Chapter 4 - The Arrests
I stayed by Lily's side, but my mind was in that living room. I pictured the flashing blue and red lights reflecting off my mother's neat front garden. I pictured the neighbors staring as the police knocked on the door.
Thanks to the police scanner in the hospital lobby and the updates Detective Miller received, I got a play-by-play of what happened next.
When the police arrived at Diane's house, they found Ashley attempting to pack suitcases into the trunk of her SUV. Her two young boys were crying in the back seat, confused and frightened. Ashley had panicked, realizing the gravity of what she had done, and was preparing to flee the state to her boyfriend's place in Ohio.
"Where are you going, Ms. Parker?" the arresting officer had asked.
"Just a family trip," Ashley had shrieked, resisting as they moved to handcuff her. "You can't arrest me! My sister is a liar! Her kid is a clumsy little brat who makes things up for attention!"
She had screamed and kicked, fighting the officers until they had to force her into the back of the cruiser.
My mother, Diane, had played a different card. When the police entered the house, she pretended to be the victim. She claimed she had no idea the injury was so severe, that she was just trying to "protect the family from unnecessary drama," and that Ashley had assured her Lily was fine. But her lies quickly fell apart. The police seized her phone, finding text messages sent to Ashley just minutes after I left the house:
Diane: "She's throwing up. Chloe is going to notice. We need to make sure Lily keeps her mouth shut. If Chloe takes her to the ER, we are both ruined." Ashley: "Just tell her she tripped. Lily won't say anything. I scared her enough."
The digital footprint was damning. They were both charged—Ashley with first-degree felony child abuse, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment; Diane with felony child endangerment, accessory to child abuse, and tampering with a witness.
When Detective Miller shared the news of their arrests with me, a weight I hadn't realized I was carrying lifted off my chest. But the relief was short-lived.
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"Mrs. Parker," Dr. Coleman said, entering the room with a grave expression. "The latest scan shows the brain swelling is increasing. We need to prep Lily for emergency surgery to relieve the pressure. We need your consent immediately."
The world crashed down again. The battle wasn't over. My daughter was still fighting for her life.
