[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help] 

Status: Not Logged In; Sign In

From Torah to trauma: A Satanic child abuse scandal blows up in Israel

MAGA Influencer Calls to Deploy Palantir on LA Streets

Egypt detains nearly 200 foreigners who flew in to join Gaza march

FLASHBACK - How Mayor Daley dealt with looters!

Scammers Use AI Bots to Impersonate Students, Stealing Millions in Financial Aid

Bilderberg 2025 begins. Global elites gather in Stockholm. AI, migration, and national security dominate

I Wish We All Could Leave California (Beach Boys Parody)

Exclusive: US slams UN conference on Israel-Palestinian issue, warns of consequences

Brilliant & Critical Insight!

Legal Immigrants Shift to GOP on Immigration, Shows 40-Point Swing from Democrats

American fuel tankers were spotted REFUELING ISRAELI JETS over Syria.

Does Western Civilization Have Enough Belief to Continue to Exist?

Trump CLEARLY KNEW of Israel's Plan To STRIKE IRAN

Trump Warns 'Even More Brutal' Attacks Coming Without Nuclear Deal

10 Supplements That Fight Inflammation

CNN Security Analyst Defends Agents Who Removed Senator Padilla From Kristi Noem Presser

Florida sheriff warns rioters: 'We will kill you graveyard dead'

DEMOCRATS' NIGHTMARE: Viral Video Shows Why They LOST The Election!

Israeli strikes on Iran. Five Waves. Might last 2 weeks?

Images Emerge Of Tehran Destruction After Major Israeli 'Preemptive Attack'

This Is What Happens Next After Israel Bombs Iran’s Nuclear Facilities…

Smartmatic accused of deleting evidence in 27 Billion Fox News Defamation Case Court Docs

White House Fears Iranian Response To An Attack Could Overwhelm Israel's Air Defenses

The Money and Power Behind the Riots: This is No Grass-Roots Movement

D.C. Judge Sides With Trump In Lawsuit Over Control Of Corrupt Foreign Aid Agency

Israel Iran Double Standard

Soros Funneled $8.3M into Leftist Group Trying to Turn Lone Star State Blue

California Democrats Under Fire for Buying Bricks During Protests

ICE Launches Campaign to Crack Down on Marriage Fraud Could Ilhan Omar Finally Face Justice?

Joe Rogan's podcast predicted violent LA riots two years ago leaving viewers stunned


Religion
See other Religion Articles

Title: Slain girl's family express 'shock and disbelief' at neighbor's arrest {Lady Sunday School Teacher Muders Kid}
Source: cnn
URL Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/11 ... arrest/index.html?iref=topnews
Published: Apr 12, 2009
Author: cnn staff
Post Date: 2009-04-12 05:59:05 by IndieTX
Keywords: None
Views: 775
Comments: 18

CNN) -- Relatives of slain California 8-year-old Sandra Cantu expressed "shock" Saturday at news that a neighbor -- a Sunday school teacher whose daughter was a playmate of Sandra's -- was arrested in the girl's death.

"Just utter shock and disbelief," Sandra's aunt Angie Chavez told CNN affiliate KOVR. "I can't imagine a mother doing this to a child."

Melissa Huckaby, 28, was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail early Saturday and faces charges of kidnapping and murder in the death of Sandra in Tracy, California.

Sandra was last seen March 27 in the Tracy mobile home park where she lived with her family -- the same mobile home park where Huckaby lives.

The girl's body was found Monday, stuffed into a suitcase submerged in a pond at a dairy farm.

"We have to live the rest of our lives without Sandra. [Huckaby] is in jail. She can still see her little girl grow up," Sandra's uncle, Joe Chavez, told KOVR.

He said the family is "shell-shocked" and hopes that in time they can learn to trust people again.

"Who can you trust at this point?" he said. "Who do you know?"

A police spokesman told reporters Saturday he "couldn't begin to theorize" a motive for Sandra's death. Watch police discuss the arrest »

Huckaby is the granddaughter of Clifford Lane Lawless, pastor at the Clover Road Baptist Church, which was searched as part of the investigation, Tracy police Sgt. Tony Sheneman told reporters. Huckaby taught Sunday school at the church, he said.

In addition, Huckaby's 5-year-old daughter was close friends with Sandra, who often played at Huckaby's home.

Earlier Saturday, Sheneman said he did not believe Huckaby had retained an attorney.

In a Friday interview with the Tracy Press newspaper, Huckaby acknowledged owning the black rolling suitcase that held Sandra's body, but said she reported it missing the day before the girl's body was found. She said it disappeared the same day the girl was last seen.

Don't Miss KCRA: Suspect is pastor's granddaughter WTXL: Arrest made in murder case Police search church for clues to girl's slaying California girl, 8, disappears after playing with friend "There's been a lot of speculation on the news about what happened to my suitcase," she told the newspaper. "It's not my granddad's. It's mine, and someone took it."

Police said Huckaby lives in the same mobile home complex where Sandra lived with her family; the Tracy Press reported Huckaby lives with her grandparents.

Police noted "inconsistencies" between comments Huckaby made to the newspaper and a previous statement she gave authorities, Sheneman said. It was one reason police asked her Friday to come to the station to be interviewed again. She drove there about 6 p.m. Friday, he said.

Authorities believe Huckaby lied about the suitcase being missing, Sheneman said.

Asked whether authorities believe Sandra's death was planned, Sheneman said the question is "not something I can answer right now" but "we do have an indication." He said authorities have found where they believe the girl was killed, but would not divulge that location to reporters.

"I couldn't begin to theorize what her motive is," Sheneman said of Huckaby.

During the Friday night interview with police, Huckaby was "very relaxed for a bit, and then she became very emotional, and then she became relaxed again" before appearing resigned, Sheneman said. He declined to say whether Huckaby had confessed, but said "she revealed enough information that we had probable cause to arrest her."

Huckaby was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail about 3:25 a.m. (6:25 a.m. ET), according to the county sheriff's Web site. She is set to appear in court Tuesday.

Police took Huckaby into custody about 11:15 p.m. Friday (2:15 a.m. ET Saturday), Sheneman said, but she chose to continue talking with them for more than two hours.

Authorities told Sandra's family of the arrest about 2:15 a.m. local time, he said. "They were in disbelief." Watch neighbors remember slain girl »

Police have had contact with Huckaby before, but she does not have a record of violence, Sheneman said, but did not elaborate. He said no other arrests are expected in Sandra's death.

Citing court records, the Tracy Press reported Huckaby pleaded no contest January 9 to a felony charge of second-degree commercial burglary and a misdemeanor charge of property theft with a prior theft, burglary or robbery.

A criminal complaint says she was jailed in Los Angeles County on a property theft conviction in 2006 and that she attempted to steal from a store in November 2008. According to the complaint, she is on probation in San Joaquin County and is due back in court April 17.

Asked about the court records, Huckaby told the newspaper it wasn't her and that she did not know why the address and cell phone number in the court documents match her own. "I don't know what to say," she said. "That's not me."

Police believe that by the time Sandra was reported missing, she was already dead, Tracy Police Chief Janet Thiessen told reporters Saturday.

"There was some speculation early on that [the suspect] would be a man," Sheneman said Saturday. "It's unusual for a woman -- statistically, according to the FBI -- to be involved in anything like this."

The day Sandra was last reported seen, she returned home from school, kissed her mother and left to play with a friend who lives nearby.

A short time later, wearing a pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and black leggings, she left to go to another friend's home, according to a family spokeswoman. Police said the girl's clothing helped them identify her body.

Huckaby told the Tracy Press that Sandra stopped by her home that day to ask if she could play with Huckaby's daughter, but Huckaby refused because she wanted her daughter to pick up her toys. Sandra left for another friend's home, Huckaby told the newspaper.

How Sandra died has not been made public. An autopsy was conducted earlier in the week, but CNN affiliate KRON-TV said results are not expected for weeks. Thiessen said Saturday any autopsy information as well as search warrants filed in the case remain under seal.

Click for Full Text!

Click for Full Text!

Post Comment   Private Reply   Ignore Thread  


TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest

Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 18.

#8. To: IndieTX (#0)

I don't get the emphasis on the "Sunday school teacher." So what? Just about anyone can go to church and teach Sunday School. I mean they are not vetted like government employees(and look at them!!!!!!!). I found it rather odd to make that the headline--Sunday School teacher arrested. The journalists are using this as though it is her avocation; it is NOT! The term "Woman" would be just as apropo as... Sunday School Teacher. Matter of a fact "Woman Arrested" would be more to the point, because that is the first thing I thought when I heard that a woman was the suspect. I had some perverted male pinned for the crime.

More importantly, it is a horrible crime, and my condolences go the family of this child. I am glad it was resolved so quickly if they do indeed have the right perpetrator.

Julz  posted on  2009-04-12   12:49:44 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#17. To: Julz (#8)

I don't get the emphasis on the "Sunday school teacher." So what?

There is a very common view that religion makes people better. And thus when religious people do evil things, its a man bites dog story. Despite the fact that there is no basis to believe religion makes people better.

Rhino369  posted on  2009-04-12   16:06:39 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#18. To: Rhino369 (#17) (Edited)

Oh, really.

Gauttama Siddhartha civilized a continent - with religion.

The Red Cross is a religiously inspired organization.

As is the Salvation Army.

Even the Scientologists have gotten into the act - they were at the forefront of the Tsunami relief a few years ago and were the only VOLUNTEER group invited back by FDNY to their first commemorative event, because of their relief work and aid to Firefighters on the scene, for the fallen off 911.

Again, religion in all its best forms stands out as motivating humanity toward man.

Remember Mother Theresa?

Christ's original teachings, not the perversions pushed by temporal powers, were of a peaceful and loving religion.

Please show us the equivalent production by Atheism and anti-religionists.

You make the mistake, like many others, of equating ALL religion with the actions of SOME who claim a religious belief. Anyone who has studied philosophy and logic can tell you that SOME is not ALL. To make the mistake of condemning all for the actions of some is unsound reasoning.

Original_Intent  posted on  2009-04-12   16:23:48 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


Replies to Comment # 18.

        There are no replies to Comment # 18.


End Trace Mode for Comment # 18.

TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest


[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help]