Well, my blogging took a different turn tonight and I will not be getting the posts I am working on for you out tonight as planned. Sometimes, plans change.
Our PEC group- Parents Educating Children- our Florida Homeschool and local support groups are very close. We are like one big family. We work together on projects and meet once a year at our fantastic homeschool convention where thousands of Florida homeschool families go to learn and purchase new curriculum.
We meet together once a month and then more often when we go on field trips together or when we do co-op teaching.
I just received an email from our group leader asking for prayers for the Sitton Family. Jim and Muriel's 6 year old daughter fell upon a tragic death on Thanksgiving. Makayla was a very smart and gorgeous young girl. Jim is a very much loved photojournalist for WPTV. It is really hard for me to write this post but we need your help in prayers and also to find the alleged killer. I am shaking as I write this post and my heart is pounding. I am doing all I can to hold it together so that we can get this prayer request to you this evening.
The family knows that their little angel is with Heavenly Father now. Makayla was very spiritual and was very close to God. In fact, during their Thanksgiving dinner she asked if she could say a few words. She got up and said that when you get a gift that is not thanksgiving, that is thanks getting, but when you thank the giver for the gift, then you have thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving after they enjoyed their family gathering with many family members one of the cousins went outside for a few moments and then came back shooting everyone. There were 17 people in the home at the time. He shot and killed his 33 year old twin sisters, one of whom was pregnant. He killed his aunt who was 76 years old and then he shot Makayla 5 times while she was sleeping in her bed. This was the first time he had ever met his 6 year old cousin as he had not seen anyone in his family in 10 years. He shot and killed 4 people that Thanksgiving night and during one moment of silence as the family members were running for their lives, he said he had waited 20 years to do this. He did not shoot his father- instead this was more to punish his father for whatever!
Since I don't read the awful newspapers I found out about this through our email communications with our homeschool support group. What a tragic loss. I am going to have to take some time now to pray and get my emotions in order. I am crying as I write this story. It pains me to no end when senseless murder happens and when it is this close to home- well- it is even harder. I lost my mother to a killer and so I have a lot of empathy for those who go through this tragedy.
The manhunt for the killer has extended into Michigan. According to Jupiter Florida Police Sgt Pascarella - the alleged killer is Paul Merhige, age 35 and is driving a 4 door royal blue 2007 Toyota Camry with Florida License # W427JT. His address known address is 10201 SW 88th Ave. in Miami. But he also lived for a short time in Birmingham Michigan. Please contact the Michigan Police if you see this man. Do not approach him. He is assumed dangerous and is believed to be armed.
Courtesy of Channel 5- WPTV- Here is a photo of the alleged killer. Please contact police if you see him.
This is what Jim Sitton, her father had to say to the news media-
"I just want to let everyone know that she's in heaven; we know where she is, and that's the only reason I can stand here today. God has blessed us with a beautiful little girl and he just took her home.
"Makayla was a special girl. Six-years-old, played piano and sang. She was supposed to be in the Nutcracker ballet tomorrow at the Eissey theater... She was very excited about this. Tonight, when we put her down, I got to have a tender, special moment with her. She's just, our life, and I don't know how we're ever going to recover. God packed a lot of sweetness into that little body, and it's a tragic way to go, but we know where she is."
Here is a beautiful photo of Makayla courtesy of the Sitten family. Please add her family to your prayers tonight.
Please pray for the Sitton family and their loved ones as they go through this rough time of tribulation in their lives right now. Please pray that God's peace will surround them and that he sends his divine comfort to them.
Nestor Gasset and Katerina Gasset- Realtors®, CIPS, ABR, SFR, GRI, REOS
Katerina - I was hearbroken when I heard about this on the news yesterday. I saw Makayla's father on TV today and was in tears when he said he didn't want to shower because the scent of Makayla was on him. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and the rest of your community as you cope with this tragic loss.
This is the most tragic news.. My prayers are with you Katerina as you and the community mourn this beautiful girl.
Katerina,
What a tragedy in the family. I saw it on TV. It is heart wrenching. He is a very sick individual (I wanted to say "man", but he is not a man, he is worse than an animal).
Katerina , I saw it also on TV and my heart went out to the family. What a senseless and tragic event. I pray for God's grace for the family and I pray he is caught quickly so he can not bring any more pain and suffering to anyone else.
Oh Katerina, I will definately say a prayer for the family. I have watched the story up here in MIchigan. Wow Birmingham is an expensive city to live in. I heard the fathers interview about taking a shower.
I will also they find him quick he is a sick individual.
Hugs to you during this time.
You know I will pray for that family, it was hard for me to read this because every time I wiped away the tears, I was reminded that she is the same age as my youngest and that is just too young to be taken from this Earth in such a violent way. She is with Heavenly Father now and as we know he has a plan for all of us and I will pray that this killer gets caught soon and can pay for his crime and pray for this father that is left with trying to recover from such a sadistic act of this little girls cousin.
Katerina - it is hard for me to comment as I too feel the pain and tears. I too will pray for the family. ~Rita
Katrina-
I had seen the story on the news here in Nashville. But did not know the details. What a terrible tragedy.
Our prayers are with your community and this dear family.
God Bless
Katerina, that family will be in my son's and my prayers. How tragic this is. I keep thinking of my son. If they haven't caught that individual yet, I truly pray that they do very soon.
I am posting this as a prayer request, sister... as you have asked.... may this person be brought to justice and may he unravel all the hate, frustration and rage in his heart for his father...... may there be reconciliation between them.....
May the Lord of all comfort be with the family and the father through this tragic time......
Katerina
I had read this on the news, but did not read the whole story, as I thought what a horrible thing to happen. Makayla her family and friends are in my prayers. We know that tragedies like this not only affect the victims but entire communities. My thoughts are with you. Tere
Unfortunately, I did hear this on the news Thursday and was so saddened by this, and how someone could do something like this! It is heart-breaking. I have been praying for the family, and will continue to do so.
What a small world. I heard this awful story on our local news in Cary NC. My prayers are with you and the family.
Katerina, this is absolutely an unimaginable tragedy and I am so sorry for your loss. I have prayed for the family, the community, and your homeschool group. May God hold all of you close as you go through this very difficult time.
I hadn't seen this tragic story on the news, but we will lift up Makayla's parents, family and friends to be comforted in this time of such great loss. What a horrible thing to even hear about, much less be part of, it's just heart-wrenching. I also pray this murderer will be caught quickly.
Thank you everyone for your kind words and prayers. This family sure needs your prayers. I am much better today. I could not even write any more last night. It is hard to keep from falling apart at times like this. I look at my precious family and thank God we are all together here.
Katerina, my prayers go out to the entire family and to the friends of the family. As you may know, our community has also been rocked this Fall, first by the senseless killing of Somer Thompson in Orange Park, and then a father shot his two sleeping children, age 16 and 11, then himself, while his wife was in the shower and that was right here on Fleming Island. There is a lot of evil going on in the world right now.
Katerina, There are no words, only prayer.
Katerina - this is horrific and a senseless tragedy. I hope and pray for those that were touched by Makayla and the Sitten family a swift recovery! May the Sitten family and love ones find comfort and peace at this very difficult time. Our prayers and loves are being sent through the miles! Be blessed.
Wow, I didnt read about that yet. Being from Seattle I've been following the shooting recently of the police officers. Sometimes its best not to read the news.
Hi Katerina. How sad and tragic for a child and the family. It made the news in Tampa Bay. It quoted Makayla's father as saying that she was supposed to perform (last) Friday in a holiday production of The Nutcracker. How sad! When you posted about the twin sisters wow... I am one of a twin. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and to everyone who loves her as well as to the rest of the family. ~ Lana
Nestor & Katerina,
I have no idea what to say, other than I will keep that family (and their friends) in my prayers.
I had not heard about this as I too don't see news at all. Thank you for posting this horrible story. I'm sure it wasn't easy to write. It's times like this that the verse in Romans 8 doesn't seem to apply, but it does somehow. I've also heard it said that God is always with them and sometimes allows things like this to protect us from something even more tragic in our futures. Whatever this is, God is in it somewhere, that I'm sure of. I pray for peace and support of all the angels here with us at this time to go to the remaining family to comfort all the mourners... I can say with certainty that Makayla was leading a major parade in her honor in Heaven last week and was not the least bit sorrowful... as beautiful as she was, she's even more beautiful now.... sorry I missed this last week. Bob