Since 1993 when some children at SouthWest Edgecombe High School (SGA) Student Government Association called me to the school to help them solve a staged walkout because a white coach had grabbed a black student around the neck in the hall way. The SGA President was a white male and was leading the cause. Mrs. Nellie Hunter who recently passed played a major role in teaching the children how to be productive citizens and sources say she was the one who told them to call me on a Thursday night while I was in the NAACP NC State Conference of Branches State Convention in Greenville NC. I got the message on my car phone and I went to work on Friday morning at 5:00 AM and got off at 9:00 AM and went to the school. I videoed the meeting that was held outside the building in front of the lobby that morning. We later moved into the multi-purpse room and finished the meeting. Now don’t think I was the only one called there were other community leaders invited to attend also.
In 1993 I was 31 years old. During this time I was the 1st Vice President of the Rocky Mount NAACP. On Christmas Day I will be 50 years old which is 19 years later. So after all of these years I have been an advocate for children every day of my life, I mean every day and have not taken a day off from being a voice for children and the elderly. I have received countless threats over the years but I will trust in the Lord until I die.
Now back to the Edgecombe County woman facing felony child abuse charges – WNCT TV
A couple of days after the child abuse incident took place involving a child in Pinetops I was contacted by several folks. The first call came from a close friend shortly after midnight on Monday after the weekend in which the incident had occurred to ask me had I heard about it. I had not. The following day I received a message on Facebook from a young man who moved from here and attended college in another county in NC.
I have carried the burden of this young child being abused since I was made aware of it before the story was ran in the newspaper. I was concerned about the abuse but had not heard from the family but then I began to receive messages from several folks even some family members.
I am going to share with you 2 conversations from folks (including family members) who say they were concerned about the child abuse case.
A person sent me a Facebook message about the child abuse. He is a former resident of Edgecombe County but now lives somewhere else. See conversations.
November 6, 2012 Conversation with Person #1
Did you hear about the 2 year old black girl rap an beat an acid put on her eyes by a white male! In maclessfield
She is on life support right now
They found sperm on her an it was connected to a white male.
My response: Heard a little something about a child being beat and/or possibly raped but no other details.
Yes she was beat an tied Down with a belt an rap from front an back
My response: Damn that is sad. Have they locked up the male?
Nope he is in the military an he was the only white male there at the time. So he ran back to the military base an they are protecting him. They told the family they don’t have enough evidence to make him come in for a DNA test for the sperm found on the girl. It’s sad because dss took the mothers other kids because they said its her fault for letting a women watch her child with bipolar. So they punished the mother because she didn’t have her child in a day care. The little girl is on life support an her brain is bleeding an she was breathing 80% on her own but now she is breathing 70% smh
My response: Damn!
O yea I told them call NAACP
November 10, 2012
What is going why is everyone talking about you. What did you say to anger them
My response: Trying to get them to be quiet until the investigation is over.
No response from him.
My response: call me 252.314.5484 or 252.406.6510
No response from him.
My response: Did you get your answer since I haven’t heard from you.
However I see you read my response to you.
I read it but also I’m a busy man also I teach . . . an personal train people on the side. But i see your vision an I understand. They making it look like you talk bad about the whole family. I can talk more about it later I’m in a lunching with the city council of . . . .
Note: I edited the last comment because I don’t want to reveal my source.
My response: Okay
This is the last time I have communicated with this brother.
_________________________________________________________________________
November 10, 2012 Conversation with Person # 2
is there anyway you can help the Draughn family bring attention to what happened to the little 2yr old and get some action going?
My response: I need to know the details haven’t heard from anyone directly connected to the little girl. Someone sent me a chat but they don’t live here.
I heard they were talking about it on FM 92.1 today but I didn’t hear it.
I would need to find out what is going on from the family and then I would do my own homework (investigate) before I get involved in stuff like that.
well I can tell you this, it is . . . . Draughn’s 2 yr old granddaughter. she was raped and beaten and she is in the hospital in Greenville. She is doing good now. They know who did this but they have not arrested him. The family is starting feel like because it’s a black child and a white man did it they will not get any justice. The child’s name is …. and her mother’s name is Carla, but they call her Chelle. Also contact . . . . Draughn here on FB and I will tell her to contact you.
My response: Okay. I got a call a couple of days ago when this first happened and I was told who it was. I received a chat from someone in . . . . telling me their story.
I keep hearing they know who did it but what I am having a problem with is who know who did it? That is the part that is unclear.
If they have enough evidence then they would arrest him whoever he is.
Okay now the black white thingy. First of all folks need to understand the role the mother plays in this. This is beyond race.
Why did the white girl have the baby? Who knows how many guys were around the baby while she was keeping the baby?
A close family member gave me some input about the mother and the baby today.
I will not contact anyone but I will talk to anyone (family) who contacts me but I will be honest with them and share with them what I am hearing about the whole situation.
I got a call from the NAACP today that they got a call but this is not an NAACP issue.
When I assist people on issues such as this I will be open and honest because I will not allow anyone to make me look stupid because emotions run high and people tend to only tell one side of the story but I investigate.
I know . . . . grandmother real well been knowing her all of my life. I videoed her daughter’s funeral.
Tell them I will talk to them and give them the best advice about the situation from my opinion but they must be willing to accept my opinion.
November 11, 2012
After reading something on Facebook I responded and then sent this message to Person #2.
I removed it from your actual post so please respond via chat.
You say:
1. A two year old child has been severely beaten and abused and then a lie was told to cover it up.
Okay but who determined that?
2. Charges have been filed and more charges may be pending based upon a continued joint investigation with the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Dept and the SBI.
I am going to wait on this.
3. The children are with thier grandmother as a preventive measure as is standard in all child abuse investigations.
Really? What is standard is that what people don’t understand is when the hospital get involved they call Social Services and I am going to leave it at that.
4. The mother entrusted care of her child to someone she considered a friend and this was not the first time the young lady had cared for her child.
Okay so what that is not the deciding factor. It does not take but 1 time for an incident to happen.
5. The young lady who is actually at the center of this investigation has not been compelled to release the names of the other people who were in her home when this happened.
So if that be the case what can I do and you do to make her release the names of the other people. That is for the police to make happen.
6. The character of the mother has not been called into question by the police so therefore it should not be being questioned by the general public
From day one the character of the mother is in question for me and that is where I begin and that is at the root of the issue. The root for me is why was this white girl keeping the baby?
Now at this point what I would like to see, is our community come together and help one another get some answers and justice for this sweet little girl. If you can do something to help you should not wait to be asked you should be volunteering and if you cannot help then do not hinder.
Coming together and to get what answers. I have tried to help, I have asked that we wait on the SBI and the Edgecombe County Sheriff Office to release their findings.
I love you all with the love of Christ and we are having special prayer at our 2pm service this afternoon, I welcome you all to come Morning Star Holy Church 107 E Lashly St Pinetops, NC. Don’t meet me there beat me there.
I love you too however this is not about my love for you or your love for me but my love for the baby and if it is all about the child then what is being done productive that the child could benefit from this. If I was in control I would say let’s pray that all (everyone) who has played in role in this incident be brought to justice. Why not start a fund to be set aside that can not be touched until the child is eligible to get the funds.
Okay again if you have a problem with my response then delete it. But remember you contacted me and you made it known when I kept it to myself. However I just know you from being friends on Facebook.
I don’t have a problem with anything you said because you are entitled to your opinion. What I do take issue with is the way in which you responded. If you will note I simply said some people have gone too far to the right and too far to the left. I never named any names in anything I said and to be perfectly honest I was speaking more to my family than I was anyone else because many of the family members that are currently involved have small children and are thinking more with thier hearts than with thier minds which often happens in this type of situation. Now to address some of the points that you seem to call into question, we know it was not an animal that attacked the baby because there are no teeth marks on her body to support her being bit. The piece about standard procedures if you were to contact Edge. Co. Sheriff’s Dept. or DSS they would tell you that anytime there is an allegation of child abuse they will remove all children from a home until all questions have been answered. As for the young lady not telling who did this only she knows who was in here home during the hours that this event could have taken place and the Sheriffs dept has repeatedly said that there may be more charges pending. As for calling into question the mother’s train of thought in allowing to her children to be in this young lady’s home again we all must realize this is someone she called a friend and this was not the first time the two families have interacted. I am a firm believer that everyone is entitled to thier own opinion and also allowed to express said opinion, but at the same time respectfully request that you show respect if you want respect to be given. I have no intentions of unfriending you because I have known you to be an activist and informer and the reason I asked for your help on what could be done is because I thought you would be a viable resource. The one thing I ask in this is that you take a moment to think how you would feel if it had happen to one of your children. Would you really want someone questioning your personal judgement without knowing you and your situation and let’s remember that you have clearly stated you have not talked to either parent or grandparent so how can you pass judgement on people you don’t know. And as far as you knowing me personally I’m sure you would probably remember me more as a child than an adult because if my memory serves me correctly I do believe you to have been a friend of my father’s (. . . . . ) back in the day. I am his and . . . . oldest child . . . . or . . . . as I am known by a lot of my family. I do still respect your opinion and pray that you enjoy the rest of your day.
My response: But you are old enough to understand you don’t have control over how someone responds. We can either accept it or move on.
I don’t like it when people leave room for assumption because if you say what you mean then it will remove all doubt. You see you are obviously afraid to tell them they are thinking more with their hearts than their minds. Unlike myself I am straight to the point so don’t hold that against me.
Fact: It was stated that the mother is waiting on the findings from the rape report so I am far from concerned and have not given one thought about a dog. If that is what she told the magistrate so be it but we are at the stage of the rape kit so I ain’t concerned about the dog story.
I am constantly in contact with the Edgecombe County Sheriff Dept. and I know a little something about the DSS used to attend their meetings monthly and have family and friends that works with DSS.
I am concerned about this white 20 year old girl keeping this baby especially when I have been told by some of the same folks within your circle and my circle that she does drugs.
If this was one of my children I would follow the legal system and challenge it as I done with school issues. I won everyone of my battles thank you even got several principals and teachers fired but they ain’t going to give me credit for it and it does not matter because my mission was accomplished and I don’t need any glory, tv cameras and etc. You don’t see me in no photos or tv shots in all of the things I have done down to being in the room with President Obama and others.
I know your dad and your mom. We are suppose to be some kin.
What I will not do is compromise my integrity for no one not even my mom, dad and other family members. I don’t roll like that.
And finally some of the same folks that are in your circle and my circle have told me that the mother of said child do not deserve to have her children. They said they have told her she is going to get locked up behind this stuff and because of her life style. I have been told she has been to jail not long ago. So cous yes I question her character, your character and everybody character that I come into contact with and I tell them to question mines as well.
You just don’t know the things I have been told even from some of the family members so if I wanted to be show nuff nasty I could but I am waiting for the police findings.
You too have a blessed day.
my last point would be then to make it known that the things that you are saying is based on what you have been told by her own family members then your motives will not be called into question.
My response: No I am not because I am going to wait on the findings like I have continued to say. I don’t have to expose anyone I don’t roll like that. When you expose folks you lose that resource.
You see cous that is the difference between me and other folks who don’t know how to work the system The system works when you work the system but when you expose folks then you lose 99% of the time.
I don’t mind taking the heat. It ain’t about me my main concern is the child is out of the hospital and now I am waiting on the findings so that justice will prevail.
you have a vaild point there and you are right you work the system instead of letting the system work you.
My response: Since you want to talk about DSS, don’t you realize they are watching what is going on on the Justice page the activity in the community. I am sickened by what I heard took place after the gathering on yesterday. The celebration. How and why? That money should have been put aside and no one should have been able to touch it until the child herself could years down the road. That is real justice.
I wasn’t there yesterday so I don’t know anything about that. That’s why I asked people to come to church today for prayer.
My response: If ya’ll had listened to me you would not been waiting on the NAACP to host that March. I am talking about the gathering and what took place afterwards from what I have been told.
I listen to information that is shared with me and then I pick and choose what I feel could be real or not. I look at the people who share the information with me and I pick and choose who I feel are credible. However I don’t stop at one person’s information I check it out if I think it is credible.
Well I am going to be right here and my heart will be open.
The work I do is no joke I have been threatened many times and most recently yesterday.
I have verified several things that I feel will be revealed soon and I am going to see where all these folks are when they are needed most.
ok, I truly do understand that, I just wanted to clear up that I was not calling anybody in particular out because my views are my views and everybody doesn’t have to agree with them.
My response: Well I am going to be right here and my heart will be open.
The work I do is no joke I have been threatened many times and most recently yesterday.
ok, I truly do understand that, I just wanted to clear up that I was not calling anybody in particular out because my views are my views and everybody doesn’t have to agree with them.
My response: But you didn’t have to. Since I have been the topic of discussion so don’t you know I am not ignant to the fact you either put me on the left or the right.
no actually I didn’t put anybody in any category, I really just wanted to put facts out there to try and pull everybody back together so in all actuality I was really leaning more to your side except the thing about the mother. I do know that no matter what justice will prevail and the healing process has already begun for the baby and that’s the most important thing
My response: It has begun but you see with her name out there it will make the healing process somewhat difficult. Have you noticed I have never mentioned the child’s name nor the mother. I was told last night that one of the little girls sister if I am correct was asked by a teacher and others and the little girl said she was tired of everybody talking about this situation. Again just going by what I was told but I trust the source that told me.
Everytime I hear something like that I get more pissed.
I have not had anymore conversation with Person #2.
I have been cursed out and threatened so for those who have sent me messages, spoke to me in person from everyday folks to law enforcement that told me thank you for all that I do especially for trying to keep the community calm this is what I endured as it relates to this case. I posted a message on the Justice for . . . website after someone had added me to the group but obviously they didn’t want to hear truth so I was deleted. Matter of fact when I posted my comment I stated they probably would not like it and they could delete me if they like and sure nuff they did. Oh well didn’t stop me from speaking truth.
Read more:
Pinetops NC – 22 suspects jailed on multiple drug charges – Daily Southerner
Pinetops NC: I Was Cursed Out And Threatened When I Responded To The Recently Child Abuse Case In Pinetops
Nehemiah Smith Jr. Responds To My Open Letter On Justice For . . . Facebook Page
Pinetops NC: Family, friends rally for sexually assaulted girl – Daily Southerner
Supporters look for answers in attack on Tarboro child – WRAL TV
Update: Mother of abused toddler speaks out – WNCT TV
Edgecombe County woman facing felony child abuse charges – WNCT TV
Filed under: Child abuse, Nehemiah Smith, Pinetops NC, The Weekly Defender | 2 Comments »
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