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00:06I hate him, the sight of him makes me sick, and that he's still alive and breathing.
00:17And you still can just see the evil person coming out.
00:21If you look at this picture, you just see he's just evil and angry.
00:28I wish that I could tie him up and set him on fire.
00:36I wish that he could burn and suffer.
00:39I want him to feel the pain that he's inflicted.
00:43I wish he could be tortured the way he tortured me, and it's still torturing me.
00:51He's a monster, a faker, a lie.
01:04I wish I could, this was his ashes.
01:19Wesley Coonrod is my ex-husband.
01:22Wesley came at a dark point in my life and was like this hero.
01:25I think Wesley saw I was young and desperate.
01:31And, you know, girls, when they're desperate, they do whatever they can to provide for their children.
01:35He was someone I trusted, and he destroyed my life.
01:40Wesley didn't just destroy me.
01:42He destroyed my kids.
01:44He destroyed his family.
01:47This is a tragedy, and it lives in you forever.
01:53So, I'll live with it for the rest of my life.
01:59Wesley was a knight in shining armor that turned into a monster.
02:16And he started to fight for the rest.
02:18He's always part of his death on his ocean and your vision.
02:18And, offhand side by the last person.
02:21He was one of the dinosaurs were all around from actions and affairs.
02:21He was around about, Wait an a second to his daughter.
02:21This is about a year!
02:21He went too.
02:22I went too.
02:27Tornado.
02:30He's really part of his that.
02:30The Kombat, I heard you.
02:46Before I met Wesley, I became a mom at 14.
02:50By the time I was 20, I already had three kids.
02:53But their father was on pills and stuff, so I was leaving him.
02:58I had nowhere to go. I had no wife to turn to.
03:02I was staying with a friend, and Wesley was her brother.
03:06And me and my kids had nowhere to go, so Wesley said,
03:10you can come live with me if you help take care of my son,
03:13and I'll take care of you guys financially, give you a place to live.
03:17So we started staying there.
03:23Okay, hold your horses. Hey!
03:25Wesley had a good sense of humor. He had pretty eyes.
03:28I mean, he's not the greatest looking man, but...
03:32At that time, to be honest, he was 17 years older than me,
03:36and I just felt like he was someone that was going to take care of me,
03:40and I needed that.
03:41I was concerned about moving in with him, but my back was against the wall,
03:45so I was either go live with this man that I don't know or be homeless.
03:51Wesley seemed like he was going to be a good father figure for my children.
03:58I felt like my kids enjoyed hanging out with him when he was there.
04:03And then once we were living together, things just happened.
04:11I'd only been living in his house probably, like, two months when I got pregnant.
04:15So everything happened extremely fast.
04:22I thought I was in love, but he had me right where he wanted me.
04:43At one point, he told me that I think we should get married.
04:48Will you marry me?
04:48I'm like, yeah.
04:50I was thinking about keeping a roof over my kids' head and having security,
04:54and everything else didn't matter.
04:58Wesley told me he loved me, and I don't even know if I know what love is
05:01at that point in my life, honestly.
05:04We got married on July 4th, 2005.
05:08It was a disaster.
05:13Everybody's out there trying to help get this together,
05:15and Wesley's, I don't know where Wesley was.
05:20I was mad.
05:22Like, where is he?
05:23I kept looking at the driveway.
05:25He still wasn't pulling in.
05:28I couldn't figure out where he was.
05:30I think I tried to call him, I don't know how many times, probably 10, 20.
05:35But he wasn't answering, and I didn't know what to do.
05:45After a while, Wesley got there.
05:48He was bullies or drunk.
05:54Couldn't hardly walk.
05:57Couldn't hardly stand.
06:05So I'm so embarrassed, because here's this man.
06:07We're supposed to be getting married.
06:13I felt uncomfortable, because, I don't know.
06:18It's just not how I was right.
06:20You know, I don't be drunk in front of a preacher.
06:23Up until that day, I hadn't seen Wesley drunk like that.
06:28I mean, he didn't care about how anybody felt at that point.
06:31It just seemed like Wesley only cared about himself.
06:33It wasn't about nobody else.
06:34Like, Wesley got drunk, because Wesley wanted to get drunk,
06:37and he didn't care how anybody else felt about it.
06:41But I was so humiliated.
06:44I don't even know if I looked at Wesley's eyes when we got married.
06:48I was so mad and irritated and embarrassed.
06:51I just wanted to get it over with.
06:56And that was, you know, sign number one.
06:58Like, he's not even here to help set this thing up.
07:01But he wants to get married, you know?
07:06I didn't think about, oh, this is a warning sign.
07:09Like, don't marry this guy.
07:25I was trying to have a good night.
07:27You know, we was relaxing on the bed and then kissing.
07:31And, you know, he wanted to have sex.
07:34But Wesley wanted to have sex in other ways,
07:39and I didn't agree with it.
07:42So that's the first time he actually blashed out at me.
07:49You know, there was this...
07:54a look that he had.
07:56Like, he just looked evil.
08:00I've never seen him like this.
08:03And he starts yelling at me,
08:05you're my wife, you're supposed to do what I want.
08:09I was afraid of Wesley in that moment.
08:12I don't really remember what else he says
08:14because he was screaming and I was crying.
08:17It was just a whole chaotic scene.
08:21Back then, they had the little disposable cameras.
08:24I had been taking pictures all day,
08:25and the camera was on the table beside the bed,
08:28and he just grabbed it and threw it.
08:38He's destroying my memories of my wedding day.
08:45He destroyed it in 30 seconds.
08:49Wesley had never acted violent towards me until that night.
08:54Who knows?
08:55You know, he done busted the camera.
08:57What is he going to throw next?
09:02I regretted marrying Wesley at that point
09:04and cried myself to sleep thinking,
09:08what do I do?
09:10I felt like that night,
09:12I've seen his true colors,
09:14like, who he really was come out,
09:15and it was scary.
09:24I think Wesley definitely hid who he was
09:27and suppressed it until we were married
09:30because I don't think he wanted me to know.
09:34After we got married is when everything started changing.
09:38Now he was who he truly was.
09:43Yelling, hollering, arguing.
09:47He liked to yell a lot.
09:49You see it in his eyes,
09:51the way he talks,
09:52his hand movements,
09:53like, you just see it.
09:54Like, it's a whole,
09:56you know, like a split personality.
10:08You are only making it worse.
10:11I remember one day,
10:13I don't even remember what his son did,
10:14but him and Wesley's arguing,
10:16Wesley jerked his belt off
10:18and just started, you know,
10:20swinging it wherever it landed.
10:25I got between them,
10:26pushed Wesley back,
10:28and he grabbed me and pushed me.
10:31Like, just get out of it.
10:33He's my kid.
10:33He's not going to act like this.
10:35He's not your kid.
10:37Like, you can't tell me
10:37what to do with my son.
10:39I was afraid of Wesley in that moment
10:43because Wesley has, like,
10:44this switch that flips
10:46and, like, his eyes change,
10:48his whole demeanor changes,
10:50and it's kind of scary.
10:56When I've seen this,
10:57I was like, man,
10:58he's never going to want my kids.
11:00Like, they're not his kids.
11:01I'm not going to have it.
11:04But in the back of my mind,
11:05I'm like, man,
11:06what am I going to do
11:07if he does try to correct my kids like that?
11:14I've seen him act out on my wedding night
11:15and then now this.
11:17But I had a dysfunctional family, too,
11:21so I think it was just always easy
11:24just to ignore it.
11:37Wesley dropped me off at his sister's one day
11:39while he went to work.
11:41Wesley comes home from work to his sister's.
11:44I'm there.
11:45We're all outside.
11:48And he's screaming and yelling and cussing
11:50and calling me a whore.
11:53My kid ain't mine.
11:56And I'm, like,
11:57five or six months pregnant.
11:59He grabs my arm.
12:00I know it's about to get violent
12:02when he grabs me,
12:03and I just see it in his face.
12:04So I try to walk away from him.
12:08And, of course, my back's turned.
12:11I'm walking towards the house.
12:15But I hear the car start coming towards me,
12:18so I take off running.
12:23I trip over these rocks.
12:25He's, like, right behind me in the car.
12:29And his sister grabbed me as I'm falling
12:33and picked me up,
12:34and I'm crying.
12:36I'm terrified.
12:37And I'm pregnant with his child.
12:39He could have just killed us both.
12:48So she starts screaming for him to leave,
12:51and he left.
12:53We sat there for a little bit,
12:54and then we end up just not talking about it no more.
12:58It's, like, it became normal not to talk about it.
13:02I believe if Wesley's sister wasn't there that day,
13:05he would have ran me over.
13:07It was terrifying,
13:09and you get that shame that comes over you
13:16and guilt because you're now in this relationship,
13:20and you don't know how to get out,
13:23and you don't know what to do.
13:26And everything that's going on is your fault
13:28because you chose this relationship.
13:29And that's kind of how I felt.
13:33But I didn't know what to do.
13:51Wesley was excited when Thomas was born.
13:54Like, he didn't want to do nothing but hold him
13:56and spend time with him.
14:01And Wesley quit drinking,
14:02and I got that little bit of hope in me that,
14:06okay, well, things can change,
14:08and we can have our family,
14:10and I don't have to leave, you know?
14:12Because that's all I ever wanted.
14:14That's, I just wanted to have a family.
14:19He stepped up a lot.
14:21He helped with dishes.
14:23He cooked.
14:24He watched the kids while I showered.
14:27I thought maybe this kid is changing him.
14:32That was just my hopeful, you know, wishful thinking.
14:49I was, like, 23 weeks pregnant or 24 weeks pregnant,
14:54and my water ruptured,
14:56and so I had to go to the hospital.
14:59When I was in the hospital room,
15:01he was calling and wanted me to leave.
15:03He couldn't deal with the kids.
15:05He wanted me to leave the hospital.
15:07There wasn't nothing wrong with me.
15:08I didn't need to be there.
15:08I needed to be home with the kids,
15:10taking care of the house.
15:13And the baby's heart rate kept dropping
15:15because he was getting me so upset.
15:17It got to the point where he was just calling so much,
15:20and we were arguing so much,
15:22and he was screaming,
15:23and the nurse at one point was like,
15:26I'm turning this phone off.
15:28And they quit putting his calls through.
15:30And I could have lost my child,
15:33but he didn't care about none of that.
15:35It was all about him.
15:38And then I finally got released four or five days.
15:43As soon as I get out of the car,
15:45I see Wesley standing in the door.
15:51I knew he was mad,
15:52and when I got inside,
15:54we instantly started arguing.
15:56I'm sick!
15:58He was just like, you know,
15:59this is all your fault.
16:00Oh, you had this plot to get you out of here
16:03for a couple days.
16:05You left me here with these kids.
16:09So at this point,
16:10I'm standing in the living room.
16:12We're arguing.
16:13I walk towards the end of the couch
16:15where the kids are,
16:15and that's when
16:17Wesley picked the TV up
16:18and threw it at me.
16:22He missed my sound like by like one inch.
16:26I honestly
16:28don't know
16:29that I felt
16:31or how I felt
16:32in that moment.
16:33I was kind of in shock.
16:36Because I was,
16:37at this point,
16:38I was terrified of Wesley.
16:48After Wesley threw the TV
16:49and had missed my son by a hair,
16:54I definitely knew
16:56he was capable of harming my kids, too,
16:58in his fits of rage.
17:01Wesley had no consequences
17:03because I never called the cops,
17:05which I should have.
17:06I didn't want the cops to come
17:07because I was scared.
17:09I was scared of Wesley,
17:11and I was also scared
17:12that I would lose my kid
17:13to Children's Services.
17:15I was scared of what the outcome
17:16would be if I called the police
17:17because Junior's just going
17:19to make things worse.
17:20The abuse is going to be worse.
17:23Looking back,
17:24if I would have left Wesley,
17:26here I am pregnant
17:27with another child.
17:28I have no money,
17:29no job,
17:29no car.
17:31You know,
17:31I've been dependent on him
17:32to take care of us.
17:36I would be on the streets
17:38with the kids
17:39and a baby on the way,
17:40so,
17:42I don't think leaving with him
17:44was a possibility,
17:48I have no other choices
17:51but to stay.
18:03I feel like
18:04every day got worse.
18:07One day,
18:08we were arguing about,
18:10I don't remember what.
18:13We got in each other's face,
18:15it was heated,
18:15he grabbed me by my hair,
18:18pulled me around the kitchen,
18:19and then,
18:20at one point,
18:20he ran my head
18:22into the stove,
18:23and,
18:24um,
18:25I fell on the floor.
18:29All of the kids are crying,
18:30and I can't do nothing
18:32but lay there
18:33because I couldn't get up
18:35out of the floor.
18:39Mom?
18:40It was probably like
18:42three hours or so
18:43before I could get
18:44the feeling back
18:44in my legs,
18:45um,
18:46and I was able to get up.
18:48Wesley was still gone,
18:49so,
18:51I just got up
18:52and took the kids
18:53and went in my room,
18:55and
18:56we laid down
18:57and went to sleep.
18:59I woke up
19:00the next morning
19:01and I just remember
19:07thinking like,
19:12he's gonna end up
19:13killing me
19:16if I don't
19:17get out of here.
19:36Wesley and his ex-wife
19:38was arguing
19:39on the phone,
19:42and,
19:42um,
19:43I just
19:45heard something
19:46about him
19:46beating her
19:48I don't
19:49think Wesley
19:50knew I could hear,
19:51but they argued
19:52a lot when
19:53they would get
19:54on the phone.
19:54So,
19:55I waited until
19:56Wesley went to work,
19:57and then I
19:58decided to look up
19:59his criminal record
20:01just because
20:02I was curious
20:03what she was
20:04talking about.
20:05I didn't have
20:06a computer,
20:06so I used
20:07my cell phone.
20:08I remember
20:08standing there,
20:09we had this little
20:10window,
20:10so you could see
20:11if anybody
20:11pulled up.
20:13I was afraid
20:14maybe he forgot
20:15something or
20:15would come back,
20:16but once I
20:18started looking
20:18at it,
20:19I just sat
20:19in the chair
20:20like scrolling
20:21through it.
20:22I didn't even,
20:23I quit paying
20:23attention to
20:24if he was
20:24coming back
20:25because there
20:25was just so much.
20:27I found
20:29domestic violence
20:30and assault
20:30cases.
20:33I knew it
20:34would never
20:34stop with me,
20:35and I also knew
20:36like he was
20:37either going to
20:38kill me or
20:39if I left,
20:40it would be
20:41the next person.
20:45After I looked
20:46up Wesley's
20:46record is when
20:47I tried to
20:48start to
20:49form a plan.
20:50I contacted
20:51Mika Wade
20:52and filled out
20:54an application
20:55and they were
20:56going to help
20:56me file for
20:57the divorce.
20:58I hadn't told
20:59him that I'd
21:00started the
21:01process for
21:01divorce because
21:03I knew once
21:04he got served
21:04divorce papers,
21:06it would probably
21:07get real bad.
21:25me and the
21:26kids were
21:26all outside.
21:28We had a swing
21:28set in the
21:28backyard.
21:31We had like
21:32a patio,
21:33so I was on
21:33the patio
21:34while they were
21:35playing.
21:36We had been
21:36out there for
21:37hours.
21:37and Wesley's
21:39drinking inside
21:41and here he
21:42comes.
21:45He had this
21:45little pocket
21:46knife that he
21:47kept on his
21:47side and he's
21:49just standing
21:49over me,
21:51not even
21:52saying anything.
21:57He's just
21:58dropping this
21:58knife and it
22:00would stick
22:01in the deck
22:03and he'd
22:04pull it back
22:05out and he'd
22:05do it again.
22:07He was
22:08laughing,
22:09you know,
22:09like smiling
22:10the whole time
22:11he was doing
22:11it and I just
22:13remember thinking
22:13like,
22:14you're just so
22:14evil.
22:17This is the
22:17first time he
22:18ever used
22:18like a knife
22:19or anything
22:20to torture
22:21me with
22:23or taunt
22:23me with.
22:29but my oldest
22:30son,
22:31he was yelling
22:32at him,
22:33like,
22:33can you just
22:34stop,
22:34leave my
22:34mom alone.
22:36Hey!
22:37Knock it off!
22:40He said
22:40something like,
22:42you little
22:43bastard
22:45and when he
22:46takes this
22:46can,
22:47a full can
22:47of beer,
22:48wasn't even
22:49open and
22:50wings it.
22:56hit my
22:57son.
22:57I'm pretty
22:58sure it was
22:58right in the
22:59chest.
23:01And I just
23:02start crying,
23:03like,
23:03you just hit
23:03my kid,
23:04you know,
23:04like,
23:06I can't
23:07do this.
23:09it just
23:10something
23:10clicked.
23:14I knew I
23:15needed to
23:15leave for a
23:16long time,
23:16I just
23:17didn't know
23:17how.
23:18So I
23:19tell the
23:20other ones
23:21to come
23:21on and
23:23he's like,
23:24you're not
23:24taking my
23:24kids.
23:25But I knew
23:26I had to
23:26get out
23:27of there.
23:30So he
23:31walked 20
23:32miles.
23:33I just
23:34knew I
23:35needed to
23:35get away
23:36from this
23:36man.
23:36I had to
23:37leave him.
23:38I was
23:39terrified.
23:41But it
23:41was worth
23:42getting my
23:43kids out
23:44of there.
23:46Like,
23:47no matter
23:47what I
23:47had to
23:48do,
23:48or I
23:49wanted my
23:50kids away
23:50from him,
23:52I was
23:53able to
23:53breathe.
23:56I was
23:56away from
23:57this man
23:57that abused
23:58me.
23:59I thought
24:00that was
24:00going to
24:00be it.
24:01I'll get
24:01my divorce
24:02and we'll
24:04get this
24:04custody thing
24:05under control.
24:07And I
24:08was happy
24:08because I
24:09knew that
24:09they
24:09wasn't
24:10going
24:11through
24:11no
24:11more
24:11of
24:11this
24:13brainwashing
24:14and mental
24:14abuse,
24:15emotional
24:16abuse.
24:17And I
24:18was just
24:19excited that
24:19it was
24:20finally
24:20over.
24:37and then
24:38got the
24:39phone call.
24:40And at
24:41this point
24:42in my life,
24:42I didn't
24:43realize how
24:44bad of a
24:44turn that
24:45my life
24:45was about
24:46to take.
24:47It was
24:48just like
24:49another blow.
24:51You just
24:51shattered my
24:53world all
24:54over again.
24:58Oh,
25:00my soul
25:00hurt.
25:01My,
25:04I felt
25:05so
25:05worthless
25:06and
25:08I felt
25:10like I was
25:11nothing.
25:12I wish I
25:13could have
25:14stopped what
25:14was about
25:14to happen.
25:28this is
25:29Thomas
25:31and
25:31this is
25:32Stephen.
25:35Thomas was
25:35three.
25:36Stephen was
25:36probably two
25:37in this one.
25:40I just
25:41always want
25:41my kids
25:42to know
25:42how much
25:43I love
25:43them.
25:50and I'm
25:51sorry
25:52that I
25:53couldn't
25:53protect
25:53them
25:54from
25:54him.
25:55I think
25:56I did
25:56my best
25:57to protect
25:58them,
25:58the best
25:59that I
25:59could,
26:00the best
26:01that was
26:01in my
26:01ability,
26:03but I
26:03still feel
26:04like I
26:04failed.
26:07I don't
26:08think the
26:08feeling of
26:09failure or
26:10guilt
26:10will ever
26:12go away.
26:22Wesley told
26:23me all
26:23the time
26:24he wasn't
26:24signing for
26:25divorce.
26:26If he
26:27couldn't have
26:27me,
26:28nobody was
26:28going to
26:28have me.
26:31We were
26:31back and
26:32forth in
26:32court
26:32fighting for
26:33my divorce.
26:34He wouldn't
26:35give it to
26:35me,
26:36but Wesley
26:37was made
26:38the
26:38residential
26:39custodial
26:40parent because
26:41he had the
26:42house.
26:43So,
26:44Wesley got
26:44the boys.
26:47I had no
26:48choice but to
26:49leave Thomas
26:50and Stephen
26:50with Wesley
26:51because it
26:52was court
26:52ordered.
26:54Wesley didn't
26:55want the
26:55kids,
26:56but Wesley
26:56didn't want
26:56me to
26:57have the
26:57kids because
26:57that was
26:59his way
26:59of hurting
27:00me.
27:02Having to
27:03give him
27:03my kids
27:03after knowing
27:04all that
27:07we had
27:07been through
27:09and all
27:10that he was
27:10capable of
27:11was the
27:12worst
27:12feeling.
27:14Everything
27:14I had done
27:15was for
27:15nothing.
27:30I was
27:31on the
27:31phone on
27:32hold with
27:32the police
27:32department
27:35and I was
27:35like,
27:36he's done
27:36something.
27:37He's done
27:37something to
27:38my kids.
27:39I just
27:40knew in my
27:41gut,
27:41I just knew
27:42something bad
27:42happened and
27:43it was his
27:43fault.
27:46I, like,
27:4730 seconds
27:48later,
27:52they told
27:53me that
27:55my kids
27:55died in a
27:56fire.
28:02I kept
28:03telling my
28:03mom it
28:03wasn't real
28:04and that
28:05we were
28:05going up
28:06there for
28:06Thomas'
28:07birthday.
28:08I had
28:09his cake
28:09with me.
28:27I just
28:28thought there
28:29was no
28:29way
28:30that
28:32my
28:33kids
28:33were
28:33gone.
28:51That's
28:52the
28:52apartment
28:53that
28:55my
28:55kids
28:56died
28:56died in.
28:59The window
29:00on the
29:00right
29:00would have
29:00been
29:01their
29:01bedroom.
29:04The
29:04neighbor
29:05in the
29:05apartment
29:06next to
29:06Wesley
29:08went into
29:09his apartment
29:09and tried
29:10to get
29:11through the
29:11wall.
29:11At one point,
29:12he's also
29:13the one
29:13that put
29:14his arm
29:14through the
29:15window and
29:15had to
29:16get
29:16stitches.
29:19But
29:19somewhere in
29:20all this,
29:20Wesley was
29:21standing in the
29:22front yard,
29:25which isn't
29:26very big,
29:26so he had
29:29to be right
29:30there.
29:32He had to
29:33hear his
29:33kids crying
29:33for help.
29:38Makes me
29:38nauseous.
29:53Wesley
29:53wouldn't
29:54tell anybody
29:55where the
29:56kids were
29:56in the
29:56house.
29:57These
29:58people were
29:58all just
29:58trying to
29:59get in.
29:59They
29:59hear my
30:00kids.
30:01They
30:01hear my
30:01kids
30:02crying.
30:03By the
30:04time the
30:05fire department
30:05got there,
30:07the fire
30:08was so
30:08hot that
30:09the floor
30:10was
30:10disappearing
30:11from under
30:11them.
30:12We got
30:13fire department,
30:14people begging
30:15him, like,
30:16please tell
30:17us where
30:18your kids
30:18are, you
30:18know, because
30:19everybody in
30:19the town
30:20knew there
30:20was kids
30:20in that
30:21house.
30:23Wesley was
30:23outside the
30:24front yard
30:24asking for
30:25a cigarette.
30:30Why he
30:30hears his
30:31kids crying
30:31for help.
30:35I would
30:36never leave
30:36that house.
30:38I would
30:38have died
30:38in that
30:39fire trying
30:39to save
30:40my
30:40children.
30:42But he's
30:43in the
30:43front yard
30:45asking for
30:46a cigarette.
30:50If you're
30:50in a house
30:51fire, you're
30:52going to have
30:53soot on you
30:53somewhere.
30:54Wesley didn't
30:55have none
30:55of that.
30:56There was
30:57no evidence
30:58of Wesley
30:59being in
30:59that house
31:00with that
31:01fire.
31:02None.
31:04Except for
31:04the burn
31:05on his
31:05hand.
31:06That was
31:07all there
31:07was.
31:09And the
31:10front door
31:11was locked
31:12as if you
31:12would lock
31:12it like you
31:13locked the
31:13bottom of
31:14the lock
31:14and you
31:14walk out
31:14and shut
31:15the door
31:15behind you.
31:16It was
31:17all locked
31:17down like
31:18that.
31:19The most
31:20damning
31:20evidence for
31:21me is that
31:21Wesley,
31:22he wasn't
31:23trying to
31:24save the
31:24kids.
31:35this is the
31:36closet they
31:37were in.
31:38Their
31:40feet and
31:41handprints
31:42were on the
31:42wall.
31:44They were
31:45trying to get
31:45out.
31:55So they
31:56were in
31:58this closet
32:01trying to
32:02claw their
32:02way out
32:04from this
32:05heat and
32:06smoke.
32:09Thomas and
32:09Stephen's cause
32:10of death
32:10was smoke
32:11inhalation.
32:14I think
32:15Leslie put
32:15them in the
32:16closet before
32:16he got the
32:17house on fire
32:18and walked
32:19out and
32:20left them
32:21there.
32:26I don't
32:27know.
32:27I don't
32:27know how
32:27they felt
32:29but I
32:29think about
32:30it all
32:30the time.
32:34What they
32:35were feeling
32:35when they
32:36were taking
32:37their last
32:37breaths,
32:38you know?
32:40I see
32:42my two
32:43little boys
32:44in this
32:44room,
32:45terrified,
32:48with no
32:49way out
32:49of this
32:49house.
32:51Get no
32:52one there
32:52to help
32:52them.
32:54And I
32:55see them
32:56probably
32:56holding on
32:57to each
32:57other,
32:58crying,
32:59you know?
33:02But probably
33:03thinking like
33:03where's
33:04mommy or
33:04daddy,
33:05you know?
33:21I was
33:21glad he
33:22had been
33:22arrested,
33:23but I
33:27wish he
33:27wouldn't
33:27have
33:27because I
33:28wanted to
33:28kill him
33:29myself.
33:30I don't
33:31think it
33:31was fair
33:32that he
33:32was breathing
33:34and they're
33:34not.
33:40Stephen
33:40Connor
33:41Coonrod,
33:42he was
33:43three when
33:44he died.
33:45Thomas
33:46Austin
33:46Coonrod,
33:47it was
33:48actually his
33:49fourth birthday
33:49the day
33:50that they
33:50died.
33:53I didn't
33:54get to see
33:55him in the
33:55hospital.
33:57They had
33:57already been
33:58taken to
33:58the coroner's
33:59office.
34:00I never
34:01got to
34:02really say
34:04goodbye
34:04or until
34:06the funeral.
34:08We
34:09had one
34:10casket
34:10with them
34:12both
34:12side by
34:12side
34:13and they
34:14had their
34:14arms
34:15interlinking
34:15because they
34:16were like
34:17little Irish
34:17twins.
34:18They were
34:1811 months
34:19apart.
34:21It was
34:22just
34:25the worst
34:26day
34:27of my
34:28life
34:29and
34:30I
34:31didn't
34:31know
34:32how
34:34to
34:35cope
34:36and I
34:36began
34:37to
34:37slowly
34:37lose
34:38my
34:38mind
34:38and
34:40unravel.
34:45I
34:45started
34:46using
34:46the
34:47day
34:47of
34:47the
34:47funeral.
34:49I
34:50started
34:50using
34:50nerve
34:51pills
34:52and
34:52then
34:52it
34:52kind
34:52of
34:54escalated
34:55from
34:55there.
34:55I
34:56became
34:57a
34:57drug
34:57addict.
34:58Hard
34:59as a
34:59parent
35:01not
35:01to
35:02blame
35:02yourself.
35:04I
35:04pushed
35:05my
35:05other
35:06kids
35:06away.
35:07I
35:07didn't
35:07know
35:07how
35:08to
35:08be
35:08a
35:08mom
35:08anymore.
35:12I
35:12didn't
35:13know
35:13how
35:13to
35:16take care
35:17of my
35:17kids
35:17knowing
35:18that I
35:18lost
35:19and like
35:20I just
35:21didn't know
35:21how to
35:22do it.
35:24So
35:27Leslie
35:28was
35:28still
35:28destroying
35:28my
35:29life.
35:32I
35:32chose
35:33this
35:33man
35:33to
35:33be
35:33my
35:33husband
35:34and
35:34I
35:35chose
35:36to
35:36have
35:36kids
35:36with
35:36him.
35:37It's
35:37hard
35:38to
35:38get
35:38past
35:38that
35:39guilt
35:39of
35:40everything
35:40that's
35:41happened
35:43because
35:44that was
35:44my
35:45choice.
35:47They
35:48didn't
35:48ask to
35:48be in
35:49that
35:49house.
35:49They
35:50didn't
35:50ask for
35:51him
35:51to be
35:51their
35:51dad.
35:53And
35:54yeah,
35:55that's
35:55a hard
35:58pill to
35:59swallow.
36:00It took
36:01me a long
36:01time to
36:03work on
36:03forgiving
36:04myself.
36:20We
36:20tried the
36:21first
36:21trial
36:21of
36:21October
36:22of
36:222010.
36:24The
36:25jurors
36:26openly
36:28sided
36:28with
36:29each
36:29other
36:29except
36:29for
36:29one
36:30person.
36:30She,
36:31after
36:32they
36:32started
36:32deliberating,
36:33said that
36:33she would
36:34not vote
36:34for
36:34anything
36:34that
36:35would
36:35cause
36:36him
36:36to
36:36get
36:36the
36:37death
36:37penalty.
36:38Jury
36:39finally
36:39came out
36:40with a
36:40verdict.
36:41They
36:41hung
36:41on
36:41all
36:42the
36:42counts
36:42except
36:42for
36:43endangering
36:43children.
36:44They
36:44found him
36:45guilty
36:45of
36:45two
36:45counts
36:45of
36:46that.
36:47And
36:49at that
36:49point,
36:50the other
36:50charges
36:51can be
36:52retried.
37:00Our
37:00approach
37:00at the
37:01first
37:01trial
37:01was
37:02to
37:02prove
37:02that
37:02the fire
37:03was
37:03an
37:03arson
37:03and
37:04to
37:04prove
37:05that
37:05Wesley
37:05had
37:05set
37:06the
37:06fire.
37:07We
37:07still
37:08intended
37:09to
37:09prove
37:09exactly
37:10that.
37:11So,
37:12in the
37:12second
37:12trial,
37:13the
37:13defense's
37:13evidence
37:14changed
37:14hugely,
37:15though.
37:16They had
37:16focused on
37:17the boys
37:17being the
37:18fire setters
37:19somewhat
37:19in the
37:20first
37:20trial,
37:21but in
37:21the
37:21second
37:21trial,
37:22they
37:22really
37:22hammered
37:23on it.
37:25Ironically,
37:25the lighter
37:26that set
37:26the fire
37:26was
37:27childproof,
37:28which
37:29makes one
37:29wonder how
37:30those boys
37:30set the fire,
37:31but I
37:32don't
37:32believe
37:32that a
37:33three-year-old
37:33and a
37:33four-year-old
37:34did that.
37:34I believe
37:35he did
37:35that.
37:37As a
37:38parent,
37:40I cannot
37:40even imagine
37:42my kids
37:42going through
37:43something like
37:44that.
37:44I mean,
37:46what a terrible
37:47way.
37:48And they knew
37:48that something
37:49was wrong.
37:50I mean,
37:50they were
37:50screaming.
37:51The neighbors
37:52all testified
37:53you could hear
37:53those kids
37:54screaming out
37:55in the road.
37:56The defense
37:57asked for
37:58the lesser
37:59included
37:59offense
38:00of involuntary
38:01manslaughter,
38:01and the jury
38:03found him
38:03guilty of
38:04two counts
38:04of that.
38:05And basically,
38:06that, you
38:07know, says
38:08that he
38:09caused the
38:10death of
38:10another
38:12in the
38:12commission
38:13of another
38:13felony,
38:13and the
38:15felony that
38:15they relied
38:16upon was
38:16shot endangering.
38:17But the
38:18bottom line
38:18is it
38:19doesn't
38:19matter
38:19why
38:20the fire
38:20started,
38:21how it
38:21started.
38:22You,
38:22their parent,
38:23had a duty
38:24to save
38:25or prevent
38:26havoc.
38:26You are
38:27responsible.
38:28You failed
38:29in your duty
38:29to protect.
39:01it pisses
39:02me off
39:03that he
39:03got involuntary
39:05manslaughter
39:05instead of
39:06arson and
39:06murder because
39:07he's about
39:08to walk
39:08out of
39:08prison in
39:09seven years
39:10and some
39:10odd months.
39:12In 20
39:12years,
39:14the 20
39:14years Wesley
39:15got sentenced
39:15to in
39:16prison,
39:17my kids
39:17would have
39:17just been
39:20starting to
39:20become men,
39:22you know,
39:22going to
39:23college
39:23and getting
39:25girlfriends
39:26and,
39:27you know,
39:28beginning to
39:28live their
39:29life.
39:30Your life
39:31is over.
39:32They didn't
39:33get to
39:33live theirs,
39:33you know?
39:35And it's
39:36not fair.
39:37You got
39:38three meals
39:38and a bed,
39:39a roof over
39:40your head,
39:40electric water,
39:41and my kids
39:42are gone
39:42forever.
39:43I feel like
39:44he should
39:44die in
39:45prison.
39:45He should
39:46die in
39:46prison looking
39:47at the
39:47picture of
39:48my kids.
39:50You never
39:51think you
39:54should
39:54ever have
39:55to bury
39:55a child
39:56as a
39:56mother.
39:58It's
39:58hard.
39:59It's
40:00holidays,
40:02birthdays,
40:03songs,
40:05toys,
40:07places.
40:09It's
40:10all
40:10hard.
40:18I don't
40:19know how
40:19I get
40:19up every
40:20day and
40:20still go.
40:22Sometimes
40:22I don't
40:24want to
40:25get up.
40:25Sometimes
40:26I'm mad
40:26that I'm
40:27still waking
40:27up,
40:28you know,
40:30that I'm
40:31even still
40:31here.
40:34I guess
40:34it's by
40:35the grace
40:35of God
40:35because
40:37I try
40:38to kill
40:38myself
40:39with drugs
40:39and
40:40tenant
40:41work.
40:42So I'm
40:43here for
40:43a reason.
40:46I'm
40:46in the
40:47middle of
40:47getting my
40:48bachelor's
40:48degree in
40:49behavioral
40:49health with
40:50emphasis
40:51on substance
40:52abuse.
40:54I'm still
40:55clean.
40:55I go to
40:56counseling.
40:57I'm still
40:57pushing to
40:59do more
41:00to get
41:01further and
41:02get my
41:02life back
41:04and make
41:05my kids
41:05proud.
41:08and do
41:09the best
41:09I can.
41:18It's
41:19hard to
41:19in the
41:19picture.
41:20It's hard
41:20sensing the
41:21evil that
41:22he had
41:22in him.
41:33I cheated
41:34death.
41:35You know?
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