Wendy Stevens went through a bank ATM machine, her four children in the car with her when five rounds of gunfire blasted into the SUV killing the 36-year of mother.
This was not a random act of violence. It was a husbands rage.
As I pen this post, it is the children who will be forever scarred by this single, life altering event. When a child witnesses the cold blooded murder of a parent. that vision is literally tatooed in them for the remainder of their days on earth. The repeated memory of these children will be of being helpless and watching as Mommy is shot, bullets entering her body with lighting speed while buckled up in her seat slumped over the steering wheel. It is the last picture they will have of their Mother.
In my opinion. no amount of therapy will prepare them for their life's journey. The months ahead will be cruel as they attempt to get through a single day without reliving this nightmare. The news coverage of this case will go on for months and perhaps years.
When the children return to school they will feel isolated and alone. They will not be able to cope with seeing parents drop off their school mates without remembering their mother. The kids will have difficulty in anything that reminds them of their interaction with their Mother. It is my hope that the community will rally around these children and embrace them gently as they take baby steps back into society.
That the adults in their lives will protect them from ignorant individuals. some who knew or were related to either the victim or the murderer, who show their lack of intelligence as they post
inapprorpiate comments of this tragedy on various Internet sites. Repeating them here would be giving true ignorance a forum for folks who have no clue about Intimate Partner violence and homicide.
There is one Internet comment I will post from someone named Dixie 17:
"Wendy is my aunt and she was a great mother. She was a loving, fun, and caring person with a big heart. She had four beautiful children and she loved them with all of her heart; anyone who knew her could tell you that. It is such a tragedy that these young children had to witness their mothers death. I have met mike quite a few times and he is a twisted person. He has been arrested for strangling her so she put a restraining order on him. He was arrested again for violating the restraining order, and he continued to stalked her. I believe he deserves a whole lot more than the state of Alabama would allow. On top on murdering the mother of his two children he put his own child’s life in danger. So for those of you who posted comments in his favor need to look at the facts, and you may also need to talk to a counselor. Rest in peace my love, you are missed dearly"
[Case Overview-Wendy Stevens filed for divorce in January and she also had a court order of protection against her estranged husband who was, according to the judge's order. violent and stalking her. On Tuesday, May 11, 2010, as he killed Wendy, the coward fled the crime scene. On Wednesday Michael Berry was arrested and charged with her murder, on that same morning he was scheduled to appear in court for violating the order.]
Rest in peace Wendy Stevens and may God grant you the ability to watch over your children and direct their lives from the heavens.
Been there, done that…” Susan Murphy- Milano has turned a tired phrase into demonstrable realism through the gift of her newly published book, "TIME'S UP: A GUIDE ON HOW TO LEAVE AND SURVIVE ABUSIVE AND STALKING RELATIONSHIPS
This was not a random act of violence. It was a husbands rage.
As I pen this post, it is the children who will be forever scarred by this single, life altering event. When a child witnesses the cold blooded murder of a parent. that vision is literally tatooed in them for the remainder of their days on earth. The repeated memory of these children will be of being helpless and watching as Mommy is shot, bullets entering her body with lighting speed while buckled up in her seat slumped over the steering wheel. It is the last picture they will have of their Mother.
In my opinion. no amount of therapy will prepare them for their life's journey. The months ahead will be cruel as they attempt to get through a single day without reliving this nightmare. The news coverage of this case will go on for months and perhaps years.
When the children return to school they will feel isolated and alone. They will not be able to cope with seeing parents drop off their school mates without remembering their mother. The kids will have difficulty in anything that reminds them of their interaction with their Mother. It is my hope that the community will rally around these children and embrace them gently as they take baby steps back into society.
That the adults in their lives will protect them from ignorant individuals. some who knew or were related to either the victim or the murderer, who show their lack of intelligence as they post
inapprorpiate comments of this tragedy on various Internet sites. Repeating them here would be giving true ignorance a forum for folks who have no clue about Intimate Partner violence and homicide.There is one Internet comment I will post from someone named Dixie 17:
"Wendy is my aunt and she was a great mother. She was a loving, fun, and caring person with a big heart. She had four beautiful children and she loved them with all of her heart; anyone who knew her could tell you that. It is such a tragedy that these young children had to witness their mothers death. I have met mike quite a few times and he is a twisted person. He has been arrested for strangling her so she put a restraining order on him. He was arrested again for violating the restraining order, and he continued to stalked her. I believe he deserves a whole lot more than the state of Alabama would allow. On top on murdering the mother of his two children he put his own child’s life in danger. So for those of you who posted comments in his favor need to look at the facts, and you may also need to talk to a counselor. Rest in peace my love, you are missed dearly"
[Case Overview-Wendy Stevens filed for divorce in January and she also had a court order of protection against her estranged husband who was, according to the judge's order. violent and stalking her. On Tuesday, May 11, 2010, as he killed Wendy, the coward fled the crime scene. On Wednesday Michael Berry was arrested and charged with her murder, on that same morning he was scheduled to appear in court for violating the order.]
Rest in peace Wendy Stevens and may God grant you the ability to watch over your children and direct their lives from the heavens.
Been there, done that…” Susan Murphy- Milano has turned a tired phrase into demonstrable realism through the gift of her newly published book, "TIME'S UP: A GUIDE ON HOW TO LEAVE AND SURVIVE ABUSIVE AND STALKING RELATIONSHIPS
5 comments:
Another tragedy in Mobile, AL is the Steve Nodine - Angel Downs case is heating up. That is another horrible case he shoots her in the head drives off and puts himself in Hospital. He's public official getting preferential treatment. Then Angel's family hired an atty and all of a sudden the heats turned up.
I have known and loved Wendy Stevens for 14 years. I started as her nanny and she quickly became a dear and wonderful friend of mine. She loved and adored her children and was an incredible mother. I pray that God will provide a way for the younger ones to know exactly how wonderful she was and just how much she loved them. My heart breaks for these kids. There are no words to justly describe what an incredible heart and soul Wendy had. I can not bear to think of what her last thoughts must have been. I promise you she thought of her children being there, not herself. I will miss her forever and carry her memory with me always. Her spirit is one that cannot die or be killed, yet live on forever simply in a different form than she was in here on Earth. She will be the guardian angel to everyone she knew for all of eternity. R.I.P. Wendy- You meant so much to me!
Don't miss this! Famous Statement Analysis Petter Hyatt (of the Caylee Anthony and Susan Smith cases) will take an in depth look at the emails and discuss with Mobile Lagnaippe Reporter Kevin Lee.
6/22/2010 8pm Call-in Number: (646) 478-0982 You can listen on line or call in to listen, or podcast for later. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/crimewire
My younger sister and I have been close friends with Wendy's children for over six years now. On the evening of May 11th when my mom got the call about the shooting only ten minutes after it happened, we rushed to the scene as the first family friends who were notified. My heart broke as I watched the youngest child, only a couple of years old, stare at the flashing lights all around him with his big, adorable blue eyes. He had no idea what had just happened. And I have never seen anyone so brave as Wendy's oldest son, who refuses to let this tragedy destroy his family's life. The strength of him and his siblings is my inspiration.
Are you the same nanny she had in 2000?
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