Two television journalists who were among those covering the child abuse case of slain Meeker toddler Kelsey Smith Briggs have released a new book, “Who Killed Kelsey?”
The book, co-authored by Britten Follett and Cherokee Ballard, will be officially released in Shawnee Saturday at the Child Abuse Prevention/Family Safety Day. The free event will be held in Woodland Veterans Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes many other family-friendly festivities.
Kelsey died Oct. 11, 2005. For months and years after that, both covered the case of Kelsey on the nightly news. Kelsey’s story seemed never-ending and they knew there was much more to tell, so they decided to team up and write a book, a process that began in 2007.
Follett, who has always wanted to write a book, said the project “has really been a labor of love,” while Ballard said there was so much more to Kelsey’s story that couldn’t be told in time and space of news reports.
“It was important for the whole story to be told and to explore the system-wide failure of this child,” Ballard said.
For convictions of enabling child abuse, Kelsey’s mother, Raye Dawn Smith, is serving a 27-year prison sentence while Kelsey’s step-father, Michael Lee Porter, is serving a 30-year prison sentence.
As part of the book, readers will find “first hand accounts of law enforcement interrogations, the behind the scenes correspondence in the case and never before told stories of the people who were supposed to love Kelsey, not allow her to die,” the book’s advance said.
Months before her death, Kelsey was being overseen by child welfare workers and the courts because of suspected abuse. Ballard said there were many “arms and hands” around this child, but she still died.
“Personally, writing the book has been a gut-wrenching experience” Ballard said. “Her life was not valued...Her injuries were not ignored, but almost. It’s very upsetting.”
Throughout the book-writing process, they said they’ve come to know Kelsey and her family even more.
“I feel close to her now even though I never got to meet her,” Ballard said.
For Follett, the book exposes the overall system-wide failure that was supposed to protect Kelsey and many children like her. As part of their book research, they reviewed hours of video tape, including the interviews Smith and Porter had with investigators in the days after Kelsey’s death, which they write about. The book also includes many excerpts from those interviews, which is one of Follett’s favorite parts of the book, she said.
“It’s the only time we hear from Raye Dawn and Mike Porter,” Follett said, adding she wrote to both in prison, but both declined interviews for this book.
Because many want to know “Who Killed Kelsey?” Follett said she can only hope that one day, the truth will come out.
When putting together new video of Kelsey as part of the book release, Follett said she experienced a “surreal moment” when going through video of Kelsey at a baby pageant, taken in happy times.
“She was a happy little 2-year-old and everyone was smiling and laughing,” Follett said. “It was almost like a slice of life before everything went bad and the abuse started.”
The authors said the book’s April release also coordinates with Child Abuse Prevention Month, so if the book could save another child, that is their ultimate goal.
Both also hope that by the end of the book, readers will have a more complete and educated opinion about this case.
The book will be available for purchase during Saturday’s Kelsey Briggs Foundation event in Shawnee, which is part of the Safe Communities celebration. Follett and Ballard will be at Woodland Veterans Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each book is about $22, with tax. Ten percent of the proceeds go to the Kelsey Briggs Foundation, which will help start a memorial scholarship.
Books also may be purchased online through Amazon or www.whokilledkelsey.com.
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Two television journalists who were among those covering the child abuse case of slain Meeker toddler Kelsey Smith Briggs have released a new book, “Who Killed Kelsey?”
The book, co-authored by Britten Follett and Cherokee Ballard, will be officially released in Shawnee Saturday at the Child Abuse Prevention/Family Safety Day. The free event will be held in Woodland Veterans Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes many other family-friendly festivities.
Kelsey died Oct. 11, 2005. For months and years after that, both covered the case of Kelsey on the nightly news. Kelsey’s story seemed never-ending and they knew there was much more to tell, so they decided to team up and write a book, a process that began in 2007.
Follett, who has always wanted to write a book, said the project “has really been a labor of love,” while Ballard said there was so much more to Kelsey’s story that couldn’t be told in time and space of news reports.
“It was important for the whole story to be told and to explore the system-wide failure of this child,” Ballard said.
For convictions of enabling child abuse, Kelsey’s mother, Raye Dawn Smith, is serving a 27-year prison sentence while Kelsey’s step-father, Michael Lee Porter, is serving a 30-year prison sentence.
As part of the book, readers will find “first hand accounts of law enforcement interrogations, the behind the scenes correspondence in the case and never before told stories of the people who were supposed to love Kelsey, not allow her to die,” the book’s advance said.
Months before her death, Kelsey was being overseen by child welfare workers and the courts because of suspected abuse. Ballard said there were many “arms and hands” around this child, but she still died.
“Personally, writing the book has been a gut-wrenching experience” Ballard said. “Her life was not valued...Her injuries were not ignored, but almost. It’s very upsetting.”
Throughout the book-writing process, they said they’ve come to know Kelsey and her family even more.
“I feel close to her now even though I never got to meet her,” Ballard said.
For Follett, the book exposes the overall system-wide failure that was supposed to protect Kelsey and many children like her. As part of their book research, they reviewed hours of video tape, including the interviews Smith and Porter had with investigators in the days after Kelsey’s death, which they write about. The book also includes many excerpts from those interviews, which is one of Follett’s favorite parts of the book, she said.
“It’s the only time we hear from Raye Dawn and Mike Porter,” Follett said, adding she wrote to both in prison, but both declined interviews for this book.
Because many want to know “Who Killed Kelsey?” Follett said she can only hope that one day, the truth will come out.
When putting together new video of Kelsey as part of the book release, Follett said she experienced a “surreal moment” when going through video of Kelsey at a baby pageant, taken in happy times.
“She was a happy little 2-year-old and everyone was smiling and laughing,” Follett said. “It was almost like a slice of life before everything went bad and the abuse started.”
The authors said the book’s April release also coordinates with Child Abuse Prevention Month, so if the book could save another child, that is their ultimate goal.
Both also hope that by the end of the book, readers will have a more complete and educated opinion about this case.
The book will be available for purchase during Saturday’s Kelsey Briggs Foundation event in Shawnee, which is part of the Safe Communities celebration. Follett and Ballard will be at Woodland Veterans Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each book is about $22, with tax. Ten percent of the proceeds go to the Kelsey Briggs Foundation, which will help start a memorial scholarship.
Books also may be purchased online through Amazon or www.whokilledkelsey.com.
