Losing their child is what no parent deserves to go through. But upon asking if her child was okay, what she heard back was too heavy on her heart. The doctor said: ‘Ma’am, no one has told you yet?’
Then, there was nothing but silence all over.
It was June 26, 2020, when their lives changed forever. Although the day began just like a typical Friday for Tara, what came later that day no one could have prepared her for.
While she worked long shifts, it was Dad’s turn to take Ja’Kari out for the weekend to have some fun. Like usual, she packed his things for them to take along, kissed her baby goodbye, and waved goodbye to have a wonderful day together.
If she knew this was the last time she would get to bid the child goodbye, she would never let him go. This was the last time Tara got to hold her baby.
Later that night, she received a call when she was on duty and working hard for the family. It made her feel strange because it was very unusual for Ja’Karis’s aunt to request that she keep him for the 4th of July.
Why would her son be in another state? He was supposed to be in Kentucky, where the family lived. But soon, she discovered something weird and confusing.
Without her knowledge and with no consent, her son was taken to Mobile, Alabama. Although the news upset her, she was at peace knowing that her son was with his relatives, so she agreed. Ja’kari was going to stay at his aunt’s place for the holiday. However, being a mother, certain things constantly bothered Tara and were a concern.
Although the relatives were close, and Tara knew her son would be taken care of, Tara received no messages or video calls after the phone call! Even when she did, the messages were short, and she got replies after ages.
Noticing the behaviour, Tara was in extreme discomfort now.
On July 5th, Tara messaged, ‘Is my baby okay?’
And then finally, the aunt called.
Her voice was breaking and fearful. She said, ‘I need you to come to Alabama now.’ Hearing the tone and statement, chills ran down her spine because she was clear, something was wrong!
Without wasting a single second, she immediately called the hospital. The next thing she got to hear unraveled her world. No one could fix the damage that the news did to her.
The doctor said, ‘Your son drowned. We did everything we could. I pronounced him dead at 1 pm.’
It was like a puzzle for the mother. The puzzle that she wasn’t able to solve. How was this possible? A child, just 15 months old, drowned? What were the people around the baby doing? Did no one try to save him?
According to everyone present there, it was nothing but an accident, which the mother thought was a big lie. No one’s story matched what had happened with the innocent soul. Each person had a different story to tell.
While one responder reported how the child’s hair was dry, although he drowned in the pool, there were many inconsistencies in every statement. And why was the mother informed hours after her child’s death?
Every time the mother thought of the incident, hundreds of questions flooded her mind, and they kept increasing.
How was it even possible for a kid barely 2 feet tall to climb the three stairs of the pool?
Since the incident, the mother has been stonewalled by authorities in Kentucky and Alabama. Even the agencies could not do anything and kept passing the responsibilities back and forth. The uncle and aunt who took responsibility for the child now live peacefully, unchanged, happy lives. The entire trauma was for the mother. No one was held accountable, which fills her with anger and disappointment.
With justice not being served, Tara, with the heaviest heart, shared this heart-wrenching story for her baby Ja’Kari, also called Kar Kar, whom she still loves so much.
The bond between a mother and son can’t ever fade awayaty this distance.
Her love for her son, Ja’Kari, is evident in every word she utters and her constant pursuit of justice.
Tara states that her baby was not just wandering in the pool; someone must answer for this! She also believes that while the higher authorities did nothing, the readers of her story can help her.
