>> DID YOU PREPARE A STATEMENT THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH THE JURY TODAY?
>> YES.
>> COULD YOU READ IT FOR US,
PLEASE?
>> OKAY.
ON FEBRUARY 14TH, 2018, MY
HEART STOPPED BEATING.
OUR FOURTH AND YOUNGEST CHILD
WAS TAKEN BACK HOME TO LIVE
WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
SHE WAS BORN IN THE SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON AREA ON AUGUST
22ND, 2003.
SHE WAS THE CUTEST LITTLE BABY
AND WAS DIFFERENT FROM HER
OLDER SISTER IN THE FACT THAT
SHE HAD BROWN HAIR AND
BEAUTIFUL DARK BROWN EYES.
ALAINA WAS DEFINITELY A MAMA’S
GIRL.
SHE WOULD ALWAYS CLING TO ME
AS A BABY.
MY FAMILY MEMBERS WOULD SAY
SHE LOOKED LIKE A LITTLE
MONKEY BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS HAD
HER ARMS AROUND MY NECK AND
SHE WOULD GRAB ON TO MY HAIR
WITH BOTH OF HER LITTLE HANDS.
I NEVER MINDED IT THOUGH
BECAUSE SHE WAS MY LITTLE
BUDDY.
SHE LOVED DOING THINGS WITH
ME.
SHE STARTED COOKING WITH ME IN
THE KITCHEN AT ABOUT 3 YEARS
OLD.
SHE LOVED HELPING ME, EVEN
WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER.
SHE WOULD WALK THROUGH THE
KITCHEN AND STOP AT THE STOVE
TO STIR WHATEVER I WAS MAKING
FOR DINNER.
I REMEMBER ONE TIME WHEN
ALAINA WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS
TOLD, I WAS CUTTING SOMETHING
UP FOR DINNER AND I
ACCIDENTALLY CUT MY FINGER.
I MUST HAVE SAID OUCH OR
SOMETHING BECAUSE SHE ASKED IF
I WAS OKAY AND SHE CAME OVER,
GOT A BAND AID OUT AND FIXED
MY FINGER FOR ME.
SHE WAS VERY SWEET IN THAT WAY
AND WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP
SOMEONE IN NEED, ESPECIALLY
HER CLUMSY MOM.
ALAINA HAD A LOT OF WONDERFUL
FRIENDS AND LOVED DOING THINGS
WITH THEM.
ONE OF HER FAVORITE THINGS TO
DO WAS STAY AT HOME AND BE
WITH HER FAMILY.
SHE WAS KIND OF A HOME BODY.
MY HUSBAND TRAVELED A LOT WHEN
OUR KIDS WERE LITTLE AND IT
TOOK A FEW YEARS FOR ALAINA TO
WARM UP TO HER DAD.
WHEN ALAINA WAS LITTLE, I
REMEMBER THAT SHE LOVED HER
BIG BROTHER IAN.
THERE WAS 8 YEARS DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THEM, BUT THEY WOULD
LAY TOGETHER ON THE FLOOR AND
WATCH A TV SHOW TOGETHER.
IT WAS VERY SWEET SEEING HOW
THEY WERE TOGETHER.
ALAINA ALSO LOVED HER BIG
SISTER MEGAN.
ALAINA WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING
HER BIG SISTER DID, INCLUDING
WEARING HER CLOTHES, WHICH
COULD BE A SOURCE OF
CONTENTION SOMETIMES.
MEGAN TOLD ALAINA THAT IF SHE
WOULD ASK BEFORE SHE TOOK HER
CLOTHES, SHE WOULD BE OKAY
WITH SHARING THEM.
SHE ALWAYS MADE SURE TO ASK
MEGAN BEFORE SHE BORROWED
ANYTHING AGAIN.
SHE LOOKED UP TO MEGAN AND
TRIED TO RESPECT HER WISHES.
MEGAN IS 5 YEARS OLDER THAN
ALAINA, AND AS THEY GOT OLDER,
THEY WOULD WATCH THE SAME TV
SHOWS AND SNUGGLE ON THE COUCH
TOGETHER.
I LAS VEGAS HOW MUCH THEY
ACTUALLY LIKED EACH OTHER AND
WANTED TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER.
PATRICK IS ALAINA’S SECOND BIG
BROTHER AND IS ABOUT 3 YEARS
OLDER THAN HER.
THEY HAD A ROCKY RELATIONSHIP
FOR QUITE A WHILE.
PATRICK BEING THE AWESOME BIG
BROTHER THAT HE WAS, ALSO
ENJOYED TEASING ALAINA A
LITTLE MORE THAN HE PROBABLY
SHOULD HAVE.
ALAINA WAS A BIT FEISTY AT
TIMES AND DIDN’T ALWAYS
RESPOND TO THE TEASING IN THE
MOST APPROPRIATE WAYS.
PATRICK COULD DEFINITELY PUSH
HER BUTTONS.
I REMEMBER ONE AFTERNOON WHEN
ALAINA WAS ABOUT 12 OR 13
YEARS OLD, SHE AND PATRICK HAD
JUST COME HOME FROM SCHOOL AND
SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT HAD HAPPENED
THAT DAY.
PATRICK MADE A COMMENT AND WAS
TEASING HER AND
-- SHE HAD NEVER EXPRESSED INTEREST IN ANYTHING LIKE THAT AT ALL.
JROTC WAS ONE OF HER FAVORITE
CLASSES IN HER SHORT TIME AT
HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE MADE A LOT OF GREAT
FRIENDS AND THOROUGHLY ENJOYED
ALL THE EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH
THAT CLASS.
ALAINA WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH
OUR CHURCH.
WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH
OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY
SAINTS.
AS A CHURCH, WE ARE ENCOURAGED
TO DO SERVICE FOR OUR
NEIGHBORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AFTER HURRICANE IRMA, MANY
MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCH WENT TO
EVERGLADE CITY TO HELP CLEAN
UP THEIR HOMES THAT HAD BEEN
FILLED WITH MUD AND DEBRIS.
ALAINA WENT WITH HER DAD ONE
WEEKEND TO HELP AND LOVED
BEING ABLE TO SERVE OTHERS AND
SPEND TIME WITH HER FRIENDS.
ALAINA WAS A REALLY GOOD AND
LOVING PERSON.
SHE LOVED HER FRIENDS, SHE
LOVED HER FAMILY.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE
LOVED GOD.
I AM HEARTBROKEN THAT I WON’T
BE ABLE TO WATCH HER BECOME
THE AMAZING YOUNG WOMAN SHE
WAS TURNING INTO.
BUT IN MY GRIEF, I KNOW THAT
ALAINA IS WITH OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER RIGHT NOW AND I KNOW
THAT I WILL SEE HER AGAIN IN
THE NEXT LIFE BECAUSE WE ARE
AN ETERNAL FAMILY.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO
LISTEN TO A GRIEVING MOTHER.
>> THANK YOU, MRS. PETTY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEGAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> MEGAN, ARE YOU CAN SISTER
OF ALAINA PETTY?
>> I AM.
>> DID YOU PREPARE A STATEMENT
FOR THE COURT TODAY?
>> I DID.
>> CAN YOU PLEASE READ IT TO
US?
>> YES.
>> MY NAME’S MEGAN PETTY. I’M ALAINA PETTY’S OLDER SISTER.
SHE WAS MURDERED IN CLASSROOM
1216 ON FEBRUARY 14TH, 2018.
TODAY I WILL ATTEMPT TO SHARE
WITH THE COURT AT LEAST A
SMALL PORTION OF HOW MY FAMILY
HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY HER
MURDER.
BUT AS A DISCLAIMER, I DON’T
THINK THE WORDS EXIST TO
ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE THE DEPTH
OF PAIN, CONFUSION AND ANGER
THAT WE DEAL WITH EVERY SINGLE
DAY.
ALAINA WAS 14 YEARS OLD WHEN
SHE DIED.
SHE WENT TO SCHOOL THAT DAY IN
HER UNIFORM FOR JROTC, WHICH
WAS A SCHOOL PROGRAM SHE
LOVED.
SHE WAS IN HER FINAL CLASS OF
THE DAY WHEN SHE DIED.
I’D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHO SHE WAS.
I AM FIVE YEARS HER SENIOR,
BUT IN MANY WAYS SHE WAS MORE
GROWN UP THAN I FEEL I EVER
WILL BE.
SHE’S VERY SMART, EXTREMELY
CONFIDENT AND SHE SHINED WITH
INTEGRITY, WHICH IS A
CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY AT THAT
AGE.
SHE WAS SO GENEROUS AND ALWAYS
WILLING TO HELP OUT A FRIEND,
AN OUTCAST OR WHOEVER SHE SAW
THAT WAS IN NEED.
I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SEE HER
GROW UP, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT
SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN A BLESSING
TO THE WORLD.
WHAT I MOST LOOKED UP TO HER
FOR WAS HER HEART, SHE LOVED
HER FRIENDS AND HER FAMILY SO
MUCH AND SHE EXPRESSED IT IN A
WAY BEYOND HER YEARS, AS SHE
WOULD TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW SHE
FELT ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE DOING
AND WHETHER SHE THOUGHT IT WAS
WRONG OR RIGHT AND SOMEHOW
FOUND THE WORDS AT THE TENDER
AGE OF 14 TO DO IT IN A WAY
THAT SHOWED SHE LOVED YOU AND
REALLY CARED ABOUT YOUR
CHOICES BECAUSE IT WOULD
AFFECT YOUR FUTURE.
I ASPIRE TO HAVE THAT MUCH
PURE LOVE FOR OTHERS AND THE
CONFIDENCE TO STICK UP FOR MY
BELIEFS NO MATTER WHAT SOME
DAY TO BE JUST LIKE HER.
I TRY MY HARDEST, BUT HER LOSS
MAKES ME FEEL EMPTY AND LIKE
TRULY LOVING ANYONE EVER AGAIN
IS IMPOSSIBLE.
SHE WAS AN ANGEL ON EARTH AND
SHE SHOULD STILL BE HERE.
THIS WORLD HAS BEEN ROBBED OF
A BEAUTIFUL SOUL.
14 IS TOO YOUNG TO DIE.
IT CAUSES ME PAIN TO KNOW THAT
SHE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO EVEN
TRULY LIVE.
SHE NEVER GOT HER BRACES OFF.
SHE NEVER HAD HER FIRST KISS.
IT CAUSES ME PAIN TO KNOW THAT
SHE NEVER WENT ON A FIRST DATE
OR FELT THE NERVES AND
EXCITEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH
THAT UNCHARTED TERRITORY.
AND IT HURTS ME TO KNOW THAT
SHE NEVER GOT ASKED TO THE
PROM.
IT CAUSES ME PAIN TO KNOW THAT
SHE NEVER GOT TO FALL IN LOVE,
SHE NEVER GOT TO EXPERIENCE
HEART BREAK AND COME OUT
STRONGER AND WISER.
IT CAUSES ME PAIN TO KNOW THAT
SHE’LL NEVER GO GET HER
DRIVER’S LICENSE, SHE’LL NEVER
FEEL THE SATISFACTION OF
GETTING HER FIRST PAYCHECK AT
A JOB.
SHE DIDN’T GET TO PICK WHICH
COLLEGE SHE WANTED TO ATTEND
OR FEEL THE ANTICIPATION OF
WAITING FOR THAT ACCEPTANCE OR
REJECTION LETTER.
IT CAUSES ME PAIN TO KNOW THAT
SHE’LL NEVER GET MARRIED OR BE
ABLE TO HAVE KIDS OF HER OWN.
ON CHRISTMAS 2017, TWO SHORT
MONTHS BEFORE HER MURDER, WE
FOUND OUT MY SISTER-IN-LAW WAS
PREGNANT.
ALAINA WAS SO EXCITED TO BE AN
AUNT AND IT HURTS OUR WHOLE
FAMILY TO KNOW THAT SHE NEVER
GOT TO MEET MY NEPHEW, SHE
DIDN’T EVEN GET TO SEE AN
ULTRASOUND.
SHE MISSED HIS BIRTH --
ALAINA’S DEATH HAS LEFT A HOLE
IN OUR FAMILY THAT WAS CREATED
BEFORE THEY WERE BORN AND THIS
WILL EFFECT US ALL FOREVER,
EVEN IF SOME OF US WEREN’T
ALIVE TO FEEL THE LOSS.
HOW HER DEATH HAS IMPACTED
MYSELF AND OUR FAMILY IS AN
UNFAIR QUESTION.
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO EXPLAIN
THAT?
IT EFFECTS US ALL CONSTANTLY
AND IN A WAY, I DON’T EVEN
NOTICE THAT I’VE STRUGGLED TO
SURVIVE EVERY DAY SINCE
FEBRUARY 14TH.
MY PARENTS ARE NOW EMPTY
NESTERS, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO
HAVE MORE YEARS WITH A CHILD
AT HOME AND THEY DIDN’T GET
THAT.
AS MUCH AS THEY LOVE MYSELF
AND MY TWO BROTHERS, THAT
ACHING VOID CAN’T BE FILLED BY
US.
INSTEAD OF ALAINA GETTING HER
DIPLOMA, SMILING FOR A PICTURE
AND FEELING ACCOMPLISHED, MY
PARENTS WALKED ACROSS THE
STAGE TO GET A BOX WITH AN
EMPTY CAP AND AN EMPTY GOWN
AND AN HONORARY DEGREE THAT
SHE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EARN HERSELF.
THEY LOST THEIR BABY AND NO
ONE AND NOTHING CAN REPLACE A
CHILD.
I CAN’T FIX THAT PAIN FOR THEM
THEM.
AND IT’S HARD TO SEE THEM
SUFFER AND KNOW THAT I CAN’T
FIX IT.
I’VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF
TO BE A STRONG PERSON, BUT I
QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT THIS
WAS NOT THE CASE.
NO AMOUNT OF STRENGTH CAN
PREPARE YOU FOR HOURS OF
WAITING AND WORRYING, ONLY TO
SEE YOUR PARENTS COME HOME
WITH ONE OF YOUR SIBLINGS BUT
NOT THE OTHER ONE.
THEY NEVER DESERVED TO BE PUT
IN THAT SITUATION AND BOTH
PATRICK AND ALAINA DESERVED TO
WALK BACK HOME THROUGH THE
DOOR OF OUR HOUSE THAT NIGHT.
THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT
COME HOME TOGETHER HAS
AFFECTED ME PROFOUNDLY.
I SPEND -- SPENT THE TIME I
WAITED AT HOME PRAYING SHE WAS
JUST INJURED.
EVEN IF SHE WAS REALLY HURT,
SHE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.
I LOWERED MY EXPECTATIONS TO
THE LOWEST I COULD HANDLE IN
THAT MOMENT AND IT STILL
WASN’T ENOUGH.
TO SAY I WAS SHATTERED WOULD
BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
THE INITIAL PAIN OF FINDING
OUT SHE WAS DEAD HAS BEEN
NOTHING COMPARED TO THE PAIN
OF LIVING WITHOUT HER.
I KEEP WAITING FOR HER TO WALK
THROUGH THE DOOR, EVEN THOUGH
WE’VE MOVED HOUSES, EVEN
THOUGH IT’S BEEN FOUR YEARS,
EVEN THOUGH PART OF ME KNOWS
SHE’S NOT COMING BACK,
ALTHOUGH THE REST OF ME CAN’T
HANDLE ADMITTING THAT YET.
I AM STILL HOLDING ON TO HOPE
THAT THIS IS ALL A NIGHTMARE
OR SOME HORRIBLE JOKE, THAT
I’LL WAKE UP AND SHE’S BACK IN
OUR ARMS SAFE AND SOUND AND
THIS WILL ALL FADE AWAY,
INSTEAD OF THE REALITY OF HER
DEATH CREEPING UP ON ME MORE
AND MORE EACH DAY.
HER ABSENCE SCREAMS AT ME.
THE FACT THAT SHE’S DEAD IS
SOMETHING THAT MY MIND CAN
BRIEFLY ACKNOWLEDGE, BUT I’LL
NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY SHE’S
DEAD, SO I TRY TO JUST SHUT IT
OUT.
BECAUSE I CANNOT EMOTIONALLY
COMPREHEND THAT SHE’S GONE
COMPLETELY FROM THIS WORLD.
FOUR YEARS HAS NOT BEEN LONG
ENOUGH -- I SHOULD BE MAKING
NEW MEMORIES WITH HER, NOT
BEGGING HER FRIENDS FOR
STORIES ABOUT THE THINGS SHE
DID OR SAID IN THE PAST.
EVEN IF SHE’S GONE TO MARS,
SHE’D BE CLOSER THAN SHE IS
NOW.
I HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME
THINKING ABOUT HER.
SHE’S MY SISTER AND THINKING
OF A FAMILY MEMBER THAT I LOVE
HURTS ME.
I UNCONSCIOUSLY AVOID IT.
I’VE DREAMED OF HER TWICE IN
FOUR YEARS AND I DIDN’T SEE
HER FACE IN THOSE DREAMS
BECAUSE MY BRAIN KNOWS THAT
I’D BE IN TOO MUCH PAIN.
I CAN’T HEAR HER VOICE WHEN I
THINK OF HER ANYMORE.
I DON’T REMEMBER WHAT IT FELT
LIKE TO HUG HER, PLAY WITH HER
OR EVEN FIGHT WITH HER.
I LOOK AT PICTURES OF US
TOGETHER AND IT FEELS LIKE THE
TWO PEOPLE IN THOSE PHOTOS ARE
STRANGERS.
I KNOW THAT AS MY LIFE
CONTINUES ON, I’LL REMEMBER
HER LESS AND LESS INSTEAD OF
CREATING MORE MEMORIES WITH
HER AND BECOMING CLOSER.
SHE USED TO SIT ON ME WHEN I
LAID ON THE COUCH TRYING TO
CRUSH ME.
EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS SKINNY TO
TRY TO MAKE IT HARD FOR ME TO
BREATHE.
I USED TO TELL HER SHE WAS A
GREAT HEATED BLANKET.
SHE WAS ALIVE, WARM AND
PRESENT.
EVERY TIME I THINK OF HER, I
SHOULDN’T HAVE TO CRY AND CALL
OUT TO THE SKY HOPING FOR EVEN
A TWINKLE OF CONFIRMATION THAT
SHE STILL EXISTS OUT THERE
SOMEWHERE.