Posted on 09/01/2005 9:51:24 AM PDT by NYer
TAMPA BAY, August 31, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Ten year-old Joshua Heldreth, the eldest of eight children, was arrested on Good Friday of this year for trespassing while attempting to bring a drink of water to Miss Terri Schaivo. Days later Schiavo died of intentional dehydration. In court Joshua pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 hours of community service and ordered to write an apology for his actions.
The boy whose arrest photo was splashed on front pages of newspapers across the nation wrote in his apology letter, "I was arrested on Good Friday for trespassing on the hospice center's property . . . Not giving Mrs. Shiavo (sic) food or water was wrong. The reason I had to go on your property was because Jesus would do the same thing. It made me sad that she was so thirsty and it made Jesus sad too. I knew she would die without water and I am called by Jesus to be a defender of the defenceless. So I had to go on your property to try to bring her a drink."
Joshua added, "I am sorry that you didn't like that and wouldn't allow me to help save her life and one day you will have to tell God why. I won't be able to help you then like I tried to help her. I will pray for you every day . . ."
LifeSiteNews.com caught up with Joshua's father Scott Heldreth today. Scott told LifeSiteNews.com he is very proud of his son. "My son has amazed me through this whole thing," said Heldreth. The proud father said it was his son's own initiative to attempt to give the starving woman a glass of water, and despite the warning of his parents that he'd be arrested, the boy insisted. "He was the one who begged us to go down, because he wanted to give her a glass of water . . . We explained that police will never let you help . . . you'll be arrested, but he went anyways."
Pro-life leader Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Save America told LifeSiteNews.com that the whole pro-life movement shares Heldreth's pride in his son. Benham recalls the reaction of Heldreth on Good Friday as he watched his son being arrested: "When that all took place Scott was weeping, this father was weeping tears of joy seeing his son not only talk the Christian talk but walk the walk."
While the apology letter has been submitted, Heldreth told LifeSiteNews.com he's not completely sure it will be accepted.
See Joshua's full handwritten apology letter here:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/JoshuaApolog...
What a disgusting spectacle. May God keep me far away from Florida.
What can I say? That young man knows what's what!
Good apology. If most 10 year olds expressed themselves that lucidly, this country would be better off.
Why would Satan accept this apology?
"Good apology. If most 10 year olds expressed themselves that lucidly, this country would be better off."
Forget 10 year olds...how about 50 year olds...:)
He writes a very eloquent (and slightly vindictive) letter of apology for a kid his age. His faith is quite impressive too. May he do many good things in his lifetime.
Matthew 21:16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these {children} are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, 'OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF'?"
That is one brave little boy, standing up to pure evil.
An admirable young man.
Unbelievable!
This kid wasn't used, he asked to go...
Christ will use homever he chooses. His parents didn't force him, as you read it...it was this brave young boy's choice.
On the other hand...he could have stayed home watching MTV and playing Grand Theft Auto like most 10 year olds in America while his parents get ready to go party on "Good" Friday night.
Thanks for the ping!
If they really wanted to slug this thing out, I think they'd have grounds on the basis that a court cannot force a person to apologize for something. To do so is to force a person to admit guilt; something anathema to our justice system.
In essence, he tells the judge 'You're out of order! You're out of order! The whole trial is out of order!'
And we actually think that God's judgement won't rain down on us? Next time it might be fire and brimstone.
Why would Satan accept this apology?
Court order didn't say it had to be accepted? only that he write it?
I like your point. Can you force someone to plead guilty to something? No, it is their choice. So how can you force someone to "write a letter of apology"? If he is not sorry he tried to help Terri, how can he be Constitutionally forced to say he is?
Way to exploit a child for a political cause - what a wonderful father....
What a courageous young man. I wonder how many 10 yr olds accused of other crimes get off scott free? It's seems they wanted, needed, to make an example of him for bringing water to a dying woman. How dare he interfere with their plans! /sarcasm I like his apology.
This is the stuff of nightmares.
God Bless this little one who knew the decision to kill mentally broken but physically healthy human being in a NAZI KAMP style death, forcing her to DIE of hunger and thirst, is beyond brutal. Is, in fact, insane.
I don't know if he wrote this by himself or not, but it's exactly right. I wouldn't want to have to tell God why they denied water to a woman they were starving to death. And not believing in God isn't going to help them very much either.
your from someplace far worse my friend.....this issue is local....
The state is solid red which is more than I can say for California.
THE CHILD WAS FORCED BY JUDICIAL DESPOTS TO APOLOGIZE, I guarantee you that. The child was probably afraid that they would be starved next.
If solid red, than why don't the good people in Florida do something about their barbaric laws?
This boy wasn't used, except by God. He shames the adults who failed to do anything to stop this atrocity!
"I am sorry that you didn't like that and wouldn't allow me to help save her life and one day you will have to tell God why..."
It should be amusing watching Judge Greer try to explain his way out of this one when faces God. He will get the same mercy and compassion that he showed to Terri Schiavo. Which doesn't bode well for him."
This is a man. God bless him for doing what is right! There is a much higher authority than man and he knows it. If we (and I include myself) had half the belief he does, Terri would be alive today.
Maybe, maybe not. There are all sorts of gifted children and child prodigies who excel to a level of skill not normally seen at their age.
Okay, I am not a lawyer, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.
Since the kid already admitted guilt by pleading guilty, the judge isn't forcing the kid to admit guilt. He (the kid) already did.
Now it can be argued that even though the kid admitted guilt, he feels no remorse and should not be forced to write a letter for something that he acknowledges was illegal but morally right.
I find it outrageous that the courts would require anyone to apologize for anything. Aside from the fact that the kid has nothing to apologize for, a forced apology is no apology.
An intelligent ten year old could have written this.
I believe his parents did not stop him once he made the choice to follow his own beliefs. His father, as he even stated, told him what the results would be...Jail.
How could someone of true faith tell his son "Hey, it's the right thing to do. Christ would do it, sure, and he would be pleased by those actions... but you will get in trouble, so don't do it." Great message to send.
We need more parents to teach their children to stand for good, regardless of what is in their way.
May Ms. Schiavo rest in peace. Amen.
This little fellow has a VERY bright future ahead of him.
I would certainly hope that this young man got his values from his parents. That's usually the way it works. Where do you kids get their values? From the street? Or worse, from public schools?
I like this kid.
Maybe the Florida GOP can run him against Bill Nelson.
Nothing but net.......Great shot
lots of liberals in Florida.....too many liberals in California....like my own home state the Peoples Republic of NY.
but don't damn a state better than your own.
It is appalling that Pinellas County would make a child apologize for being a good samaritan!
That's my point. I don't consider Florida better than my own...not on this issue.
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