Lasting legacy
By Staff
Red Bay holds fountain dedication
Melissa Cason
RED BAY – Faces began to grow dim as the crowd gathered on the front steps of the Red Bay Police Department Thursday for a special dedication to the memory of baby Chance Waldrop.
The Franklin County Domestic Violence Response Coalition held a short ceremony to dedicate a fountain in memory of Chancelar Waldrop, the three-week infant who died at the hands of his father two years ago.
Police Chief Pat Creel and Coalition co-chair David Hester welcomed the crowd to the ceremony and talked about the sadness of the Waldrop case and its importance.
"I was in law enforcement for 27 years, and it doesn't get any easier," Hester said. "This case especially was difficult because it involved such a young child."
Hester said he began researching child abuse in preparation for the ceremony and was surprised about what he had learned.
In the United States, Child Protective Services receives 50,000 reports of child abuse or neglect per week, and in 67 percent of those cases there was sufficient evidence to warrant an full investigation.
"An average of nearly four children die every day as a result of abuse or neglect," Hester said. "Even though I have been in law enforcement, those numbers still shock me."
Co-chair Joey Rushing said the Waldrop case is a sad reminder who what could happen when a parent loses their cool and doesn't take at time out.
"This case is particularly sad because this baby never had a chance to live, but I hope this fountain will serve as a remember of Chance and what was lost by his death," Rushing said.
Rushing said the coalition tried to select something that would symbolize life and eternity for Chance, and hopes it will become a place where hope can be found.
"This could serve as a memorial and is much more uplifting that the alternative, which is his grave," Rushing said.
Beverly Presley, the infant's maternal grandmother, was the only family member to attend the service, and said his death has destroyed her family.
"Our family has been torn apart," Presley said. "Now every time, I drive by the police department, I'll think of Chance and remember him."
Hester, Rushing and Creel all thanked the sponsors who made he fountain possible in Red Bay. The sponsors are Bank Independent, Valley State Bank, Community Spirit Bank, CB&S Bank, Sunshine Mills and Piggly Wiggly of Red Bay.
This dedication is the first of two dedications scheduled to remember victims of child abuse. The coalition has plans to hold a service for Andrea Gonzalez at the Franklin County Detention Center later this fall.
