Rising Above
A 13-year-old child had been molested and raped repeatedly by her neighbor, who was a dangerous pedophile. Our Jane Doe was very stoic during trial preparations, which went on for almost two years. Her demeanor was poised and brave but the victim-witness advocate felt unable to connect with the trapped victim inside who needed help and consolation. Finally the day of trial came. For some unknown reason, she began to discuss her fears and her feelings with the advocate outside the courtroom. She testified courageously and truthfully. The defendant, Melvin Carpenter, was found guilty and was sentenced to 45 years to life in state prison.
Jane Doe recently visited the office. She has grown into a stunning young woman. She said she wants to be a deputy district attorney so she can help others go through the process and survive the ordeal as she did. Her grades are in the 4.0 range and she plans to attend the
University of Virginia and then go on to law school. She recently wrote a paper for one of her classes and called to speak with the prosecutor, investigator, and advocate for quotes for her paper.
"Be Brave"
There are many shining stars that emerged in the trial of People v. Alejandro Avila, a pedophile who perpetrated one of the most horrific murders in Orange County history. Many bright stars emerged to personify the victim Samantha Runnion's motto: Be brave.
In July 2002, 5-year-old Samantha Runnion was kidnapped just steps away from her home in Stanton while playing with her friend. Samantha kicked, scratched and fought her attacker and screamed to her friend to get help. Samanthas bravery led to quick police action and her body preserved the necessary evidence to convict the defendant. Her infectious smile and loving spirit live on today in helping prevent the future victimization of other children. The Joyful Child Foundations mission is to unite and uplift our nations communities in the protection and wonderment of all children. www.thejoyfulchild.org
Samantha played with Sarah almost every day before she was killed. Sarah had only just turned six, but her courage and poise rivaled any adults. She summoned help from Samanthas grandmother who called the police. Sarahs careful and accurate description of Samanthas attacker to the police and the media eventually led to the defendants capture and conviction. The police drawing that was produced based on her description closely resembled the defendant. Sarah came to court almost three years later to testify before a packed courtroom as to what she saw that day. She wore tennis shoes with pink laces and clutched a stuffed lamb. Sarah articulately told everyone what she remembered. Sarah attends elementary school and is getting good grades. She wants to be a television reporter when she grows up.
The defendant was convicted partly due to the testimony of three brave young women. Three Riverside girls who had been victimized by the defendant just a few months prior to Samantha. It took a lot of courage for them to come to court and face the defendant because he had been acquitted previously for molesting them. Even though it made them sick to see the defendant and be in the same room with him, they testified to personal and embarrassing details about what the defendant did to them. Their testimony was crucial because the judge told the jury that if they believed that the defendant molested these girls, they could use that evidence to believe the defendant was guilty of the current crime. The three Riverside girls fought through tears and fears and helped convict the defendant to make sure he could never hurt another child again.
Erin Runnion was the vision of inspiration and voice for Samantha during the criminal proceedings. Erin attended every court proceeding to make sure that her Mantha was represented. She had to endure countless court hours, including several where horrific details of what happened to her child were detailed. Her victim impact statement during sentencing was extremely powerful and provided the voice for many who have lost loved ones to violence. Erin continues to advocate for childrens rights and vigilance against predators to the national and local media. Her non-profit foundation designed to awaken a spirit of community focused on protecting and sharing the joy of childhood has started Samanthas Pride, a community awareness and child watch program. The Foundation intends to support other non-profit organizations in the prevention of child abuse and abduction as well as those that contribute to predator recidivism and prevention. www.thejoyfulchild.org
