In a few hours, our family will lay our 18 year old son to rest at his memorial servive.
I can’t sleep however, because I am so disturbed by statements apparently released to several media outlets late tonight by KCSO regarding Henry’s preliminary autopsy results – results which I only learned about for the first time after KCSO released them to the media, not because we heard they were ready or had been told of the results ourselves. Shouldn’t family be notified of autopsy results first?
It’s clear to me that KCSO has gone on the offensive with this case after weeks of us begging them to take some action – weeks during which Henry was hospitalized before his death. Given KCSO’s stance, I will now wait to let my lawyer (isn’t it crazy that a crime victim’s family needs their own lawyer?) advise me as to what I can and cannot say publicly going forward. I don’t want to argue publicly with KCSO. I never did. I have huge respect for the hard, underappreciated work that they do every day. I want to work cooperatively with them to investigate and find answers. I want them to communicate proactively and directly with me so we can tell them everything we know and they can share what they know with us.
However, given the way they have gone to the media at this point instead of coming to our family, I will say this:
-My son WAS assaulted badly while engaged in an illegal drug transaction in the 24-48 hours preceding his admission to the ER on April 27. He may have been buying or he may have been selling to support his habit. We aren’t sure. In either case he was clearly in the wrong by the fact that he was engaged in this drug activity, and had he not died, our son should have been fully investigated and held accountable for his own illegal activity -something we told the lead investigator repeatedly. We are IN NO WAY minimizing Henry’s own drug activity. He was a drug addict and he was behaving like one at the time he was assaulted.
However the fact that he was engaged in drug activity did not give anyone the right to beat him up, rob him and leave him with major physical injuries. Were there such injuries? Well, his medical records CLEARLY and CONSISTENTLY refer to the assault and its compounding physical impact on the other causative factor – the drug overdose.
Of course, Henry’s preliminary autopsy – released by KCSO – refers only to the specific cause of death FIVE WEEKS after his hospital admission. On that day, at that time, the cause of death was indeed complications of anoxic brain injury. No one disputes that. But it doesn’t mean that the beating he received had nothing to do with the brain injury in the first place. That’s like saying that someone who dies of heart failure five weeks after a car wreck that damaged his heart died of “heart failure.” That’s what the official autopsy results would say, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Same thing with Henry; the anoxic brain injury was due to drug overdose AND the assault. His complete medical records, as opposed to the preliminary autopsy records alone make this abundantly clear. His doctors are willing and even eager to explain this to KCSO, should someone care to actually ask them.
And to top it off, young people all over Knox County know EXACTLY WHO ASSAULTED HENRY and what happened. These young people and in some cases, their parents have contacted us over the past month to tell us that they have information on the specifics of the assault that they want to share with authorities. I have given all of these leads to the KCSO investigator but as far as I know, the only people he has talked to are the suspects themselves, each of whom (obviously) tell a slightly different story. (Thanks to Cathy and Rich for blogging about the fact that kids around town know who beat Henry and what the circumtances were)
Also, these “friends” and “acquaintances” (that’s how KCSO refers to them when speaking to the media) who “found” Henry near death in their home on the morning of APril 27 declined to call 911 for hours as Henry lay dying and as others begged them to call for help need to be investigated THOROUGHLY. There is much, much, MUCH more to this part of the story. Yet no investigation of this element of the situation has taken place beyond cursory conversations with the “friends” who – not surprisingly – claim they did nothing wrong. How did they know Henry? Why was he in their house? Where did he get the drugs that caused him to OD in their house? Why hasn’t KCSO interviewed the two witnesses who have phone records proving they begged these “friends” for HOURS to call 911 as my son lay unconscious and vomiting on the “friends’” floor on the morning of the 27th?
In short, KCSO should not be publicly asserting that the case is essentially closed as far as they are concerned until they investigate all the evidence and leads (we’ve provided) surrounding this critical element of the factors that led to Henry’s death.
That’s all I can say right now, although there is so much more I want to say. It’s hard to stay silent when KCSO is actively releasing half truths and misleading “facts” to the media (one example being their assertion that I haven’t provided any useful leads to them. That’s simply false.)
We will have justice for Henry. It’s obviously going to be a slow, unpleasant process. I never, ever wanted to criticize KCSO and I still don’t. I just want to be treated with respect and I want my son’s investigation handled aggressively and thoroughly.
KCSO should not be communicating with our family only through the media. They should be calling us, inviting us in to discuss the case and telling us what direction the investigation has taken. They have never met with us in person EVEN ONE TIME, although we have made repeated calls to the lead investigator over the past five weeks. He did sometimes return our calls, but mostly to tell us that there really wasn’t any case as far as he was concerned because Henry had overdosed on drugs and that was that.
For today, I will take a deep breath and try to let go of the frustration I feel at this moment about how this is being handled by law enforecement and instead focus on spending a day celebrating my son’s life with everyone who loved him, and on caring for and consoling the three devastated younger siblings his death left behind.
But this isn’t the end. This is one mama – like others before me - who won’t be intimidated or by silenced.
74 Responses to “Sleepless”
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Praying for you and yours. I wish there was something better to say than that. You’re in my thoughts.
Katie, I am so sorry this is happening and especially that it happened right at this moment when it is absolutely the last thing you need to be worrying about. I saw the article just minutes after it was posted and was absolutely horrified. I CANNOT BELIEVE that the autopsy results were not shared with you first. Please don’t pay any attention to all the rude and ignorant comments that are already appearing on the Knoxnews site. I cannot imagine how hard it is–especially for a writer–to stay silent in the face of all this. I hope you have been able to fall asleep by now and that somehow you will be able to put this aside just until you get through tomorrow. I will see you in the morning and you will, as always, be in my prayers tonight.
That makes me so sick! I just commented on your previous post that I didn’t know anything about you until a few days before you lost H, but here I am wanting to scream at the police (or sheriff’s office). There are many things I want to write, but I can’t put them into words. I hope that these people who call themselves law enforcement have a hard time sleeping at night. I realize you have to walk a fine line between working with them and prodding them into action, but my god I wish they would get their heads out of their asses!
What a terrible assault on you and your family to learn of Henry’s prelim autopsy results, and read them in that much-too-public forum. I am shocked, saddened and terribly angry that these shattering events continue to occur.
I, for one, do not believe *any* of this is God’s grand plan or that “someday” there will be a clear cut reason as to “why” it happened. I refuse to accept that such unbelievable pain is part of any pre-conceived plan. But, I do know you will not be going into battle alone, and I know from what I read here of your strength, that you will turn this sad, horrible situation somehow into a greater good for many.
My heart aches for you and your family, Katie. I don’t have words to say how sorry I am that you have lost your beautiful son.
Have they no shame at all to cause you this additional grief? There is nothing human in their actions.
katie,
this is just horrible and sickens me. your family and friends WILL NOT let them forget about henry. i’ve called a few times and they just put me through to the detectives voicemail. i do think you should get your local senator involved. i’ve really found contacting a senator really can light a fire under peoples butt. please know that i am thinking of you and your dear family today, i am so sorry i’m stuck in nyc.
please stay strong sweet katie, much love,
sheila o.
Katie, I just saw it a few minutes ago and am disgusted and appalled, but just trying to hold my temper as best I can. As I read it in disbelief, I just kept reminding myself that you have copies of the medical records, and telling myself the truth will come out eventually.
I’m just sorry this is going to apparently turn into an even harder and uglier process before it ever sees an end. You know how many people are behind you and will continue to support you no matter what.
I also flagged that one disgusting lie of a comment over there, hopefully they will remove it soon. People and their stupidity and bravado from behind the anonymity of their keyboards amaze me sometimes.
Will be thinking of and praying for you all – family, friends, everyone – all day and night today and so will my East TN kinfolks. I wish I could be there but will be in spirit (I asked Dana to carry my spirit in her pocket with her, lol). I hope you are all able to find just a little peace somewhere within today, even if it’s just for today. Much love and hang in there, the KB collective, the TN blogosphere, and half of everyone else is truly and fully behind you, as I know are your offline friends and all your loved ones.
The time has come to put real pressure on. In Tennessee, the County DA can hand up an indictment. The Knox County DA is Randy Nichols who is, by most accounts, pretty good at his job. Randy.Nichols@knoxcounty.org. If I know who has been implicated based on emails I have received and I am sitting in an apartment in Europe, then the KCSO knows who is involved.
Kagranjo
What ever you may think about recreational drugs,
The “War on Drugs” has been, is and will continue to be a DISASTER;
financially and every other way.
Anyone in psychology 1 can tell you that… and why.
In the last century, it only took 13 years for Congress to figure
out that Prohibition ( of ANYTHING ) does not work and it was thrown
out. Alcohol was then legalized and taxed.
The gun battles over territory stopped. Gun battles with police stopped. People got what they wanted and government got income.
Northern European countries understand this and don’t have the
problems that the US has.
I could hardly take in the points of your post because my heart was brimming with so much outrage- at how Henry died, at the lack of calling while he lay injured, at the police work, at the whole thing. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this in addition to the work of grieving. We are on your side.
Katie,
You should not have to deal with this on the morning you lay your son to rest. I’m sorry that our law enforcement officials have such little class. Peace to you and your family.
Katie ~ I feel so deeply your loss and pain. Your story has taken hold of my heart and I am grieving so for Henry, your beautiful boy I never knew. I am someone who loves someone who suffers from addiction, and all my life I have experienced first-hand its devastating effects on families. Henry was absolutely not a “throw-away”, although the stigma and criminalization of addiction – a MEDICAL and mental health issue – have allowed some to behave as though his death was somehow deserved. The absence of a thorough investigation by the KCSO of Henry’s assault and overdose, and their offensive public statements regarding his death, are unconscionable. But I believe there will be justice for Henry, because you will make sure of it. I, too, am the mother of an extraordinary, treasured, precious child; you will be Henry’s hero, just as you have always been.
Wishing you strength and peace tomorrow and in all the days and years to come….
Those statements make me quite angry and I am not one to get angry much! Those are devastating statements to the case as a whole. Katie, there are many, many people out here who believe you deserve the best investigation when it comes to Henry’s case. Yes, he had problems and I am so proud that you see that. He was riddled by a terrible disease! One I will never understand! BUT–there’s no reason for this crazy non-sense with the investigators! I will be praying for you and go get ‘em Momma. Don’t be silenced until justice is served!
“You should not have to deal with this on the morning you lay your son to rest. I’m sorry that our law enforcement officials have such little class. Peace to you and your family.”
Good point, Gemini. Especially since the results were released to the media before any notification to the family (also classless).
The time stamp on the KNS article is midnight on a Friday night. The statement from the KCSO could have easily been held until Monday – or at least Sunday, or at the very least, Saturday afternoon or evening – after Henry was laid to rest.
Score another major faux pas for the KCSO. No class. Who in the world is in charge of PR and spin control there anyway?
I’m so sorry, Katie, again. You and everyone else Henry left behind does not deserve this treatment in any way whatsoever.
Just looked up the TN definition of aggravated assault. It certainly seems that, at the very least, those monsters who beat your son could and should be arrested for that. As I said, at the very least.
Were I you, I would also make damn good and sure as to whether the monsters robbed Henry during the commission of their crime; if he was, that would be another felony and/or aggravating circumstances to “bump up” the charges laid.
I also wonder why reckless endangerment is not being pursued against those who did nothing while your son suffered. In TN, no harm whatsoever needs to occur for a charge of reckless endangerment to be laid; just the possibility of harm is enough.
These cops are messing with you and your family. I can tell you that much right now. You’re showing them in a certain limelight and it is wrecking their complexion, and they are trying to put you in your place via information about your son. Assholes.
It is just not right that you have to think about such things right now. I am angered and sad, but mostly I pray that tomorrow H will be celebrated and you will feel some joy along with your anger and sorrow. God Bless you Katie.
I have never known a loss as great as yours, Katie. My heart is so heavy for you during which, I can only imagine, is the darkest of days. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy from one mother to another, even though we are strangers to each other. You and Henry are in my thoughts.
Oh, Katie. I was up late last night and saw the press release. I was so hoping that you had already gone to bed, that you wouldn’t see it until after the celebrations of his life today. I was so incensed reading it- they made it seem like Henry’s attack was “alledged”, like the family is saying that it happened, but there is no proof. At least that’s how it came across to me. This is so frustrating!
Wow last night all I had seen was the preliminary autopsy report. I just read the one from the Sheriff’s office. All I can say is WOW. I cannot believe what I read, both in the report and the comments.
Part of me wants to rant and rave about it, but I’ll save it for later. Today is about celebrating Henry.
I am deeply saddened and frankly horrified that the KCSO seems more interested in damage control than getting to the truth of this matter. To an outsider, unfamiliar with how the system works, ignoring the medical records in a case such as this makes no sense whatsoever, since as you say it is to ignore the original circumstances which created the medical problems in the first place. I keep wondering if it is possible to request a Medical Inquest, since that process would seem to allow for a fuller understanding of the circumstances and assure his medical records and doctor’s statements are included in any determination of cause of death. If there is anything that any of us can do beyond sharing this information w/others, please let us know. We all want justice for Henry and to protect other children from the people who harmed him.
Katie, I am so, so sorry your family is living this nightmare. I have to say though, it almost makes one wonder if the lack of involvement/interest by the KCSO is because they too have a family member who is directly involved somehow? Perhaps one of the attackers or “friends” is a nephew, cousin, son, brother? What else could explain their complete disregard for the loss of Henry’s life and the ultimate cause of death? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time a Sheriff’s Office / Police Dept. has pulled some strings to protect THEIR loved ones, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
Hi Katie, First of all, I want to send you peace, white light and lots and lots of love and hugs. I’m thinking of you in your time of extreme pain and frustration. I commend you for your fight and your voice in speaking the truth and I want you to remember that everything, regardless of how hard it is to accept right now, is in Divine Order. There is ultimate justice Katie. There is. The timeline for this is not completely in your hands, and I know that it is hard to accept. Thank you for sharing this story and I hope it helps you get through your days to know that there are people out here, many whom don’t know just exactly what to say, so don’t say anything, that are thinking about you and holding their children just a little bit tighter and longer, with the ultimate realization that life is not guaranteed to any of us. I am thinking of you Katie….
John Walsh fought the Hollywood, FL for decades over their handling of his son’s case. In the end, the man he knew was responsible died in prison on a different case, never having been charged for this horrendous crime. Natalee Holloway’s mother has cold comfort this morning as the man she chased all over the world to have him held accountable in the death of her daughter is finally in jail…after someone else’s daughter died violently in his hotel room. Keep looking for answers and demanding accountability. If they think they got away with it with Henry, rest assured they will do it again.
Simply put, it’s an election year. This is how politicians act in an election year. The detectives get the word to get this investigation clean and wrapped up. And it may even be easier to just pass it off as a ‘drug deal gone bad’ than to actually investigate it as an aggrevated assault and murder.
Horrible timing, Katie – I’m so sorry. I’m sure you will be able to put things to rights eventually. I really wish they had held that report until Monday, though. How insensitive!
Katie — holding you in the light and thinking of you and Henry every moment since this happened. I barely know you and never met sweet Henry but feel as though he has become my child — everyone’s child. I am traveling and cannot be at the service today but I am wishing you strength and courage today and in the days ahead. And I will do whatever I can to help see justice is done. You’ve got a lot of mamas behind you on this.
You have my love. I cannot imagine the pain this loss must bring. I hope the media respects your family’s right to grieve without causing more strife…
i’m gonna do something about it.
i wept as i read this… thinking of my own son… i cannot imagine the pain you are feeling… and i send my condolences…
may he rest in peace.
I know this is so hard and frustrating to you. My brain can wrap itself around the idea of what you are going through. Even trying to imagine makes me sick. I’m so sorry you are going through this with the KCSO. IT IS NOT RIGHT. Plain and clear. This is not the kind of protection we expect as taxpayers in this community. The past 10 years have given us too many cases like this. We hear about a few in the media, but I’m sure there are many others. I hope that those families will come out of the woodwork and express their feelings on this matter, too.
Praying for all of you today. Hoping a tiny bit of peace works its way into your hearts.
We’re with you, Katie. We are with you and all of your family in spirit and in action.
Wishing you both peace and energy!
Hi Katie – I hope you can forget about all of this for the day and focus on Henry’s life and just absorb the love of all those around you.
Prayers for today’s remembrances.
Thanks Toby. I sent a nice email to Randy Nichols.
Katie, I do grieve for you and your loss. Please stay strong in your determination to obtain justice for your family and Henry. And your experience with local law enforcement is mirrored by those of other mothers, like me, and many other mothers in Knox County who have suffered this absolute rejection of anything you or anyone else says about a crime where our children were victims.
I hope to get to your memorial service; but if I can’t, know that I am with you in spirit. Please feel free to call or e-mail me if you need an understanding ear…and heart.
Mary
I am so sorry for all that your family has been through and the battles that you continue to face. The loss of your dear son is something that this mom can hardly get my mind around and I grieve for all that has happened. I am incredibly angered by the lack of support you are receiving from law enforcement and the callous way that the autopsy report was handled. For you, your children, your family, and all of Henry’s friends, I pray for comfort. For the law enforcement world, I pray that they will get their act together and do their JOB!
Continuously keeping you in my thoughts.
Yesterday while reciting the Pledge of Allegance with my preschool students, I actually shuddered. The last sentence of the pledge “with liberty and justice for all” seems meaningless if law enforcement is going to start deciding whether a victim is deserving of justice or not. In this country, it is against the law for someone to assault another person, using an object like a tire iron is an aggravating circumstance. Period. It shouldn’t matter that Henry was an addict, it shouldn’t matter that Henry was engaging in an illegal activity and had suffered an overdose. He sustained broken bones from a vicious attack. Those responsible should have been rounded up and arrested immediately. The same with the people who did not call 911 for Henry when it was apparent he desperately needed medical attention. Serious and egregious crimes were committed against Henry, yet instead of taking immediate action, the KCSO is sending a message to the perportrators (and perhaps other unsavory individuals) that beating a drug addict into unconsciousness is A-OK with them.
Katie, I know you and your family will fight this and I know you WILL receive justice for Henry. However, you shouldn’t have to fight. Not in this country. The fact that KSCO went as far as publishing the autopsy report in the paper (I have NEVER seen this done before) is beyond comprehension. As your beautiful boy is laid to rest today, I pray justice for Henry will be served sooner, rather than later. God Bless.
Today, may you be granted total peace so that you may lay Henry to rest in a way that honours all of the good things he was, to you, to your family and to the community. To be given the wisdom to realise just what an amazing mother you have been, that is truly obvious in every word you say and to have the wisdom to put wrong the injustice that has happened, just not today.
My thoughts and prayers are with you every step of today from thousands of miles away. You really have touched many people in many ways and I hope that in some small way, that knowing how you shared your love of him, has made such an impact.
Katie, as I sit here in my house in Snohomish, WA, thousands of miles from Knoxville, my heart just aches for you and your family. I have a 3 yo son and my husband’s family has had quite a bit of addiction problems in their pase (my brother-in-law committed suicide on 1/23 while going through depression and severe alcoholism. I hope to never see my child suffer addiction like Henry or his family and want to thank you for sharing this post personal time with the WWW. It has made a difference in my life.
You are in my thoughts every day and I know you will make it through this one slow agonizing day at a time.
Two things I wanted to comment on specifically –
One, the preliminary autopsy. Preliminary autopsies are, just as Katie said in her post, looking for the immediate cause of death, only. They can and often are re-examined, updated and amended after the fact. I have a concrete example of this: when my grandmother passed away suddenly in 2008, the preliminary autopsy report and subsequent death certificate came back “cardiac arrest”. Cardiac arrest, seriously? Yes, ultimately what claimed my grandmother’s life was that her heart stopped beating. But the *reason* her heart stopped beating was septisimia brought on by surgical complications, with aspiration pneumonia as a contributing complication. My point is that the KSCO releasing the preliminary autopsy report — to say nothing of having done it *before* they told the family, which disgusts me — is premature and frankly, stupid. There is a 99% chance that the ME’s report will be amended, and his death certificate changed accordingly, when the rest of the results are in. Take what comfort you can in that it’s going to make them look really, really bad when it happens.
The second thing, and Katie finally touched on it today but it’s been bugging me ever since I saw the first news article about it. Who is this 39 year old man who claims that he “picked Henry up” from a grocery store, took him back to his house so he could go to work with him the next morning, and in the next breath claims that he’d never even met Henry before he picked him up? I’m sorry, but seriously, wtf? I am somewhat speechless (though I guess I shouldn’t be surprised) that the police department just seems to be “cool” with this story, to the point that they keep calling these people Henry’s “friends”. I’m sorry, but these people don’t sound much like friends. And yes, I know that because he was 18 and a half or so, the kid is technically an adult. But seriously? How many 39 year olds do you know who go out and make friends with 18 year olds? To what purpose? I…yeah. I shudder to think what the *real* reason for picking Henry up and taking him back to his house might have been. The whole thing just sounds…off.
I am praying for your family! This is so wrong and I do not understand how they(KCSO)can go about it like this! Basically what they are saying if you beat someone to near death…as long as you just use your fist and they don’t pass away until a few weeks later it’s ok?? Murder is murder!!
You FIGHT for Henry girl! His life was not perfect, but he deserves it. We’ll keep rattling the cages and making noise with you and KCSO will have to listen. Shame on them!
Those cops should be very careful. When my 16 years and two weeks old brother was killed in a car wreck where he was aggressively run off the road by a man almost 10 years older in a car he never should have had on loan from a dealer, it was handled much the same way (his mom was the police dispatcher. You may want to look into family connections in your case as well).
However, what this led to was a lynch mob of angry young people taking matters into their own hands and making things even worse. An inquest concluded the extreme lack of action on the part of the police to investigate my brother’s death properly directly led to the vigilante justice and the perception citizens could no longer trust the police.
I know you will have justice for Henry. It will come and you will find peace. You are surrounded with people who care about you deeply and you will prevail. Your family will prevail. We, the mama’s of this world, are standing with you and we have your back!
Thinking of you today. Much love and strength.
I’m so sorry to hear that this is happening to you and your family. You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you and your family will be able to find peace with this one day.
Katie, I was extremely grateful for the moments I was able to spend with you today. Just so you know, YOU are MY HERO. You are. This horrific turn of events has changed my life – somehow for the better, although it sounds strange to say. It has reminded me of our true priorities as humans, not machines. I will proudly honor your request – to make sure Henry’s story gets told. I stand with you all. Stay strong, lady. You are one HELL of a mother and a person. We WILL get justice.
we are continuing to hold you all in the Light throughout this very difficult part of your journey, Katie.
It is just so wrong that they are being allowed to bury their heads in the sand. If in the end nothing is done because “fists were used” and they can’t prosecute that, I hope that Katie and her family take this opportunity to have a new law made stating that fists are weapons, etc. We definitely need to get more nationwide coverage on this. Dr Phil, Oprah, Nancy Grace even. Someone with a large fan base that can get America involved in this tragedy.
Katie;
I think that my poor words do very little in a situation such as this, but certainly our prayers are with you and your family, and with Henry. If there is anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to ask.
I know it’s not much consolation. But be assured that there are quite a few of us mothers out here who aren’t sleeping right along side you.
And even more of us who aren’t going to be quiet right along side you.
Keep up the good fight everyone. Katie, right now, is ‘every mother’. And mothers don’t, won’t and can’t just go away.