Jacob Andoh asked on 6 Nov 2007:
Whatever happened to the statement below thatAlthough the numbers continue to vary somewhat somewhat from month to month and year to year, we continue to have an average of one murder every two or three days. Toykia Lynn Dow's accused killer was an 18 year old male, out on the street, with a gun, at night, far from his home.
".......Hundreds of Prince George's residents paacked an Upper Marlboro church yesterday (over a year and a half ago) to warn county officials that they are fed up with increasing crime and want some relief?"
Have we thrown up our hands? Given up? Have things changed significantly? What say ye?
The accused in the county's most recent killing outside the Ebony Inn was an 18 year old male, outside a strip club, at night, with a gun, far from his home.
Many of the teen-aged homicide victims in the county have BEEN males, out on the streets late at night or very early in the morning, and far from home--like Frank Abercrombie, 16, shot at 1:52 AM, 29 Aug 2007, almost 12 miles (as the crow flies) from home, and Courtney Manning, 16, shot at 12:06 am, 11 Feb 2007, over 16 miles from home and about 1.3 miles from where Abercrombie was shot.
I think I see a pattern here. Where are the parents (if there are any)? What have they taught their sons? Why is it that so few people, other than grieving family members, seem to care about the victims as being anything other than statistics?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charisma <noreply-comment@blogger.com>
Date: Nov 7, 2007 11:08 AM
Subject: [Gory Prince George's] New comment on Dow, Toykia Lynn, 37.
To: dcrussell@gmail.com
Charisma has left a new comment on your post "Dow, Toykia Lynn, 37":
Lynn was my cousin and didn't deserve to be shot and killed and I hope and pray that the Maryland Police continue their efforts in bringing a conviction to the murderer(s). I pray there is justice. We all love Lynn very much and it is not the same without her. We have been deeply affected by this..
--
Posted by Charisma to Gory Prince George's, Wednesday, November 07, 2007 10:28:0
http://gorypg.blogspot.com/2007/10/dow-tokia-lynn-37.html0 AM
Jacob Andoh,
ReplyDeleteI am the mother of Courtney Manning, Jr. who was murdered on February 11th 2007, at the young age of 16.
A family member referred me to your comment of Nov 7, 2007, regarding the Blog "Gory Prince George's: Whatever happened...".
Let me first begin by saying until you know exactly what you are talking about, please do all of your research first. Why don't you contact the parents of children who have been murdured because someone decided to take a gun and shoot in their direction. I would suggest if you really cared to know more about the parents of these murdered children, to interview us directly. This would help you to make a determination as to where the parents are, if there are any, and what we have taught our sons.
Courtney was a fine, young, and decent 16 year old. I told him on many occasions how proud I was of him for being a very good son and person. I often told him how much I appreciated him, because I didn't have a clue of how parents survived who had bad children. I was proud to be his mother and received many compliments over the years of how well mannered he was.
People, such as yourself, love to speculate what they believe is the case. Bad things do happen to good children. Perhaps, you put my son in the same category as another bad black teen who carry guns, sell drugs, and hang out all hours of the night. Well, in this case you are absolutely wrong, if this is what you are thinking.
It seems to me that you are clueless as to what type of person Courtney was and who I am as a mother.
I am assuming that you do not have a 15/16/17 year old teenager at home, because if you did, you'd understand that many 15/16/17 year old teens want to go out and have fun -- whether it is to a friend's house, the mall, the movies, or a teen club. Courtney stayed in the house on many days and every night. He only wanted to go to the teenage club Neon that night, because many teens in the area were going to celebrate someone's birthday. When the club ended at 12 midnight, Courtney was on his way home when he was murdered at 12:05 a.m., only minutes after the club let out. I spoke with him 2 hours before he left the club.
I, along with many other parents, stay up while our children are out whether they are at the movies, the mall, or the teen club. And, a mother like myself would call my son's cell phone the entire time he was out until he was home safely.
Many of us mothers care very very much about our children and have very close relationships with our children but refuse to make our children stay isolated in the house all day and night on the weekends. We tell our children to be careful, we even tell them that we really don't want them to go certain places, but we let them go to some of them like the teen club that night praying and hoping that they will be safe.
I, as a parent, devoted my life to my son every day. I talked with him from the time he was old enough to comprehend and answer me, listened to him to hear what was on his little mind, disciplined him and always explained why, had him in so many activities from the age of 6 until 14 years old. He worked at a local grocery store as a cashier which was his first job and I taught him how to drive so that when he was out he would not have to depend on anyone else to get him where he was going.
Courtney was simply a pleasant person to be around. So many young people are still mourning the loss of Courtney because of the type of person he was. Courtney was a teen that other parents grew to love when he was around their children.
This is regarding your comment about him being out late at night on February 10, 2007, -- The Teen Club let out at 12 midnight, much to my dismay. But, I had a good kid who just wanted to have fun, dance, and talk to people he knew. He had a calm spirit and personality about himself and was this way all of his life. He could meet friends anywhere, any race, and any nationality.
We love him dearly and miss him so.
If you'd like to interview me and other good caring parents who have lost their children due to homicide, contact me at Lwms715@comcast.net. My name is LaShonne -- would love to talk with you so that you'd understand that terrible things do happen to valuable people.
I hope that you never have to experience this unbelievable tragedy -- it is a hurt that will never go away but one that we will have to endure a lifetime and learn to live with.
By the way, there is a scholarship in memory of Courtney at his local high school.
LaShonne
Courtney's Mother and a grieving mother who will always love her son and defend his good name and character.