On November 14, 2015, an unthinkable crime shocked the community of Scottsville, Kentucky. Amy and Brian Doolin attended a football game with Gabriella, their 7-year-old daughter. Alec, 11, the Doolin’s son was scheduled to play that evening. However, sometime during the game, Gabriella vanished.
After Amy Doolin contacted the police, a frantic search began for the missing child. The search came to an abrupt end after Gabriella’s lifeless body was found near a creek. She had been sexually assaulted and murdered. On November 20, authorities arrested and charged Timothy Madden, 38, of Scottsville, KY, for kidnapping, murder, rape, and sodomy.
Unfortunately, crimes against children always remain on the media’s radar. For instance, the mass exodus of Syrian refugees fleeing terrorism has become a matter of worldwide media coverage. In 2011, a civil war erupted in Syria. More than 100,000 Syrians have died. Even more disturbing is that thousands of Syrian children have died in the conflict.
To a reporter or statistician, these are numbers; but to a parent who loses a child, the loss leaves a permanent scar. The late Doctor Seuss once said, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Children are a blessing, and will keep the world strong. They will become our next generation of scientists, corporate executives, surgeons, and sports heroes. It’s not so difficult to believe that a toddler crying from a skinned knee could one day own a home on Mars.
I am always fascinated when my 22-month-old grandson learns anything new. Watching him use a fork is comparable to watching a samurai warrior trying to clip the wings off a fly. My grandson is the light of my life. I cherish every moment I spend with him. It is heartbreaking to know that little Gabriella Doolin will never have children or celebrate her eighth birthday. Although I do not claim to know what happens to us after we leave this life, my heart tells me that when children die, they all go to heaven.