This true-life story is written with the permission of Gabriella.
(All names have been changed to protect identities)
“Stop it! Stop it!” 3-year-old Gabriella screamed in her mind as she huddled behind the chair in the living room. She thought, “Why can’t her cousin, Susie, just be good. She was always bad. Susie’s only a year older than her, but she was always getting in trouble.” Gabriella held her hands tightly over her ears trying to drown out the shrieks of terror coming from Susie. She knew Susie was always bad because she always had bruises and marks all over her body. Some were red with yellow in them. She also had bruises on her wrists and around her neck. Gabriella hated seeing Susie hanging from the railing by her wrists that had handcuffs on.
The screaming stopped. It was quiet. Gabriella moved from behind the chair. She saw her mom carrying Susie. Susie did not move. Gabriella heard sirens coming from outside. Suddenly there were many people in their home. They had the same type of clothes on but they were different colors. She heard her mom shouting, “she burned herself in the bathtub with the hot water.” After a while they put Susie in a black bag and zipped it up and took her outside. A nice lady came and took Gabriella’s hand. As they were walking out the door Gabriella started crying. She didn’t know where she was going. She saw men putting handcuffs on both of her parents.
Gabriella’s parents were arrested and convicted for the torture and death of Susie. They are both currently on death row. Evidence presented in court showed Susie had 2nd and 3rd degree burns on her body from her waist down. There were also burns on her face, arms and torso. Her small young body was covered in injuries. She had a burn on her head that was infected, which was likely caused by hot water on more than one occasion. There were similar burns on her neck and shoulder. There was hair loss. Skin was eroded from her ears exposing cartilage. Burn marks on her cheek matched a blow dryer in the home. There was evidence of strangulation. She was also burned in scalding hot water of 140 degrees. There was testimony and evidence that she was hung from a hook in the closet by her wrists in handcuffs and her feet did not touch the floor. There was a lot of blood stains in the closet.
Gabriella was placed with her grandparents. She lived with them until the age of 12 when it was discovered that her uncle molested her. He served 10 years in prison. Her grandparents did not want to care for her anymore.
Gabriella was placed in a group home. She ended up in various group homes mainly due to her behavior. She frequently cut on herself and ran away for brief periods of time.
A social worker, Aubrey, that Gabriella had through most of her teenage years spoke into her life. At times she would share about Jesus. She took Gabriella on hikes with her Christian friends. Gabriella loved going on the hikes. There was one guy on the hike that she thought of as a grandpa. Aubrey felt God specifically brought her to work in the teen unit to become Gabriella’s social worker. Gabriella at times caused a lot of grief for Aubrey. She never gave up hope. She made sure Gabriella was placed in some of the best group homes that were run by Christians and that she had a very good therapist.
Aubrey was transferred out of the teen unit when Gabriella was 17. She had limited contact that year. After Gabriella aged out of the system Aubrey continued contact with her throughout the years.
During her young adult years, Gabriella became addicted to drugs and lived, at times, in very dysfunctional situations. She often lived on the streets and tried to do life her way. She had two young children taken from her custody. She was offered reunification services; however, she continued to use drugs and did not participate in the services that were offered to her. She lost parental rights for these children and they were adopted.
Gabriella did stop using drugs, started following God, had two more sons and acquired an apartment. When she had her third son, she thought since she had her life together, she did not need God anymore. She started using drugs again and things spiraled out of control for her. Her three sons were taken from her custody. She was offered reunification services again. Although she did the required services, she made the hardest decision she ever had to make in her life. She gave up parental rights to her three sons because she was unable to support them so they could have a better life. She wondered why God would let all this happen to her.
Aubrey continued to stay in contact although she wondered if anything was ever going to change for Gabriella. Gabriella had another daughter and when her daughter was four years old, she checked herself into an in-patient Christian drug rehab program. Along with all the drug rehab courses she was required to take she attended bible study and church on grounds. During a church service she went forward asking Jesus to become her Lord and Savior.
On a visit, Aubrey noticed Gabriella was very different. Her entire demeanor had changed. Before she could ask her, what happened, Gabriella told her a lady had come and prayed with her. While praying Gabriella vomited and peed on herself and it felt like nails scratching on her arm trying to hang on. Gabriella had been set free through prayer of the demonic influences in her life. Gabriella married the father of her daughter who was also at the same drug rehab program.
They both graduated from the drug rehab program. One night her husband was under the influence and attacked her. It was violent. She called the police and she left him. She went to live in a home with women and children. She found out she was pregnant. Her husband completed his program. They were reunited a year later. They both have been clean now for a year. Gabriella realized she needed to completely surrender to God and is now completely dependent on Him.
She and her husband have two beautiful daughters, live in an apartment and her husband works full time to support them. They go to church weekly and when they are unable to go, they watch church online,
Gabriella is legally blind and still has struggles in her life. The enemy (Satan) tried to destroy her in her early childhood into her teen years and young adulthood but she now knows Jesus. She knows Jesus is always with her. He delivered her. She has hope. She says life is so much better with Jesus. Her story is a story of Beauty that came from Ashes.
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:3
Gabriella’s hope is that her story encourages others.