Another Sad One.

In the course of my new job, I get to do and be a part of some interesting and tragic things. I helped track down a multiple homicide suspect the other day (finding his footprints myself), a major cable company is planning on doing a television program about our unit, I pulled over local luminary Jim Click on a traffic stop, and I participated in a sad event yesterday.

I was sent to Ajo to help guard the funeral procession for seven year old Rhia Almeida. Rhia was brutally murdered, "allegedly" by a friends older brother, last week. We were sent because their were concerns that some of the 500-1000 expected mourners might let emotions get the better of them and focus on the house where the suspect lived, about fifty feet from where the memorial for Rhia was located.

About five hundred people came to Rhia's house and marched the two blocks to the memorial site, where Rhia died and where I was posted. The service was led by a Pastor from the Papago Baptist Church on the Tohono O'odham reservation, as that is where Rhia lived before her recent move to Ajo.

The Pastor shared how Rhia had met a friend two years ago from Kentucky and how that girl had led her in giving her life to Jesus. He also reminded everyone how God promised never to leave us and how he kept that promise to be with her and hold her even as she was horribly slain.

The whole situation was heartbreaking. But, it is still good to know that we don't mourn hopelessly and we still can see our loved one's again.