Family is slowly recovering
NORTH PORT -- When her mother leaves the room, Ellen-Beth Fullwood steps outside.
It doesn't matter if the Fullwood children are playing in a different room: If neither Saul or Doreen VanderWoude is present, Ellen-Beth is very careful not to be around her children unsupervised.
"It's no way to live," Ellen-Beth said from the living room of her parents' Cape Coral home, "but, we are not taking any chances. Since it depends upon how you interpret the court orders, we are following them strictly. We don't want to do anything to jeopardize me getting back my children."
Ellen-Beth is the mother of 6-year-old Coralrose, who was found slain on Sept. 17 in a construction area two blocks from their former Calabash Lane home in North Port. She doesn't spend the night at her parent's home. She's not allowed.
The court removed the Fullwood children from their parents, Ellen-Beth and Dale, just two days after Coralrose's death. The judge said the children's living condition was deplorable.
Shortly after, Dale was arrested and charged with two counts of having child











on his lap computer. He was recently released. Police officials say his arrest had nothing to do with the homicide case.
Both parents have appeared in Sarasota court at the child custody hearings for their children.
Since then, Ellen-Beth moved from the North Port home to be closer to her children. Dale no longer lives in the Calabash Lane home either.
When the grandparents take the children to their mom's home, they have fun. They do homework, talk, sing and eat together. Only when it's time to leave do they resist.
"Lonny had a meltdown (recently) when it was time to go back to my parent's house," Ellen-Beth said of her 10-year-old son. "That trigged Emerson (4) and September (9) to get upset. Emerson tells me that the judge said I can stay with them. He doesn't understand and it's really difficult for us."
There's hope for the Fullwood family. Ellen-Beth plans to appear in court on Valentine's Day. The judge set several dates for the child custody hearings including Feb. 14. Ellen-Beth asked for the judge to expedite court dates in 2007. Ellen-Beth has faith that if she continues to work with the Department of Children and Family Services she might get the children back sooner. The judge agreed it was possible.
"My children have had to grieve the loss of their sister without me there for them all of the time," Ellen-Beth said.
Ellen-Beth was the most vocal in court when it came to regaining custody. She told Circuit Court Judge Rick DeFuria on several occasions that the state is harming the children more by not allowing them to be with their mother. DCF replied that the children are receiving counseling.
Despite all of the controversy surrounding Coralrose's death, the family is slowly healing.
Hints of the little girl who loved butterflies, playing in the mud and chatting to anyone who would listen, are all over the VanderWoude home. A framed poem with words far beyond a 12-year-old's vocabulary expresses the strong feelings Coralrose Eve's older sister Aleena has for her.
The now-famous photo used nationally of the little girl in the red dress and the toothy smile is framed and displayed among other family photos.
"We didn't have the money for a headstone for Coralrose," said Doreen. "We received a call from a woman (out of state) who heard about Coralrose. She said she wanted to do something to help. She sent money to the temple to make sure we get the headstone. It's been amazing how nice people have been to help us."
The family plans to put the headstone in place on the 11th month after Coralrose's death in accordance with Jewish tradition.
The North Port community, as well as residents in Cape Coral, have been helping the family.
Ellen-Beth sometimes struggles with unwelcomed comments and speculation made on the television news and in the media about the family.
"Just because my daughter was murdered doesn't mean my other children should be getting toys," she said putting her head down. "I understand we don't deserve things. We were not looking for anything. I also understand that people want to help. And I appreciate it very much and so do my children. They really do."
Ellen-Beth said she would like to get her computer back from law enforcement because she uses speech therapy programs as part of her job in working with the elderly.
In 2007, Ellen-Beth looks forward to restoring a more normal life. She plans to write down stories she and Coralrose created together before bedtime. She recently tried, but the computer she was using crashed and the story was lost. She says she will try again.
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