[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
OUR FAMILY AND THEIR FAMILY
HAD BEEN IN EACH OTHER'S LIVES
GOING ON PROBABLY CLOSE TO 10 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THE BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES AND HOLIDAYS
AND COUNTLESS CHURCH FUNCTIONS
AND OVERNIGHT,
WE LOST THEM ALL.
WE BURIED FOUR,
BUT WE LOST THEM ALL. [ SNIFFLES ]
♪♪
THE BIBLE TELLS US THERE ARE DEMONS THAT WALK AMONG US.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT.
I SIT SOMETIMES LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS TREES AT HOME
DURING THE HOLIDAYS,
AND MY MIND GOES BACK TO 1997.
NOTHING'S EVER THE SAME AGAIN,
AND YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING DIFFERENTLY.
♪♪
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING TIMES THAT MY MOM ENJOYED
WAS CHRISTMAS,
SO GETTING TO OPEN THOSE PRESENTS WAS FUN,
BUT WE CRIED THE WHOLE TIME.
[ SNIFFLES ]
WE KNEW WHERE THEY'D COME FROM.
THEY SAID, "LOVE MAMA AND DADDY,"
BUT THEY WEREN'T WITH US TO OPEN THEM.
NOBODY'S EVER ASKED ABOUT MY MOTHER.
THEY ALL JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT,
NOT GET TO KNOW THE STORY.
♪♪
Captions by VITAC... www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪♪
I THINK IT AFFECTED THE CITY OF SANTA CLAUS
IN A WAY THAT WAS JUST BRUTALLY HARSH.
SANTA CLAUS IS SMALL, BUT QUAINT.
THEY'RE FRIENDLY.
EVERYBODY KNEW THEIR NEIGHBORS.
I LOVED LIVING IN SANTA CLAUS.
♪♪
I GOT TO WORK ON DECEMBER 4, 1997,
AND A COWORKER COME TO ME AND SAYS,
"RACHAEL, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT DANNY DANIELS?"
AND I SAID "NO, WHAT'S GOING ON?"
AND HE SAID, "WELL, HE KILLED HIS FAMILY LAST NIGHT
AND THEN SHOT AND KILLED HIMSELF."
♪♪
IMMEDIATELY, I KNEW THAT WAS NOT TRUE.
I WAS VERY UPSET AND ANGRY ABOUT THAT AND THAT'S NOT TRUE.
MATTER OF FACT, I EVEN SAID, "I WAS JUST THERE LAST NIGHT.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT IS POSSIBLE."
AND HE SAID, "WELL, THERE'S LAW EVERYWHERE.
SOMETHING'S HAPPENED."
SO I WAS CONCERNED, I TRIED CALLING THEIR HOME.
HEY, Y'ALL, IT'S RACHAEL.
JUST GIVE ME A CALL BACK WHEN YOU GET THIS, OKAY?
DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER.
-OKAY, BYE. [ RECEIVER THUDS ]
AT THAT POINT, I DID HAVE A FEELING
THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED
SO I CALLED MY MOM AND DADDY AND SAID,
"LISTEN, I'VE HEARD THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED
AT KIM AND DANNY'S, AND CAN Y'ALL GO CHECK ON THEM?"
♪♪
WHEN THEY GOT TO THEIR HOME THERE WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT THERE.
THERE WAS SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY GOING ON,
AND MAMA AND DADDY COULDN'T GET ANY INFORMATION,
AT WHICH POINT THEY CAME BACK TO CALL
TO LET ME KNOW THAT YES, SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED.
STILL NOT FOR SURE WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT IT'S BAD.
♪♪
SO WHEN I HUNG UP, I WAS EVEN MORE CONFUSED
AND EVEN MORE CONCERNED.
♪♪
WHEN MY PARENTS FIRST BECAME A FOSTER FAMILY,
WE KNEW THAT AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY,
ANY TIME OF THE NIGHT,
WE COULD GET NEW CHILDREN IN OUR HOME OF ANY AGE.
♪♪
IT WAS JUST SO MUCH FUN.
IT WAS SO EXCITING TO HAVE KIDS TO PLAY WITH.
♪♪
THE FIRST CHILD THAT WE HAD IN OUR HOME
WAS A YOUNG, RED-HEADED GIRL,
AND I JUST KNEW THAT SHE WAS GONNA BE MY BEST FRIEND.
SHE WAS THE SAME AGE AS I WAS, SHE WAS SO NICE,
AND I JUST LOVED HER RED HAIR.
♪♪
HER MOTHER WOULD COME AND VISIT
AND SOMETIMES HER OLDER BROTHER WOULD COME.
HIS NAME WAS JERRY HEIDLER.
♪♪
JERRY WAS ALWAYS VERY FRIENDLY WITH THE KIDS.
HE'D FISH WITH THE KIDS.
HE'D JUMP ON THE TRAMPOLINE WITH US KIDS.
I CAN REMEMBER HIM GIVING ME PIGGYBACK RIDES
AND PUTTING ME ON HIS SHOULDERS.
JERRY WAS SO MUCH FUN.
HE WOULD ALWAYS PLAY WITH US,
AND HE SEEMED TO BE VERY LOVING AND KIND TO THE CHILDREN.
HE SEEMED VERY DISTANT WITH ADULTS.
HE KIND OF STUCK OUT A LITTLE BIT,
BUT AS CHILDREN, YOU DON'T SEE THOSE THINGS.
♪♪
IN DECEMBER OF 1997,
MY MOM AND MY DAD,
WE HAD FOSTER CHILDREN, AMANDA AND COREY AND GABE,
MY STEPSISTER, JESSIE,
AND THEN ME AND BROOKE AND BRYANT.
♪♪
THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 3rd,
I REMEMBER BEING WOKEN UP,
SHOOKEN, BY JERRY.
♪♪
AMBER, AMBER!
WAKE UP, WAKE UP! WE NEED TO LEAVE!
Daniels: AND HE'S YELLING AT ME TO,
"WAKE UP. WAKE UP. YOU'VE GOT TO WAKE UP."
- JERRY? - WE NEED TO GO. LET'S GO.
- COME ON, COME ON, COME ON! - WHAT'S HAPPENING?
COME ON! WE NEED TO GO!
AND WHEN I FINALLY WAKE UP, I CAN HEAR KIDS CRYING.
AND HE'S JUST YELLING AT ME.
"WE'VE GOT TO GO!
"WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE!
WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW!"
I WAS FRIGHTENED AND SCARED AND HEARING THE GIRLS CRYING.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AS WE'RE WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY,
HE'S GOT ME BY THE HAND AND I SAID,
"WELL, LET ME GO GET MAMA,"
AND HE SAID, "MAMA AND DADDY IS NOT HERE.
"THEY'VE ALREADY LEFT WITH THE OTHER KIDS
"AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS TO COME GET YOU
AND THE GIRLS TO GET Y'ALL OUT OF THE HOUSE."
AND ALL I HAVE IS AMANDA AND BROOKE,
AND COREY AND GABE ARE HIDING UNDER THE KITCHEN TABLE.
AND WE'RE WALKING OUT THE FRONT DOOR AND I'M LIKE,
"WHY ARE WE LEAVING THEM? WHY ARE WE LEAVING THEM?"
HE SAID, "YOUR MOM AND DAD'S GOING TO COME BACK
AND GET THEM."
I WAS JUST CONFUSED, AND I WAS LOST,
AND JERRY WAS ALWAYS GOOD TO US
THE DAYS THAT HE WAS AROUND,
SO IT FELT OKAY TO LEAVE WITH HIM,
SO WE GOT IN THE VAN WITH HIM, AND WE LEFT.
♪♪
I WAS NINE MONTHS OUT OF THE POLICE ACADEMY
WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN SANTA CLAUS.
♪♪
3:30 IN THE MORNING, THEY GAVE ME A CALL
TO A WELFARE CHECK OUT ON
DASHER STREET IN SANTA CLAUS.
WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION
A LOT OF INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ON,
BUT WHEN I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, THE DOOR WAS ALREADY OPEN.
♪♪
SO I PUSHED IT ON OPEN...
HELLO?
...ANNOUNCED SHERIFF'S OFFICE SEVERAL TIMES
AND GOT NO RESPONSE.
ANYBODY HERE?
I'M HEARING A MUSIC... IT SOUNDED LIKE MUSIC
COMING FROM A CLOCK RADIO AND A BABY CRYING.
♪♪
SO I COME ON INTO THE HOUSE,
AGAIN ANNOUNCING SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
IMMEDIATELY TO MY RIGHT WAS A CHRISTMAS TREE,
A LOT OF PRESENTS UNDER IT.
I WALKED ON IN, STILL ANNOUNCING...
HELLO?
...NOT HEARING ANYTHING BUT THIS BABY CRYING
AND A CLOCK RADIO.
♪♪
I WALKED INTO THE ROOM,
AND I JUST STOOD THERE AT THE DOORWAY
AND HAVING A HARD TIME BELIEVING WHAT I'M SEEING
AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
♪♪
IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT YOUR BRAIN
WILL CONNECT UP FOR YOU THAT QUICKLY.
I'M SEEING WHAT'S LEFT OF A SMALL MALE CHILD
AND WHAT'S LEFT OF HIS HEAD LAYING IN THE BED.
♪♪
MY MOM GREW UP LIVING ON THE STREETS,
CHASING ONE MAN AFTER THE OTHER TO FIND LOVE
BECAUSE HER BIOLOGICAL MOTHER THREW HER OUT TO THE WOLVES
AND DIDN'T WANT THEM, ANY OF HER CHILDREN.
AND ONE DAY,
MY MOM HAD ALL HER CHILDREN TAKEN AWAY FROM HER
BECAUSE SHE HAD NEVER HAD A STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR US...
ME, MY YOUNGER SISTER, BROOKE, AND HER TWIN, BRYANT.
SHE BROKE DOWN AND DECIDED SHE WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE.
THROUGH A.A., MY MOTHER MET DANNY DANIELS.
IT WAS LIKE HER KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR.
BUT SHE WOULD TELL YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHY HE CHOSE HER.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER HIM, BUT HE DID.
HE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER FROM THE DAY HE MET HER.
♪♪
THEY HAD QUIT DRINKING.
THEY HAD CHANGED EVERYTHING ABOUT THEIR LIVES.
♪♪
THE DAY THAT CHILD SERVICES LET ME RETURN BACK HOME
TO MY MOTHER WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE.
♪♪
I RAN TO HER ARMS IN A NEW HOME,
A BIG, BEAUTIFUL HOUSE WITH A YARD THAT WE COULD PLAY IN,
AND THERE WAS A MAN JUST STANDING THERE, OPEN ARMS,
AND WELCOMED ME INTO HIS HOUSE,
AND WANTED TO LOVE ME JUST AS MUCH AS MY MOM.
♪♪
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME
WITH HER LEFT.
♪♪
[ CRYING ]
WHILE WE'RE DRIVING DOWN DASHER STREET,
THE OTHER TWO GIRLS ARE JUST TERRIFIED,
AND THEY WOULDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING,
AND I KEPT ASKING THEM IF THEY WERE OKAY.
THEY WERE JUST CRYING, YOU KNOW, JUST A SOB CRY.
WE'RE ALL CONFUSED.
WE'RE ALL JUST TERRIFIED AT THIS POINT
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
♪♪
WE GOT DOWN TO THE END OF DASHER STREET,
AND THEN WE TURNED LEFT ON U.S. 1,
AND WE JUST STARTED DRIVING.
♪♪
I'M STILL STANDING THERE IN DISBELIEF, REALLY,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK'S STANDING UP,
AND YOU'RE WONDERING ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE STILL GOT AN ACTIVE SHOOTER
ON SITE OR WHAT THE DEAL IS.
I IMMEDIATELY DREW MY WEAPON
AND DID A QUICK PEEK TO THE OTHER ROOM.
♪♪
THE WHOLE TIME I'M HEARING WHAT SOUNDS LIKE MUSIC
COMING FROM A CLOCK RADIO AND A BABY CRYING.
[ BABY CRYING ]
AND ABOUT THE TIME I GOT BACK INTO
THE LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM AREA,
A SMALL CHILD JUST POPS UP FROM UNDER THE DINING ROOM TABLE.
♪♪
I WENT FULL-ON READY TO SHOOT.
♪♪
AS MY DADDY USED TO SAY, IT'S A THOUSAND WONDERS
THAT I DIDN'T SHOOT HIM,
AND I'M VERY, VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
HE REALLY DIDN'T SAY MUCH OF ANYTHING.
HE KIND OF POINTED INTO THE... TOWARDS THE BEDROOM,
AND THERE APPEARED TO BE BLOOD AROUND THE KNOB
AND ON THE FRAME OF THE BEDROOM DOOR.
I VERY GENTLY JUST KIND OF GRABBED THE DOORKNOB
WITH A COUPLE FINGERS AND OPENED IT ENOUGH
TO SEE WHAT APPEARED TO BE A MALE BODY IN A BED.
♪♪
AND WHEN I OPENED THAT DOOR,
I DISCOVERED WHERE THE BABY CRYING
AND THE ALARM CLOCK WAS COMING FROM.
♪♪
THE BABY WAS STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE BED,
STANDING HOLDING ONTO THE SHEETS,
CRYING, TRYING TO WAKE HIS MOTHER UP,
AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW THE BODY OF THE LADY
THAT HAD BEEN KILLED.
♪♪
I LOOKED ACROSS THE ROOM,
AND I DISCOVERED THE BODY OF A TEENAGER
THAT WAS LAYING CRUMPLED ON THE STEPS
COMING DOWN FROM THAT DOOR.
YOU GOT ONE BODY ON ONE END OF THE HOUSE
AND THREE BODIES ON THE OTHER END OF THE HOUSE,
IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE
THAT ANYBODY COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
♪♪
THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE PARENTS,
MR. AND MRS. DANIELS.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY I FOUND THEM.
THE BABY WAS STANDING RIGHT IN HERE,
HANGING ONTO THE BEDSHEET THERE, STANDING UP.
♪♪
THIS PHOTO IS OF, UH,
PRIMARILY OF THE TEENAGE DAUGHTER.
♪♪
YOU GOT TO THINK ABOUT PROBABLY HOW THAT HAPPENED.
I MEAN, SHE RUN TOWARDS WHERE SHE FIGURED SAFETY WAS AT,
AND, UH,
TO HER DADDY.
I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW HELPLESS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON HIS PART
TO KNOW THAT HE REALLY COULDN'T HELP.
♪♪
WE DROVE ALL THE WAY TO THE BAXLEY BRIDGE ON U.S. 1,
AND HE PULLED OFF TO GO UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE.
THERE'S NO HOUSES.
IT'S JUST A SECLUDED AREA,
JUST BUSHES AND A DIRT PATH AND THE RIVER.
♪♪
MY MIND STARTED RACING.
YOU KNOW, "WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW? WHAT ARE WE DOING?
OH, MY GOD. IS HE GOING TO KILL US?"
[ CRYING ]
AMANDA AND BROOKE WERE STILL SITTING VERY CLOSE,
HOLDING EACH OTHER.
HE MADE THEM GET INTO THE FRONT SEAT,
AND THEN I KNEW HE WAS ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING VERY BAD TO ME.
♪♪
HE GOT IN THE BACK SEAT, AND I STARTED CRYING
AND ASK HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING,
AND I CAN REMEMBER MY HANDS SHAKING.
AND THEN HE STARTED TELLING ME TO TAKE MY CLOTHES OFF,
SO THEN I KNEW WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO DO.
I CAN REMEMBER SEEING AMANDA'S FACE LOOKING AT ME AND CRYING,
AND HER AND BROOKE WERE STILL HOLDING EACH OTHER
WHILE I LAID THERE NAKED,
WATCHING HIM DO WHAT HE WAS DOING TO ME.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO SURVIVE THAT PART OF THAT NIGHT.
♪♪
I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE.
♪♪
[ CRYING ] BUT HE TOLD ME IF I DIDN'T STOP CRYING
THAT HE WOULD DO IT TO THEM, SO I SUCKED IT UP,
AND I TOOK IT ALL SO HE WOULDN'T DO IT TO THEM.
NOBODY DESERVES THAT.
IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO FIGURE OUT THERE
WAS NOTHING I HAD DONE TO MAKE HIM DO THAT.
HE WAS JUST A HORRIBLE PERSON.
[ SNIFFLING ]
BUT THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO STOP HIM.
♪♪
AT THAT POINT, NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE HOUSE,
IF THERE'S STILL A SHOOTER ON SITE,
I GRABBED THE BABY UP,
GRABBED THE OTHER LITTLE BOY UP IN MY ARMS,
AND WE WENT BACK OUT THE DOOR.
I HAD RADIOED MY DISPATCHERS,
ADVISING THEM THAT I NEEDED HELP,
IN OUR JARGON, 10-18, WHICH MEANS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE,
THAT I HAD A QUADRUPLE HOMICIDE.
♪♪
GOSH, I HADN'T SEEN THIS IN A LONG TIME.
♪♪
THAT WAS A SWEET DAY.
KIDS WERE HAPPY. THEY WERE HAPPY.
WE WERE HAPPY.
SHE WAS GIDDY, NERVOUS,
AND DANNY WAS JUST DANNY.
HE WAS HOPING THEY WOULD HURRY UP IN CASE
SHE CHANGED HER MIND, I THINK. [ LAUGHS ]
BUT IT WAS VERY SWEET.
SMALL LITTLE CEREMONY, NOTHING GRAND,
BUT FOR HER,
I MEAN, YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT IT WAS THE ROYAL WEDDING.
THAT WAS A GOOD DAY.
♪♪
I LEFT WORK, WENT STRAIGHT TO MAMA AND DADDY'S.
HERE YOU GO, HONEY.
- THANKS, MOM. - HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP?
WE WERE ALL JUST IN SHOCK,
COULDN'T WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND IT.
I WOULD GO FROM EVERY EMOTION IMAGINABLE, YOU KNOW, PANIC.
I WAS CONFUSED, DISTRAUGHT,
AND I FELT HELPLESS,
LIKE YOU COULDN'T...
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
NO, YOU NEED TO BE PATIENT.
- YEAH. - STAY CALM.
Phillips: THERE WAS A LOT OF PRAYER AT THAT TIME.
♪♪
THERE WAS FOUR BODIES IS WHAT WE HAD HEARD, FOUR BODIES.
THAT WAS WHEN HE WAS ABLE TO TELL US THAT KIM AND DANNY,
JESSIE, AND BRYANT WERE GONE.
♪♪
THEY WERE GOOD PEOPLE,
AND NOTHING THEY DID...
CAUSED IT.
♪♪
THEY WERE LIVING THEIR LIFE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE'S POOR CHOICES, BAD DECISIONS,
THAT BROUGHT THIS OUTCOME.
♪♪
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE GIRLS ARE.
WHAT?
WE WERE STILL NOT SURE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE GIRLS.
WHERE WERE THE GIRLS?
♪♪
[ Voice breaking ] ARE THEY SOMEWHERE DEAD?
♪♪
SO WHENEVER HE WAS FINISHED WITH ME,
HE LET ME PUT MY CLOTHES BACK ON,
AND HE GOT OUT AND GOT BACK IN THE FRONT SEAT
AND JUST STARTED DRIVING AGAIN,
AND IT JUST GOT REALLY QUIET.
WAS OUR LIVES GONNA END?
WERE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM HIM?
WAS SOMEBODY GONNA EVENTUALLY FIND US AND HELP US,
OR WERE THEY GONNA FIND US DEAD?
JERRY STOPPED ON TOP OF THE BRIDGE.
MOVE, MOVE!
HE MADE US GET OUT OF THE VAN,
AND HE PULLED THE GUN OUT
AND TOLD US TO STAND THERE,
AND HE GOT UP ON THE EDGE OF THE BRIDGE
AND THREW THE GUN OVER.
AND MY MIND JUST SAID, "THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
"YOU'RE OUT OF THAT VAN.
"RUN, RUN LIKE HELL AND GET AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN.
WE CAN HIDE IN THE WOODS, JUST RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN."
RUN!
WE WERE BAREFOOT AND RUNNING WITH NO SHOES, JUST PAJAMAS.
♪♪
NO!
Daniels: JERRY STARTED SCREAMING AT US TO STOP,
STOP RUNNING, GET BACK IN THE VAN.
AND HE GRABBED BROOKE, AND HE SHOOK HER,
AND HE TOLD ME IF I DIDN'T GET BACK IN THE VAN
THAT HE WAS GONNA THROW HER OVER THE BRIDGE,
AND I'D NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.
♪♪
SO WE GOT BACK IN.
♪♪
HE STARTED DRIVING SOUTH ON U.S. 1 TOWARDS BAXLEY,
AND WE WERE REALLY QUIET.
WHEN WE GOT TO ALMA, HE STARTED ACTING WEIRD.
HE'D TURN DOWN THIS ROAD AND SO I ASKED HIM AGAIN,
"WHERE ARE YOU TAKING US? WHAT ARE WE DOING?"
HE GOT AGITATED AND STARTED YELLING.
SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!
AND THEN HE PULLED UP IN A LITTLE DEAD-END SPOT
AND PUT US OUT AND TOLD US
THAT WE WERE TO WAIT THERE FOR FIVE MINUTES
- UNTIL HE CAME BACK. - YOU ALL STAY HERE.
HE JUST KEPT SAYING, "I'll BE BACK IN FIVE MINUTES.
"I'll BE BACK IN FIVE MINUTES, AND YOU'D BETTER BE HERE.
I'll BE BACK IN FIVE MINUTES."
IT'S ALL I CAN REMEMBER HEARING.
AS SOON AS WE COULDN'T SEE HIS LIGHTS ANYMORE,
I COUNTED TO 60 FIVE TIMES AS FAST AS I COULD
SO I KNEW THAT HE WAS GONE.
I TOLD THE GIRLS THAT, "WE'VE GOT TO FIND HELP.
"WE'VE GOT TO TELL THEM WHAT'S HAPPENED.
WE'VE GOT TO FIND OUR PARENTS. WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK HOME."
LET'S GO, LET'S GO. COME ON, LET'S GO, LET'S GO!
AND WE STARTED WALKING.
♪♪
WE SAW LIGHTS COMING DOWN THE ROAD,
AND WE KNEW THAT HE WAS COMING BACK TO GET US.
GO HIDE. GO HIDE!
SO I MADE THE TWO GIRLS JUMP DOWN IN THE DITCH
TO TRY TO KEEP FROM BEING SEEN.
♪♪
AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN,
AND I KNEW THAT WE HAD JUST BEEN CAUGHT.
OUR LIVES WERE OVER.
♪♪
WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT DO WE DO?
GO, GO HIDE!
♪♪
Daniels: THE CAR SLOWED DOWN,
AND I KNEW THAT WE HAD JUST BEEN CAUGHT.
♪♪
OUR LIVES WERE OVER.
♪♪
IT WOUND UP BEING A COP CAR,
AND HE STOPPED, AND HE GOT OUT.
I SAID, "WE'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED."
"THIS IS OUR ADDRESS ON DASHER STREET.
YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUR PARENTS."
HE COULD TELL THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
SO HE DROVE US TO THE POLICE STATION.
IT FELT LIKE HOURS HAD JUST PASSED IN MINUTES,
AND THEN THERE WAS A LADY THAT CAME IN.
SHE SAT ME DOWN IN A ROOM BY MYSELF
AND ASKED ME DID HE HURT ME?
♪♪
AND I JUST STARTED CRYING
AND TOLD HER, "YES, HE DID."
HIS NAME WAS FAMILIAR TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND A LOT OF FOLKS KNEW OF HIM.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY MAYBE REALIZED WHAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF.
HE WENT FROM BEING AN AVERAGE CROOK,
SO TO SPEAK, TO BEING ON THE FBI'S MOST WANTED LIST
IN, LIKE, A COUPLE HOURS' TIME.
♪♪
WHEN THEY CAUGHT HIM, IT WAS BEFORE DARK,
BUT IT WAS GETTING LATE IN THE EVENING.
I WOULD SAY PROBABLY FROM 3 TO 5, SOMEWHERE IN THERE,
IS WHEN HE GOT CAUGHT HIDING UP UNDER HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE.
WE HAD A GOOD TEAM,
TACTICAL TEAM, THAT WENT AND GOT HIM,
AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HANDLED.
♪♪
Woman: INVESTIGATORS HAVE ALREADY MADE AN ARREST...
20-YEAR-OLD JERRY SCOTT HEIDLER.
MR. HEIDLER IS FROM ALMA
AND PUTTING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER,
THEY WENT TO HIS HOME, THE HOME OF A RELATIVE,
HIS MOTHER, AND THAT'S WHERE HE WAS LOCATED.
THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS JUST SUCH A...
I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER A LOT ABOUT IT, 'CAUSE YOU WAS...
I WAS STILL IN A DAZE, ALMOST.
I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE NAME JERRY HEIDLER.
I SAW SOMETHING THAT HAD HIS PICTURE ON IT.
WHEN I SAW THE PICTURE,
THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED I KNEW HIM.
I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I SAW IT AND THAT'S WHO IT WAS.
Woman: POLICE SAY HE APPARENTLY KNEW THE FAMILY,
BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HIS MOTIVE WAS FOR MURDER.
♪♪
JERRY WAS ALLOWED VISITATIONS
UP UNTIL THE POINT THAT KIM AND DANNY
DECIDED HE WAS MAKING SOME OF THE OTHER YOUNGER GIRLS
UNCOMFORTABLE JUST BY STARING.
THEY JUST FELT UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND WITH THAT, DANNY SAID, "YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED BACK."
♪♪
AND HE DID COME BACK ONE TIME.
HEY, DANNY!
DANNY CAME HOME, AND HE TOLD HIM VERY PLAINLY.
I DON'T WANT YOU AROUND HERE ANYMORE!
SORRY, SORRY!
"I'VE ASKED YOU NICELY NOT TO COME BACK TO MY HOME.
"I'M TELLING YOU. DON'T COME BACK TO MY HOME.
YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME HERE."
♪♪
Woman: POLICE SAY AFTER HIS KILLING SPREE,
HE KIDNAPPED THREE OTHER YOUNG CHILDREN,
ONE OF THEM A FOSTER CHILD IN THE DANIELS' CARE.
♪♪
FINALLY, WE GOT SOMEBODY TO TELL US,
SOMEBODY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT,
JUST TO GIVE US THAT ASSURANCE THAT THEY WERE OKAY,
THAT "THEY WERE ALL RIGHT," WAS HIS WORDS TO ME.
"THEY MAY NOT BE OKAY,
BUT THEY'RE ALL RIGHT."
♪♪
Daniels: WE JUST KEPT ASKING WHERE OUR MAMA AND DADDY WERE.
♪♪
THEY TOOK US TO A ROOM, AND EVERYBODY IN OUR FAMILY,
FAMILY MEMBERS THAT I HADN'T SEEN IN YEARS,
THE FOSTER FAMILY THAT I HAD BEEN IN BEFORE,
WHENEVER MAMA WAS NOT DOING WELL, THEY WERE THERE.
AND I SAID, "WELL, WHERE'S MAMA AND DADDY?"
AND CORY WALKED UP TO ME AND SAID, "THEY'RE DEAD."
AND I SAID, "STOP LYING." I SAID, "THAT'S NOT TRUE."
AND MY FOSTER MOTHER CAME UP TO ME,
AND SHE JUST GRABBED ME AND HUGGED ME.
♪♪
SO I KNEW IT WAS TRUE.
[ CRYING ]
♪♪
Daniels: I CRIED FOR DAYS.
I CRIED THROUGH THE FUNERAL.
I FELL ASLEEP THROUGH THE FUNERAL
BECAUSE I WAS CRYING SO MUCH.
♪♪
THEY WOULDN'T LET US SEE THE BODIES.
I JUST... I FELT LIKE I WAS BEING LIED TO
'CAUSE I NEVER GOT ANY CLOSURE OF WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE.
WERE THEY REALLY GONE?
♪♪
AT ONE POINT, I JUST THOUGHT,
MAYBE MY MOM COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF US AGAIN,
AND SHE JUST LET US GO
AND WAS TRYING TO GIVE US A BETTER LIFE
WITHOUT HER BEING AROUND.
I CRIED, AND I PITCHED A FIT,
BUT EVERYBODY JUST KEPT TELLING ME,
"IT WAS TOO BAD. IT WAS TOO BAD. YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT.
"YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE YOUR LAST MEMORY OF THEM."
♪♪
NEVER.
I DO.
I REALLY DO.
♪♪
YES, PLEASE.
I KNOW. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE.
♪♪
THAT'S MY DAD AND THAT'S MY MOM.
IT'S HARD TO TELL HER, BUT I HAVE HER FEET.
♪♪
THAT DADDY HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE STOMACH.
IT'S NOT.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MORE UP TOWARD HIS CHEST OR SHOULDER.
I CAN'T REALLY TELL. I CAN'T REALLY SEE ON MAMA.
SHE'S COVERED UP NICELY.
IT'S REALLY GOOD RELIEF TO ACTUALLY SEE THIS.
♪♪
I JUST MISS THEM SO MUCH.
♪♪
I WANT TO HUG THEM, TELL MY MOM I LOVE HER.
♪♪
Harlin: I'M THE ONE THAT TOOK HIM TO DEATH ROW.
THAT WAS MY FINAL CONTACT WITH HIM.
I HAVE ALWAYS LET IT BE KNOWN IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
THAT I WANT A FRONT ROW SEAT WHEN IT HAPPENS.
I THINK I DESERVE THAT.
THAT'S GONNA BE MY FINAL CLOSURE TO THIS THING.
SOMETIMES, LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS TREES
AT HOME DURING THE HOLIDAYS, MY MIND GOES BACK TO 1997.
♪♪
IT'S SOMETHING I WON'T EVER GET OVER.
I HOPE I NEVER GET OVER IT, QUITE FRANKLY,
BECAUSE IT HAS CAUSED ME TO, IN CERTAIN WAYS,
RELISH CHRISTMAS THAT MUCH MORE,
BUT IT'S ALSO A CONSTANT REMINDER
OF HOW SAD A CHRISTMAS CAN BE.
♪♪
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY GOD WOULD ALLOW IT.
I WAS HATEFUL. I WAS MEAN.
I HURT, AND I WANTED EVERYBODY ELSE TO HURT.
[ CHUCKLES ]
AND THEN I HAD TO REALIZE,
IF I STAY THAT WAY,
I'M NO BETTER THAN HE IS.
I'M NO BETTER THAN JERRY SCOTT HEIDLER.
THAT'LL WAKE YOU UP.
♪♪
THERE IS A RELEASE AND A FREEDOM THAT COMES WITH FORGIVENESS.
I HELD ONTO ANGER AND BITTERNESS FAR TOO LONG,
AND IT WAS LIKE A CANCER. IT WAS DESTROYING ME.
IT WAS KILLING ME ON THE INSTALLMENT PLAN,
BUT NO MORE, NO MORE.
♪♪
I'M AT A POINT IN MY LIFE THAT IF I COULD GO TELL HIM
THAT I FORGIVE HIM FOR WHAT HE DID, I WOULD.
I CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT I CAN MAKE MY FUTURE
BETTER FOR MYSELF, FOR MY FAMILY.
IF I'M GONNA HATE HIM FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE,
WHAT'S THE POINT?
I WILL ALWAYS BE THE BETTER PERSON.
♪♪
[ LAUGHS ] PICK YOUR FEET UP!
HE IS MY FUTURE.
VADYN IS THE FUTURE FOR ME,
KNOWING THAT I GET TO SEE HIM GROW UP.
I MISSED THAT WITH MY MOM.
♪♪
I DON'T WANT HIM TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
♪♪
I PRAY EVERY DAY THAT HE'LL NEVER HAVE THE LIFE THAT I HAD.
I PRAY THAT HE NEVER HAS TO GO THROUGH ANYTHING
THAT I EVER WENT THROUGH AS A CHILD.
I PRAY THAT HE HAS THE GOOD DAYS THAT I HAD.
ARE YOU JUST GONNA KEEP RUNNING?
I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HIM.
OTHER THAN JUST SURVIVING,
THAT IS WHAT I LIVE FOR EVERY DAY.
♪♪