What do the names Samantha Runnion, Alexis Patterson, and Caylee Anthony have in common?
They’re three little girls who I’ve never met, but whose big eyes and wide smiles have affected me deeply, little girls who have all had tragic endings.
Samantha Runnion
Samantha Runnion was a 5-year-old who was playing outside her house when a man came up and asked her to help find his puppy. That was July 15, 2002.
Her body turned up a day later with signs of physical trauma, asphyxiation, and sexual molestation.
The killer, Alejandro Avila, was finally convicted of her murder three years later.
Alexis Patterson
On May 3, 2002, LaRon Bourgeois walked his stepdaughter, Alexis Patterson half a block to her school. He was the last person to ever see her again. Lexi disappeared from the face of the Earth. Police have found nothing, no signs of her whereabouts, no evidence of any sort as to what happened to her. So far all anonymous leads have come up empty. Alexis would be 13-years-old now.
Caylee Anthony
Caylee Anthony disappeared several weeks ago, but her mother didn’t see fit to tell anyone until recently. That’s why Casey Anthony is a “person of interest” in the disappearance of little 2-year-old Caylee. Unfortunately, all signs indicate that this story will not end well.
Why, out of all the missing children stories that happen every year, have these three affected me so deeply? I wish I knew, but their little wide eyes haunt me relentlessly.
Why do people harm children? Why do the adults that these children look to for love and protection often end up being the very ones who break that trust in the most vile, violent, and malicious manner?
I wish I knew. I wish I knew how to prevent it from ever happening again.
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Posted by Tasha Skinner on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I understand your point on the deepest levels, I myself have children who are not much younger and older than poor little Caylee (I have a 3 and a 2 year old little girls, the three year old is only a month older than Caylee). I live in Orlando and not but a few streets away from where Casey and Caylee lived with Casey’s parents. I believe, with the most respect and sympathies to the grandparents, that her mother murdered her in cold blood. It is horrible such an act, as you, I do not comprehend how an adult could ever hurt a child. I am however very upset that CNN did not even put a video clip on TV about the poor little girl. If there was any chance she could be found alive, I am afraid it was forgotten among the dazzle of Barack Obama’s trip to the middle east. Even though I have never met the little girl, I have seen her mother around the neighborhood, and I love that little girl, with all my heart and soul, I love her. As you say “being haunted by their eyes” I am as you, haunted too. I am glad at least someone cares for little Caylee. Thank you very much for your caring. Our community appreciates it greatly.
Posted by Tasha Skinner on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I understand your point on the deepest levels, I myself have children who are not much younger and older than poor little Caylee (I have a 3 and a 2 year old little girls, the three year old is only a month older than Caylee). I live in Orlando and not but a few streets away from where Casey and Caylee lived with Casey’s parents. I believe, with the most respect and sympathies to the grandparents, that her mother murdered her in cold blood. It is horrible such an act, as you, I do not comprehend how an adult could ever hurt a child. I am however very upset that CNN did not even put a video clip on TV about the poor little girl. If there was any chance she could be found alive, I am afraid it was forgotten among the dazzle of Barack Obama’s trip to the middle east. Even though I have never met the little girl, I have seen her mother around the neighborhood, and I love that little girl, with all my heart and soul, I love her. As you say “being haunted by their eyes” I am as you, haunted too. I am glad at least someone cares for little Caylee. Thank you very much for your caring. Our community appreciates it greatly.
Posted by Catherine J Gardner on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 11:14 am
Such a sad blog post. Let’s hope that Alexis Patterson and Caylee Anthony are eventually found alive and well.
And I’ll add to that Madeline McCann, a young British girl who has been missing for over a year.
Posted by Catherine J Gardner on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 11:14 am
Such a sad blog post. Let’s hope that Alexis Patterson and Caylee Anthony are eventually found alive and well.And I’ll add to that Madeline McCann, a young British girl who has been missing for over a year.