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A Moment in Time: A Police Sergeant’s Observation | Sgt. Carol Adams | TEDxRVAWomen


[Applause]

[Applause] time what does that mean is it about the

time what does that mean is it about the

time what does that mean is it about the second minutes and hours that make up a

second minutes and hours that make up a

second minutes and hours that make up a day is it a statement on some social

day is it a statement on some social

day is it a statement on some social movement or is it a way for us to think

movement or is it a way for us to think

movement or is it a way for us to think about our human existence actually it’s

about our human existence actually it’s

about our human existence actually it’s about all of these but I want to

about all of these but I want to

about all of these but I want to actually think differently about how a

actually think differently about how a

actually think differently about how a single moment can have a life lasting

single moment can have a life lasting

single moment can have a life lasting impact as you start your day searching

impact as you start your day searching

impact as you start your day searching the daily news scanning for the latest

the daily news scanning for the latest

the daily news scanning for the latest breaking headlines I prepare for my day

breaking headlines I prepare for my day

breaking headlines I prepare for my day as a public servant as a city police

as a public servant as a city police

as a public servant as a city police officer who’s ready to respond on a call

officer who’s ready to respond on a call

officer who’s ready to respond on a call where I would meet individuals who will

where I would meet individuals who will

where I would meet individuals who will always remember that moment in time I

always remember that moment in time I

always remember that moment in time I will not play the role in the events

will not play the role in the events

will not play the role in the events that will bring us together a crime has

that will bring us together a crime has

that will bring us together a crime has been committed a decision has been made

been committed a decision has been made

been committed a decision has been made in action has been taken and these

in action has been taken and these

in action has been taken and these individuals would be soon forgotten in

individuals would be soon forgotten in

individuals would be soon forgotten in the shadows of old news I’m going to

the shadows of old news I’m going to

the shadows of old news I’m going to share with you several moments that have

share with you several moments that have

share with you several moments that have had a significant impact on me and these

had a significant impact on me and these

had a significant impact on me and these victims of time it was a typical day and

victims of time it was a typical day and

victims of time it was a typical day and I responded on the call of a 7 day old

I responded on the call of a 7 day old

I responded on the call of a 7 day old child that was left alone in a baby

child that was left alone in a baby

child that was left alone in a baby carrier on the kitchen counter the

carrier on the kitchen counter the

carrier on the kitchen counter the neighbors shared that the mother had a 7

neighbors shared that the mother had a 7

neighbors shared that the mother had a 7 day old a 3 year old in a 5 year old but

day old a 3 year old in a 5 year old but

day old a 3 year old in a 5 year old but we could not find them while

we could not find them while

we could not find them while communicating with the individual who

communicating with the individual who

communicating with the individual who found the child I scanned the house that

found the child I scanned the house that

found the child I scanned the house that was scarcely furnished empty of baby

was scarcely furnished empty of baby

was scarcely furnished empty of baby supplies and no family photos I

supplies and no family photos I

supplies and no family photos I immediately removed the baby from the

immediately removed the baby from the

immediately removed the baby from the carrier i diapered him found him a

carrier i diapered him found him a

carrier i diapered him found him a bottle and held the infant in my arms as

bottle and held the infant in my arms as

bottle and held the infant in my arms as I waited to deliver

I waited to deliver

I waited to deliver for him to a social worker as we scan

for him to a social worker as we scan

for him to a social worker as we scan the neighborhood searching for the mom

the neighborhood searching for the mom

the neighborhood searching for the mom and her children I was passed so we

and her children I was passed so we

and her children I was passed so we still left the community was angered and

still left the community was angered and

still left the community was angered and outraged

outraged

outraged eager to report any sightings of this

eager to report any sightings of this

eager to report any sightings of this mom so it was less than an hour and we

mom so it was less than an hour and we

mom so it was less than an hour and we received a call to return to that

received a call to return to that

received a call to return to that neighborhood the mom had been cited I am

neighborhood the mom had been cited I am

neighborhood the mom had been cited I am Carol Adams before I can be sergeant

Carol Adams before I can be sergeant

Carol Adams before I can be sergeant Adams so I as I prepare for my encounter

Adams so I as I prepare for my encounter

Adams so I as I prepare for my encounter with this mom I asked her sister to take

with this mom I asked her sister to take

with this mom I asked her sister to take custody of her children then I asked her

custody of her children then I asked her

custody of her children then I asked her ma’am why why did you leave your

ma’am why why did you leave your

ma’am why why did you leave your seven-day old baby home alone she

seven-day old baby home alone she

seven-day old baby home alone she responded that she had a mandatory

responded that she had a mandatory

responded that she had a mandatory meeting with the social worker that

meeting with the social worker that

meeting with the social worker that required a long bus trip with three

required a long bus trip with three

required a long bus trip with three small children so this mother mother had

small children so this mother mother had

small children so this mother mother had to do an assessment she had decided to

to do an assessment she had decided to

to do an assessment she had decided to decide how could she keep all of her

decide how could she keep all of her

decide how could she keep all of her children safe so she had to look at the

children safe so she had to look at the

children safe so she had to look at the three of them and determine who would be

three of them and determine who would be

three of them and determine who would be safest if left home alone who would not

safest if left home alone who would not

safest if left home alone who would not burn down the house

burn down the house

burn down the house run out into the street or play in the

run out into the street or play in the

run out into the street or play in the electrical socket this mother doing the

electrical socket this mother doing the

electrical socket this mother doing the best she could with what she had and

best she could with what she had and

best she could with what she had and what she knew a mother’s love

there’s always more to the story another

there’s always more to the story another day another call a call-out to the scene

day another call a call-out to the scene

day another call a call-out to the scene where a child has been shot and

where a child has been shot and

where a child has been shot and transported to the hospital as I arrived

transported to the hospital as I arrived

transported to the hospital as I arrived on scene and survey the area

on scene and survey the area

on scene and survey the area I immediately determined that the

I immediately determined that the

I immediately determined that the evidence does not support what I’ve been

evidence does not support what I’ve been

evidence does not support what I’ve been told that this child is not not going to

told that this child is not not going to

told that this child is not not going to be alright as I approached the house I’m

be alright as I approached the house I’m

be alright as I approached the house I’m drawn to the floor I can see all of

drawn to the floor I can see all of

drawn to the floor I can see all of these little pieces of something on the

these little pieces of something on the

these little pieces of something on the floor some with a reddish tint to sign

floor some with a reddish tint to sign

floor some with a reddish tint to sign with the pinkish tint so as I draw

with the pinkish tint so as I draw

with the pinkish tint so as I draw closer to the floor and I get down I see

closer to the floor and I get down I see

closer to the floor and I get down I see that these are fragments fragments of

that these are fragments fragments of

that these are fragments fragments of her little skull a mother working a

her little skull a mother working a

her little skull a mother working a couple of blocks away has dropped her

couple of blocks away has dropped her

couple of blocks away has dropped her daughter off with her aunt and uncle the

daughter off with her aunt and uncle the

daughter off with her aunt and uncle the child is directed to play in the next

child is directed to play in the next

child is directed to play in the next room where she encounters a handgun that

room where she encounters a handgun that

room where she encounters a handgun that only requires a small portion of

only requires a small portion of

only requires a small portion of additional pressure to discharge one

additional pressure to discharge one

additional pressure to discharge one single round pow an animal unimaginable

single round pow an animal unimaginable

single round pow an animal unimaginable moment in time the uncle rushes from the

moment in time the uncle rushes from the

moment in time the uncle rushes from the house he picks up the mom he drives her

house he picks up the mom he drives her

house he picks up the mom he drives her back into the to the driveway lights

back into the to the driveway lights

back into the to the driveway lights sirens police cars is this mother watch

sirens police cars is this mother watch

sirens police cars is this mother watch her child being transported away from

her child being transported away from

her child being transported away from behind the police line and a barrage of

behind the police line and a barrage of

behind the police line and a barrage of police officers sheer devastation as I

police officers sheer devastation as I

police officers sheer devastation as I complete my test at the house I respond

complete my test at the house I respond

complete my test at the house I respond to the examiners medical examiner’s

to the examiners medical examiner’s

to the examiners medical examiner’s office the next day I respond that day

office the next day I respond that day

office the next day I respond that day because that mother does not want her

because that mother does not want her

because that mother does not want her child to spend the night in the morgue

child to spend the night in the morgue

child to spend the night in the morgue so as I respond to the morgue and I’m

so as I respond to the morgue and I’m

so as I respond to the morgue and I’m standing there and I pulled the sheet

standing there and I pulled the sheet

standing there and I pulled the sheet back I will never forget the image of

back I will never forget the image of

back I will never forget the image of that child laying lifeless there on that

that child laying lifeless there on that

that child laying lifeless there on that steel

steel

steel on stretcher I have to touch her little

on stretcher I have to touch her little

on stretcher I have to touch her little hands to complete my task but I am Carol

hands to complete my task but I am Carol

hands to complete my task but I am Carol Adams before I can be sergeant Adams

Adams before I can be sergeant Adams

Adams before I can be sergeant Adams so I did everything I could to honor

so I did everything I could to honor

so I did everything I could to honor that mother’s wishes to keep her child

that mother’s wishes to keep her child

that mother’s wishes to keep her child from having to spend the night in that

from having to spend the night in that

from having to spend the night in that morgue I remain attached to this mother

morgue I remain attached to this mother

morgue I remain attached to this mother throughout the years I tried to keep her

throughout the years I tried to keep her

throughout the years I tried to keep her busy by giving her volunteer assignments

busy by giving her volunteer assignments

busy by giving her volunteer assignments in the community with working with women

in the community with working with women

in the community with working with women and girls but unfortunately 13 years

and girls but unfortunately 13 years

and girls but unfortunately 13 years later left harboring this significant

later left harboring this significant

later left harboring this significant void of not being able to celebrate her

void of not being able to celebrate her

void of not being able to celebrate her child’s prom graduation and birthdays

child’s prom graduation and birthdays

child’s prom graduation and birthdays this mother took her life and I never

this mother took her life and I never

this mother took her life and I never assumed that I understand when I meet

assumed that I understand when I meet

assumed that I understand when I meet individuals in the community so one

individuals in the community so one

individuals in the community so one final moment in time have a young girl

final moment in time have a young girl

final moment in time have a young girl who has endured escalating violence in

who has endured escalating violence in

who has endured escalating violence in her household between their parents for

her household between their parents for

her household between their parents for 12 long years

12 long years

12 long years this girl has played a role in breaking

this girl has played a role in breaking

this girl has played a role in breaking up fights and interceding calling for

up fights and interceding calling for

up fights and interceding calling for the police and the day came with this

the police and the day came with this

the police and the day came with this terminus violence ended with five shots

terminus violence ended with five shots

terminus violence ended with five shots from the next room pow pow pow pow pow

from the next room pow pow pow pow pow

from the next room pow pow pow pow pow the girl goes to the phone and she

the girl goes to the phone and she

the girl goes to the phone and she dialed 9-1-1 and she says my mother my

dialed 9-1-1 and she says my mother my

dialed 9-1-1 and she says my mother my father has shot my mother a couple of

father has shot my mother a couple of

father has shot my mother a couple of hours later this girl remembers standing

hours later this girl remembers standing

hours later this girl remembers standing in the hallway and watching hospital

in the hallway and watching hospital

in the hallway and watching hospital staff and police professionals try to

staff and police professionals try to

staff and police professionals try to decide who’s going to deliver the

decide who’s going to deliver the

decide who’s going to deliver the message that her mother is dead in that

message that her mother is dead in that

message that her mother is dead in that dimly lit at hospital hallway that news

dimly lit at hospital hallway that news

dimly lit at hospital hallway that news thrust that girl into an unforgettable

thrust that girl into an unforgettable

thrust that girl into an unforgettable moment in time I am Carol Adams before I

moment in time I am Carol Adams before I

moment in time I am Carol Adams before I can be sergeant Adams I’m a sister a

can be sergeant Adams I’m a sister a

can be sergeant Adams I’m a sister a friend a mother and a grandmother and

friend a mother and a grandmother and

friend a mother and a grandmother and the last story I shared with you makes

the last story I shared with you makes

the last story I shared with you makes me the child of a murdered mother

these mothers made the best decisions

these mothers made the best decisions they could in the moment and without

they could in the moment and without

they could in the moment and without love and empathy and they both they

love and empathy and they both they

love and empathy and they both they deserve love and empathy on their worst

deserve love and empathy on their worst

deserve love and empathy on their worst days my worst day occurred 36 years or 1

days my worst day occurred 36 years or 1

days my worst day occurred 36 years or 1 billion 1 million won 1 million 101

billion 1 million won 1 million 101

billion 1 million won 1 million 101 million 35 2269 thousand seconds ago but

million 35 2269 thousand seconds ago but

million 35 2269 thousand seconds ago but this is about time Rose Fitzgerald Korn

this is about time Rose Fitzgerald Korn

this is about time Rose Fitzgerald Korn this statement said time it is said that

this statement said time it is said that

this statement said time it is said that time heals all wounds she said I don’t

time heals all wounds she said I don’t

time heals all wounds she said I don’t agree

agree

agree the wounds remain in time the mind

the wounds remain in time the mind

the wounds remain in time the mind protecting its sanity covers them with

protecting its sanity covers them with

protecting its sanity covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens but the

scar tissue and the pain lessens but the

scar tissue and the pain lessens but the room the room that the paint it is it is

room the room that the paint it is it is

room the room that the paint it is it is never gone I imperil atoms before I can

never gone I imperil atoms before I can

never gone I imperil atoms before I can be sergeant Adams hidden in the shadows

”

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