Suspect in custody on attempted murder charges
Updated: 9/1/02 10:56 AM
By: Ken Derksen & Web Staff
Moore County teens were attacked while they slept.
Justin Martin is facing three counts of attempted murder and is being held under a $1 million bond.
Just after 2 a.m. Saturday morning, medics were called to a home outside of Aberdeen. On arrival, they found three teens with their necks slashed open, all struggling for life. ( my comment: Connie kept her brother and sister alive by applying towels to their wounds till help arrived).
Ding and Noy Sengkhamphong are shocked anyone would harm children from the Sherwood Park subdivision. Constance Holdsworth, 15, and her sister Cathy, 14, were two of the teens brutally attacked. Their 12 year old brother Jimmy, who was also injured, often visited the Sengkhamphong's home. "He played with my kids and he rode the same bus," Ding said.
The Moore County sheriff said Justin Martin, 22, attacked the teens. After a day-long search, the suspect was arrested at his home in the Foxfire community. Sheriff Frank Johnson said Martin was a friend and co-worker with the victim's father. He was staying at the Holdsworth home Friday night.
EMS supervisors told News 14 Carolina, no amount of training could prepare its medics for the gruesome scene they were called to. Many of the medics were so shaken by the extent of the children's injuries that the Moore County EMS Department gave a briefing to help their personnel deal with their stress.
The young victims were all taken to First Health in Pinehurst. They were in guarded condition Saturday night.
Martin is facing three counts of attempted murder and is being held under a $1 million bond. Deputies said they aren't sure what prompted the attacks on the sleeping children.
Martin's first court date will be September 19.
In a statement released Sunday, the family said," We appreciate the outpouring of care, concern and support from friends, neighbors and the general public. Our children, Jimmy, 12, Cathy, 15 and Connie, 16 are stable and resting well. At this time, we will be most grateful if our need for privacy can be respected. We cannot accept requests for interviews or respond to telephone calls. Thank you."
#1. Most with a trachea doesn't usually speak, just the fact that they are whispering is really good.
#2. Anyone that has undergone anything that tramatic usually does not remember it. When you go into shock it is like the brain has an "erase" mode. Combined with the heavy meds that they are most likely on, the little bit of memory that they do have will be gone.
# 3. Working with EMS I have learned that they stress when they are dealing with children. They have told me repeatedly that it is like working on their own children when they work on any child, no matter how old, young or race, that child become "theirs" at the scene. Trust me they are checking on the status of "their kids" every time they go on a run to that hospital.