This is a copy of the Victims Impact Statement I read aloud in court prior to the Sentence handed down by Judge Kenneth Goode
After the birth of my first born daughter 14 years previous, my husband and I decided to have another child together.
Patrick Eugene Gaddie Jr was born Oct 28th 2004. His birth was a period of profound happiness and joy for our entire family. This joy was short lived. At 2 ½ months of age, our son was found unresponsive in his crib. EMTs immediately took my son to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Initially the cause of his passing was ruled as SIDS, however after investigation his death was later discovered to be caused by viral pneumonia. His death and subsequent funeral has left a hole in our heart that can never be closed or healed. The depths of emotions we feel on a daily basis from his loss can only be imagined by those who have ever had a similar loss in their own family, and my words will never be able convey the depth of his loss in this court. We miss him every day.
Struggling in the aftermath of this tragedy, my husband and I decided, for our own sanilty, to have another child. Bruce Patrick Gaddie was born Jan 4th 2006 in Columbia SC. He is truly our lifesaver. His original due date was, of all days Jan 19th 2006, the 1 year anniversary of my sons death. The death of my son and subsequent birth of Bruce caused both of us as parents to appreciate all the more the gift that was given to us once again. Our children mean everything to us and are our sole reason for living. I promised myself that as a mother I would make every effort every day of my life to love and protect my children from harm and to shower them with all of the love in my heart. Our children are our most precious gift.
In March 2007 When Bruce was a little over a year old we undertook a search to look for a daycare provider. We took this search extremely seriously, because of the death of our son. We wanted to find a small in-home setting where the risk of illness would be at a minimum and where he would be able to receive more one on one care and love. When we were looking for a home to enroll him in we held numerous interviews with a number of providers around the area in an attempt to find the very best care available. One of the candidates interviewed was Talisha Smith. She was both DSS certified and registered with the state of SC. In addition to caring for her own child she also looked after one 1 other child full time at the time we interviewed her. We found her home to be well organized, clean and she had a curriculum for the children she provided care for posted clearly. We were very excited to enroll him. We told Talisha about the loss of our son and our need to place him in a setting where he would be safe and loved in our absence. We looked at Talisha and her family as a part of our extended family. I would often drop by just to chat and see the kids as well as attend her son’s birthday party and other family events. At the time we enrolled Bruce in her care I was 4 months pregnant with my daughter Kendra.
On Aug 27 2007, we were blessed with another child. Kendra Evangeline Gaddie was born in Columbia SC. At the age of 6 weeks we enrolled her in “Helping Hands” daycare, owned and operated by Talisha Smith, where she joined her brother. Shortly after Kendra started, Talisha, informed us that she was expecting a baby girl. I was excited for her and immediately starting setting aside baby items for her. I would often ask her how her pregnancy was developing. I offered to remove Bruce and Kendra from her Daycare for the summer months in an attempt to make things easier on her in the latter part of her pregnancy and subsequent birth of her child. She informed me that it would not be necessary because her husband would be taking time off to assist her.
On March 19th 2008 5pm, we arrived at the home of Talisha Smith to pick up the babys. Talisha opened the door holding my daughter in her arms facing her. She told me there had been an accident. Our daughter was injured with a large raised red mark on her face. The explanation we received was a minor morning injury from falling onto a rocker, which Talisha had treated with ice. She further explained that she did not attempt to contact us, fearing the reaction we would have to the incident. All I wanted to do at that moment was to get my child home. My daughter Jessica then almost 17 started crying. During the car ride home, I listened to our daughter make a strange sound. It was like a cry you would hear from a wounded animal. Immediately I felt panic as this was a sound I had never heard her utter before. That sound still haunts me today. We dropped my oldest daughter off at our home and continued to the hospital where we learned that Kendra’s brain had been hemorrhaging. I remember holding my injured 6 month old baby in my arms and crying profusely as the Dr told me her injury was too severe to be treated at the hospital we were currently at. Kendra was to be transferred via ambulance to the Pediatric ICU at the Children’s hospital downtown. Kendra continued to make the sickening cries I had first heard in the car. While I stood over her crib in the ICU I worried that I was going to have to bury another child. Patrick Jrs death and funeral played like a record in my head the entire time. I felt helpless standing there and I prayed for a miracle to save her life. I believe that God himself answered my prayers that night in sparing my baby’s life because he knew that the pain of having to possibly bury another child would have been a pain too great for our family to bear a second time. Kendra suffered constant pain in the 6 days that followed. As a mother it was agonizing to not be able to comfort my baby girl in an effort to take the pain away. My daughter would look to me and my husband with pleading eyes and whimpers it was heartbreaking to watch her suffer so much. She could not hold down formula and she vomited frequently requiring the formula to be diluted and given in sparing amounts over time. She had countless IV’s started because her tiny veins were still too fragile and new to hold the line open for any extended period of time. Countless needle sticks and tests were run. I am very thankful for the medical care my daughter received in those 6 days.
Kendra was exhausted when we returned home home. She slept for 12 hours straight for the first time in 6 days. When she awoke she was screaming at the top of her lungs in her crib. To this day we cannot place her in a crib without her screaming. She could not hold down full strength formula for 1 week after discharge and it was another two weeks before she could hold down any solid food without vomiting. I saw an immediate change in her personality its like I have a different child. Kendra used to be constantly smiling and babbling. In the months that have followed she rarely smiles and no longer babbles. Instead she has episodes of screaming where she in inconsolable and still to this day wakes up in the middle of the night screaming at the top of her lungs. She does not like any new faces. It takes her a long time to develop trust in people.
Kendra also does not speak any words. At almost 16months of age Kendra now requires speech therapists and specialists to work with her. And we have yet to hear the words “Mommy” or “Daddy” she is being taught sign language to help her communicate and she can sign the words “More” and “Food” Each time she uses one of these signs it tears my heart out I can see the look of frustration on her face when she attempts to speak but all she can muster is a scream.
To you Talisha, I say simply this “ How dare you strike my infant baby girl with enough force to possibly end her life and take that which is most precious to me!” “How dare you allow my baby to suffer in your care for 8 hours after your heinous act without getting her the immediate medical attention she needed so desperately!” “May God forgive you, as I am unsure I will ever be able to afford you that same courtesy?”
Kendra now has to what amounts to a lifetime of difficulties and struggles ahead of her. Any crime committed against a child is heinous in my opinion but when a person in a position of trust commits that crime, the severity of the crime is magnified. We do not teach our children to be afraid of those we entrust with their care and safety. I request that these circumstances be taken into consideration when the sentence for this crime that has been committed against my daughter be handed out. I humbly ask the court to allow a clear message be sent that crimes against our children in this society will no longer be condoned or tolerated. I ask that the maximum sentence allowed by current law be instituted.