OMG! How do I deal with this? What can I say to the other kids when we come back from break? This little boy was 6 years old and shot in the head while sleeping. I was in the store today and heard a man talking about a shooting. Why did I think right away and say out loud"Oh, I hope it was not one of my students"?

He said an 11 year old, a 23 month old and his 19 year old mother and another boy. All the way home, I had a bad feeling. I was getting ready to google it when my principal called. I knew then....I just held my breath as she told me. What on earth? This can't be real!

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

That's horrible. I'm sure they will have counseling teams there for when school starts up after break. What a tragedy.

Was Four Overstreet one of your students? How sad. Also sad that a child would be left with a non-relative at 3:00am on a Saturday morning in an apartment with crack cocaine and marijuana.

Victims Identified In Multiple Shooting In Terrtown
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2...town_shoo.html


RSS Abc26 News

April 11, 2009

The teen shot in the back in an early morning murder has been identified as 19 year-old Dominique Sterling. Her son, 23 month-old toddler, Robert Clairborne was found shot in the head in a back bedroom.

A third victim with no relation to Sterling was also found shot in the head. He has been identified as 6 year-old boy, Four Overstreet.

A fourth victim is still clinging to life at University Hospital. She has only been identified as an 11 year-old female. She was shot multiple times in her body.

Police are looking for any help finding two black male suspects. The only description given is both were black males dressed in dark clothing. One of the suspects was wearing a red bandanna covering his face, a black baseball cap and a dark "hoodie" believed to be in his 20's. Both were armed with handguns, According to JPSO Public Information Officer Colonel John Fortunato.

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I am so sorry to hear this. The other kids will be shocked and saddened beyond belief. I hope there will be counselors there for them.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

Yes, that was him. His mom was at work and his 19 year old aunt was babysitting. Well, I was told she was his aunt, maybe just a sitter?. The drugs....well, I am not surprised. This child was very rough around the edges....he has seen way too much, but he was very sweet with me and I loved him dearly. I am devastated.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

I have no idea how anyone could kill babies like this. Honestly, makes you wonder if somebody just didn't want to pay child support? Sick.

Children shot in Terrytown; three dead, victim's mother arrested after fight with police | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Top Stories | News and Weather for New Orleans | wwltv.com

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I honestly think it was drug related(deal gone bad, money owed, etc.)

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

In any event, I am so sorry that you have to deal with this. I can't imagine the pain and sorrow. I hope that your school will provide counseling for both you and the children.

hugs,
cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Oh my goodness, what a terrible tragedy. I'm praying that your school is able to provide your students and you with some sort of counseling or support.

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this Groovygirl. (((HUGS)))

Thank you. Yes, my principal has already talked with our social worker about it. My mom was going to bring me to the ER earlier.....I was freaking out. I calmed down and am kind of numb right now.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

Thank you! It is amazing how quickly you can fall madly in love with these children. It is a wonderful thing, until something like this happens.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

OMG! How awful! I used to worry about my students every weekend. I taught at what would be considered an inner city school and some of my students home situatiuons were not good. I really feel for you! It will most definitely be difficult, but the district will surely have counselors available for you and the students.

Just last Sunday, a dad near where I live shot and killed all 5 of his children and then himself. Apparently the wife left him the night before. So many tragedies lately. I hope they catch these guys! Why did they have to shoot the kids too??? I just don't understand!

ETA- You might consider calling your MD and seeing if you can get something prescribed. When my Dad died it was such a huge shock. My MD prescribed something. ..don't ask me what. . .but it helped with the wave of emotions. You may not be comfortable with that. . .but honestly it helped me get through those first few days.

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

I would think your school has some type of plan to bring in professional counselors both for students and staff. This is not something to go overboard on when you don't have professional grief / intervention education, training and experience to deal with trauma.

Simply be yourself for the students, re-inforce that you are there for them and leave the professionals to their expertise.

Unfortunately, this is no longer a unique, uncommon situation. Thugs don't have any concern for life.

dl

I can imagine it is a shock to you. How sad for these people, i cant imagine what his home life had to be.

steph

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The school districts all have professionals and plans in place in case of this happening. I would check with your principal and see if it is possible to notify the parents in your class so the children know before they come to school. That is one thing that my children's school does now. We had a father kill the 4 kids and the mother and then sat on his porch all afternoon while they were dead inside. One of the children was a first grader and it happened over a weekend, so many parents and kids didn't know and this made it harder at school. The kids who knew about it before seemed to handle it a lot better. It sucks no matter what, but what a downer considering tomorrow is Easter.

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I dream to escape!

So very sad ! Was Four his real name ? Or a nickname?

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Live, Love, Laugh

That was his name. I asked one day if he knew why he was named Four. He said, Yeah....you know, after the four angels, in the bible. It was like I should have known...lol. I soooo loved that little boy!

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

How Awful! I'm so sorry, what a horribly tragic thing for you and your students to have to cope with. I can only imagine how difficult the next day back to school will be. I'll be wishing all of you lots of strength.

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Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

Thanks. I just loaded up on tylenol p.m. and advil. I am afraid to go to bed. I just saw a news clip of his mother at the scene and it was heart breaking. No matter what kind of mess she had made of her life, she lost her baby and she is having to grieve in a jail cell right now. She always came across as a very kind lady and a loving mother. I just can't judge her. I am so heart sick right now.

Thursday, I had cupcakes for the kids for Easter, and some treat bags. Four asked my 100 times that day if he was gonna get a cupcake. I told him yes. Well, he got called to check out early(during nap). I woke him, he got his things and left. I saw the cupcakes on the table and realized he never got one yet(they were for later).

I ran to the door and called him. He came back and I handed him the cupcake, hugged him and told him to have a nice break and that I would see him when we got back. He lit up and started eating the cupcake on the way to the office.

I almost called out to tell him not to eat it in the hallway, but when he got home. When I saw his face, he looked so happy, I thought to myself "Sherri, he is so happy, just let him eat it". I went back into the room and smiled. I can't get that image out of my head.

When he came to my class, he had trouble with using horrible language with the other students. We had a few talks, and we made a secret deal. He had stopped using the bad language.

He told me he was going to be the president one day and I told him he probably would, but not with the potty mouth. He said " I am not cursing anymore, I told you I wouldn't. Oh, my. I am rambling, but it is helping. Thanks for listening guys!

Oh, I just realized, I never gave him his treat bag!

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

You gave him so much more than a treat bag! You gave him love and acceptance-the greatest gift. He's in Heaven now and it's Easter!!! Think of the celebration he's having up there!

Wow. I'm sitting here reading your posts and crying. I can't even imagine handling something like that. And, yes, it's amazing how much we end up loving our students. I've never lost one, but I always worry that I will. God bless you and just know that he was in YOUR class for a reason.

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If you're not living on the edge, you're wasting space.

As I was reading the first post I was thinking, "Wow, this kind of thing happens all over the place now and not just where I live." Then I clicked on the link and realized that this happened ONE TOWN away from mine!!

I live in Belle Chasse and have an 8 year old girl. I just wouldn't even know what to tell her if this happened to one of her classmates.

It's just disgusting what "people" turn into when drugs and alcohol take over their lives.

Just take comfort in knowing that you were a bright spot in this child's life and that you made a difference to him, no matter how brief.

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~~~~~~~~~~

Kristee
Kritter0114@aol.com

"Hold on, let me check....YES! I do have a coupon for that!"

I just wanted to let you know my thoughts and prayers are w/you, the family and the whole community. My sister is a teacher (4th and 5th grade) and had a child shot to death a few years ago in NC. The father was on one of those suicide missions during a divorce. The student my sister had died, but his younger brother survived w/the loss of his vision. The father tried to shoot them all in the head while they slept. Unthinkable. I know how devastated my sister was. The kids become part of your own extended family.

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How are you doing today, Sherri?

Take care,
cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I just wanted to thank every one of you for the kind words. It does help just to "talk". Last night was rough, I did not rest. I know time will heal and I know he is safe now. I also have no doubt that he was sent to me for a reason.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

Please take advantage of any counseling the school offers to teachers/students and encourage everyone around you to do the same. The support of a friendly message board and friends and family is wonderful, but it would be a great benefit to you to use the expertise of people who regretfully, have experience with this sort of thing. They'll be able to help you recognize the stages you'll go through, the things you'll feel and how to handle things. Its a shame this world needs experts in how to cope after this sort of tragedy, but it does and they can be quite helpful.

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Meddle ye not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crispy, and taste good with Ketchup!

Wow just read this thread and this is just heartbreaking. Hope you are doing ok and the Cupcake story touched my heart.

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Without Health you have no Wealth!

Well....they made an arrest. Still looking for the second man. I talked with the school social worker for a while last night. I was worried about how to deal with my other kids. She said I need to worry about me, first.

Yesterday was awful! Today, I am not sure, yet. My heart is just so broken. I just want to sit here and hide. We had some bad wind that woke me early this morning and my first thought was "Four, you know...after the four angels in the bible".

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree." Revelation 7:2

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

That is so sad. How are you handling it today? Sounds like you made a great difference in his life. Another teacher may not have been so understanding to his needs as you, and you truly did give him a gift.

Thank you. Today, I was kind of okay, but am having a bad moment right now. It just sorta sneaks up on me at any given time. I am also on edge waiting to hear about the service for him. I know they had no money and I also know it is going to be very hard on me to attend. I just wonder how they will manage the finances.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

Are you committed to attend the services? Do you want to?

I know it would be very hard for me to attend the funeral of a child....I'd probably figure out how to do it if I really felt I had to, but I'd avoid it if I wasn't close to the survivors/family. Also, besides the death of a child being difficult, I would find it difficult to hold my anger toward a family that would keep a child in a situation that would bring this kind of fatal danger. This is not a random shooting or accident. A parent owes their child safety. I think you're more open-minded than me though....

I wish you grace and peace as you continue to deal with this.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Yes, I have to go. I was very close to the child and can't imagine not going. They are all like my own children to me, really. I loved him deeply.

As for anger.....I get angry, but then I just have to step back and realize that this lady was probably raised in the same way and it was what she knew. We all mess up....she was living a messed up life for sure and I do not think it is okay.

She loved her little boy, though....I could tell by talking with her and with him. When you spend 7 hours a day with these kids, you just know things. I am just not one to judge others, but I used to not be this way. I just don't know what got her there. I know his future was not going to be good, unless he turned around on his own, which is what I was trying to teach him to do.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

You must truly have been a bright spot, a blessing, in his short life.

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

How sad. I feel for your entire community. I am afraid you will be in for some very difficult days ahead. Maybe its a good thing that its spring break. It will give some of the students the extra time to spend with their own families, and to deal with this very sad situation.

I hope so. The little boy actually seemed fairly happy. I don't think he realized how messed up his life was. The only problem I had at school was the potty mouth, but we took care of it (talked a lot). He laughed with me a lot and told me stories about things he did with mom on weekends, etc.

He had just told me that mom was going to quit one of her two jobs because she wanted to spend more time with him. He was so happy about that. Oh, gonna cry again.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

The person they arrested did they know the mom or the babysitter where he was staying? I will be praying for you while you attend his funeral it will be so hard, I cant imagine.

steph

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Thanks for the prayers...the man lived a few blocks down the same street, but they have not said yet if he knew Four's mom or what else. Her boyfriend was living there too, and just released from federal prison(drug charge)so it might have been him they were after. The murders were in the apartment where The mom, boyfriend, children and babysitter lived. It is just such a mess.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

I'm sorry for your loss groovygirl. How horrible for his family and for those little kids in his class, my God! I will never understand how anyone could murder an innocent child

Wow! I am so sorry for your loss. I am a teacher, too, so I know how you feel....sad about your student, worried about the rest of them. Such a sad story.

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Kristen

Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.

MyCoupons Is #1 For Holiday Shopping

Going to services tomorrow morning. I am going with the principal, school social worker and the PE teacher for my class.

I spoke with Four's Mother a few times. We had a long talk. I told how much I loved him...she said she already knew that by the way he talked about me. I told her that I knew by how he spoke of her, how much she loved her little boy. We cried...we laughed...we cried some more.

I think it was good for her to talk with someone that had such a connection with her child. She thanked me for caring for him so much, for accepting him...I told her that was effortless.

I had to call all of my parents to prepare them for Monday. Most of them had not made the connection to our classroom. Monday will be a sad day, please think of me when it comes around.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

I would hope there is a counselor in the room first thing Monday a.m. ! While I am sure you are absolutely fabulous, they are the ones trained to deal w/ situations such as this. At that age, those kids are going to be all over the place w/ emotions. Hope the service tomorrow helps to heal you a bit. For various reasons (mostly cancer, but one not), I have attended funerals for four kids in this past year. They have all been totally different, but all have been a celebration of the child's life, and while totally senseless, somehow, each service seemed to renew my faith a bit more. Let us know how it goes.

How touching. So the grieving mother (and I use that term loosely) is out on bail then? Unlike you, I don't feel one whit sorry for her. She created this poor child. He was her responsibility to protect and she didn't even try. Instead of caring for her son, she raised him in an environment filled with drugs, theft, filthy language, and violence. A six year old child paid the price for her lifestyle and choices. Obviously, she was too busy running around and drugging it up with her latest boyfriend to take care of her son and it was just a question of time before she started beating on him the way she physically attacks everyone else. It's her fault her baby's dead. If she really loved him, he'd be alive right now. She didn't just make a mistake. She's a violent criminal who made obvious, major parenting mistakes every single day. She was a lousy mother and it was her actions and choices that got her son killed by her equally violent associates.

I think it's mind boggling that you actually champion this worthless excuse for a parent and attempt to trivialize her horrible conduct by saying "We all mess up"! I think you're seeing what you want to see and making excuses for her selfishness. I just hope her judge isn't as forgiving and as open minded as you are and throws the book at this extremely violent criminal. It won't bring this boy back but maybe it'll postpone her inevitable next pregnancy for a bit and save the child she would have borne the same fate to which she doomed poor Four.
.

While I agree with much of what you said (and god knows I love a good debate / flame war), Groovy came here for support during a very difficult time. That's what this thread should be about, not the mother's lack of parenting skills.

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Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

Normally, I would agree with you but if a poster wants just support, it's probably wise for them to simply request support and not make outrageous statements defending the scum partially responsible for the crime. Statements like "I just have to step back and realize that this lady was probably raised in the same way and it was what she knew." and even worse, "We all mess up", aren't likely to garner pure sympathy, KWIM?

After all, Groovy's saccharine defence of the criminal mother she likes can apply equally well to the murderers she doesn't like, can't it? The basic parallel is identical. I'm sure they were raised in the same way and violence was what they knew, too. Their public defender will certainly think so and use it in their defense. I'd lay odds that Groovy won't be shining any of that overblown sweetness and light on Four's killers if they have the nerve to trivialize that poor child's murder by explaining "Hey, we all mess up"!

While I completely and totally agree with you--sometimes 3rd parties often make the kind of statements GG did to help themselves process the horrific situation. Assuming that the mother was just repeating the mistakes she had been raised in (a product of her enviroment) makes more sense than the truth that the mother was a complete selfish criminal who couldn't put her child before her desire for drugs or her desire for a man.
I'm pretty sure that GG knows it's the mother's fault.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Thank you for those that showed compassion here. I just got back and it was as you can imagine....very sad. He had his football shirt on and was holding his autographed saints football. His hands are so tiny.....I have to go to work now and am trying to heal from a long week of sorrow.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

groovygirl, I am so sorry, I will keep you in my prayers.

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Brenda

GO #24 JEFF GORDON

Thanks Brenda. You I tend to ignore ignorance. It is hard at times like this.....

The reason that boy was murdered is not what many think. The media is funny that way. I know the reason, but it is hard to tell it without harming someones privacy. I will say it had NOTHING to do with the way his mom lived. It involved a family member that had been raped. They testified and were threatened, "If you testify, I will shoot up your whole family".

I ended up back at the funeral this afternoon. I was coming from one of the stores I service with my part-time merchandising job and ran right into it coming down the street.I know it was no accident.I turned around and followed and I was able to give mom a big hug.

She grabbed onto me so tight and said she was so happy I was there. It was meant for me to be there. I feel much better now.

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

Were they able to get funds for the funeral? I saw that they were soliciting donations to help bury the child. How very sad. I hope that he was honored with a nice, if simple, service.

As for the reason for the murder....I do think there's an element of the company one keeps no matter what the specifics. But, I think it's best to just stay out of that part of the discussion...

I hope that your classroom had an OK week and that time will heal the wounds.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips