Modern Day Miracles- How God Works Through Science and Technology His Wonders to Perform
Posted: Tuesday, October 05, 2010
by Ella Camp
Draw near; I want to tell you a story. It's not an original story, but one that is told, according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice Statistics, over 100,000 times a year in this country alone.
This is one of them.
"It's going to be another hot scorching day," she thought, pulling on the jean cut-offs and light jersey top. She slipped her feet into the rubber-thong sandals, and swooped her long thick blond hair up off the back of her neck as she prepared for the six block walk to Karen's house. Friends and schoolmates since early childhood; she and Karen went everywhere together. Karen's mom had promised them an evening of movies and shopping at the local mall. She'd agreed to come over early and help her "do her hair" while awaiting her mother's return from work.
Lighthearted adolescent musings of which movie they'd see; and what she could buy at the mall with the $26.00 she had remaining from her birthday bonanza chased round in her mind while she ambled slowly in the sweltering heat. As she approached a clump of trees at the corner of Karen's street, increasing her stride at the promise of beckoning shade; she quickly stepped farther over into the grassy strip beside the road at the whining grinding sound of a vehicle approaching her from behind. Glancing at the old-looking, dirty blue pickup truck as it slowly crawled past, she didn't recognize it as one of the familiar neighborhood cars and trucks that normally frequented this particular street, which ended in a cul- de- sac. It quickly sped away, and she dismissed it from her mind as she entered the corner gas-station convenience store to purchase a cold soda.
Exiting the store, she continued the remaining two blocks to Karen's house. It was then she noticed the same dirty blue pickup coming toward her on the opposite side of the street. She hurried her footsteps to a fast walk past the trees lining the street as a slight chill of alarm leapt into her breast. Suddenly the chill became a jolting shot of fear as the truck came to a halting stop in the middle of the narrow road directly beside her. As she reacted to the voice inside her head that screamed "RUN!!" everything seemed to be happening in agonizingly slow motion. The driver, a large swarthy, dark-haired man, lurched from the truck and grabbed the back of her jersey top jerking her backwards and flinging her violently into the truck, across the seat, and into the passenger side floorboard.
For the first few seconds she huddled there- stunned- hardly breathing as the realization of what had just happened pierced her dazed consciousness. Her body then became wracked with trembling convulsions, and she began to cry. "Where are you taking me? Please let me out!" she begged him. "Can you just take me home?" she cried between screaming gasps. "Please take me home"
Her abductor turned and glared at her with a fixed glassy stare from eyes that dripped with the sweat which poured in rivulets from his pockmarked, sun-darkened skin. "Shut up or I'll kill you!" he ground out between clenched teeth. Then, in a softer low voice, said something she has never understood. "Don't you trust me?" A deep survival induced primal fear rendered her dumb.
The following time is blurred in her memory; present only in jerking vignettes of startling terror and pain. Pulling off into a small wooded copse- which she later discovered was beside the lake only half a mile from her home- the truck suddenly came to a stop. In a frenzy of survival instinct, she frantically grasped for the passenger door handle. It wasn't there! It had been deliberately removed.
Grabbing the back of her hair, he pushed her stumbling, onto a filthy, stain soaked, mattress which lay hidden amongst the trees. Although weak in the debilitating grip of rising panic- with a crying scream, she struggled to arise and crawl away. He then grabbed her neck in a vice-like grip- his steely fingers sinking deeply into the soft yielding flesh of her throat- threatening the last vestiges of her frantic ragged breath. Crushing her beneath his heavy odorous, sweat soaked panting body, he whispered close to her face in a rasping alcohol foul breath, "Be quiet or I'll kill you now."
Agonizing shards of pain ripped through her young and fragile flesh. As she gasped for air, her screams sunk inward, shifting her to another plain of existence; above and away from the wooded copse- the dirty reeking mattress, and the disgusting grunting animal now ravaging her body. She slipped into unconsciousness.
Her awakening, hours later, was frustratingly slow and halting- inhibited by the lingering remnants of pain and terror still lurking in her mind and body. "Where am I?" she whispered into the dense moonless darkness which seemed to cling to her numb and useless limbs. Within minutes, a jarring shaft of terrified remembrance shot to the surface of her trauma-stricken brain; and with an unimagined strength, born of primitive self-preservation, she crawled and ran, in stumbling desperation from the scene of her recent horror. Gripping the tattered remnants of her jersey top around her tree-limb scraped breasts; only vaguely feeling the sharp jabs of pain in her rock and stick lacerated feet- she blindly stumbled onto the asphalt highway.
At first they thought it was an animal, as their headlights caught her slumped form almost in the middle of the road. The four teenagers, on their way home from a church festival, coaxed her reluctant, shivering body into the backseat of their car; questioning in shocked sympathy, her appearance and condition. When she finally told them, in a croaking tear choked voice that she had been abducted and raped by an unknown assailant, the girls, in fearful thoughts of "there but for the grace of God, go I," huddled around her as if in protection of one of their own; as they drove to the police station; from where, suffering from shock and multiple wounds and bruises, she was taken to the hospital.
The ending of this story has a different twist
In the ensuing weeks and months, as the police investigation ground to a dead stop, due to what they called "lack of leads and evidence," she tried to continue her life as a teenaged school girl. Although time and care eventually healed her bruised and mangled body; it seemed unable to affect the healing of her mind and soul- these wounds seemed to expand and fester with time.
Feeling that every eye fell on her in judgment- she suffered feelings of unworthiness, shame and degradation; even guilt, which often results from this type of trauma. She became almost reclusive in her fear of going outside her home. These feelings which are almost unconquerable for an experienced adult woman can be overwhelming to a young teenaged girl.
"Why did not the grace of God protect me?" she asked in anguished question. Active in church, school and family, she could not see, as could no one else who knew her, anything in her life which may have indicated to even the most superstitious minded person such a deserved punishment; punishment for being a young and beautiful girl? For being naive?
The fact that her attacker had not been caught and arrested haunted her days and nights; not only the fear that he may be watching her yet for an opportunity to repeat the abduction- one from which she knew, if successful, she would not survive alive again- but the thoughts that he was even now subjecting other girls to his vicious attacks. She instinctively knew that hers was not the only abduction and rape perpetrated by this monster. The past newspaper reports she had perused online about unsolved cases of rape victims found dead at the lake, tormented her in the following months and years. Her case too had been dropped by police authorities who seemed beset by ineptitude and negligent apathy. It had been shuttled away and forgotten- by everyone but her.
As she searched the web for information on a school paper one evening in December of 2001, she suddenly remembered a list of new websites her computer teacher at school had given the students to check out. One of the sites listed was The Police Department's Internet Sex Offender Registry.
She decided to look at the photos displayed there. just in case. It was while perusing this website that she discovered and identified the attacker who had abducted raped and almost killed her 3 years before. His eyes and face were indelible on her mind. She printed out the website page and hurriedly took it to the police Dept. where the Sgt. of Major Crimes unit revived the 3 year old case and arrested the convicted sex offender who had been in and out of prison for sexual offenses since 1984; and slipping through the loose fingers of a careless justice system, had been repeatedly released upon an unsuspecting public.
According to the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice records- he was convicted of aggravated rape and sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1984- he was released in 1988. Following subsequent arrests and convictions, he was released on mandatory supervision in 1996- Her abduction and rape had taken place in July 1998. DNA tests and the tattoo of a woman with long hair on his right arm matching her description of her attacker initiated his arrest and subsequent conviction for kidnapping and aggravated assault and rape; he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. At the time of the attack, he had lived only a few streets over from where she lived- in the same neighborhood- with his wife of 20 years and two children.
In a report by staff writer Tanya Eiserer of the Ft. Worth Star Telegram newspaper, the Sgt. of Major Crimes Unit is quoted in a statement made shortly after the arrest:
"This is the victim finding her own suspect over 3 years after the crime was committed. For all those women who are victimized by a sexual predator, it's good that technology has created a way for our victim to find her attacker; and we were able to make an arrest; a case that would have been unsolved otherwise."
Being proactive in her own case enabled this woman to begin to heal herself and live a much less tension-filled, freer life. Today she is a happily married woman of 26, with two beautiful daughters; with whom she confesses to being overprotective at times. Giving talks at Jr. high and high schools around north Texas, she encourages teens to report any sexual abuses, rapes or attempted rapes, and to be proactive in their own cases. She now understands that she was protected by the grace of God, spared from death to be instrumental in the capture and imprisonment of that vicious predator.
She's a beautiful courageous young woman- She is my niece.
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More commentsIncredibly written Ella. Every parents worst nightmare. You're niece is truly an inspiration.She's convinced that God gave her the strength and courage to be that inspiration-that's how she was able to testify in court and carry through with everything the whole proceedure entailed-Thanks Brianna- I appreciate your loyality- Always- Ella
Wow, this is one I wish you never had to be given the inspiration to write. I'm so sorry for your nieces experience, and am glad that she is so proactively working against totally letting this horrible action ruin her life. I'm sure that many will gain insight and strength from you sharing this with them, and hopefully find some comfort in knowing that perseverance and the will to overcome things that they had no control over, should be allowed to effect their life negatively, for the rest of their lives. I do not think that this message could have been conveyed any stronger or impeccably presented more so than you have given it the justice in doing. Your niece would be proud of you, as clearly you are of her.I am indeed proud of her- she will probably leave a comment on this article... she was a strong courageous young girl, and is a strong courageous young woman- she has perseverance and fortitude..... and faith. Thank you so much David- Always- Ella
I really can't even put into words my gratitude to you Aunt Ella for sharing my story. It really means a lot to me that other people are able to raise their awareness on this topic. I was moved to tears by all the comments that have been made already since you posted this. Thank you so much for helping me in my healing process. Love you Aunt Ella-Stevi-Thank you sweetie- for commenting- talk to ya later- Hugs-xxoo- Aunt Ella
A very vivid and moving, impassioned write Ella.
Open ended granting of human creativity granted has led to almost complete freedom, the freedom to be separated from and act not in accordance to 'God' who is only love.
All ills and misery are entirely our own fault for wishing to experience the third dimensional physical.
With free will there is also complete accountability, Karma. I would not like to have to balance the karma belonging to that gentleman.
Although you can be physically and mentally harmed and killed, nothing can really harm your spirit.
For nothing real can ever be threatened.Love CarolHi Carol! Where in the world, or out of it, have you been? I've missed you! Are you coming back to write for us on SW? I certainly hope so--- Thanks so much for reading the story, and for your kind comment- don't be a stranger- Always- Ella
A terrorfing and sad story but at the same time very inspiring - It held my intrest all the way throughtThank you so much for reading- glad you found it interesting-
Gripping story Ella and very well written--shame the police didn't do it but we all know that we don't live in a perfect world and sometimes things happen (right or wrong) unconventionally--like your niece putting this scum bag in a cage...sorry, political correctness left me for a minute... My best to you and your family...
My gratitude to you Steve, for reading and making a comment- good to see you again- do come back- Always- Ella
I agree with all the comments left concerning the power of the write, Ella, and I not only sing praises to our Lord for patience in dealing with the narrow-minded. Bad things do happen to good people as it did to Jesus Christ. Many blessings and a prayer for continued patience. I am so sorry that this had to happen but the extremely sick walk among us.I thank you so much...... although I do wish you didn't write under anonymous- I see no reason, due to your generous and articulate comments, why you would prefer to hide who you are- I would like to know....... Always- Ella
Ella
A very well written and gut wrenching article..The young woman you spoke of is indeed a beautiful, courageous woman. The pain she endured physically as well as mentally is something that no young girl should ever have to endure. She is courageous, this young girl to whom I look upon today with pride and adoration as to the woman she has become. My sister. My baby...my life.Hi Hon- I'm so glad that you read this story- thank you so much for your comment- Love ya- Aunt Ella-xxoo
Awww thank you sister!!! I love you both
This is truly every family's nightmare. Fortunately, your niece was strong and managed to survive. Even more importantly, she had a strong belief, and she was able to not only survive, but make a happy life for herself and young family. You wrote brilliantly and thank you so much for sharing with us. Thank goodness for a good outcome!
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