Posted on 07/25/2008 7:09:47 PM PDT by Pyro7480
The parents of a teenager girl who became a homicide victim when Andrea Curry-Demus, 38, allegedly sliced open her stomach and stole her unborn child say they forgive her. The parents of 18-year-old Kia Johnson spoke at her funeral on Friday after her body was found in Curry-Demus' apartment.
"I forgive her for the simple fact that if she wouldn't have took the baby to the hospital, we would not have been able to find our daughter," Johnson's mother Darlene said.
"She's going to be missed by everyone," her mother said. "Kia was a special child.
An AP report indicated Johnson's father, Eric Johnson Sr., said he forgave Curry-Demus, too, because he is a Christian.
"I'm just glad my daughter knew the Lord and she was saved. She's with Jesus," her father said, according to the Associated Press.
Johnson's family have named her son, who survived the attack, Terrell Kian Johnson in honor of his mother. he was released from the hospital on Wednesday.
Police believe Curry-Demus met Johnson at the Allegheny County Jail. Both happened to be visiting inmates at the time of their coincidental meeting.
She spent an hour talking to her husband, Raymond Demus, who is in prison on charges of rape. Video camera footage shows Curry-Demus and Johnson chatting in the waiting room.
After the visits, Curry-Demus reportedly lured Johnson to a third-floor apartment where she tied up Johnson, wrapped her head in a plastic bag, used a sharp object to rip open Johnson's abdomen and pulled out the baby boy.
Curry-Demus reportedly took the baby to a local hospital on July 16 claiming she had just given birth and suspicious hospital staff contacted police.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for August 22 and an Allegheny County judge ruled Curry-Demus competent to stand trial.
That ruling comes despite a psychiatrist's testimony that she has some mental health issues.
The mental health issues appear to have stemmed originally from a February 1990 miscarriage Curry-Demus had.
Amen! Praise God that they are Christians. They have assurance of Salvation, and know they will be with their daughter again.
Sorry. Their daughter died a horrible and painful death as I can imagine. There is no way I would forgive the monster who did this.
They are better Christians than me. It would take everything in my power not to resort to simple Mosaic retribution.
They are better humans than me. I’d want to slice the scum into tiny little pieces very slowly.
To me, this makes just as much sense an an honor killing.
Her daughter was killed 9 days ago and she’s already forgiven her killer??? Chilling. I hate quick forgiveness. It’s mindless and cheap.
I can’t wait for this freaking nightmare to be over.
It’s harder to forgive your enemies than to hate them, but this is what we Christians believe God commands. Note that forgiveness doesn’t mean the relationship is restored or crimes remain unpunished.
Have to agree there. Hardly enough time to process what has happened.
And forgiveness can not cancel out punishment for the criminal.
They can forgive her for taking their daughter from them, (although it would take me decades, if ever), but they cannot forgive her crime. Their daughter is the victim; she is the only one with the right to forgive the crime. And she's dead.
To forgive the murderer of your child within a few days of her death is sick. These people are sick.
Welcome to LBJs Great Society.
I assumed they were liberals
There is no god.
Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. These poor parents will feel anger, rage, and all types of emotion, I am sure. However, when someone makes a conscious choice to forgive their enemies, they are making the right choice. It isn’t about excusing what was done or saying that their daughter wasn’t important enough; rather, it is about choosing not to let bitterness, which is the weed of Satan, from growing up and choking life away from you. If you can’t understand this, I doubt it can be explained to you but maybe you will understand, one day.
Sometimes it is tempting to think that, isn't it? Trust me on this one FRiend, there is.
“But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:26)
Thank you for explaining this. I wanted to try but I think you did better than I could have. I applaud them for being able to do as God expects. No, it does not mean that they will not grieve, and all that that entails. It can be a very hard thing to do, forgive those that hurt you. But as you say, the alternative is to allow the seeds of bitterness and hate and the desire to hurt back to fester inside. Forgiveness does not mean lack of consequenses.
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