Justice for baby Prince
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Over the past two years, there have been many moments in which I have been ashamed of my country. I grew up believing that if I was an honest person, who worked hard to positively contribute to society, I would always be able to turn to our justice system for help in dangerous times. When I needed help, however, the justice system was not there for me. The justice system allowed my sister to be assaulted and for the criminal who assaulted her to walk free, for me to be falsely arrested instead of protected from my abuser, for the Family Courts to ignore the dangerousness of my son’s father, and for several public servants to place my son in the hands of a disordered man who I believe murdered my 15 month old baby boy. I have lived a nightmare since the day Luc walked into my life. This nightmare reached epic proportions the day I left him, and since my son’s death has reached the unimaginable.
I am not alone in my quest for peace. Every person (man or woman) who has found themselves in the grip of a psychopath comes to a point when they also crave peace. As MLK Jr. stated so eloquently, peace does not only come with the absence of tension. To a large degree, the tension I had with Luc no longer exists – Prince is gone and Luc has no more control over the person I cared most for in life – my son. The tension was also reduced the day I realized that Luc was a lost cause, and that I truly didn’t care what happened to him (beyond justice for my son). Though I will never again be in family court with this demon, it is impossible to truly have peace until justice is served. While many men and women who have dealt with a psychopath may never receive the justice they deserve, today me and my son received a part of justice I feared may never come – Lucifer was arrested this morning.
The medical examiner report ruled my son’s death a homicide and that he was drowned. Since my son was only 15 months old, Lucifer could be facing capital murder charges and the death penalty.
This piece of justice feels bitter sweet. Had the justice system been there for us before now, my son would be here to celebrate this moment with me. I am not sure that I will ever be able to forgive my country for the terrible injustices that led to the death of my son. I am not sure if I will ever forgive myself for following the law and waiting for justice my son would not live long enough to see. That being said, I realize that if I sit back and merely complain without attempting to change the system – I become part of the problem. When I read the words of MLK Jr., and think about the incredible legacy that he left behind, I feel hopeful. While many of the injustices he felt during his lifetime have improved, it was not without struggle. Right now, we are facing new injustices and new problems. We are facing a crisis directed at our children. It has become part of my legacy (and the legacy of my son Prince) to see to it that no other child faces the same fate and no other mother will have to bury her son in this way.
One of the most vivid memories I have of my son happened on one summer day (a few short months before he died) when I was dancing with him up and down the driveway in front of our house. I looked into his beautiful brown eyes and asked, “Are you going to dance with Mama on your wedding day Mr. Prince?” Prince was laughing hysterically as I spun him around in circles to the silent music both of us imagined. While my son was not verbal, if he could talk his answer would have been “No”. It would have been “no” because Prince would never have a wedding day. He would never be old enough to get married, and we would never again dance together. I tell this story not to ask for pity, but to ask for your help in finding the justice my son, and every child, deserves. Justice does not come from one mother screaming at the top of her lungs about what happened to her son – it comes from the power of many. The civil rights movement was not a movement based on the words of one brave man; it was a movement afoot in a country that was tired of living in the shadows of injustice. I am tired of living in a country where the courts allow children to be abused and killed by disordered parents and caregivers. How about you?
Today was a big day for justice, but it was only a piece of the story and a pebble on the path of justice for our children. I have often told you that this blog is not about Lucifer (that is one of the main reasons that I don’t use his true name). Today, however, I want to share a letter with all of my readers that I have written to Luc (but will never send). I imagine this letter could be used over and over again for many woman (and some men too) who have escaped (or hope to escape) a psychopath. I encourage everyone to share their “goodbye letters” in the comments of this post. Say goodbye and good riddance to the psychopath in your life and pledge to have “no contact” with this person in both the physical and in thought. This is the first time I will address Luc – and it will also be the last.
Dear Lucifer,
I regret a lot of things in life, but I will never regret leaving you. While we were together, I wrote love letter after love letter – hoping and praying that you would one day prove to me that you were the man I wanted you to be. You never proved anything, because being that man was impossible. You have taken a lot from me, but you have not ruined me. I was strong before I met you, but now you have assisted me in becoming wiser and stronger than I ever believed I could be. Prince was an angel. I have always known that he saved my life, but now I realize that he likely saved many others. Sometimes I think Shawn sent him here to protect her son from you. Maybe your mother Alma sent him so that you would stop killing, conning, leaching, and abusing. Prince’s true mission was one that I will never completely know until I am in heaven along with him.
Today is the beginning of the rest of my life. After this moment, I will begin to forget about you. I will move on, fall in love again, have more children, and one day remember Prince without remembering his unfortunate sperm donor. I am fairly certain that you will remember me forever. You are likely thinking that your current situation is my fault. Don’t be confused Luc, this is part of your disorder. You always said that you wondered if you were being punished for the bad things you had done in a past life (because you didn’t have money, were not a successful singer, or whatever thing you chose to complain about that day). I am here to tell you the honest to God truth – you are being punished for the terrible things you are doing in this life. Everything that is happening to you right now is of your own doing. That very large and angry man who wants to make you his girlfriend (or maybe already has) is sharing that jail cell with you because of what you have done to the people who tried to love you.
You have destroyed everything that could have been good in your life. Now, you have nothing. You have become what you have feared the most – powerless and utterly irrelevant. In jail you will probably still tell stories about how you believe you were in concert with Brittany Spears, Rihanna, or whatever other artist you will claim to personally know at the time. The difference, however, is that now everyone knows how delusional you are so these stories will be nothing more than the stories of a crazy man who sits in prison for the rest of his miserable life.
Enjoy the media attention and the televised trial because it will be the last stage you will perform on. Eventually, you will disappear along with the average news cycle, and nobody will think about you as you rot in jail where you belong. And remember – you are sitting there because of the things you have done. You took Prince’s life after only 15 months. My little boy touched more people in a positive way than you will have in your lifetime. In fact, I would challenge you to find just one person who will admit (after they learn who you really are) that you have touched their life in a positive way.
Good riddance Lucifer. You are finally where you were meant to be – in chains, powerless, and forever in jail.
Truthfully and finally,
Prince’s Mama
I was having a bad day today and then I saw your post. While can never understand your pain, my heart is lighter knowing that monster is finally behind bars.
Tears are streaming down my face with so many emotions. I’m so sorry for your loss, my heart is breaking at what was done to that beautiful child, and I am exhilerated that he was arrested. I pray he will get the death penalty. You are in my heart and prayers.
“Lucifer was arrested this morning.
The medical examiner report ruled my son’s death a homicide and that he was drowned. Since my son was only 15 months old, Lucifer could be facing capital murder charges and the death penalty.”
Thank God. It’s too late, it’s not enough, but thank God it’s something.
(I said my goodbyes a year and a half ago. I guess it was really more of an “Eff You, Loser” sort of goodbye that isn’t fit for polite conversations 😉 )
I wrote this back in 2005 shortly after when I stopped working for him.
What was it that people saw,
now that you’re broken and hollow?
No ground for you to stand on
as your castle tumbles down.
Each person owns a brick.
No bricks are your own,
you borrowed and took
until there was nothing left.
Now the bricks are all gone,
you’re broken and alone.
Though your door still stands,
can you hear them knocking?
It doesn’t matter,
you never let anyone in.
Even if you did,
you have nothing left.
The price was cheap
but you didn’t pay.
Now there is no tag
that can hold your debt.
No path to glory.
No chance for greatness.
Just false pretenses and
shattered dreams.
You’ve sealed your fate,
nothing is real anymore.
How can you hurt so many?
Just fucking walk away.
–MLK
Beautifully put, it suits Luc well.
Very true indeed. Even though I was around and went through so much along with you guys, I had no clue how evil Lucifer was and I’m sorry. I finally walked away in 2009.
Dear Beautiful Momma,
We have a mutual friend, DDW, who has shared your heartbreaking story. Many a night, I have included you and Prince in my prayers. Finally there will be justice for you and your darling baby boy. I am so very happy that the wheels of justice are finally moving. Praise the Lord! God Bless You.
To Hera – I wanted to jump up and down and scream “PRAISE GOD” at the top of my lungs…so that our Father and your precious son could hear me, but they already know. I want to hug you and hold your face and tell you that you could’ve never known and that for 15 months that baby boy knew nothing but joy, love, and happiness because he had YOU for a mother. You were as much of an angel to him as he was to you, Hera. I think of you and Prince daily and always pray for you…that will never change or cease.
To Lucifer – I may not personally know you, Hera, or Prince, but I so well know your kind. There are two other little boys in men’s bodies who are sitting in prison for the same reason. One brutally and viciously beat my childhood friend’s 2 year old daughter Samantha until her body resembled a crumpled up pop can. The other hit my friend’s son in the head for crying after his mommy while she went to the dentist…he died left us 6 hours later after the doctor’s were unable to stop his brain from swelling, slowly killing him. Regardless of the method or the motive, all 3 of you, as well as the thousands of other people in prison for murdering innocent, helpless children, will burn and rot in hell. However, before that day comes, you will be tortured, beaten, and likely raped…they call it inmate justice. You will wither away and pray for death to come to you. It is MY pray that our Father and Savior allow you to experience His wrath. You will know His anger and His justice, not just that of our failed judicial system. You might have stolen Hera’s son from her and, for a moment, her self-worth and sanity, but she is ten thousands times the person you ever could’ve been. This will not destroy her, it will strengthen her. So ultimately, you failed…and I take get pleasure in knowing that.
Hera,
I am so happy for you! I knew that bastard was responsible. I could feel it in my bones. Its always about control.
Keep speaking out about how you warned the Courts about Psychopathy! The Courts and the legislators need to safeguard children from a parent like that. They may not want to do anything about it, but children need to be protected.
Justice is only beginning to be served. But I am glad for this battle won. To Hera- I am very proud of you, daughter. To Lucifer- Tic Toc your time is up. Enjoy your new digs. To all those who helped this man be able to perpetrate his evil- I pray you also get what is coming to you. To our dear little baby- You were very loved and will always be remembered.
I felt Prince was a angel, a sacrificial lamb perhaps put here to get this rat arrested. He is sitting alongside my niece Shawn right now, and they are high fiving each other.
I cried when I read this, tears of sorrow for prince and you, and tears of joy that, please God, you will get justice for Prince, and, with luck, Luc can rot in a prison cell for the rest of his life then burn in hell for all eternity. I hope and pray you can grieve for Prince and find peace for you.
Wonderful, wonderful news. Praise God.
I started to cry when I read this. I cried when I first read your story on DDW, and that night I hugged my own son a little longer… he also slept in bed with us that night, as when I told my husband about your story he cried as well. There is nothing in the world that we cherish more than our baby. I cannot fathom the pain you go through everyday, and the strength you have. Even not knowing you, I am so proud of you, for the way you have fought for your Prince. To bring that monster to justice. I know it will still be a long road from here, but please know you and your son are in our thoughts and prayers everyday. I hope after they throw him away forever, or give him the death penalty, that you are able to find peace.
The Bible says “be sure the truth shall find you out” and are words to live by. Luc thought he had gotten away with the perfect crime; murder and no charges as he’s most likely evaded several sentencings. I cannot fathom doing something like this to someone you proclaim to love especially your own flesh and blood, twice nonetheless. Then the mother of your child, reprehensible! Death might only be too good for him, a life-long and dreadful prison sentence justified then followed by a life in Hell. Hera, you have empowered many by your strength as I myself can attest to the fact that dealing with a psychopath especially when you have children is unbearable and almost indescribable. The utter CHAOS crated by these “types” leaves some wanting to run and hide to evade further trauma-You chose to stand and fight and because you have he will not get away with this crime. Your child is a savior for those who may have encountered him at some later date as these criminals are incapable of change… History remains unchanged and often repeats itself, this has been my stance with the Court who refuse to believe that a man with an extensive history of violence that Solictited and Conspired with another to have me killed is incapable of change and certainly does not belong raising our 3 children yet they granted him custody…The system is broken and needs fixed. Your situation should set presidence in changing the laws to RECOGNIZE that if it smells like an apple and tastes like an apple, its an apple…(black and white thinking) as there is no grey area when dealing with Narcissist, Borderline Personality, Anti-Social or any other Axis II disorders as these people cannot be treated with medication and are incapable of change-becoming a parent does not change that. Prince will be remembered throughout eternity as a savior of many, you will always be his mother and no one can ever take that away from you. Peace to you and your family as this monster rots in jail.
Hera! You are Amazing and I am so intrigued by your strength! You are prayed for and loved by your extended family. So happy for this long-awaited development! I wish you peace as you continue to make your beautiful Prince proud!
Keep publicizing what happened and the names of the people in power that ALLOWED this to happen. We are going through our own nightmare with our daughter and granddaughters right now and the judge is an arrogant, sarcastic idiot so we dont have much hope. Bless you for your willingness to speak out and expose this travesty!
Hera,
Angels are celebrating, you are surrounded by them!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love never gives up, love triumphs!!!!!! Hugs, hugs, and many more hugs….endless hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Olga
Justice has finally come for Lil Prince and my cousin Shawn Mason. He killed my cousin 10 years ago and finally justice. God is good.
God Bless you Hera!! I want to say my family is so elated about his arrest although it has not bought closure to how he took my cousins life it felt so good to know that he is lock up and the state is asking for his life!! I read your blog and it gave me insight on what my cousin went thru with the maniac am just sorry that this had to come to another tragic ending for a family. So am grateful for this day, and my cousin could rest in peace knowing that he can no longer bring harm to her son…. Thanks for being you keep up all the hard work and my prayers are with you and your family.
I’m so sorry you have been victimized not only by Luc but by a judicial system that has failed your family. Unfortunately this happens all too often. Something needs to be done.
Feel free to contact me any time. The judicial system has also failed my family, but in a different way. I’m not going to get into that now or here, but feel free to contact me. Together we can make change!
Take care
We’ve all been waiting for this day. God bless you, Hera.
Today is the day The Lord has made, let us rejoice & be OVERJOYED in it! Praise God! Victory in Christ Jesus! It was only a matter of time! Though the justice about to be served is in no way,shape,or form, in comparison to what he truly deserves, We continue to pray for you,your family, & the families of Alma Collins & Shawn Mason who was also murdered for the same reasons Prince’s precious pure & innocent life was senselessly & brutally taken! Hera, you are truly an amazing woman & beautiful child of the most high God, who loves,cares & has an awesome plan for your life! There are no words that can truly describe your incredible strength & relentless courage in enduring the most unimaginable. You can put him in the deepest,darkest hole with the most dangerous criminals known to man & it doesn’t even come close to the “Lake of Fire” he is headed into for all “Eternity”! As mentioned above in a previous comment ” death would be to good for him” & to think anyone would argue having their tax dollars wasted on keeping him alive with 3 squares, TV, rec room,& all the basic luxuries of survival’ in a warm 9 x 6 suite with privileges most people don’t even get in a public library,surrounded by the worst of worse! This is FAR from over! For any & everyone who had their dirty evil hands on the lives of those innocent people, YOU WILL PAY! “NO ONE IS ABOVE GOD’S LAW” Now it’s time to gather all the nails to his casket on this long awaited moment of truth! Let there be closure, his fate is finally sealed! Now it’s time to heal! Continued prayers of strength, healing & closure to all the families! You are always in our hearts & prayers’
Welllllll…statistically speaking it costs much more money to execute an inmate than incarcerate him for life. It costs many millions of dollars in legal fees alone.
I tend to wish lifelong incarceration on people like this psychopath, simply because I know the chances of overturning the conviction on appeal are far greater in capital murder cases. Many attorneys and their firms do death row legal work pro bono. Life without parole don’t get nearly so much legal attention. Once they’re lifers (depending on state laws, of course) they tend to only come out in a box.
By “many millions of dollars in legal fees”, I do mean specifically the state’s cost to fight appeals and such. Those are your tax dollars.
The unfortunate reality is that with people like the demon Lucifer, he will waste tax dollars from court trying to fight and appeal regardless of what the sentence looks like. He will also terrorize from behind bars. Once he becomes Bubba’s girlfriend, he will get Bubba to do his bidding for him upon Bubba’s release.
May The Lord our God always bless & keep you & your families!
This is wonderful news in a horrible situation. Your strength is amazing! I hope you feel some peace as you continue working for justice; you’re getting closer.
PRAISE GOD!!! Tears of joy and sadness as I read this post! Praying for you always!
Hera,
My heart goes out to you and your family. This monster has been plaguing my family for several years. My son (previously posting as MLK) worked for this creep. After an incident at his apartment, I moved him back home. He was an adult but we knew at that time, this screwball was not someone to mess with. Always looking over our shoulder and warning my son to not post his location etc, he did so. He wasn’t afraid of looking into the dark side. He refused to live in fear.
I read your blog when I heard about Prince. I didn’t hear until December sometime. I cried while reading it. My grandson is 16 months. My daughter, his mom, read your blog portion after the arrest. the part that spoke about dancing in the driveway and saying to him, Is this how you will dance with Momma at your wedding? Sorry if that isn’t exact..but that posting caught my daughters heart. She cried pretty hard because she couldn’t fathom losing her little child. How anyone can possibly think about this crime against his own child. he has always been a money hungry control freak. I wish my son could be repaid for the attorney costs he had to put out because of this monster. Please know that our hearts all go out to you and your family, I know nothing will bring Prince back but I follow your blog from time to time and you are right. He came for a reason. You will see your precious son again one day in Heaven. You can be rest assured that he is safe now. He is watching over you and is now your protector. Wrapped in Gods arms he is going to see you through this terrible tragedy. I wish I had something to offer you as condolences or anything else. But I fear I don’t have much to offer. Trust in the Lord….
You are the strongest woman I can think of and keeping your promise to Prince is coming to light! God Bless you sweet woman….if ever you need someone to have a cup of coffee/casppuchino with…my family is here for you!
I will be in court to see him squirm like the snake that he is. He killed my neice, his mother and his son for money. He is even beneath Lucifer if there is such a thing! But I believe in God and I know Prince, Shawn, and his mother are going to see to it that he is convicted. Make no mistake about it, God is at work here.
Are you going to the arraignment tomorrow? If so, please take mental notes for me. I want to hear all about the look on his sorry face when he is told in front of complete strangers (and the media of course) that he has been charged with first degree murder.
I haven’t posted because I am deep in dealing with my own family court struggle / and my landline and web have been cut off/ but I wanted to peck out on my mobile how happy I was to hear that Luc was arrested. He reminds me more than anything of Scott Petersen in his smug coldness
No I am not going to the arraignment, but I will be at his trial everyday, for Shawn, I will be there. Tomorrow he will say “not guilty” of the charges, I want to be there when a jury of his peers see him for what he is, A KILLER and pronounce his ass GUILTY!.
Oh, Hera. I am so relieved for you that Luc’s been arrested. The truth is coming out and justice will be served. I am so sorry though that you had to learn through the autopsy that your precious little boy was drowned. I can’t imagine the pain that must bring you. Precious little Prince, I’m so sorry you had to live in a world that would let something like that happen to you, but I’m happy that you got to be your mama’s little boy and that you will be together one day with the Lord Jesus.
Hera, has there been any comment by the court (namely Judge Algeo)?
No Christine….Judge Algeo has not said a word.
Unbelievable. He could in the very least express some sympathy even if he’s not willing to admit any fault or wrong doing.
I kept thinking last night as I was drifting off to sleep that those spineless health care professionals threatened to ban you from Prince’s room and allow Luc access to the baby he’d just drowned while completely disregarding the fact that you had SOLE CUSTODY. What if Prince could have been saved and they let that monster be alone with him in that room? You were wronged by so many people who should have protected your little boy.
Christine, I think about them too. The thing that is even more disgusting is that the first doctor who saw Prince said he believed he had been drowned. They should have arrested him that night and never let him in the room with me. Prince deserved peace at least in the end. Disgusting…
Oh, no! I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry. There just seems to be no end to the injustices that lead to little Prince’s death. Were you alone with Prince when he passed? Or was Luc in the room? I hope to God he was not.
In the hospital, they took my phone away…forced my family to leave me…and then told me that they were going to force me to allow Luc to come into the room with me and Prince. I was told that if I said a word to Luc they would force me out of the room. It was terrible. Luckily, after threatening law suits, they asked Luc to leave and let my family come back in.
They took your phone? How can they possibly justify that?
How did the arraignment go? Was he charged with first degree or capital murder? I think they use different terms in individual states.
They couldn’t justify it. WHen I spoke to the patient relations representative, she said, “well I didn’t hear from anyone that this occurred so I don’t believe we did anything wrong.” The arraignment was on Monday. He was charged with first degree murder, but it could be upgraded to capital murder at some point. That is what I am told.
I hope you’re going to make them answer to every action they took that day. They also failed to protect Prince.
If nothing else they will develop a protocol for instances like this.
Kudos CC! Hope you sue the hospital.
Hera,
You don’t know me, but we’ve met a couple of times while you were dating Luc. That asshole made a horrible accusation about me to my boyfriend (whom WAS his friend at the time) within the first few month of me meeting him. I wanted to tell you so bad to get away from that lying piece of shit, but I felt it wasn’t my place. Not to say that anything I said to you would’ve dissuaded you from continuing to date him, but after hearing about another terrible crime that he has committed (because I’ve always believed that the first two deaths were his fault as well), I wish to God I had. I’ve just read all of your blogs and my heart and prayers will continue to go out to you and your family. Prince was sent for a reason. Unfortunately he is no longer here on earth, but that little angel will continue to serve his purpose for so many. God bless you!
LGio, I remember exactly who you are and the lie Luc told about you. After Luc attacked my sister, I thought about you and realized how it was likely a lie. I hope that everyone I met that surrounded that evil man has had a come to Jesus moment…to include that family whose house I met you at…they lied for him and pretended they were his family. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. I don’t know how they could have known about all that Luc was and still defended him. It is truly disgusting.
You’re right, disgusting! I never understood that loyalty or allegiance to someone you know is a bold faced liar. I just pray that you get through this. You WILL find love, happiness, and hopefully soon, peace. God bless girl!
As everyone who knew Luc or had some kind of association with him look back over the years when they knew him have any information that would be useful in the reinvestigation of the other 2 deaths please contact the Investigators looking into the cases. Contact the the Mannassas Police Department to share waht you know about those two cases. As you stated Hera “a come to Jesus moment” may get him charged with these crimes if people who may know something come forward. He can’t hurt anyone anymore!
I second this Auntie. It is time for people to no longer be afraid and come forward to share what they know.
The man and woman he has been living with for the past 2 years (Manassas Va. address) also lied for him in court and are still defending him. I wonder what he has on them? I initially thought they were marks, but they know who he is. They have been involved with him for the last 10 years. They were also in the house when the baby was drowned.
How bittersweet. Hugs and strength and truth being sent to you and yours! It was your original posting about ‘that judge’ that brought me here. It s the commonality that keeps me coming back. Thank you.
It’s the commonality regarding the Judicial system that keeps me coming back, rendering reprehensible decisions and deprivation of rights under Color Of Law as Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness just doesn’t seem to apply to victims of abuse (especially children).