Posted on 08/15/2005 8:43:59 PM PDT by WJHII
Christian Edward Martinez Memorial Warner Robins
By William John Hagan
It was a picture perfect Saturday afternoon but tears of sorrow feel like a steady rain upon the dry earth of Magnolia Park Cemetery as family, friends and strangers remembered the short but tragic life of Christian Edward Martinez. Christian, a sixteen month old baby, was allegedly murdered last August by Gregory Class, the boyfriend of Christian’s mother Tammy Souliere of Warner Robins. Class has been charged with three counts of murder and aggravated battery stemming from an incident on August 7, 2004. Despite allegations that Class has previously abused the child in the most grotesque fashion he was babysitting Christian at the time of his death.
Prior to the 2004 murder of Christian, Class had allegedly brutalized the child on at least two occasions. In March of that year, Class had broken Christian’s arm and then in June injured the baby by kneeing him in the scrotum. Christian’s short life finally came to an end when Class was allowed to baby-sit the abused infant.
On August 7th, Class, who was a senior airman at Robins Air Force Base, called 911 and reported that the child had choked. Forensic evidence soon led the police to a different conclusion. Houston County District Attorney, Kelly Burke, accuses Class of striking the child numerous times with his fists before using his hand to cover the child’s small mouth and nose. The asphyxiation, and the prior beatings, resulted in brain injury. Christian clung to life for twenty-four hours before dying at the Medical Center of Central Georgia’s Children Center.
This Saturday, however, those gathered in memory of Christian remembered the happy times rather than the tragedies that led up to his death. A year after his murder, the child is laid to rest in a private grotto under a tombstone that bares a portrait of the boy’s angelic face. This day his grave was adorned with photos of the smiling child at play, surrounded by what seemed to be a hundred black and red balloons. Nancy Kirkendall, Christian’s grandmother, stated that the black symbolized mourning; while, the red represented the violence in today’s society.
As the family gathered in front of Christian’s grave, Pat Luther filled the summer air with song while Tommy Sadler, a Sunday School Teacher at Southside Baptist Church, brought the congregation to prayer. Sadler reminded the gathered mourners that, “Our minds cannot understand the will of God but someday we will all know.” Sadler inspired the family with the belief that someday someone will come into their lives that they will be able to help from their experience with Christian’s death. He sent a strong message that, even from an evil action, with God’s will, something good can one day result.
Sadler further assured the family that, “God also lost a son and we all know that Christian is with Jesus. Christian is, today, where we all desire to be: In the presence of the Lord.” He reminded those present that they too would, once again, be with Christian and that it was important that all present, know “Jesus as their savior so that they may one day see Christian again. You will see Christian, again, through our Lord.”
Tammy Souliere spoke of her lost son in poetic verse. The poem she had written in Christian’s memory was entitled “Losing a Piece of Me”. Souliere remembered that, “to hold the limp body of my child in my arms defies words. I will never know the person he would have been. I wanted to die. Never again will I feel whole.”
As the family and guests wept tears of sorrow, Souliere also stated, “that he will live forever in my heart and will always be part of me. We want to remember his life and not his death.”
Christian’s grandmother reminded the mourners that, “Little ones aren’t suppose to die. A grandchild’s death in not something you can just pack away.” After Kirkendall’s epitaph the mourners were given clusters of the red and black balloons. Tammy Souliere held a single white balloon. Kirkendall told those gathered that, “The one white balloon would be released for Christian.” She also stated her desire that, “everyone here will remember the little ones we lose everyday.”
Souliere then released the white balloon from her trembling hand. Christian’s single white balloon was soon followed by the red and black balloons which slowly drifted above Warner Robins towards the heavens.
William John Hagan can be visited on the internet at http://williamjohnhagan.blogspot.com
Letter to the editor can be sent to mailto: rgambill@evansnewspapers.com
Dual Vanity's have a way of pissn them off :-)
hmm
So where is Class now? In jail I hope.
Especially in Breaking News.....Ouch!
They must be sleeping...they are sloowwwwww to move heh
Well written, but might cause a response from the MODS :-)
They're usually so on top of this thing.
Guess they're as tired of the Cindy Sheehan threads as I am. LOL
LOL, Double posted in Breaking News......... INCOMING!
Awwww....It's a neewbie. Mistake maybe?
Hmmmm.....
NOT breaking news damnit
I laid low for two weeks after that :-)
Boy, did I get hammered.
Still here, though. Trial by fire. And yes, I've posted a total of 2 threads in my time .
Better at replies, I guess. qo:
The worst part is that I meant to post the entire article, but I messed up the HTML at the start, so nothing I copied and pasted showed up, and that was before we had the option of proofing what we posted :-)
Hey Mr. Hagen, you can come out from under the covers now, The Mods have moved the thread to where it should be and you're still here. You can consider yourself a "Made" FReeper now :-)
hit the post button twice, it happens
Welcome to Free Republic :-)
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