Hi, my name is Jo and I am fundraising for very good friend of mine, Sheila Arnold, who has been facing unimaginable struggles all throughout her life. She is a very strong and resilient woman who has overcome one tragedy after the next. However, in 2019, things changed after the mysterious death of her youngest son, Brandon, affectionately known as “Roc”. His death was devastating leaving a gaping hole in his mother’s soul.
In 1995, Sheila’s only sister was tragically murdered by her husband in front of their 6 children. After his arrest, Sheila immediately opened her doors to her nieces and nephews becoming the mother of 8 overnight. Without question, her loyalty and faithfulness express the tremendous love she holds in her heart for her family. She could not bear to see the children split up. That said, Sheila had absolutely no idea of the challenges that she would face in the years to come. It was a journey ladened with the difficulties and strain of raising a large, blended single parent family of trauma survivors struggling to come to terms with the tragic death of her beloved sister and her biological son. Astoundingly, she handled it all with unshakable courage and unfailing grace.
Unfortunately, she didn’t receive much support in those days. A few community donors recognized the overwhelming need and made contributions to the family. However, once the news story faded, the support did too. Despite all of the hardship and despair, Sheila put her life on hold continuing to dedicated herself to nurturing and loving her children.
Sheila fought hard to hold it all together though the ripples never ceased. Death continued to visit her family bringing more heartache and sorrow than most people could bear. Over the years, she also endured the losses of her sister, mother, father, and granddaughter. However, Brandon’s death remains disturbing and unresolved. Not only was it untimely, but the circumstances surrounding the occurrence were dubious and mysterious causing her great anxiety, anguish, and torment.
To share a bit of the story, early one morning in November of 2019, Sheila was on route to the correctional facility where her son was carrying out his sentence. As she was driving, she received a call from an inmate advising her that her son had just passed away. She arrived about 30 minutes later and had to demand to see her son, since she was met with opposition. When facility personnel finally allowed her in, Brandon was already in the back of an ambulance in a body bag. They prohibited her from viewing anything below his neck, but she did observe the presence of rigor mortis in his face. She also felt it odd and premature that the facility director informed her that there was no foul play as he quickly offered to handle the disposal of his remains prior to any investigation or autopsy being done.
In the days that followed, Sheila was in shock, grief-stricken, and inconsolable, as you might imagine. Once she got her bearings, she realized that there were a number of inconsistencies, unanswered questions, and things that simply didn’t add up indicating a strong possibility of foul play. Of course, the prison disagrees, but they also refuse to provide pertinent documents, such as reports from the guard’s rounds, medical attendants, and video tapes. Additionally, only one witness was interviewed, although his statement mentions other inmates complaining of loud noises coming directly from Roc’s cell. According to the lack of documentation, it appears no cell check was performed for a period of at least 9 hours. There was even a unexplained broken bone in his neck.
Needless to say, there is far more to this story. However, it is prudent not to disclose all of the issues material to the case. While it is our constitutional right to fight for justice for ourselves, our loved ones, and anyone oppressed by the system, we all know it works against the little man. There are monumental challenges that mount against anyone who dares to fight back to hold the system accountable. It is an uphill battle that my friend, Sheila, has been fighting for the last 3 years. She is worn down and exhausted, but her faith and the love of her son have kept her going.
Despite meager earnings and no insurance, Sheila managed to pay for her son’s second autopsy, funeral, and burial expenses, but her funds ran out before she could purchase his headstone. She attempted to retain lawyers based on contingency, but none would take the case. Others that were interested advised that costs would be exorbitant in launching an effective investigation and proper defense. Eventually, the court selected an attorney that specialized in “employment law” to represent Sheila, which she rejected. Thankfully, a legal advocate came to her aid to assist in meeting statute of limitation deadlines. Until now, she has been representing herself. Naturally, she is is no match for the state’s high-powered attorneys. She urgently needs the experience and expertise of a professional lawyer to see this case through.
As her friend, I implore anyone reading this to help my beloved sister by backing her in this long, hard fight for justice and accountability. As a result of all of this drama, she has become mentally, emotionally, and financially depleted. Remarkably, it still has not stopped her from comforting and giving hope to others. She is a hard worker, but cannot even take a day off without the consequence of risking her financial stability. Additionally, her son’s 5 children are left with no further support from their father. Which is another burden she bears. Therefore, her needs are vast and critical at this point.
Sheila needs: (How funding will be used)
1. Refer a Lawyer - with the courage to fight for the little man.
2. Financial Support - for legal fees, a headstone, bills, travel expenses (the case is in Indiana but she now resides in Texas), and respite.
3. Financial Blessings for her grandchildren.
4. Prayer - constant and steady.
I am asking for a total of $10,000, praying that it will greatly impact this situation. I sincerely want my friend to win this battle, to get closure, to have good success, a fresh start, and peace that is long overdue. Without your help, she will lose this battle. Thank you for listening and I sincerely appreciate any assistance you can give to my friend.
Blessings to All,
Jo
P.S. After this fight is over, Sheila plans to start watchdog organization to protect the constitutional rights of the incarcerated.
