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Jessica's legacy lives on in community's grief

Each year, local law enforcement officials pause for a special remembrance of those who suffer the anguish of being victims of crimes. This moving event is a way for those whose lives have been turned upside down to try to regain some peace.

This year, the event will have special significance for all Citrus County residents and not just those who have been directly impacted by criminals. In one way or another, everyone in our community became a victim when one of our own, Jessica Lunsford, was snatched from her quiet bedroom as she slept.

Jessica's abduction and subsequent murder sent shock waves throughout Citrus County unlike any other crime that has been committed here.

Children who never before thought about the possibilities of strangers stealing them away from the safety of their homes and families now have real reasons to worry. Parents who thought that they provided a sanctuary for their babies now sleep with one eye open.

Teachers, school bus drivers, coaches, ministers - everyone who comes in contact with children on a regular basis - are now more watchful for strangers. The adult who stops by a county park simply to watch children play baseball and to remember his youth now may be viewed with suspicion.

Elected officials from law enforcement to the school system are focused on fighting back against the threat of sexual predators, proposing laws that in many ways are long overdue. Whatever else was on their to-do lists, Jessica's ordeal has made the protection of children their top priority.

The tragedy of Jessica Lunsford won't soon be forgotten, and her legacy will be improved safeguards for all children. These laws will come too late to help her, but Jessica will live on in these attempts to bring comfort to frightened families.

This year, the annual observance of National Crime Victims' Rights Week will begin at noon on Monday with a ceremony upstairs at the Historic Courthouse in Inverness. The principal speaker will be a woman who, like Jessica's parents, knows the unique agony that accompanies the loss of a child. Gail Decatrel lost her teenage daughter, Allison, in 1999 in a truly senseless and avoidable tragedy.

Mrs. Decatrel will try to explain how she has found the strength to move on since that terrible moment when her life was shattered. Through her experiences, and those of the other crime victims and their families who will take part in the ceremony, we may all gain some insights that will help our community heal.

[Last modified April 8, 2005, 00:33:18]