January 21, 2016 – Stalking Awareness Month #NSAM2016

Phones, computers, GPS, and cameras are some of the common forms of technology used by stalkers. Visit bit.ly/NSAM2016 for more info.

Although women are more likely to be stalked than men, anyone can be a victim of stalking. Learn more about stalking at bit.ly/NSAM2016

Stalking can affect a victim’s emotional, physical, and economic well-being. Visit bit.ly/NSAM2016 for more info.

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Having to leave everything behind and move because of your stalking is a reality…I have spoken with over 5 victims to date that moved because of their stalking…one that moved all the way to Europe to escape her stalker.  And what I would like everyone to know is that it is a horrible reality – I know because it happened to us.  Steve & I had to move because of our victimization, and for our own safety, and this is not the way it should be.  Criminals at this time do have more rights then the victims, and this needs to change.

 

January 20, 2016 – Stalking Awareness Month #NSAM2016

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Surprised?  They usually like to keep “files” on their victims too. ‪#‎NSAM2016‬

January 18, 2016 – Stalking Awareness Month #NSAM2016

Rates of stalking among college students are higher than the general public. Visit bit.ly/NSAM2016 for more info.

13 college stalked

IN A NEW YORK MINUTE EVERYTHING CAN CHANGE…

AND IN A NEW YORK MINUTE NOTHING REMAINS THE SAME.

white rabbitThe white rabbit knew that – we have always heard it, but do we really believe it?  If we are lucky our lives go on and on for years, and of course things change, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse, but for the most part nothing really life-changing happens that we didn’t anticipate, and then in one minute (even in one second) of your life EVERYTHING can change.  In just one minute you can turn on your TV and see that the twin towers in New York just collapsed from a terrorist attack, and none of us could believe it would have ever happened.  Or like today every school in the Los Angeles school district, along with charter schools and most private schools were closed because of a threat of violence to the students…it is so hard to believe that our children can be targeted.

For some parents one minute they can be talking to a friend, while standing in the sun, with their tiny child standing right next to them, and one second later their precious child is lying on the ground dead from a stray bullet – so absolutely horrible and senseless, but it happens.  Life is so very precious, and so very fleeting at times.  During this holiday season I just want to remind everyone to treasure every single moment you are graced with.  Embrace your loved ones.  Every moment is precious, and every moment you have with the ones you love is a gift.

For Steve and I, the moment we found Morgan’s lifeless body on Friday, December 2, 2011 our lives changed and were never to be the same again.  We knew then that we would never have another moment in which we could hug her, or hear her come in the front door and say, “Hi guys, I’m home.”  We would never again hear her infectious giggles, or hear her playing the piano.  We felt like this reality just couldn’t be, all of a sudden our youngest daughter was no longer with us and never would be again.  We thought surely we would wake up out of this nightmare, but we never did…this was our new reality.

Four years ago today this little fairy tree (see picture below) was given to Steve and I for our first Christmas without Morgan. Every little fairy ornament on the tree was handmade by one of Morgan’s cousins, Aunts and Uncles. They also made little baskets out of construction paper with little handwritten notes tucked inside each one. The notes were all written to Morgan about how much they loved her, and why they thought she was so special to them. For two parents like Steve and I, parents still in shock and not wanting to celebrate anything, this was a magical tree. On Christmas morning when we awoke and read all the little notes on that tree, all the love and magic of Christmas came rushing back, along with an abundance of tears. This was the kindest gift we had ever received. We love our family! 

morgantree

 

Today We Honor Martin Luther King, Jr.

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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In King’s 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” he promoted non-violent civil disobedience and urgency in the Civil Rights advancement.  His words are still true today when it comes to ANY injustice.  I like to print his quote at the end of my emails to remind people of the importance to really care about our fellow human beings.

There has been an injustice done to our daughter Morgan.  Morgan was a victim of a felony stalking for 4 months, she was found dead under “suspicious circumstances” (the sheriff’s words – not mine), and her body was taken away for an autopsy.  That same morning her lead felony stalking detective told us her stalker had nothing to do with her death.  He could not have known that at the time so why did he say it?  The coroner’s office took her body away for an autopsy.  While waiting for the results of her autopsy I truly believed the sheriffs were investigating her suspicious death.  I asked what will happen if the autopsy shows she was murdered.  I was told that if that happened another detective would be assigned to the case.  So in the meantime unbeknownst to me there was no investigation into her suspicious death – why?

Then 18 days later the forensic pathologist stated Morgan died a “natural death” – I asked how could that be?  Morgan was an extremely healthy 20 year old…a healthy 20 year old with a predatory stalker that was escalating his presence.  So then at that time the sheriffs said there would be NO investigation into her “suspicious” death BECAUSE the Coroner had decided she died a “natural death.”

For the next 6 – 7 months forensic experts, along with Morgan’s doctors, tried to explain to the forensic pathologist that Morgan did not die a “natural” death.  After reviewing her medical records, the postmortem report, all toxicology results, etc. they said Morgan died from foul play and suggested her case should be investigated.  At that point the forensic pathologist threatened me that he did not want the opinions of any other experts and if he wanted to he could change her “manner of death” to suicide.  Then 8 months after Morgan’s death the forensic pathologist for Garfield County along with the coroner did just that…they changed her manner of death to “suicide.”

Getting angry is fine who wouldn’t be outraged, but how do we really make changes to a system that is broken?

Cases, like Morgan’s, that are swept under the rug are caught in a kind of trap, a trap created because of the cracks in our legal system.  Solving murder cases, when a coroner says the victim died from a natural death, accidental death, or suicide isn’t easy.  In order to obtain justice you have to be your own investigator.  You need to be methodical and spend as much time as you would on a 40 hour per week job.  Unfortunately in some cases like ours the family is the only one left that can put all the evidence together in order to obtain justice…and if justice is not found all that means is that someone has gotten away with murder, and that will always be an injustice, not only to the victims, and the victim’s family, but it is an injustice to all.

Thank you for following Morgan’s story through this blog.  I believe through knowledge and awareness of things that others are experiencing in this world people gain their strength.  I promise you our family has not given up, and never will.  It has been 3 long unimaginable years since Morgan’s suspicious death, and we have continued to gather and document all evidence in order to have her case investigated.  Morgan deserves justice – all victims of violent crime deserve justice.  Some people may not want her case opened…they do not want to visit the skeletons they have hidden in their closets, but soon the truth will come out and justice will be served.

I believe perseverance, as well as sheer tenacity will prevail, they will bring about positive results not only in Morgan’s case, but on so many other levels as well.  Wish us luck – 2015 should be an amazing year to right some wrongs and bring justice to many people!