September 22, 2010

What if.......

Evil in a photograph. Right here.
Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka

I was in my early teens when news broke of a serial rapist/killer close to home.  Young girls were being abducted, tortured and murdered in the most horrific ways.

As a young girl, I was terrified.  But also glued to the television.

It was the first time I remember being so deeply affected by such tragedy.  I didn't know the young girls personally, but there were just too many eery circumstances that made me think "It could have been me".

News broke that the rapist drove around mall parking lots looking for his "catch".  When I heard that he drove around a mall parking lot just 10 minutes away from my home, I was terrified.  "What if.....?"

When I saw the pictures of three of the girls, they looked like any girl in my school.  Normal.  Pretty.  Kind.  Young.



When I learned that one of the girls lived in the same community and attended the same school I did as a young child, I couldn't help but wonder.  "What if....?"

It was a scary time.  Knowing that there was someone out there who was sick enough to do what he was doing, kept me awake at night.  Thinking of what these poor girls went through in their last hours made me sick to my stomach.  Wondering how their families could survive every moment without them made me do the ugly cry.

None of it made any sense.

And then we found out that his wife helped him.
And one of the girls was her own sister.

I am not someone who believes capital punishment is the answer, but in this case, I believe they deserve exactly what they did to these poor girls.  I will spare you the gory details.

I read every single book written.
Watched every documentary and news broadcast.
And saw the interviews.

My opinion hasn't changed.
I am forever scarred by the sickness of two scary individuals.
And my daughter will have to put up with Mommy's paranoia as she gets older and more independent because this story will be running through my mind until she is...ummmm......72.

Oh yeah.

Knowing that the female "sicko" is out of jail, has a healthy baby boy and is living a "normal" life makes me want to vomit.

Have you been deeply affected by a tragedy?????



Thanks to MamaKat, I will now have nightmares again.

10 comments:

Foursons said...

No way. How in the world did she get out of jail? Oh my gosh, how absolutely horrifying. And I never would have looked at their wedding photo and thought anything bad of them. Just goes to show you that you can't judge a book by its cover.

Jac said...

This story still haunts me as well. I grew up just around the corner from that area too. So disturbing...

Shana Putnam said...

Absolutely disgusting.

Sara said...

Ken and Barbie, absolute sociopaths. I like you still follow every bit of news about these two disgusting people. Like you it has coloured my perspective about the world in general.
I've shown my girls their picture and without getting into detail told them what terrible people they are. Wolves in sheep's clothing, a lesson for everyone.
Such a miscarriage of justice in the case of Karla Homolka.

Gigi said...

I don't recall hearing about this but oh my! This will give me nightmares as well. What a terrible miscarriage of justice.

Amanda said...

A few years ago something happened in Columbus, not always tragic, but it affected me. Some guy was shooting at peoples cars from highway overpasses during morning rush hour. It happened on the route my dad drove to work.....I think he only killed one person but had everyone living in fear for a long long time!

Anonymous said...

WOW. I vaguely remember reading about this. How long was she in jail? She and he should both be UNDER the jail.... forever. Those young girls didn't get a "second chance" and neither should either of them.

Stopping by from Mama Kat's.

Jenny @ flutterbyechronicles said...

That is so sad. Why she is allowed out in society is beyond my comprehension.
I am paranoid too. We live in a community were a little girl was abducted and killed last year and it just makes you think twice about letting your kids go out to play. You just never know what psychos are out there.

Anonymous said...

Well, I can honestly say that I have had true tragedy in my life. My sister was murdered by a woman who was jealous that she had a baby with a man that the woman obsessed over. After she brutally murdered my sister, she kidnapped my nephew. All is well today as can be expected. Hearts were torn very badly, but we still have my nephew who is a healthy boy and a blessing from heaven. I have seen true tragedy, but I try not to let it scare me or my 15 year old daughter who is definately becoming independent in her life. All I can do is talk, talk, talk, to her. I do know she listens because she was little when this happened and it really has made her think twice about situations that could lead to danger. She has seen and understands true heartbreak and she doesn't want that for her loved ones. Talk to your children and don't let them be sheltered from life. Sometimes I think sheltering them makes them more of a target for creeps in the world. Love ya, Kristina

Jenners said...

Oh my lord. I swear, I don't read the news for exactly this reason .. I don't need to know that this kind of evil is alive and well in the world.