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Voices From
Victims of Grief
For two years Tracey was left free with her children. She began to make a life for them. She began to put her life back in order, and got a job as a customer service representative for a local toy company ... she loves kids and loves being around people. While rebuilding her life and raising her children she was also going to lawyers and courts getting ready for her upcoming trial. It was during one of the meetings with her attorney that Tracey was made aware of the fact that her children would have to testify in court. The children would have to re-live this whole ordeal that she had spent the past two years getting them over. With this in mind she chose to plead guilty to murder, and go to jail rather than putting her kids and family through this.
I can't imagine having that kind of choice to make ... either leave your kids for two and a half years, or have them re-live everything all over. Through the love and support of family and friends, we try to keep the children's lives as normal as possible. The love and strength of Tracey's parents has been amazing, they have managed to pick up the pieces, put their lives on hold, and give these kids everything the world has to offer them.
I know that these children suffer in their own way. The youngest girl who is 7 writes letters to mommy and sends her candy every week (no they don't allow candy there, and we don't send it, but who has the heart to tell a 7 year old that mommy can't have candy?). She knows that someday mommy will be home, but 2 and a half years is a long time when you are just 7. I have been truly amazed by the love and support these kids have gotten not only through the school, but from the other children. People say that kids can be so mean, that has never been an issue here ... Its the adults that say the mean and ugly things.
We love you Tracey, and we will be waiting for you to come home!!
Love, Dee
Submitted 04/09/2002
