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...
Perhaps you would be more comfortable at a more liberal site that takes all accusations of bigotry as gospel...
What a wonderful little boy. I would be proud if he was my son.
So would I!
Any person who objects to parents urging their children to do the right thing is at best a troll, wanting to disrupt this thread. Or he/she is a sociopath.
thank you -now move on...
DBeers, thank you for your posts. I hate when people call people they hate haters.
8mm
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Although, imo, the letter shows a lot of adult influence, I like it. It doesn't give an apology for his actions, only that he's sorry hospice didn't like his actions which puts the guilt back on hospice.
For days, I have not read this article, even though I have been pinged to it several times. I really thought it was going to be a barfer.
Instead, it portrays a wonderful little boy. I really like his apology.
Sounds as if Karen's mother is still trying to expatiate her guilt.
What a terrible sentence to give a child for doing what he thought was proper and just. Beyond what he's written I wouldn't apologize further. Nor were I his parents, would I expect him too. They are and should be most proud of their son.
I was thinking the same thing. Ridiculous to arrest a ten year old child, with a cup of water in his hand to offer a thirsty woman, for stepping over an imaginary line.
I'll tell you the powerful image is still burned into my memory, those big tough cops in their black uniforms and jackboots on some, on each side of those tiny kids, escorting the kids to the paddy wagon. It was so bizarre, so ironic, I could hardly believe the scene as it unfolded. This is what we have come to?
Whatever the motives of the poor kids, this was a shame spectacle visited upon us all.
But those same cops with folded arms blocked the Schindler family members as well. It was hard to hold back the emotions of outrage.
8mm
It was OVERKILL (no pun intended). The utilization of brute force to which government resorted for the purpose of a goal so evil as to starve and dehydrate an innocent woman to death is stunning. Arresting ten year olds and blocking entrance to the mother who bore her, was undeniably vicious and cruel in its intent. And now we watch as innocent citizens are assaulted in the face of armed law enforcement in some instances, looking on and doing NOTHING.
The true EXPLOITATION was conducted by authorities, who misused the power of government to achieve an evil end.
Terri was NOT a "political cause." She was an innocent PERSON, whose life many, many hands were attempting to save.
A photo of those cops arresting the boy and their names should be repeatedly posted on the Internet.
Agreed. It would seem the most proper place to direct our ire is toward the IDIOTIC officers who arrested him.
Yes, along with the judge.
I am also sorry you didn't save her life and one day you will have to tell God why.
I once had a vivid dream about that day (audio and video), and it ain't pretty. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for posting this letter from Joshua.
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