The Strange Death of Jayla Capri Sutton

The sheriff of Lawrence County has said few things about the tragic death of 12 year-old Jayla Capri Sutton. What he has said has been refuted by her mother and her mother's friends. Who is right? In most of these cases, law enforcement is always right. Obviously anyone who might be blamed legally in a death will dispute facts.

We know that Jayla attended the Helen Keller School for the Blind. It's been said that she was mentally challenged; that has been disputed by her mother. We also know that on Thanksgiving Day of this year she was found in the backyard of a neighbor; Jayla was totally devoid of clothes and the neighbor described her as disoriented. The young girl was returned to her family, and approximately 14 hours later Jayla was dead.

The Hatton girl was found some distance from her home just after midnight on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The sheriff has said she was three miles from the house she shared with her mother and mother's boyfriend. The mother has posted on social media that it was much less - perhaps two miles? This is still a great distance for a child to walk in the cold and the dark, totally alone. 

When her body was found, Jayla was reportedly wearing dark clothing. No charges were brought against the driver who hit the child on Highway 157. Yet according to the Lawrence County Sheriff, charges could still be brought against someone. The State Bureau of Investigation is conducting an inquiry into Jayla's death.

If we're to survive as a society, we have to stand up for our weakest citizens. We have to demand justice for those without families or at least families that care. 

Jayla's story isn't over...nor should it be.

What the Sheriff Said

Sheriffs (and police chiefs) are just like the rest of us - stick a microphone in front of them and they may misspeak. We've been asked questions on two recent deaths. Can we clear anything up?

First in the death of one Joe Garcia in the parking lot of the Hamilton police station, an anonymous source who works there states that forensics does back up four shots being fired. There is CCTV which apparently shows two shots fired in the air and two at the victim.

There were comments that the shooter Andrew Cochran would be released after a Thursday or Friday arraignment. We have no idea if the hearing actually took place or not, but as of now Cochran remains in jail. In other words, if it did take place, a district judge found that there was probable cause to bring at least Felony Murder charges.

Fundraiser for Norgard Children

So in the number of shots fired, or in 90% of the other details, we can't find that the police chief actually misspoke. That brings us to e-mails we've received about the 12 year-old Lawrence County girl who died in November. We'll have more on her death tomorrow.