Poetry by Star Myers

Star Myers' website is located here:  http://starmyers.weebly.com/

Star Myers is a published author in the National Library for Poetry and earned the governors award for her writing. She writes some of the most beautiful poems known to mankind.

Star spent the last few years as a Survival and Child Abuse Host, Blog Talk Radio Executive Producer and Regional Director for Dreamcatchers for Abused Children.She is founder of nonprofit Voices Amplified whose mission is to provide resourses and support to all.She is child abuse advocate whose mission is to stop the suffering of children at the hands of their abusers.


Star Myers has released her first book of poetry, "The Searching Soul." Myers invites the reader into her world, as her writings deal with daily struggles and pain people face, they all resonate with spiritual strength and hope for the future that everyone can relate to. One comes away from reading this book feeling empowered.

Purchase a copy at: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-searching-soul/18179255?productTrackingContext=author_spotlight_160300618_

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The Face Behind the Mask

Star has released her 2nd book in 3 months titled, The Face Behind the Mask. This story is of a young girl who is caught in a justice system gone bad.She is smart and amazing but trapped in a snowglobe of pain and abuse.She is a true survivor and this is her story.Edges are only sharp if broken.This story is full of broken edges and will truly break your heart.Glue can fix all but we must stand and speak not be silenced by stigmas.

Purchase a copy at:http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-face-behind-the-mask/18797816?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/2

Idaho Woman Arrested For Abortion Is Uneasy Case For Both Sides

Originally posted at:  http://boisestatepublicradio.org/post/idaho-woman-arrested-abortion-uneasy-case-both-sides

An Idaho woman arrested for inducing her own abortion is taking her case to federal court. Jennie Linn McCormack was charged last year under an obscure Idaho law for ending her pregnancy with RU-486. She joins an increasing number of

An Idaho woman arrested for inducing her own abortion is taking her case to federal court. Jennie Linn McCormack was charged last year under an obscure Idaho law for ending her pregnancy with RU-486. She joins an increasing number of women who get the so-called abortion pill off the internet. McCormack’s attorney says he’s willing to take the challenge all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, neither pro-choice nor pro-life groups are paying attention to the case.

McCormack is a small, quiet woman in her early thirties and a single mom of three. McCormack was raised devoutly Mormon in Pocatello, Idaho, where she’s lived all her life -- and until last year, she was used to going unnoticed. “I kind of always kept to myself. But I’ve never had enemies or anything thing. It’s different now.  The stares I get. I had to quit my job because people didn’t want me to help them.”

People recognize her from the newspaper stories that followed her arrest. McCormack won’t talk about the day she had an abortion. She's following her attorney's advice. But here’s what the public record says.

In late 2010, McCormack learned she was pregnant. The father was out of the picture. Her youngest was barely 2 and she was living off child support checks. Getting an abortion would have cost at least $500 and required multiple trips back and forth to a clinic hours away. So, McCormack turned to the rising number of Internet suppliers of abortion pills.

Now, this is where the story gets more complicated. RU-486 is medically recommended only within the first nine weeks of pregnancy. It turns out that McCormack was way past that although she said she didn’t realize it at the time. After she aborted the fetus she was horrified by how far along it seemed. Possibly as much as 20 weeks. McCormack confided in a friend. It was this friend's sister that tipped off the police. McCormack picks up the story on the evening the police arrived at her apartment. “I had just gotten done doing laundry and my little boy was asleep and they knocked on my door.”

The police found the fetus wrapped up in bags on her back porch. McCormack said she didn’t know what else to do with it. The police took her to the station. “I didn’t understand any of it. And that’s the first thing I said when he questioned me. ‘How can you question me about my personal stuff?’ And he said, ‘Well there’s legal and there’s personal.’”

In a preliminary hearing, her medical history and personal relationships became part of a case against her. Her attorney is Richard Hearn, who in true small town fashion, also has a medical license. He says this was unlike any other abortion case he had seen. “There are many cases where they prosecute or threaten to prosecute a doctor. There are not so many where they’ve prosecuted a woman.”

McCormack ran afoul of a 1972 Idaho law that makes it a felony for a woman to perform her own abortion. Not only does the law pre-date Roe v. Wade, it pre-dates RU-486.

Mark Hiedeman was the county prosecutor who pursued the case against McCormack. He says her case raises new questions – about the legality of women obtaining the so-called abortion pill online.  Yet, to Hiedeman’s surprise, the case has attracted little attention -- from either side. “You’d think an issue like this would be something people would be more up in arms about and talking about. And I haven’t heard that or seen that and I’m not sure why.”

The reason appears to be in the details.  One of the few pro-life groups we could find willing to say anything about McCormack was the Susan B. Anthony List. President Marjorie Dannenfelser calls the case: “Not acceptable. We do not think women should be criminalized. Criminal sanctions or any kind of sanctions are appropriate for abortionists, and not for women.”

And that’s the tricky thing about the case for the pro-life side according to Will Saletan. Saletan writes about reproductive health politics for Slate magazine. “The prosecution of abortion, which always hinged on the doctor being the targeted party, now has to target the woman. And the pro-life movement is completely unprepared for that.”

But major pro-choice groups have also greeted the case with silence. Saletan says that’s because of what they see as the conservative makeup of the current Supreme Court. “If you’re a pro-choice group right now, the last thing you want to do is bring a case before the Roberts Court.”

But, he says, if you do … “This is not the plaintiff you want. Someone who procured her own abortion, fairly late in pregnancy. You want to choose your plaintiff very carefully.”

Three lower-profile pro-choice groups have filed a legal brief on behalf of McCormack. Lynn Paltrow is the president of one of those groups, the National Advocates for Pregnant Women. She sees McCormack as the start of a disturbing trend. “You pass laws first that say only physicians can perform abortions. Then you pass laws that make it impossible for those physicians to provide abortions. And then women take the steps they need to take as they do all around the world, as they did before Roe. And you create a perfect setup for making literally millions of women subject to arrest for having illegal self abortions.”

Back in Pocatello, McCormack is at home, trying to get her 3-year-old son to calm down. He has a painful ear infection.  McCormack doesn’t go out much. The injunction McCormack’s attorney filed against the county prosecutor keeps her from being arrested. But the county is continuing its investigation against her. McCormack says church was a solace for a while until she sat through a recent sermon on abortion. She thinks it was aimed at her. “I mean, they can sit there and judge me, but it’s not the easiest choice to ever have to make. And it was all – a lot of it was about my children. I couldn’t put any more on them, or me.”

McCormack has just started a business online to see if she can make some money selling hand-made wreaths and other crafts. But she doesn’t want to say the name of the business, even to promote it. She says she doesn’t want anyone to know it’s her.

STOP JANE CROW LAWS

Sign the petition here:   http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-jane-crow-laws

STOP THE HATE AGAINST SINGLE MOTHERS

Greetings,
I just signed the following petition addressed to: Senator Glenn Grothman.

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STOP THE HATE AGAINST SINGLE MOTHERS

The state senator, Glenn Grothman, has introduced a bill aimed at penalizing single mothers by calling their unmarried status a contributing factor in child abuse and neglect.

Senate Bill 507,moves to amend existing state law by "requiring the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to emphasize nonmarital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect."

The bill would require educational and public awareness campaigns held by the board to emphasize that not being married is abusive and neglectful of children, and to underscore "the role of fathers in the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect."

Saying that people "make fun of old-fashioned families," Grothman -- who has never been married and has no children -- criticized social workers for not agreeing that children should only be raised by two married biological parents.

We want YOU to KNOW Mr. Grothman that WOMEN will not stand by while you dismantle our rights in Wisconsin. This bill has NOTHING To do with abuse it has EVERYTHING with SUBJUGATING WOMEN....JANE CROW LAWS DO NOT BELONG ANYWHERE in my life!
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Sincerely,
[Your name]

'Our babies were abducted' on the delivery table: North Vancouver woman

Originally posted at: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=c2248fb4-6222-43f2-9320-a41eb1592d2d

Hanne Andersen was an athletic 15-year-old living in North Vancouver when she was raped.

By Vancouver Sun

March 16, 2012

Hanne Andersen was an athletic 15-year-old living in North Vancouver when she was raped.
Six weeks later, she found out she was pregnant.

She had helped raise her younger siblings and wanted to keep the baby. But it was 1982 and social workers convinced her parents - neither were Canadian citizens at the time and unsure of the rules - that the best thing was to send Andersen to a Salvation Army maternity home for unwed girls called Maywood.

Andersen didn't realize it then, but that made her a temporary ward of the state and gave her no say in whether she could keep the baby. She was told she had to give the child up for adoption.

"There was lots of indoctrination going on there," Andersen, now 44, recalled Thursday.

"We had government social workers give us lectures for hours about how we would end up drug addicts if we didn't give up our babies," she said. "There wasn't any other option presented to us. I wanted to keep my baby and was very clear about it from the very beginning."
After a few months at the home, Andersen started losing weight. Her high school counsellor, who was concerned for her health and psycho-logical well-being, helped her leave Maywood.
She was at home for a brief period before she gave birth to her baby at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver.

"I had to ask three times to hold my baby," Andersen recalled. "The last time I had to yell."
The nurse handed her the baby until Andersen blacked out. She later obtained her medical file and learned she was drugged and given a lactation suppressant, Andersen said.

When she woke the next day, her baby was gone.

"I cried for a year," she recalled. "There was no followup. No social worker came to see me. I was close to killing myself. I know other mothers who committed suicide."

Andersen is contemplating signing on to a class-action lawsuit being filed today by the Merchant Law Group on behalf of unwed mothers who were forced to give up babies for adoption going back to the 1940s.

Tony Merchant, head of the Merchant Law Group, said unwed mothers were put in homes operated by the province and were often pressured by people from the Catholic Church and Salvation Army to give up babies for adoption. Merchant said he filed a similar class action in Quebec.

Anderson did not see her child again for 23 years - her daughter eventually tracked her down using birth records and set up a teary reunion in 2006.

Andersen said she maintains a good relationship with her daughter today. "She is beautiful, a wonderful person."

But she is still bitter about what she calls the "abduction" of her baby from the delivery room.
"My baby was taken from me, harvested," she said. "We were used as reproductive slaves to supply the demand for healthy babies for infer-tile married couples."

Andersen has contacted police about pressing criminal charges for her baby being taken and plans to file a formal police complaint later this month.

She has also joined a group that has asked the federal government and United Nations for an inquiry into unwed mothers being forced to give up babies for adoption.

"Our babies were abducted on the delivery table," Andersen said.

She became choked with emotion when she said she never had another baby, although she and her husband have been trying.

"I lost the sense of myself as a per-son and thought I could never be a good mother," Andersen said, crying, "because of all the indoctrination in the maternity home."

She said that a few years after reuniting with her daughter, she fell apart emotionally. She quit her $100,000-a-year job in the real estate industry and recently returned to school.

She also started a group, Justice for Mother & Child, which has a website: www.JusticeforMotherandChild.com

Andersen said she isn't interested in joining Merchant's class action for the money. "It's about getting recognition and for people to know what was done."

So far, about 200 women across Canada have agreed to take part in the lawsuits since the firm started the process half a year ago, Merchant said.

Merchant estimates there may be as many as 40,000 women in Canada who are potential class-action members. They include women who gave babies up for adoption starting in the 1940s and ending in the 1980s.

The law firm has a form on its website for potential class members to fill out: www.merchantlaw.com/classac-tions/umaclass.php

Abuse: A survivor's tale...Patricia's Story

Originally posted at:  http://www.examiner.com/buzz-in-philadelphia/abuse-a-survivor-s-tale-patricia-s-story
         

Abuse: A survivor’s tale

Patricia’s Story

It’s a beautiful, quiet day today.  There’s a slight chill to the air as I look outside my window at the rows of beautifully kept homes lined with lush trees and light colored grass that will turn to a deep green as we glide from winter to spring.  And as I look at these homes, the first thing that crossed my mind is not how wonderful the neighborhood appears, but what is really going on behind the closed doors of some of these beautiful homes.

I thought about that as I began to write this article because I know that domestic abuse is the crime that hides in plain sight.  I know from talking to abuse victims, that there are telltale signs but many people choose to ignore them.  No one wants to reach out to help the victim.  Some simply choose not to get involved.

I met Patricia McKnight through one of the previous articles that I had written.  She is an advocate for the rights of battered spouses and abused children.  But what makes Ms. McKnight so intriguing is not who she is, but where she came from.  An introduction is not needed.  Instead, judge for yourself as you read Patricia’s Story.

The Examiner:  Do you remember when your particular circumstance of abuse started for you?

PM: This moment I will never forget. Returning home from a weekend with my most beloved grandmother and my father's family; having celebrated my fifth birthday with them. As she said goodbye to my brother and I there was a very tight hug and I could feel her very special love for me, but that would be the last time I saw her until my grandfather's passing at age 19. As I ran to my mother's door, returning home with my presents in hand and a very happy girl, I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw the evil spiraling out of a man's eyes who was sitting on our couch. A few months later he was left to care for my brother, the neighbor boys and myself while my mother attended her bridal shower. It was that night the snake of the devil made his first violent attack of molestation and perverted acts towards me, with the boys in the same room. The next twelve years of my life would be under his complete sadistic control, violent rape, years of night time visits; simply all of the ugliness and cruelty of abuse that you could possibly imagine plus much, much more. My mother had walked in on us when I was nine and found me in her bed, naked as he was using his "toy doll", but instead of rescuing me she got angry and sent me to my room for the night. I was not allowed to join in for dinner, but made to come out and clean up the mess. For years I was the family care taker, babysitter, cook, and housekeeper; but in simple terms...a SLAVE!! As I grew it was never safe to bathe in my home and I decided to quit bathing as a mode of protection. This resulted in a skin infection of some type that ate away at my arms and legs, leaving me now to be disgusted by my own reflection. There was never any medical care or dental care, not even the provision of a tooth brush. An entire community watched and was even disgusted by how I looked.  Many teachers and school mates were afraid they would catch something if they made contact with me.  The community and the police knew of drunken teenage parties, the violence of my stepfather's rage when he drank and many times there were brutal physical attacks public to everyone, but still no one said a word or ever questioned my safety or care.


The Examiner:  What was the lowest point in life that you had to face?

PM:  I would say that the very lowest point of my life actually happened twice. The first was when my stepfather's sadistic desires lead to rape with a shotgun barrel. At that moment of only being 12, I physically died inside and my entire view of myself and what I deserved in life was changed for the next 25 years. It started me down a long term path of self-destruction and promiscuous behavior. Actually I became a very ugly person inside and out. I began drinking, which was highly promoted by my family life. I used marijuana and speed drugs to make me feel numb or escape into someone else. The men and relationships I chose to live were almost deadly. There were multiple attempts from various boyfriends and husbands to actually end my life. This came through beatings, kicking, choking, and drowning attempts. They used weapons to hold me captive in corners cowering and praying for my life. The only reason I am here today is because of the higher grace of God who for whatever reason made them stop at that precise moment and walk away rather than killing me. This was the pattern of accepted abuse and it was my life through three marriages and even a few simple dating relationships. The last beating was so severe that it lasted for two solid hours.

I was awakened at 4:00 am with my husband on top of me choking me. I was able to maneuver myself and reach my head up to fiercely bite his left upper wrist which caused him to let go, but set off a furious rage of punching, throwing, kicking, and finally trapping me naked in a corner of my son's room. He then used an old style heavy chrome legged chair…the kind from the 60's style kitchen set that served as an art table for my children. The chair became his fury and it was repeatedly smashed down on my back, head, and wherever he could connect. His stature was tall, lean and strong; but his rage made him insanely powerful. It took two hours before I could crawl to a phone after he spit on me and walked away. As I called 911 it came to me that our neighbors on the opposite side of the duplex had to be awakened by this fighting. You could hear between our homes as there was only a wall that separated the actual home. They turned a blind ear as many had done in the past. When the police arrived I was told that either both of us were going to jail or one had to leave. I forced myself up from the position at the top of the stairs, bruised; shaken; crying; searing with pain, but I decided at that moment I was done with this evil and never again would anyone get away with harming me. During my marriage to this husband, named "Marcus" in the novel, "My Justice", my children were living with us and I did not realize the impact the violence of our marriage was having on them. After I got away and with the support of a very dear friend who gave me safe place to stabilize my thoughts; it was then that I used the education I had worked for to begin a career in which I could take care of my children and myself and purchase a home for us to rebuild and create our safe world. It was important to try and mend what horrors they had experienced. When you are in the very pit of this evil, you don't often realize the damage done to your children as they cower and hide from the battles. This became my rebuilding point, my strength and desire to do better, live safe, and create a world for them to enjoy.

The Examiner:  What did you do to change your circumstances?

PM:  The best thing I ever did to help myself was at 25 and pregnant with my third child, I went back to school. I completed my G.E.D. courses and went on to achieve valedictorian from a small business academy in Fredrick, Maryland - Abbie Business Institute. This gave me the belief in myself that I could actually be more and strive for more than all of the violence and control in my life. That night some 9 years later when I left my second husband; it was this education that gave me the ability to provide us with shelter, clothing, food and the necessities to survive without the financial control and violence of another.

The Examiner:   Could you tell our readership about your publication and the programs that you are affiliated with?

PM:  In February 2011, I released the true graphic novel, "My Justice" and finally gave voice to that person who had been forced into the silence of torture and abuse. This was not only my freedom, but more as a way to apologize and explain to my children who their mother was and why there was so much pain in their lives. It also became my strength to reach out and connect with others who had survived these types of trauma. In January 2011 I started creating a "secret" group connection using the Facebook group applications. This is still safely running today and we have a small community of about 50 women who have overcome their circumstances and are now rebuilding their lives. I make it a point to check in with them, provide any resources they may need to get back on their feet. It's very hard work to actually rebuild the person you are, but if you truly want to be safe in your world it is something you must do; if not for yourself then for your children. Any woman who is struggling with this rebuilding and recovery process is welcome to reach out to me at facebook.com/triciagirl62 and we will discuss their needs and the support or resources they may need. Then we include them in our family of positive supporters who are growing stronger and brighter each day.

Also with the publication of "My Justice", I've been able to connect with some wonderful people. Best-selling author and advocate Peter Thomas Senese not only purchased and read my story, but gave rave reviews and provided two major press releases in the PRWeb site. He has become a friend and I've learned of all he is doing as an advocate. In my view his actions are sincerely directed at protecting our children.

I have been really blessed by connecting with the amazing team at Dreamcatchers for Abused Children. Not only did they do an interview of my story on their blog talk radio programing, but then brought me into this realm as a host for a special program; Survivors Speak Out. Of course this has grown tremendously, as my bond with the Founder/C.E. O. - Ms. Sandra Potter, who is a very well established author, but more so a strong and devoted advocate for the safety of all children. Also our President, Ms. Donna Kshir; a platinum level author and another sincerely devoted advocate. These two amazing ladies have given me the opportunity to reach out and inspire many lives. They've given me the position of Executive Director of the Dreamcatchers for Abused Children Blog Talk Radio Programing. We are revamping and refreshing our programing now. Our listeners from all around the world join in with me to share our stories, support those who are healing, inspire them to reach out and achieve their full potential.  We also discuss cases of abuse, provide education on awareness, prevention and intervention of many types of abuse. Our wide spectrum of violence in this world is not only the abuse, bullying, teen dating violence, self-harm, emotional scars and suicide of these victims; but more importantly using our voices and special guests to provide them comfort and knowledge to pass on to others. When we can discuss these crimes openly then we can remove that bond of silence within society and break down those barriers of shame that trap us in this world. This programing gives me the opportunity to touch people lives all over the world and inspire them to allow the rejuvenation of human kindness and caring, vigilance against these crimes and protecting the children in our circle. Those we see each day in our neighborhood and those within our family. We encourage everyone to at least check out our dedicated team of advocates and specialist; survivors and inspirers. You can find me on the show Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's by going to www.blogtalkradio.com/dreamcatchersforabusedchildren. You can also check out our new 24/7 live stream of every show recorded through wix.com/dreamcatcherstalkrad. Go to our website and find resources, books, testimonials, education materials and much more at www.dreamcatchersforabusedchildren.com . Everyone can also find our World Wide Non-Profit 501(c)3 at facebook.com/dreamcatchersforabusedchildren or myspace.com; Linkedin; Twitter and most any other social web tools.

The Examiner:   How did this evolve into the blog talk radio program and would you provide the specifics such as when the show airs and your call in numbers?

PM:  Our show airs, three days a week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The broadcast starts at 9:00pm e.s.t. and is usually a two hour program, full of great information and amazing guests. All of our listeners are encouraged to call in and get involved in the discussions and can do so by calling (917)932-1132 and then press 1 to get in the queue and talk with me live. The most wonderful part of this is the comments left by our listeners who have repeatedly stated how well they loved the show, connecting with me, and most of all feel comforted and SAFE!! This is the most beautiful thing I could ever ask for; it tells me I am where I'm supposed to be now and I am using my past experiences in a very positive manner to enlighten and inspire others to keep moving forward.

The Examiner: Would you mind telling the readership about your book entitled, "My Justice"?

PM:  This is a journal to my children to explain and apologize to them for the horrible pain they suffered because of the abuse I was "trained" to accept as normal in my world. You can find "My Justice" through Amazon.com / BN.com / Authorhouse.com and it's been published in the Kindle; Nook; E-Book and paperback formats. The cover of "My Justice" has received many wonderful comments about how well it truly connects with the body of this story. I have to give that credit to my wonderful son and very talented artist, Brett T. Sanders and his beginning business of KreAtion Studios. The substance and depth of this story has left an impact on all of its readers. They have reviewed it as being a "Magnificent well written story about a very horrific subject". It has been deemed "A learning tool for anyone who is involved directly with children to be watchful of the many silent signs of abuse and what can be hidden behind the neglected and dodging child". Author Peter Thomas Senese heralded this novel as "A call to arms for all human kind to stand against the abuses in our world, but also an amazing portrait of the survivor's determination to achieve that happiness in life and overcome each barrier to finally reach their FREEDOM!!"

The Examiner: What is the message that you want to convey to all women that are in situations of domestic abuse?

PM: Don't believe in the brainwashing emotional and physical abuse that anyone might subject you to. Find just one piece of belief in yourself and allow it to be the building blocks of your complete happiness. There is nothing in this world that you cannot achieve if you put forth the devotion to make it happen. It is very hard work, therapy is a great way to gain that support and create a "Positivity" list for yourself. Each day write down one positive something about yourself. Carry this list with you everywhere. As you are feeling beaten down and have no strength or energy to carry forward; especially when the anxiety and P.T.S.D. set in on you heavy, that is when you take out that list and began reading it over and over out loud to yourself. Saying each positive mention about yourself and truly believe in the words you are speaking; it will provide a huge helping tool to refocus your thoughts on the present surrounding of your life and what it is that is good in you as a person and in the new beautiful world you are building.

The Examiner:  Would you mind providing all of your contact information in case someone reading this should be inclined to reach out to you?

PM: I sincerely love connecting with other survivors and creating that positive energy between us as we move forward in this mission of awareness and taking down that brick wall of silence. You can reach out to me in many ways, email me; tricia.mcknight@hotmail.com ; You will find me on Facebook - facebook.com/triciagirl62 ; Twitter - @tricialgirl62 or through my new blog site - survivorsjustice.com ; the Dreamcatchers for Abused Children website as above and for the blog talk programing as well. I encourage anyone who is suffering to reach out and connect with just one person you trust and allow the emotions that were forced to remain silent for so long to finally have a voice and be told. Talking about your past is a huge step in the healing process and no one should be forced to bury such horrific secrets of crimes against them; not crimes that they have committed. Remove the blame and shame from the victim and allow it to be placed where it should be, the evil monsters who attack us out of sick power to maintain control over what life has been given to us by the grace of God.

Vermont Teacher Melissa Jenkins Was Murdered, Autopsy Concludes

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Text posted from http://news.yahoo.com/vermont-teacher-melissa-jenkins-murdered-autopsy-concludes-054255642--abc-news-topstories.html

Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins was murdered, an autopsy concluded today, but police declined to disclose the cause of death.

The body of Jenkins, 33, who was a teacher from St. Johnsbury, Vt., was found on a dark Vermont road Sunday night. Her SUV was found running with her 2-year-old son Tie inside.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Ms. Jenkins, and our thoughts are with her family and friends," the lead investigator, State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said in a statement. "We remain committed to solving this case and to identify and bring to justice the person or persons responsible for the death of Ms. Jenkins."

Residents of the town of fewer than 8,000 people, which sits roughly 40 miles from the Canadian border, were stunned after her disappearance and the discovery of the body.

Jenkins' uncle, Marty Beattie, told ABC News the toddler is being cared for by the slain woman's parents while they work out a plan with the child's father, B.J. Robertson.

Robertson said the child has been unable to express what happened to his mother.

For now, he told ABC News he has "just been loving him when I am with him."

Beattie said he believes police have accumulated enough evidence to result in an arrest in the near future.

"She put herself in a bad situation. Wrong place, wrong time," he said.

St. Johnsbury Police

 

Police warned the tight knit town to remain vigilant, fearing the killer could strike again.
"I cannot disclose the details of how the body was found or the condition of the body, but this death is considered suspicious," Det. Sgt. Walter Smith said Monday. "We don't know if it's an isolated incident. We expect the public to use all diligence and vigilance while out and about."

More than 100 friends and family members braved frigid winds at a candlelight service Monday for the teacher who taught science at St. Johnsbury Academy, a boarding school of about 970 students. The single mother, who was also working on her master's degree, had a knack for teaching young people, according to St. Johnsbury headmaster Tom Lovett.

"She's got a real gift with students who either haven't liked science before or learning science doesn't come easy to them," Lovett told the Associated Press. "She's got a real gift with them."

Jenkins was also a freshmen basketball coach and a dorm proctor until the birth of her son. She also worked a second job, moonlighting part-time as a waitress at the Creamery Restaurant in Danville, Vt.

Jenkins' vehicle was recovered Sunday evening near signs of a struggle after a friend who had been looking for the mother contacted the police. The body that is believed to be her was found in the nearby town of Barnet, Vt. Police say Jenkins had no restraining orders out on anyone.

"[This is] something you would never think of in this small town we have here," family friend Ron Craig told ABC News.

Family members believe Jenkins left home to help someone with car trouble, but exactly whom she planned to meet is a mystery.

Eric Berry, 44, a cousin by marriage whose daughter is Jenkins' goddaughter, according to the AP, said that he believes Jenkins must have been rushing to someone's aid when she vanished.

 "She left her house with the idea, I think, to try to help somebody, and that's as far as I'm going to go with that, because I don't want to damage any investigation," he said.