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Several parents of young girls present at the fatal stabbing of Brooklyn Ann Hollins have publicly stated they thought their daughters were attending a sleep-over at the Winona Street home. Whatever the party was originally, it soon morphed into one with boys and alcohol. Other reports state that not all those attending were drinking, but at least some were.
As Brooklyn lay dying on the kitchen floor, party-goers hastily called their mothers to pick them up. We doubt that any parent realized the enormity of the conditions their daughters were fleeing.
Friends held a candlelight vigil for 14 year-old Brooklyn last night, and Scott Whittle, owner of Miami Ice, has volunteered to host a fund-raiser for her family. Brooklyn reportedly lived with her grandparents. Her funeral will be Wednesday.
We can now do two things for Brooklyn; we can give financial aid to her family--funerals are anything but cheap, and we're pretty sure her grandparents weren't planning on burying their granddaughter. The second thing might be just a little harder for some individuals. Ask your relatives and friends with young teenagers if they really know what's going on in their children's lives. Sure, you might get rebuffed, but you just might wake some of them up. Many things can be a wake-up call, and Brooklyn's senseless murder should be one of them.
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We hope OB will forgive this post, or at least part of it. We're addressing all young ladies out there...and older ones also. Go to Wal-Mart, or some nearby sporting goods store, purchase pepper spray and whatever other self-defense items are available. Go to the Dollar Tree and buy alarms for windows and doors. Peace of mind is worth spending a few dollars on items you hope you never have to use.
He's in his 20s. He's white. He wears a baseball cap. He's out and about between three and four in the morning. And he likes to assault women. So far he's been thwarted for the most part. Let's keep it that way. If you see anyone fitting this description, call the police. That's what they're there for. The man stalking women in North Florence is sick; let's be sure we help him get what he needs--a jail cell.
Shoalanda
For just a buck, those little Intralert alarms are pretty handy, and very easy to install for doors...you don't even need screws. They may be a little trickier for windows.
ReplyDeleteHowever, at Walmart, there are a couple of options that cost a little more, but when you think of them scaring away an intruder, it's well worth it. They are made by General Electric, you can get one unit for under $7, two for under $10, or you can get three with a keypad setting (which means you can set it when you leave) for $28.
If you're keeping a can of pepper spray by your bed (which is not a bad idea) be aware if you sleep with fans...you don't want pepper spraying blowing back on you.
I don't know where they can be purchased, but I've read those sensors attached to a barking dog "tape" are very effective. I once heard of a burglar who was sure no one was home (and they weren't), but he broke in the window to the room where the couple's young granddaughter slept when she stayed over. On the bed was a doll with "real cries & screams" that was motion activated. The only thing the couple had to replace was the window lock.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up on the alarms. That's a good idea I do think I'll invest in some of those.
ReplyDeleteIn 2009 someone broke into my other home, through my 5 year old daughter's window. I was terrified and felt violated in my own home. Thank God my dog was there to scare them off, they left with nothing but a bloody body part from where they broke my window. One of the worst things was RPD wouldn't even investigate it. Remember there was bloody finger/hand prints on the window seal, bed and blood drops on the curtains and floor.
BTW those little audible alarms, also may qualify you for a homeowners insurance discount.
ReplyDeleteWe view them as "local alarms" it's worth 5% off your premium if you pay a grand a year that's fifty bucks in your pocket!