A community remembrance since 1994
Apr. 19—ANDERSON — Perched atop a small hill at the downtown Citizens Plaza Park is a row of white crosses that signify children who have died by abuse in Madison County.
Danielle Grubaugh fought back tears as she repaired one of the crosses.
"I'm thinking about my kids," she said. "How terrible it is for these kids."
Grubaugh was volunteering for the first time during the annual National Crime Victims' Rights Week display in Anderson.
"It's for a good cause," she said.
Shauwna Hannah-Phillips was also volunteering for the first time and helping to place the white crosses on the hill.
"I had a SIDS baby. When they told me it was about victims, it was touching," she said. "My friend here was in tears when we started putting up the kids' crosses.
"It's hard, especially when it was a child," Hannah-Phillips said. "Hope people driving past think about all these children who were innocent victims. The world has to get better."
Christy Jones, victim assistance coordinator for the Anderson Police Department, said she started placing the crosses in 1994.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic the remembrance was not put up in 2020, but Jones was determined to place the crosses this year.
She said there would be more than 400 crosses placed at Citizens Plaza, located across from the county courthouse at Ninth and Main streets.
They will remain in place at the park until Friday.
"That number goes up every year," she said. "In 2020 we had five homicides and two that lived in Madison County that were killed somewhere else."
Jones said it means a lot for family members that the community remembers their loved ones each year.
"Let people know that we haven't forgotten their loved ones," she said. "It helps. Never a closure, but it helps."
Jones said some family members decorate the crosses.
"The hardest thing for me is when it's involving children," Jones said. "We've had too many."
Donovan Nealeigh, of Pendleton, has been volunteering for several years after his daughter was killed by a drunken driver.
"I volunteer because of my daughter," he said. "We went to victims of homicide and impaired drivers meetings. We just continued.
"It helps the families," Nealeigh said. "Some people come out and decorate the crosses. Just to know that someone cares and remembers."
He said some of the victims date back to the 1960s.
This is the 40th anniversary of National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
Since 1981, one week in April is annually dedicated to raising public awareness about the effects victimization has on individuals, families, friends and their communities. This year's theme is Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities.
Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.
