And Never See Her Again (33 page)

Only about one hundred people had made their way to the Richland Hills Church of Christ. Many not in attendance could not face the finality that Opal was gone. Many felt frustration and heartbreak that their efforts had not brought Opal home alive. Assistant District Attorney Greg Miller had told the family in a private moment the evening before the scheduled memorial that he would not be attending. He feared the media would disrupt the services by asking him questions about pressing murder charges against Ricky Franks. Miller believed the focus of the day should be on remembering Opal, not her kidnapper and killer. Miller had said his own private goodbyes to the child he had never known but had passionately championed.

Teresa Sanderford spoke from her heart. She thanked the Saginaw Police Department, many of whom were in full dress and seated in the audience. She acknowledged the FBI for their help and Greg Miller for his compassion. She thanked Rod and Beverly Petty, the couple who found Opal's deteriorated body, for bringing their child home. Teresa read a poem one of Opal's aunts had written right after Opal was taken. Tears brimmed in everyone's eyes.

Teresa, an adoring aunt, announced that the family had put their "blue-eyed princess to rest" earlier that morning. She recalled the endearing things about Opal that family members remembered well.

"When she was two years old, Opal called every woman in the family `mama,"' Teresa said with a smile. And it was appropriate since every female in Opal's family considered her their own.

"At six, Opal was allergic to soap," Teresa said with chuckles from the family. "She would stand in the bathtub and splash water on her face." The memory of the shortened baths brought smiles to the audience.

"Opal loved her family. She would beg to go with her grandpa when she would hear his car start. She loved to eat at the El Sombrero restaurant, always ordering the number-five special, with chicken and a Sprite.

"Once, Opal decorated the seats of the school auditorium, works of art not appreciated by the teachers or the principal," Teresa said, laughing, revealing her niece's impish side.

"She had a one-hundred-watt smile," Teresa continued.

All eyes drifted to the photos of Opal at the front of the sanctuary. Her beautiful blue eyes and her radiant grin penetrated their hearts.

"If we could see her now, she'd be smiling with that mischievous twinkle in her eye. I urge you to remember the sweet little girl, not the victim," Teresa concluded.

As Teresa stepped down from the podium, sniffles resonated throughout the sanctuary and a flurry of white tissues were lifted to tear-filled eyes. For those who knew Opal well and loved her, the service was dif- ficult,just as it was for those who never knew Opal but had come to cherish her.

Donna Whitson Norris, mother of Amber Hagerman, struggled to keep her composure. She wanted to bawl like a baby. Opal's photos, the memorials, the flowers, all brought back the loss of Donna's own little girl. Norris was one of only a few people at the service that knew, really knew, what the Sanderford family had endured. Amber Hagerman's mother understood the loss of a child was the saddest of all tragedies that could befall a family.

Norris had brought with her a gift for Audrey Sanderford. The two had forged a bond, Norris giving strength to Sanderford and the courage to go on. Norris had smiled as she watched Audrey file in with the family, clinging to the purple bear Donna had given her. The attached note read: "Opal, you will always be in our hearts." These were sentiments shared by all present at the service.

Gioia Jones was Opal Jennings's kindergarten teacher. She had only known Opal for six short months, but the spunky six-year-old quickly had become one of her favorite students. Jones spoke to the audience, not of lessons Opal had learned, but of lessons Opal had taught her.

"Opal taught me red is absolutely the best color, hugs are a really good thing, and smiles make a bad situation better," Jones said. "I also learned purple markers don't come off lockers or auditorium seats."

Jones shared with the others that Opal was loved by her school family. It wasn't difficult for anyone to believe. Even those who had never met the child believed they knew her. Opal Jennings had truly become everyone's little girl.

In closing, Jones reminded everyone, "Every child has worth. Children are our legacy."

Heads nodded in agreement as Gioia Jones returned to her seat in the midst of the other Saginaw Elementary School teachers. Both Teresa Sanderford and Gioia Jones had raised the moods of the mourners with playful depictions of Opal in their eulogies.

Reverend Grady Brittian focused on the Gospel, stating that Jesus loved the little children. Then, twisting the title of Hillary Clinton's popular book, Reverend Brittian remarked, "It takes a child to raise a village. Saginaw was Opal's village. And every village needs children to teach us to laugh and to play."

The preacher thanked those persons who never gave up, those who continued to search, to hope, and to pray for Opal's safe return. He thanked the media for making them more aware of Opal's plight and that of other missing children.

"A village needs children and it needs grace. Our natural feelings are to forgive, but I have war with those feelings," Reverend Brittian admitted.

Most of those in attendance understood the minister's words. They, too, had a war raging within them, a war of forgiveness versus revenge, but Reverend Brittian proclaimed his own vow. "I will not serve a god of retaliation, nor should you. A village needs comfort. It is over. Our hearts have been breaking for some time, but it's over. It's over.

`Jesus said, `There will be no more death, dying, crying, and pain. The darkness will be no more.'

"The village needs peace, a place for children to grow up. Peace without violence.

"And a village needs hope," Reverend Brittian said. "He now waits for you. Opal belongs to God and always has."

Following Reverend Brittian's words, the beautiful, innocent voice of thirteen-year-old Michelle Mashburn, a seventh grader at Highland Middle School, filled the round sanctuary with the sweet sound of music. Michelle sang "My Little Girl," a song written by former Roanoke, Texas, police detective Ron Crawford after Amber Hagerman was abducted.

Tears streamed down the faces of those who loved Opal, as well as Donna Norris, who relived the loss of her own child as well as Opal.

The service was over. People embraced Leona, Teresa, Audrey, and other Sanderford family members. They had shed tears for nearly five years, it was time to smile and to laugh again. Audrey clung to the purple bear given to her by Donna Norris as she met with friends. She looked forward to moving on.

While well-wishers met with the Sanderfords in the Church of Christ foyer, one lone uniformed police officer remained inside the church. He had hung back, waiting for the others to pass by the picture of Opal and say their own farewells. The officer slowly walked forward and stood in front of Opal's smiling image. His head bowed, his shoulders stooped, the officer paused for several minutes. Before turning to go, he wiped a single tear from his cheek.

In memory of Opal Jo Dace Jennings November 24, 1991 March 26, 1999

January 21, 2003, Senate Bill S. 121, the National AMBER Alert Network Act of 2003, was passed by the U.S. Senate in a ninety-two to zero vote. The measure was introduced by cosponsors Kay Bailey Hutchison (Republican from Texas) and Dianne Feinstein (Democrat from California).

The act expanded nationwide the AMBER Alert communications network that helps law enforcement find abducted children. It established an AMBER coordinator within the Department of justice to enhance the operation of those communications. The act also established voluntary, minimum standards for coordination between various AMBER plans, particularly between states. It provided for a grant in the Department of Transportation to fund, on a fifty-fifty matching basis, AMBER Alert programs. Lastly the AMBER Alert Act provided for a grant in the Department ofJustice to fund, on a fifty-fifty matching basis, education, training, and related equipment for AMBER Alert programs throughout the country.

"When a child is lost, the whole community grieves along with the family. An AMBER Alert channels this energy to a positive purpose. Tips from average citizens have resulted in the safe and rapid recovery of many children. We can spread the word about abducted children across county and state lines quickly, before the kidnappers have the chance to cover their tracks and get too far away," Senator Hutchison stated as she addressed the U.S. Senate prior to their historical vote.

PROTECTING CHILDREN

Provided by

TEXAS AMBER ALERT NETWORK

To help protect your child from stranger abduction:

• Know your neighbors and your child's friends, including their names, addresses, and phone numbers.

• Check the references and qualifications of day-care centers and baby sitters. Ask day-care centers if criminal background checks are conducted on staff members.

• Teach your child what to do if approached by a stranger. Common ruses are offering a ride, gifts or candy, asking the child to help look for a lost pet, or claiming that the child's parent has asked them to bring the child home because of an emergency.

• Listen to your child; don't disregard their fears. Instead, let them know that you take their fears and concerns seriously.

For more information and tips, download the "Personal Safety for Children: A Guide for Parents" publication from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at missingkids.org or the Polly Klaas Foundation Child Safety Kit at www.pollyklaas.org.

A child is too precious to lose.

There are always so many people to thank in the writing of a true story. In this tragic tale of an event that changed the lives of countless people, I must first thank Opal Jennings's family. Their loss has been overwhelming, yet they opened their hearts to reveal the tragic impact such an unthinkable experience has on those left behind by a lost child.

Teresa Sanderford is a strong, loving person who has the unique ability to comfort others in times of her own grief. She has been a rock to her family, especially her grandson Austin and Leola Sanderford. Teresa has held together a family that has suffered the greatest of losses. I thank Teresa for her honest, uncensored account of the events surrounding the abduction of Opal.

Leola Sanderford, often misunderstood, is without a doubt a loving, unselfish mother. I thank her for her willingness to open up old wounds that run deep. I wish her all the best as she attempts to build a new life in the shadow of her daughter's memory.

Thanks go to Audrey Sanderford for her assistance and her dedication to the cause of lost children.

This book would not have been possible without the tremendous support of Greg Miller. This case was one that no prosecutor would relish tackling, yet he persevered not once, but twice. I thank him for his insight and his candor.

Many thanks to Danny McCormick, of the Special Crimes Unit, for the time he shared during the preparation of this publication.

I regret both Ricky and Judy Franks's decisions to decline all interviews. There are always two sides to every story. I expressed theirs the best I could.

Behind the scenes there are always those who continue to offer their expertise, support, and undoubting belief in me. A heartfelt thanks to Tina Church, Tina Church Investigations, and Jan Blankenship, LPC. Both women are fabulous resources, as well as great friends. To the gang at PSI, Carrolle Montgomery, Tami Russell, and Myra Rodriguez, I thank you for putting up with the endless mood swings and for your ever-present encouragement. And special kudos to Eddy Lynton, who always makes me smile and continually makes me believe in myself.

Thanks to Michaela Hamilton for tolerance that was stretched to the limit.

And finally much appreciation goes to LaRee Bryant, friend and editorial consultant extraordinaire. Without her my work would never be complete.