1 00:00:12,367 --> 00:00:16,300 This is the gun that Edward used to shoot my mom. 2 00:00:18,767 --> 00:00:22,467 Edward had every intention to get this gun 3 00:00:22,634 --> 00:00:25,767 to kill my entire family. 4 00:00:28,834 --> 00:00:33,600 I don't think my mom saw the person that he was. 5 00:00:33,767 --> 00:00:37,000 She may have just seen the person that she wanted him to be. 6 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,866 It's heartbreaking to hear my mom say 7 00:01:00,867 --> 00:01:02,600 that that's my husband. 8 00:01:03,667 --> 00:01:07,166 To know the person that you loved 9 00:01:07,333 --> 00:01:10,766 and were supposed to spend the rest of your life with, 10 00:01:10,767 --> 00:01:12,200 tried to end your life... 11 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:16,200 it's a hard pill to swallow. 12 00:02:13,934 --> 00:02:19,567 {\an8}That's a picture of my brother, Edward, and myself. 13 00:02:19,734 --> 00:02:24,667 I was actually getting ready to go to a 6th-grade dance. 14 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,166 It's very hard to look at pictures of him, 15 00:02:29,667 --> 00:02:32,900 because I would never imagine the person in this picture 16 00:02:33,066 --> 00:02:35,533 would do something like that to us. 17 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,567 If I could, I would erase Edward from this picture. 18 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:46,266 I never felt comfortable being close to him. 19 00:02:47,767 --> 00:02:52,166 You can see in my body language and in my hands and in my smile 20 00:02:52,333 --> 00:02:54,100 that I wasn't comfortable being there. 21 00:02:56,467 --> 00:02:58,200 There is a gap between us. 22 00:02:58,367 --> 00:03:03,666 That was an unconscious decision to have that space. 23 00:03:03,667 --> 00:03:06,266 But it felt comfortable to keep that space in between us. 24 00:03:27,867 --> 00:03:29,900 My mom's name is Yolanda. 25 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:32,667 She was my entire world. 26 00:03:33,967 --> 00:03:37,200 We would go on dinner dates. It would be me and her. 27 00:03:37,367 --> 00:03:41,000 We would have like little karaoke sessions in the house. 28 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:43,367 She was my best friend. 29 00:03:44,667 --> 00:03:50,366 When my mom met Edward, I believe I was six or seven. 30 00:03:50,367 --> 00:03:51,766 They would go on dates, 31 00:03:51,767 --> 00:03:54,100 and he would be at the house all the time. 32 00:03:54,266 --> 00:03:57,300 When she brought Edward around, it was definitely a big deal, 33 00:03:57,467 --> 00:03:59,500 because I've never met anyone else 34 00:03:59,667 --> 00:04:01,500 that she had dated previously. 35 00:04:03,767 --> 00:04:05,300 If I could go back in time, 36 00:04:06,467 --> 00:04:08,000 I would tell my mom to run. 37 00:04:16,567 --> 00:04:18,600 I remember one day, Edward promised 38 00:04:18,767 --> 00:04:20,166 to take me on a picnic. 39 00:04:20,333 --> 00:04:22,667 - Hey! - Hey. 40 00:04:22,834 --> 00:04:25,099 And it was supposed to be me, and my mom, and him, 41 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:27,767 and we were going to have such a great time. 42 00:04:29,567 --> 00:04:32,667 As a little kid, promises mean a lot. 43 00:04:32,834 --> 00:04:34,467 I'm ready. 44 00:04:34,634 --> 00:04:36,666 I was excited to go on the picnic, 45 00:04:36,667 --> 00:04:38,667 but every time I asked to go on the picnic, 46 00:04:38,834 --> 00:04:39,999 he would say that he was busy 47 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:41,367 or he had something to do. 48 00:04:43,266 --> 00:04:46,666 One day, when I asked-- and he got angry. 49 00:04:46,667 --> 00:04:50,367 - Not today. - But you always say that. 50 00:04:50,533 --> 00:04:53,400 He frowns his face, and that terrifies me. 51 00:04:57,567 --> 00:04:58,432 He just walked away. 52 00:04:58,433 --> 00:05:00,266 He couldn't give me a straight answer. 53 00:05:04,467 --> 00:05:07,800 He got my hopes up, and he never took me. 54 00:05:10,266 --> 00:05:13,266 To have an adult promise you something and not come through, 55 00:05:13,433 --> 00:05:14,867 it's kinda disappointing. 56 00:05:16,567 --> 00:05:19,667 I'd seen Edward's true colors from the beginning, 57 00:05:19,834 --> 00:05:22,500 and he was just really good at masking that for my mom. 58 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,967 So I do think he was putting a show on for my mom. 59 00:05:36,100 --> 00:05:38,400 My mom was excited to be pregnant. 60 00:05:38,567 --> 00:05:40,700 I was super excited. 61 00:05:40,867 --> 00:05:44,266 Um, I was finally not going to be the only child. 62 00:05:45,867 --> 00:05:49,200 Edward moved in when my mom was still pregnant. 63 00:05:49,367 --> 00:05:52,000 And during that time, it was... 64 00:05:52,166 --> 00:05:54,265 it was uncomfortable. 65 00:05:54,266 --> 00:05:57,500 The relationship between me and my mom was changing. 66 00:05:58,467 --> 00:06:01,466 It didn't feel like he tried to involve me 67 00:06:01,467 --> 00:06:02,634 in their relationship. 68 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,999 A lot of the things that they did, it was him and her. 69 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,000 Felt like he was taking my best friend. 70 00:06:11,500 --> 00:06:12,967 You almost feel erased. 71 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,467 Edward was very manipulative. 72 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:23,166 He stepped in the way he did intentionally to come between 73 00:06:23,333 --> 00:06:24,600 me and my mom. 74 00:06:26,567 --> 00:06:30,600 It was definitely Edward's way of isolating my mom from me 75 00:06:30,767 --> 00:06:32,600 and from my family as well. 76 00:06:45,767 --> 00:06:49,266 Growing up with Edward in the house-- 77 00:06:49,433 --> 00:06:52,666 he made like, specific rules. 78 00:06:52,667 --> 00:06:55,000 Family weren't allowed in specific rooms. 79 00:06:55,166 --> 00:06:58,000 No one could sit in his specific chair. 80 00:06:58,166 --> 00:07:01,166 He was very controlling in his nature. 81 00:07:01,333 --> 00:07:03,766 At one point in time, it became my job 82 00:07:03,767 --> 00:07:07,266 to iron all of Edward's work uniforms. 83 00:07:07,433 --> 00:07:09,000 We had a laundry basket 84 00:07:09,166 --> 00:07:12,200 specifically for his work uniforms. 85 00:07:12,367 --> 00:07:13,666 And I was expected 86 00:07:13,667 --> 00:07:17,700 to iron his shirts and his pants a specific way 87 00:07:17,867 --> 00:07:19,666 put them on a hanger, and hang them 88 00:07:19,667 --> 00:07:22,133 in a specific closet for him. 89 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,767 Edward had a specific crease in his pants and in his shirts 90 00:07:28,934 --> 00:07:31,500 that he liked--- that he expected me to do. 91 00:07:31,667 --> 00:07:33,567 It easily took over an hour. 92 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,999 And if he found one that he didn't specifically like 93 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,100 how I ironed, he would get angry. 94 00:07:41,767 --> 00:07:42,967 What is this? 95 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:51,166 He would call me stupid. He would say that I'm dumb. 96 00:07:52,066 --> 00:07:53,332 Do it again. 97 00:07:53,333 --> 00:07:57,100 I would have to go back and do all of the uniforms over. 98 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,266 As a little girl, it makes you feel very low. 99 00:08:04,433 --> 00:08:06,467 It kind of breaks your self-confidence. 100 00:08:07,567 --> 00:08:09,800 Moron. 101 00:08:09,967 --> 00:08:12,600 He loved having control and making me suffer. 102 00:08:13,867 --> 00:08:17,400 I didn't want to be around him, and I didn't want to hear those 103 00:08:17,567 --> 00:08:18,700 things about myself. 104 00:08:18,867 --> 00:08:21,165 So even if that meant staying away from my mom, 105 00:08:21,166 --> 00:08:23,265 because him and my mom were in the same room, 106 00:08:23,266 --> 00:08:25,367 I would stay in my room. 107 00:08:30,967 --> 00:08:32,567 It does bother me... 108 00:08:32,734 --> 00:08:36,866 that he used to say those things to me and about me, 109 00:08:36,867 --> 00:08:40,700 to the point that I still do therapy. 110 00:08:43,166 --> 00:08:47,567 My mom was very passive in the relationship with Edward. 111 00:08:48,667 --> 00:08:52,266 She wouldn't tell me to do those things, 112 00:08:52,433 --> 00:08:55,666 but she allowed him to tell me to do those things, 113 00:08:55,667 --> 00:08:59,367 and she allowed him to set the rules of the house. 114 00:09:02,300 --> 00:09:03,367 I think... 115 00:09:04,467 --> 00:09:07,566 that she saw a specific version of Edward, 116 00:09:07,567 --> 00:09:10,666 and that's who she wanted to believe that he was, 117 00:09:10,667 --> 00:09:13,767 to the point where she couldn't see the bad that he was doing. 118 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:24,467 2 I had a cockatiel named Tweety. 119 00:09:25,667 --> 00:09:28,867 We had Tweety before she met Edward. 120 00:09:29,033 --> 00:09:30,800 {\an8}When you would walk in the house, 121 00:09:30,967 --> 00:09:32,967 {\an8}we would open the door and we would say, "Tweety." 122 00:09:33,133 --> 00:09:34,900 {\an8}And he would go, "Pretty bird, pretty bird." 123 00:09:35,867 --> 00:09:37,867 We would take Tweety out of the cage, 124 00:09:38,033 --> 00:09:39,900 and he would sit on your shoulder. 125 00:09:41,066 --> 00:09:42,967 Once Edward moved in, 126 00:09:43,133 --> 00:09:45,566 I can't recall us letting Tweety out. 127 00:09:45,567 --> 00:09:48,166 It was more so Tweety stayed in his cage. 128 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:55,165 One day, me and my mom came home. 129 00:09:55,166 --> 00:09:57,466 Edward was home when we came. 130 00:09:57,467 --> 00:09:59,566 He was actually in their bedroom... 131 00:09:59,567 --> 00:10:00,600 "Tweety?" 132 00:10:00,767 --> 00:10:02,566 ...and the rest of the house was dark. 133 00:10:02,567 --> 00:10:03,532 "Tweety?" 134 00:10:03,533 --> 00:10:06,766 So we opened the door and I said, "Tweety?" 135 00:10:06,767 --> 00:10:08,900 and I didn't hear anything. 136 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,666 So I'm like, ok, maybe he's asleep or maybe 137 00:10:15,667 --> 00:10:16,767 he didn't hear me. 138 00:10:16,934 --> 00:10:19,400 So I say it again before we fully get in the house 139 00:10:19,567 --> 00:10:20,700 to turn on the lights. 140 00:10:20,867 --> 00:10:22,300 I didn't hear anything. 141 00:10:24,767 --> 00:10:28,099 And I put my book bag down, and I take my coat off, 142 00:10:28,100 --> 00:10:29,866 and I turned on my lights, 143 00:10:29,867 --> 00:10:32,567 and Tweety's laying at the bottom of his cage. 144 00:10:37,367 --> 00:10:39,400 Cockatiels are supposed to live, 145 00:10:39,567 --> 00:10:41,666 I wanna say maybe 15 years. 146 00:10:41,667 --> 00:10:44,567 So he hadn't even lived half of his life. 147 00:10:45,567 --> 00:10:50,467 It was heartbreaking for me to walk in and see my baby... 148 00:10:50,634 --> 00:10:52,367 not responding. 149 00:10:52,533 --> 00:10:54,166 Something's wrong with him. 150 00:10:54,333 --> 00:10:56,666 And I'm holding Tweety, and I'm like, 151 00:10:56,667 --> 00:10:58,466 "Mom, he won't wake up," 152 00:10:58,467 --> 00:10:59,967 and I'm just crying. 153 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,400 My mom was like, "I think he passed away." 154 00:11:04,567 --> 00:11:07,265 And to hear that was just heartbreaking. 155 00:11:11,900 --> 00:11:12,933 What's going on? 156 00:11:12,934 --> 00:11:17,367 And I told Edward, and I'm just bawling. 157 00:11:17,533 --> 00:11:18,900 Tweety's dead. 158 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:23,667 We have to do something. 159 00:11:26,533 --> 00:11:28,100 A father would hug their child 160 00:11:28,266 --> 00:11:30,366 and comfort them in that time. 161 00:11:30,367 --> 00:11:32,700 Edward didn't do any of those things. 162 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:40,867 And I'm like, "I want to bury Tweety." 163 00:11:41,033 --> 00:11:43,100 That was my first pet. 164 00:11:43,266 --> 00:11:45,767 Burying him seemed ideal, 165 00:11:45,934 --> 00:11:48,866 so that way I can have somewhere to go back and visit him. 166 00:11:48,867 --> 00:11:50,700 Give him here. Alright, I'll put him in a box. 167 00:11:52,500 --> 00:11:55,600 He just kind of looks over. He's like, "I'll go bury him. 168 00:11:55,767 --> 00:11:57,967 I'll bury him for you, no problem." 169 00:11:58,133 --> 00:12:00,900 Edward said he buried Tweety while I was at school. 170 00:12:01,066 --> 00:12:03,366 When I asked where Tweety was buried, 171 00:12:03,367 --> 00:12:05,166 he said his sister's house. 172 00:12:07,467 --> 00:12:10,867 Years later, I found out that he didn't actually bury Tweety. 173 00:12:11,033 --> 00:12:13,333 He threw Tweety in the trash. 174 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:20,266 I'm absolutely certain that Edward killed Tweety. 175 00:12:20,433 --> 00:12:23,367 It seemed like he wanted to only be... 176 00:12:23,533 --> 00:12:26,266 the only good thing in my mom's life. 177 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,066 You have to be a broken person 178 00:12:31,233 --> 00:12:33,867 to want to hurt a kid in that kind of way. 179 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,366 When I was about 12 or 13, 180 00:12:40,367 --> 00:12:42,567 Edward grounded me for an entire year. 181 00:12:44,867 --> 00:12:49,866 When I was punished, it meant no phone, no going outside, 182 00:12:49,867 --> 00:12:53,567 no riding bikes. I couldn't do anything extra. 183 00:12:53,734 --> 00:12:56,466 So it was coming straight home from school 184 00:12:56,467 --> 00:12:58,800 and coming in the house and doing homework, 185 00:12:58,967 --> 00:13:01,400 and that's it. 186 00:13:03,867 --> 00:13:05,767 During that time, a lot of my friends were like, 187 00:13:05,934 --> 00:13:08,367 going to the movies and hanging out. 188 00:13:08,533 --> 00:13:11,666 Again, that's the age where you build-- you start to build 189 00:13:11,667 --> 00:13:13,500 those tighter friendship connections, 190 00:13:13,667 --> 00:13:16,266 and I'm just like, "I-- what did I do?" 191 00:13:16,433 --> 00:13:18,767 But to be locked in the house 192 00:13:18,934 --> 00:13:20,866 and see the kids outside the park 193 00:13:20,867 --> 00:13:22,566 across the street having fun, 194 00:13:22,567 --> 00:13:23,900 it feels like prison. 195 00:13:28,033 --> 00:13:31,767 I think that he took pleasure in knowing that he controlled 196 00:13:31,934 --> 00:13:32,867 that punishment. 197 00:13:42,867 --> 00:13:45,700 We went to kind of visit some relatives. 198 00:13:45,867 --> 00:13:48,999 It was nothing out of the ordinary until the day 199 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:50,467 we were expected to leave. 200 00:13:53,266 --> 00:13:56,467 I had a class at 8 o'clock the next morning. 201 00:13:56,634 --> 00:13:57,766 So the plan was-- 202 00:13:57,767 --> 00:14:00,366 we were supposed to get on the road by a specific time, 203 00:14:00,367 --> 00:14:04,066 um, so that way they could drop me off at school, 204 00:14:04,233 --> 00:14:06,800 and it was super late at night. 205 00:14:06,967 --> 00:14:09,967 He was angry because he was tired. 206 00:14:11,266 --> 00:14:13,900 The car ride coming back home... 207 00:14:14,867 --> 00:14:16,467 was really quiet. 208 00:14:16,634 --> 00:14:18,400 Typically, they would like play music 209 00:14:18,567 --> 00:14:20,999 and kinda sing along to the songs on the radio 210 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,100 or put in a CD, and it was none of that. 211 00:14:25,233 --> 00:14:28,767 They're not talking at all, which was very strange for us. 212 00:14:28,934 --> 00:14:31,265 Growing up, they never argued in front of us. 213 00:14:31,266 --> 00:14:32,367 So... 214 00:14:33,367 --> 00:14:36,566 that space was very awkward to be in. 215 00:14:36,567 --> 00:14:38,767 It was tense and heavy. 216 00:14:39,767 --> 00:14:42,166 It was like yelling, but they-- 217 00:14:42,333 --> 00:14:45,700 you could tell the tone that they were angry. 218 00:14:45,867 --> 00:14:50,166 And the argument was about taking me back to school. 219 00:14:50,333 --> 00:14:53,366 Can't believe we have to drive back overnight. 220 00:14:53,367 --> 00:14:55,000 It's your own fault that we didn't get 221 00:14:55,166 --> 00:14:56,566 on the road early. 222 00:14:56,567 --> 00:14:58,600 And my mom is like, 223 00:14:58,767 --> 00:15:00,265 "Well, we told her we would take her back. 224 00:15:00,266 --> 00:15:03,567 "Like, it's not our fault that you woke up late. 225 00:15:03,734 --> 00:15:04,767 "You wanted to sleep. 226 00:15:04,934 --> 00:15:06,667 You said you were tired, so we let you sleep." 227 00:15:08,166 --> 00:15:10,967 My mom is just like, "We have to take her back to school." 228 00:15:11,133 --> 00:15:12,366 And he stops responding, 229 00:15:12,367 --> 00:15:14,467 and he just like, grips the steering wheel. 230 00:15:17,033 --> 00:15:20,666 But like, in that moment, he felt that he lost control, 231 00:15:20,667 --> 00:15:22,767 because my mom put her foot down. 232 00:15:22,934 --> 00:15:24,999 You can see that he's angry. 233 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,400 His face scrunches up, and his nose flares, 234 00:15:28,567 --> 00:15:31,066 and like, his lip goes up. 235 00:15:31,233 --> 00:15:33,367 He floors the gas on the highway. 236 00:15:34,967 --> 00:15:39,166 We're going maybe 80 to 90 miles, and he's like, swerving. 237 00:15:41,367 --> 00:15:44,300 Edward slow down! You'll kill us! 238 00:15:44,467 --> 00:15:46,166 My mom is turned towards him, 239 00:15:46,333 --> 00:15:48,166 and she's like, "My kids are in the car." 240 00:15:48,333 --> 00:15:49,165 Like, "You need to stop." 241 00:15:49,166 --> 00:15:51,466 And during that time, 242 00:15:51,467 --> 00:15:52,566 he doesn't respond. 243 00:15:55,266 --> 00:15:58,300 That was a side of Edward that I've never seen before, 244 00:15:58,467 --> 00:15:59,467 and it was terrifying. 245 00:16:04,066 --> 00:16:05,666 He didn't drop me off at school. 246 00:16:05,667 --> 00:16:09,066 He actually went to our house. He pulled up in the driveway. 247 00:16:09,233 --> 00:16:13,266 He angrily threw the car in park and jumped out of the car 248 00:16:13,433 --> 00:16:14,800 and walked into the house. 249 00:16:16,567 --> 00:16:17,900 That's the first time. that I know of, 250 00:16:18,066 --> 00:16:19,467 that she stood up to him. 251 00:16:19,634 --> 00:16:23,567 And that's the incident that changed everything. 252 00:16:23,734 --> 00:16:25,867 After that incident, nothing, was-- 253 00:16:26,033 --> 00:16:27,900 like nothing was the same. 254 00:16:34,066 --> 00:16:35,400 2 255 00:16:35,567 --> 00:16:37,566 I was actually back at school. 256 00:16:39,634 --> 00:16:42,800 I want to say it was maybe 7 or 8 o'clock. 257 00:16:45,834 --> 00:16:48,666 {\an8}I get this call from my aunt. 258 00:16:48,667 --> 00:16:51,800 {\an8}And it was my brother on the phone, 259 00:16:51,967 --> 00:16:54,999 and he's crying. 260 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,265 He was telling me that we were gonna be ok. 261 00:16:58,266 --> 00:17:01,900 We were gonna find a house. Everybody's gonna be ok. 262 00:17:02,066 --> 00:17:03,367 I'm very confused. 263 00:17:03,533 --> 00:17:05,165 When he's saying all of this stuff, 264 00:17:05,166 --> 00:17:06,866 the big sister in me is just like, 265 00:17:06,867 --> 00:17:09,133 "I just need to get him to calm down." 266 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:14,000 He finally gives the phone to my aunt, 267 00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:18,367 and my aunt is just like, 268 00:17:18,533 --> 00:17:19,567 "He hit your mom." 269 00:17:22,467 --> 00:17:25,467 And at that moment, 270 00:17:26,767 --> 00:17:29,834 it just, it feels like everything stopped. 271 00:17:32,300 --> 00:17:35,467 Cause I'd never imagined that happening, 272 00:17:36,967 --> 00:17:39,366 and you're just stuck... 273 00:17:39,367 --> 00:17:40,566 because in my mind, 274 00:17:40,567 --> 00:17:42,867 I'm trying to figure out how we got to this point, 275 00:17:44,066 --> 00:17:46,200 and it's just like, "What happened?" 276 00:17:52,634 --> 00:17:55,467 I finally got to talk to my mom about the situation, 277 00:17:56,467 --> 00:18:01,165 and she had told me that night, her and my brother came home. 278 00:18:03,567 --> 00:18:04,666 They go in the house... 279 00:18:04,667 --> 00:18:07,100 and she said, Edward is just like, 280 00:18:07,266 --> 00:18:08,466 trying to start an argument. 281 00:18:08,467 --> 00:18:09,867 You know what time it is? 282 00:18:11,367 --> 00:18:13,300 He's just like, "Where have you been?" 283 00:18:13,467 --> 00:18:16,600 And, "You had my son out all hours of the night." 284 00:18:16,767 --> 00:18:18,500 "You should have been home." 285 00:18:20,166 --> 00:18:22,100 And he acts like he's going to throw 286 00:18:22,266 --> 00:18:24,900 the remote control at her. 287 00:18:25,066 --> 00:18:26,066 And she jumps. 288 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,166 And he says, "Oh, I got you scared." 289 00:18:31,667 --> 00:18:35,600 I think that was one of them "power moves" that-- 290 00:18:35,767 --> 00:18:36,967 again, he likes to play. 291 00:18:37,133 --> 00:18:39,300 So it's, "I have control." 292 00:18:39,467 --> 00:18:40,366 If I throw this, 293 00:18:40,367 --> 00:18:42,166 then you're going to duck. 294 00:18:42,333 --> 00:18:43,866 And now-- you're scared of me now. 295 00:18:43,867 --> 00:18:45,999 So I'm in control. 296 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,366 She went and grabbed her pillow 297 00:18:48,367 --> 00:18:51,100 because she was just gonna go sleep in Arthur's room. 298 00:18:51,266 --> 00:18:54,900 As she was trying to leave out of the room, 299 00:18:55,066 --> 00:18:58,867 he basically pounced on her, 300 00:19:01,667 --> 00:19:05,800 He knocked her over the ottoman, and started hitting her. 301 00:19:08,266 --> 00:19:11,667 Arthur pulls out his phone and calls the police. 302 00:19:12,667 --> 00:19:15,766 Edward realizes that Arthur's calling the police, 303 00:19:15,767 --> 00:19:20,000 and he gets off of my mom and looks at Arthur. 304 00:19:21,567 --> 00:19:23,767 And my mom immediately jumps up. 305 00:19:23,934 --> 00:19:27,066 And she's like, "If you touch him, I'll kill you." 306 00:19:27,233 --> 00:19:29,967 If you touch that boy, you a dead man. 307 00:19:32,066 --> 00:19:34,300 And that's when he walks out of the house. 308 00:19:39,900 --> 00:19:42,366 When I was a kid, it was always stressed that... 309 00:19:42,367 --> 00:19:44,367 you don't put your hands on someone. 310 00:19:44,533 --> 00:19:47,000 If someone puts their hands on you, you leave. 311 00:19:47,166 --> 00:19:49,767 Like, it's no second, third, "I'm sorry." 312 00:19:49,934 --> 00:19:50,833 It's none of that. 313 00:19:50,834 --> 00:19:54,566 It's, "You leave because it's not safe." 314 00:19:54,567 --> 00:19:56,366 And she's always stressed, 315 00:19:56,367 --> 00:20:01,165 "If they did it once, then they'll probably do it again." 316 00:20:01,166 --> 00:20:03,867 It was hard to hear my mom tell... 317 00:20:05,467 --> 00:20:07,467 this horrific story to me over the phone. 318 00:20:07,634 --> 00:20:10,566 Like, it almost seemed surreal. 319 00:20:10,567 --> 00:20:13,000 Like it-- 320 00:20:13,166 --> 00:20:16,567 I wouldn't have imagined anything like that ever happening. 321 00:20:17,667 --> 00:20:22,000 I'm stressed, I'm angry, I'm frustrated, I'm worried. 322 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:24,667 I could tell she was crying. 323 00:20:24,834 --> 00:20:28,766 She was like, "Don't worry. We had everything figured out." 324 00:20:28,767 --> 00:20:31,100 When she told me that I felt relieved... 325 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,367 because she was finally getting away. 326 00:20:34,533 --> 00:20:36,999 Like, she finally had had enough. 327 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:38,700 Like, that was her last straw. 328 00:20:40,767 --> 00:20:43,367 My mom filed and was granted a restraining order 329 00:20:43,533 --> 00:20:44,500 against Edward. 330 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:47,767 But I knew my mom was leaving, 331 00:20:47,934 --> 00:20:50,265 and I thought that that was the end of it. 332 00:21:07,667 --> 00:21:10,265 My mom was granted a restraining order, 333 00:21:10,266 --> 00:21:13,300 and in that restraining order, Edward was supposed to stay 334 00:21:13,467 --> 00:21:16,066 away for my mom, Arthur, and myself. 335 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:19,567 Even though the restraining order 336 00:21:19,734 --> 00:21:22,366 told him to not contact anyone within the family, 337 00:21:22,367 --> 00:21:23,867 Edward would still call my aunts. 338 00:21:24,033 --> 00:21:26,867 He would still go past family members' houses 339 00:21:27,033 --> 00:21:28,700 and try to plead with them 340 00:21:28,867 --> 00:21:31,400 to get my mom to talk to him. 341 00:21:33,867 --> 00:21:36,433 I would say it-- he was stalking her. 342 00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:42,200 It was one instance in particular 343 00:21:42,367 --> 00:21:44,366 where my mom had a doctor's appointment. 344 00:21:46,934 --> 00:21:49,967 And when my mom came out of the doctor's appointment, 345 00:21:50,133 --> 00:21:53,099 he had left a letter on her windshield of her car. 346 00:21:57,567 --> 00:22:02,266 When my mom seen the note on her car, she was scared. 347 00:22:02,433 --> 00:22:05,566 It is scary to think that he followed my mom, 348 00:22:05,567 --> 00:22:10,200 because if he knew where she was at the doctor's office, 349 00:22:10,367 --> 00:22:12,567 then I would think that Edward knew 350 00:22:12,734 --> 00:22:14,066 where she was staying at. 351 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,166 Finding out that he left a note on my mom's car made me angry. 352 00:22:19,333 --> 00:22:22,066 I knew that he was violating this restraining order. 353 00:22:23,467 --> 00:22:29,366 My mom had actually told the judges and told her lawyers 354 00:22:29,367 --> 00:22:33,300 that Edward was breaking this restraining order. 355 00:22:33,467 --> 00:22:35,600 And they didn't do anything about it. 356 00:22:35,767 --> 00:22:38,400 They should have locked him up, but they didn't. 357 00:22:38,567 --> 00:22:41,967 In this situation, my mom did everything that she was 358 00:22:42,133 --> 00:22:46,366 supposed to, by law, to protect herself and us, 359 00:22:46,367 --> 00:22:48,767 and bad things still happened. 360 00:22:50,300 --> 00:22:51,999 It would have definitely been different 361 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,100 if they had actually listened to my mom. 362 00:23:06,533 --> 00:23:09,766 Edward was allowed supervised visitation with Arthur 363 00:23:09,767 --> 00:23:12,400 um, one Sunday uh, every week. 364 00:23:12,567 --> 00:23:14,999 The visitation between Edward and my brother took place 365 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:16,867 at a domestic violence shelter. 366 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:19,767 The place was chosen by the court 367 00:23:19,934 --> 00:23:21,600 because it was a neutral ground. 368 00:23:23,166 --> 00:23:26,366 My mom could drop Arthur off at the visitation center 369 00:23:26,367 --> 00:23:28,667 without having any interaction with Edward. 370 00:23:30,266 --> 00:23:32,400 So, the plan for Mother's Day that morning-- 371 00:23:32,567 --> 00:23:36,466 um, my mom was supposed to pick me up. 372 00:23:36,467 --> 00:23:38,667 Um, I was going to ride with her 373 00:23:38,834 --> 00:23:41,300 to drop Arthur off at his visitation that morning. 374 00:23:41,467 --> 00:23:43,467 And then once she dropped Arthur off, 375 00:23:43,634 --> 00:23:45,900 we were supposed to go back to my aunt's house 376 00:23:46,066 --> 00:23:47,165 and just enjoy brunch. 377 00:23:47,166 --> 00:23:49,600 My mom calls me that morning, 378 00:23:49,767 --> 00:23:52,400 and she's like, "Are you still riding with me?" 379 00:23:52,567 --> 00:23:55,367 And I'm just like, "No, I'm too tired." 380 00:23:55,533 --> 00:23:57,266 'Cause I was like, "I'm just gonna sleep in.'" 381 00:24:00,634 --> 00:24:01,866 May have been an hour. 382 00:24:01,867 --> 00:24:04,266 I get a phone call from my aunt. 383 00:24:05,166 --> 00:24:07,466 I picked up the phone and she's yelling. 384 00:24:07,467 --> 00:24:09,566 She's like, "Don't brush your teeth, 385 00:24:09,567 --> 00:24:11,366 "Don't jump in the shower, don't do anything, 386 00:24:11,367 --> 00:24:12,500 just get dressed." 387 00:24:13,767 --> 00:24:16,566 She's like, "Just go get in the car." 388 00:24:16,567 --> 00:24:19,367 So I immediately jump out of the bed 389 00:24:19,533 --> 00:24:21,500 and I'm like, trying to throw on clothes, 390 00:24:21,667 --> 00:24:23,165 and I'm running, trying to put on my shoes. 391 00:24:23,166 --> 00:24:24,400 And I'm like, "What's happening?" 392 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,165 I get into the backseat of the car-- I'm out of breath, 393 00:24:28,166 --> 00:24:29,967 and I'm like, "What is happening?" 394 00:24:30,133 --> 00:24:33,000 And she turns around and she's crying, 395 00:24:33,166 --> 00:24:35,900 and she said that "Edward shot your mom." 396 00:24:44,100 --> 00:24:46,266 I need a second. 397 00:25:04,900 --> 00:25:06,967 2 398 00:25:16,033 --> 00:25:18,165 That's the Mother's Day card 399 00:25:18,166 --> 00:25:21,400 that they found with the bullet hole in it. 400 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,700 The message that he put in the card said, "Love, Boo." 401 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:29,667 That's not even close to love. 402 00:25:30,767 --> 00:25:32,867 That's almost like you hate someone. 403 00:25:34,867 --> 00:25:38,800 Edward was willing to take my mother's life 404 00:25:38,967 --> 00:25:41,467 and attempted to take my brother's life 405 00:25:43,266 --> 00:25:45,567 because he didn't wanna see them happy. 406 00:25:46,567 --> 00:25:49,800 This is the perfect example of, 407 00:25:49,967 --> 00:25:54,600 "I love you, but I hate that I can't have you." 408 00:25:57,066 --> 00:25:58,867 I can't look at it anymore. 409 00:26:19,500 --> 00:26:21,367 I didn't know if she was alive. 410 00:26:23,100 --> 00:26:25,265 It was like... 411 00:26:25,266 --> 00:26:30,367 everything had crumbled from beneath me. 412 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,000 I don't think it's any words 413 00:26:35,166 --> 00:26:36,400 to describe... 414 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:39,367 that feeling. 415 00:26:43,066 --> 00:26:46,634 I don't think I've ever felt hurt... 416 00:26:49,100 --> 00:26:50,634 as much as I did that day. 417 00:26:53,100 --> 00:26:56,200 I couldn't think, I couldn't process. 418 00:26:56,367 --> 00:26:59,400 It almost felt like I couldn't even breathe. 419 00:26:59,567 --> 00:27:00,800 And then... 420 00:27:03,066 --> 00:27:06,366 something in me realized that my brother was there. 421 00:27:06,367 --> 00:27:08,566 I'm like, "What happened to Arthur? 422 00:27:08,567 --> 00:27:10,867 Like, "Where's my brother? Is he ok?" 423 00:27:12,300 --> 00:27:16,100 And nobody could give me an answer. 424 00:27:16,266 --> 00:27:20,900 I didn't learn the details until we got to the hospital. 425 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:29,467 So that morning, my aunt had volunteered to ride in the car 426 00:27:29,634 --> 00:27:31,100 with her to drop Arthur off. 427 00:27:32,166 --> 00:27:35,100 They went to the visitation center, 428 00:27:36,567 --> 00:27:39,700 and my mom and Arthur got out of the car. 429 00:27:45,166 --> 00:27:49,500 Edward was at the top of the hill on a bicycle. 430 00:27:51,900 --> 00:27:54,266 Edward rode down the hill. 431 00:27:56,700 --> 00:27:59,867 He jumped off the bike in front of my mother and my brother, 432 00:28:01,567 --> 00:28:04,366 and he told my mom her time was up. 433 00:28:04,367 --> 00:28:05,467 It's over! 434 00:28:06,867 --> 00:28:08,500 And that's when he pulled out a gun, 435 00:28:08,667 --> 00:28:11,166 and he tried to shoot my brother... 436 00:28:11,333 --> 00:28:12,500 Arthur, move! 437 00:28:12,667 --> 00:28:15,766 ...but my mom pushed my brother out of the way, 438 00:28:15,767 --> 00:28:17,367 and she got shot. 439 00:28:20,166 --> 00:28:22,500 Yolanda! 440 00:28:22,667 --> 00:28:26,066 He wanted my mother to see her son die first... 441 00:28:28,467 --> 00:28:33,667 ...and Edward tries to shoot my mom three to four more times, 442 00:28:33,834 --> 00:28:35,100 but the gun jams. 443 00:28:38,867 --> 00:28:42,667 My brother runs to the van where my aunt is parked at, 444 00:28:43,867 --> 00:28:45,800 and Arthur's on the phone with the police. 445 00:28:45,967 --> 00:28:47,867 And he points the gun... 446 00:28:48,767 --> 00:28:50,667 at the car, 447 00:28:50,834 --> 00:28:53,000 and yells at my aunt, "Imma kill you, B." 448 00:28:55,100 --> 00:28:57,666 And tries to shoot at the van, 449 00:28:57,667 --> 00:29:01,467 and the bullet ricochets off the windshield. 450 00:29:01,634 --> 00:29:04,667 And he runs back up the hill, and he disappears. 451 00:29:06,967 --> 00:29:09,000 Not even in my wildest dreams... 452 00:29:10,567 --> 00:29:11,499 ...would I have thought 453 00:29:11,500 --> 00:29:13,967 that he would've done something like that. 454 00:29:54,367 --> 00:29:57,566 This was the 911 call that my brother made 455 00:29:57,567 --> 00:29:59,667 after my mother was shot. 456 00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:06,566 I'm uh, I'm so hurt that my little brother was the one 457 00:30:06,567 --> 00:30:08,100 who had to make this call. 458 00:30:36,467 --> 00:30:38,767 That-- that's really hard to listen to. 459 00:30:39,867 --> 00:30:42,367 You can hear that Arthur's panicking. 460 00:30:44,266 --> 00:30:47,300 I don't ever want to hear anything like that ever again... 461 00:30:50,667 --> 00:30:53,800 from my brother or anyone else's child. 462 00:30:55,266 --> 00:31:02,165 It's... difficult to picture that entire situation in my head. 463 00:31:02,166 --> 00:31:05,767 Um, that's not something that anyone should... 464 00:31:06,900 --> 00:31:09,500 imagine or have to ever think about. 465 00:31:11,266 --> 00:31:12,367 But... 466 00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:15,300 this nightmare was my life. 467 00:31:22,266 --> 00:31:25,367 And Edward was the one who made this a nightmare. 468 00:31:25,533 --> 00:31:27,367 Since that day, 469 00:31:27,533 --> 00:31:31,266 Arthur has put on this shell, 470 00:31:31,433 --> 00:31:35,100 and he feels that he has to be the strong one. 471 00:31:36,567 --> 00:31:39,867 Before this he was able to be a child. 472 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,400 And after witnessing all of this, 473 00:31:44,567 --> 00:31:47,867 he wasn't able to be a child anymore. 474 00:32:01,266 --> 00:32:02,867 My mom had arrived at the hospital 475 00:32:03,033 --> 00:32:06,366 and they had tooken her back for CT scans 476 00:32:06,367 --> 00:32:09,766 to see how bad the damage was. 477 00:32:13,367 --> 00:32:16,467 And I went back to see her... 478 00:32:23,467 --> 00:32:25,600 ...and she had her eyes closed. 479 00:32:29,900 --> 00:32:32,967 And I'm like, "Mom are you ok? Are you ok?" 480 00:32:33,133 --> 00:32:35,400 And she opens her eyes... 481 00:32:37,867 --> 00:32:40,500 and she's like, "I'm fine. I'll be ok-- 482 00:32:40,667 --> 00:32:42,567 if they could just make the pain stop." 483 00:32:44,066 --> 00:32:46,400 Walking in there and seeing her alive... 484 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:51,600 was like a sigh of relief, 485 00:32:53,667 --> 00:32:57,200 but we obviously knew that it had done some damage 486 00:32:57,367 --> 00:33:01,566 and they were also telling us that the bullet didn't come out. 487 00:33:01,567 --> 00:33:03,566 I just held her hand 488 00:33:03,567 --> 00:33:09,934 and, crying, and telling her I love her. 489 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:15,166 And then they said they had to take her to surgery. 490 00:33:17,667 --> 00:33:19,300 And when they wheeled her away, 491 00:33:19,467 --> 00:33:22,900 I didn't know if that was the last time I would see my mom. 492 00:33:32,500 --> 00:33:36,400 2 The last time I was here was before the shooting. 493 00:33:38,867 --> 00:33:43,400 {\an8}I try my best to not ever come around to this area. 494 00:33:43,567 --> 00:33:45,767 {\an8}It just brings back too many memories. 495 00:33:47,767 --> 00:33:51,766 It's just a really hard pill to swallow, 496 00:33:51,767 --> 00:33:55,000 knowing that my entire world 497 00:33:55,166 --> 00:33:57,266 changed in front of this place. 498 00:33:59,567 --> 00:34:05,667 I want to be able to air those wounds out to be able to heal. 499 00:34:14,266 --> 00:34:15,666 Yikes. 500 00:34:18,867 --> 00:34:22,566 To be here and, again, see this sign. 501 00:34:22,567 --> 00:34:24,866 This is domestic violence awareness. 502 00:34:24,867 --> 00:34:28,166 And it's sickening to know, 503 00:34:28,333 --> 00:34:30,867 that, again, this was supposed to be a safe space. 504 00:34:31,033 --> 00:34:35,567 And my mom almost lost her life at this safe space. 505 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,066 The actual shooting, where did that transpire? 506 00:34:41,166 --> 00:34:42,400 Right here. 507 00:34:49,567 --> 00:34:52,734 To look at the spot and be where... 508 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:58,767 Edward tried to take my mother's life, 509 00:34:58,934 --> 00:34:59,967 it's just... 510 00:35:01,767 --> 00:35:03,667 you don't have the words. 511 00:35:16,166 --> 00:35:17,866 My mom was in surgery. 512 00:35:17,867 --> 00:35:20,500 It, to me, it feels like forever. 513 00:35:20,667 --> 00:35:23,500 Um, but I want to say, it-- 514 00:35:23,667 --> 00:35:27,166 it could have been anywhere between five to six hours. 515 00:35:29,367 --> 00:35:33,367 Every time we seen a doctor come out, my heart stopped. 516 00:35:35,834 --> 00:35:41,133 It's sickening, it's gut-wrenching. 517 00:35:44,900 --> 00:35:49,600 When the surgery's finally done, I walked into the room, 518 00:35:49,767 --> 00:35:53,667 and my mom is just laying there, 519 00:35:53,834 --> 00:35:59,367 and it's all these wires and machines and-- 520 00:36:00,934 --> 00:36:06,666 a lot of beeping-- and she's just stretched out on the bed. 521 00:36:06,667 --> 00:36:09,333 If I didn't know that that was my mom, 522 00:36:09,500 --> 00:36:11,667 I wouldn't be able to recognize her. 523 00:36:16,166 --> 00:36:20,867 That is one of the images that haunts me the most. 524 00:36:50,767 --> 00:36:52,934 I've never seen these pictures before. 525 00:36:58,233 --> 00:37:00,967 This is my worst nightmare in a picture. 526 00:37:13,367 --> 00:37:17,033 Everything that you could possibly imagine 527 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:19,367 from that day comes back. 528 00:37:19,533 --> 00:37:23,367 The numb feeling, the feeling of not knowing, 529 00:37:23,533 --> 00:37:27,566 the feeling of being scared, the smells, the sound, 530 00:37:27,567 --> 00:37:30,166 it all just floods back. 531 00:37:32,567 --> 00:37:34,967 Standing beside the bed, 532 00:37:35,133 --> 00:37:37,366 I didn't know if she could hear me. 533 00:37:37,367 --> 00:37:39,834 And I didn't care if she could, 534 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:42,567 but I wanted her to know that I was there. 535 00:37:44,367 --> 00:37:46,567 And I wanted her to know that I loved her. 536 00:38:01,333 --> 00:38:05,400 This is the first note that my mom... 537 00:38:05,567 --> 00:38:08,767 wrote while she was in the intensive care unit. 538 00:38:11,233 --> 00:38:14,466 And this is something that I hold close to my heart. 539 00:38:14,467 --> 00:38:18,867 It says, "I love you, Arthur. I love Deon." 540 00:38:20,500 --> 00:38:22,566 At the time, she was still intubated, 541 00:38:22,567 --> 00:38:24,367 so she couldn't speak. 542 00:38:24,533 --> 00:38:27,766 She-- we were surprised that she was even able to write this, 543 00:38:27,767 --> 00:38:29,867 eight days after being shot. 544 00:38:33,233 --> 00:38:36,265 This note means that my mom heard us. 545 00:38:36,266 --> 00:38:37,834 She knew we were there, 546 00:38:38,767 --> 00:38:41,667 and she was gonna fight for us. 547 00:38:59,433 --> 00:39:00,400 I can't look at that, 548 00:39:04,567 --> 00:39:06,500 And I know exactly what that picture is. 549 00:39:06,667 --> 00:39:10,166 It's his mugshot-- and it almost looks like he's smiling. 550 00:39:11,333 --> 00:39:13,566 And it makes me so angry, 551 00:39:13,567 --> 00:39:17,266 because it's almost like he enjoyed what he did. 552 00:39:18,367 --> 00:39:20,000 And I, I just-- 553 00:39:21,166 --> 00:39:23,767 I can't stomach looking at his face. 554 00:39:26,767 --> 00:39:29,066 If there was anything lower than Hell, 555 00:39:29,233 --> 00:39:31,233 it's where Edward should be. 556 00:39:33,033 --> 00:39:34,566 It's like the judge said, 557 00:39:34,567 --> 00:39:36,967 "Edward doesn't deserve to see the light of day." 558 00:39:37,867 --> 00:39:39,066 And I don't even think... 559 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:42,033 prison is where he should be. 560 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:44,266 If not prison, where should he be? 561 00:39:49,133 --> 00:39:51,233 Edward should be where he tried to put my mom. 562 00:40:01,266 --> 00:40:04,934 My mom was so lucky that day. 563 00:40:05,100 --> 00:40:06,800 And... 564 00:40:09,266 --> 00:40:13,166 my family always, we always talk about 565 00:40:13,333 --> 00:40:15,967 how we believe that 566 00:40:16,133 --> 00:40:18,866 the angels of our family that passed away 567 00:40:18,867 --> 00:40:22,000 were the ones who saved my mom. 568 00:40:22,166 --> 00:40:25,466 Because Edward tried to shoot my mother four times 569 00:40:25,467 --> 00:40:27,467 after the initial first shot. 570 00:40:28,667 --> 00:40:34,066 And those four angels were my grandmother, my grandfather, 571 00:40:34,233 --> 00:40:37,566 my great grandmother, and my great grandfather. 572 00:40:37,567 --> 00:40:38,866 And they made sure... 573 00:40:38,867 --> 00:40:42,600 {\an8}that my mom didn't sustain any additional harm. 574 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:47,333 {\an8}My mom is one of the strongest people I know. 575 00:40:49,333 --> 00:40:52,567 {\an8}And she put up one hell of a fight. 576 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:57,066 {\an8}My mom literally took a bullet for my brother. 577 00:40:57,233 --> 00:41:00,066 {\an8}And my mom would do anything to protect us. 578 00:41:01,767 --> 00:41:04,100 {\an8}My mom is a hero, and she's my hero. 579 00:41:14,667 --> 00:41:17,333 He was like a monster when they just hatch. 580 00:41:17,500 --> 00:41:20,000 Don't let him into your life. 581 00:41:20,166 --> 00:41:21,567 Don't let him in. 582 00:41:22,467 --> 00:41:25,466 He had me by the throat, grabbed a knife and said, 583 00:41:25,467 --> 00:41:28,367 "You'll be dead before the cops get here."