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“How awful. And her siblings are going to be scarred for life. She was walking home with a twin brother and 10 year old sister, and had a squabble about something, so little Somer ran ahead of the others.”

Will somehow need to mention this to my kids. And remember it myself! We all have times when we have arguments. Tragic to think that they won’t have the chance to say “sorry” and go back to being best buddies again.

And her siblings are going to be scarred for life. She was walking home with a twin brother and 10 year old sister, and had a squabble about something, so little Somer ran ahead of the others.

They can't blame themselves, and likely, in the future, with help, probably won't. I can attest to that fact, because when I was 6, a friend who lived down the street from us was visiting with her 3 yr. old sister. The three of us went to the corner to get them across the street, under the eye of my father, who was on the roof of our house, which was on that corner, and the 3 yr. old broke away from our hands and ran into the street. A drunk driver came around the corner, and hit her, killing her. My Daddy jumped off the roof and went to her immediately, but it was too late to do anything for her.

I don't remember anything about the actual accident, and have a vague memory of having to leave my first grade classroom, go up to the courthouse, and sit around a big table, to answer questions from a bunch of men. I'm guessing it was a Grand Jury, but I don't remember anything else about the tragedy. I don't remember feeling guilty, because she might have done the same to one of her older siblings, as well, but there was nothing we could do about her actions at the time. I apparently didn't need, nor do I remember getting any counseling, but I guess we had enough people telling us that it wasn't our fault, and that we couldn't have done anything different, that we didn't need it.

That was 50 years ago this year, and the reason I remember that so well, was because my mother mentioned it from time to time. She was pregnant with her 8th child, and because of the shock, went into labor, and my sister was born the next day. That sister turns 50 next month.

But I do pray for her siblings, and her parents, and hope justice is meted out swiftly and surely for the animal who killed little Somer.