JUNE 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 6.5

I’ve been in Law

I’ve been in Law Enforcement and As for Samuel, I can only sincerely 0,000 Fire/Rescue for a long time ..what now. I pray it won’t he did not suffer, get and he you. never have unfortunately seen my fair share of child death cases. Whether by accident or intentional, such cases stay with you forever. They just do. That being said, so do some of the most gruesome and selfish kinds of crimes, you know the ones. Where the husband figures, “If I can’t haver her, no one can!” Then, he takes her life and his, leaving the kids to face this world the rest of their lives alone. Some would say, “It’s only getting worse.” But I don’t know about that. I have been responding to these kind of crimes my whole career. Kids paying the price for the adult’s stupidity, selfishness, and extreme violence. In my career, I have held dying men, women, and children. I was the last face they saw. The last words they heard were from me. The kids, they’re the hardest to try and push past. I have tried, and I have failed. There’s not a day or night that goes by where I do not remember them..…one and all. As Houston Police, Jasper Police, The Texas Rangers and others work through the series of events, statements and actions in regard to the Samuel Olson case (the missing, now found deceased 6 year old child) I cannot help but to feel extreme sorrow for them all. For the sight of a deceased child is completely and utterly unnatural. It defies all human logic and emotion. It’ll leave a huge hole in the place where your heart once beat. I’ll tell you, the hardest one for me was a small little blonde hair girl who quietly looked up at me as I gently moved her hair from in front of her eyes and she said, “I’m scared.” I’ll never forget her, and I’ll never forget that terrible, tragic scene. I suppose it’s fair to say, some cases are just harder on your heart and your mind than others. saw the face of anyone who once told him “I love you” as that same person that took his very life. I cannot imagine a worse scenario for that precious, innocent little boy. No one, I mean no one, should ever beat, torture, abuse or certainly take the life of a child. I’ve no doubt the Texas Rangers and the Officers from various agencies will do their absolute best to ensure some justice is afforded to little Samuel. That in some way, some semblance of peace can be afforded in the fact that whomever is responsible for Samuel’s death, pays for that senseless and terrible loss. From the first Houston Police Officer who responded to the original call, to the Jasper Officers and Rangers, the Crime Scene Technicians and all the others who have and are continuing to take part in piecing together this difficult series of events, you have my unwavering support and most sincere admiration. For I completely understand what you’re enduring and what you’re going to endure in the days, months and years to come. I can clearly see in the eyes of Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and Asst. Chief Heather Miller, the sincerity in their sorrow for Samuel, the innocent family members and everyone affected by this…. this act of what can only be described as “Evil.” I am certain these two and others in the Houston Police Department shall work tirelessly and steadfastly with the other law enforcement agencies involved to reconstruct the events which led us to where we are today. With regards to family violence overall, I’ll never fathom why some people feel it is somehow better to kill their spouse or significant other and then themselves, all so that their child(ren) are forced to watch, see, suffer and forevermore endure what REX EVANS they’ve done. What kind of “person” does that? What kind of “person” decides the lives of their child(ren) aren’t more valuable that their own? Thus, in a moment of rage and absolute stupidity, they take the lives of the other parent and themselves. I’ll wrap it up with this, no cop will ever forget those cases where a child dies. You just don’t. I can attest the same goes for all firefighters and EMS personnel. Right along with our communications personnel. For collectively, we hear, see, smell and endure everything everyone else in the world absolutely fears the most. A deceased son or daughter….a young, innocent child. Through no fault of their own, their lives are ripped apart and taken. I cannot really image a worse kind of case or moment in one’s career. For me, such cases even riveled the loss of partners and law enforcement officers. Even those I have known and worked with who died in the line of duty. I have no doubt the same applies to officers everywhere. I sincerely pray for all involved in such cases. I sincerely pray for all of us actually. For Samuel was not the first child killed and he will not be the last. Especially with our current “Judicial Bond Reform System” in place. It isn’t just failing us, our families, our communities. It’s costing and killing the very best and the most innocent of us all….our children. full page ad 6 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 7