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| Rest in Heaven tonight, dear Cherish Perrywinkle. Cherish, there is a special place in Heaven for you. Evil did not and will not win, for you are with Jesus tonight. |
Today, in Jacksonville, Florida, Cherish Perrywinkle was brutally murdered by a coward, a sexual offender by the name of Donald Smith, who should have never been released from the correctional institution in the first place. Donald Smith abducted her from Wal-Mart and murdered her. I understand a lot of blame is being placed on the mother for not exhibiting prudence in allowing her child to interact with a stranger, nevertheless I do not want to focus on that now.
I am seriously bothered by Cherish Perrywinkle's death, seriously bothered by the fact that a young child experienced such a cruel death, seriously bothered by unmerciful sexual predators that roam our streets looking for young prey, and seriously bothered by our criminal justice system. We have a duty to protect our children and as Jesus Christ stated "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea." With that said, United States of America, it is time to revisit our sexual offense criminal penalties, especially crimes against children. Some advocate castration, others harsh sentences. All I know is that penalties against sexual criminal offenses are not harsh enough. Sure we can't stop evil for good but that is not a legitimate excuse not to revisit the way our criminal justice system punishes sexual offenders. There needs to be a major determinant factor in our system to make sexual offenders shy away from harming our children and if they do, they are speedily punished to the FULLEST extent of the law.
Of course there needs to be a distinction made between those that are labeled sexual offenders because they have "consensual sex with a minor (e.g. having sex with a 17 yr old who someone thinks is a adult... people who do this should still be punished in my opinion)" with those who forcibly rape a child. However, lets look at Donald Smith Smith, according to a website I was browsing, "
Donald has been a registered sex offender since a 1993 conviction in Duval County for attempted kidnapping and selling obscene materials. He has been arrested several times since then, most recently in 2009 on a charge of child abuse after making obscene phone calls to a 10-year-old girl, making verbal threats, and impersonating a social worker with the Florida Department of Children and Families who claimed to be investigating the girl's family."
Surely we have a habitual offender on our hands, this may sound harsh but after the 2009 offense, I would have given Smith life in prison, he had his chance prior the 2009 incident and failed to prove he could live in our society. In short, we need a sexual offense mandatory minimum sentencing law (e.g. 3 strikes in CA, 10-20-life gun law in FL) not only in the state of Florida, but throughout the United States. I would love to spend more time on this subject but I am running short on time.
Also, please write the President, Vice President, and your local, state, and federal officials regarding this matter. To find out how to contact your elected officials based on where you live, go here : Contact Elected Officials | USA.gov Also, to read recommendations submitted to Congress for how to increase penalties against sex crimes against children and child pornography, go here: Sex Offenses Against Children: Findings and Recommendations Regarding Federal Penalties
God speed Cherish. And for all you parent's, tuck your child or children in safe tonight. As Officer Hartley stated, "Hug your children closely right now and know where they're at, keep them close."
- Freeman Irvine III
Investigation of Cherish Perrywinkle
8-year-old's body found at Northside church; sex offender in custody
Child murder suspect has long criminal history
Did Donald Smith fall through the cracks of the justice system?
Victim of Donald Smith says she was not notified he was released from jail.
Psalm 34:18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
