittany said though that she had it under a different name (That didn't raise red flags??) . Um, Brooke is gone, isn't she? Brooke remembers the day that Brittany said- we actually even have pictures of where Brittany wrote Brooke where the Facebook thing was- my daughter, Brooke- pictures of her saying where she talked to her and Erica replied, "I'm fine." (above she said she learned of Brittany talking to Erica via the police investigation)
Reporter: I guess, obviously this could be a law enforcement question too but they don't- they're not answering questions. With cell phone technology, internet technology, court records, you know, where people live, things of that nature, um- search warrants, they can come see your phone records, cell phone records, whatever- you know, why can't they find a 15 year old girl?
Casey: To my knowledge, they've never even looked at none of that stuff yet. And why, I don't know. 'Cause I've asked myself the same thing. We've welcomed them to come here and do whatever they have to do. Anything. And they're welcome right this minute. They are. We've told them to dig the yard up, look in our house, look at anything. They're more than welcome to do that. More than welcome.
Reporter: Is there a search underway?
Casey: Nothing that I know of.
Reporter: Have you heard of any indication investigators are..?
Sherrill: Haven't said anything to me.
Reporter: Why would they do this?
Sherrill: I don't know.
Reporter: You likely have some experience with them. Have you ever seen local investigators do something like this under the threat of somebody getting a lawyer?
Sherrill: Uh, I have my own opinions. (chuckles)
Reporter: I'm sure.
Sherrill: But, uh- that would be, I would say, unusual anyway. What they did was, they basically asked them all the questions. They tried to answer all the questions they could, but they started asking questions they couldn't answer because they didn't have the knowledge. So, it's a law enforcement thing to start accusing to see if somebody will pipe up and say, and when they started accusing, they said, "Wait a minute. We think we need a lawyer." or, "We might consider a lawyer." So, they came and talked to me, and evidently for what, three hours, they browbeat you after that?
Casey: Yeah.
Sherrill: For going to a lawyer?
Casey: Yes.
Sherrill: And then, I gave you cards and you gave them cards and said, "Here's our lawyers name if you want to talk to us some more." And they haven't asked another question.
Casey: Nothing.
