What happened that awful day in December?

The following is told by a friend of Cartney's

Let me start from the beginning....

Cartney was young when she met Kenneth. She was allowed to date Ken despite the age difference between the two. I am not sure if they knew how old he was or not. I guess it really didn't matter to her though because she was in love with him.

Cartney and Ken would have fights and disagreements like other couples but sometimes it got physical…but she loved him. She didn’t want to leave. I didn’t encourage her to leave and I am not sure anyone else who loved her did either. In fact before the “incident” I was under the impression they were getting along.

Cartney got a job and was enrolled at El Centro to take some classes. She was planning on asking Kenneth to marry her on Christmas day.

On 12/24/1998 at 6:30 I was on my way home from work; my mother, Brenda C. Oliver, had purchased all of us the same kind of pull over from Old Navy. She needed my brothers girlfriend, Yvette, my sister, Shyra, and myself to go get more. She had forgotten a couple of people.

Cartney and I were on the phone together all day back and forth because she couldn’t decide if she was going to go with me or not. She was debating about going with me or going to the mall with Ken. She decided in the end to go to the mall.

At the mall someone said something to Ken and it made Cartney mad. When they got home they got into an argument. I was at home waiting for her to call me back. I finally called her because we were supposed to meet at her grandmas to exchange gifts.

I finally decided to call and Ken answered. He told Cartney, “Here get this!” She got on the phone and told me she would meet me still and she would call me right back.

An hour passed….

I was sitting on the floor in my mom’s house talking to Yvette and Shyra when I realized she hadn’t called back. I said,” Crybaby hasn’t called me back!” I went to get up off the floor to call her when my brother and his girlfriend came in through the side door.

Tina grabbed me and was hugging me. My brother was pacing back and forth and saying, “I can’t believe this!” I said, “Get off me what are you talking about?!”   All my brother could say was, “Call grandma!” I called grandma and she said, “Are you sitting down?” I said, “NO! What is going on? Is the baby ok??” Never in a million years would I have ever thought she would say what she said next much less be ready for it. She said, “Baby Cartney is dead! He killed her!”

I hit the floor! That 30 second phone call changed my life forever!

All I could do was cry! I felt like a part of me died. I felt like I couldn’t go on without her. I guess I never realized how much I loved her. Her death hurt me more than my grandparents passing.

I went into a rage of not understanding to nothing to a rage to crying uncontrollably. This went on for months…years!

Kenneth English only got 11 YEARS for what he did to Cartney!

I went from loving Kenneth like a brother to hating him. I held on to that anger for so many years. Until March 2007, I went to my mom’s and ended up taking a nap in the room that Cartney and I shared. I had a “dream” that Cartney came to me and told me it was ok to forgive him. I woke up and cried but knew that things were going to be different.

I now truly believe that what happened was an accident. I do feel he should pay for what he did but he asked for forgiveness from God above and who am I to judge?

I miss Cartney with all my heart and soul! I feel sad that her daughter, brother and sister have to go on without her. But I am at peace with what happened because I do believe this world was too crazy for her! She is in a much better place and I know she will always be with me in my heart. I pray that this will help someone. I want those being abused to know it will only end in death, so get out while you can. There are people who love you who will help!

I love you Cartney Marie Thomas, “Cry Baby”

~Andries Oliver Fields