Where is the Justice?

Posted by Katrina O.
10
Sep 26, 2011
2024 Views

Florida wants justice for Caylee, Lagrange Indiana wants justice for Alissa. The foster mother of this innocent child will only serve 77 days for causing her death. Alissa can't speak for herself, so her uncle and several friends are getting together in protest.

Every Friday evening starting at 4:30 p.m. Tyler Sprunger can be found in front of the LaGrange County Courthouse holding a sign “77 Days for Murder”.


His niece, Alissa Guernsey, was killed in March of 2009 and her foster mother, Christy Shaffer, was convicted for neglect. Initially Shaffer was sentenced to ten years in prison, but the sentence was modified and Sprunger is protesting.


“One letter coming from one person hasn’t gotten one man very far. Strength in numbers and the more letters we can get and the more support we can gather throughout the community our voice will be louder and better heard,” said Sprunger.


Since his first protest last month the number of protesters has grown from a handful to more than 50 on Friday.


“I went and checked it out and I walked with him and he was by himself and I walked with him for a few minutes, got the story and I made him a promise he’d never walk alone again and he hasn’t,” said Chris Millar, who began walking with Sprunger on his first protest.


Millar and the others held signs expressing outrage at Shaffer’s sentence.


“Judge VanDerbeck chose to reduce her sentence, she had to serve ultimately she had to serve about two years, it was reduced through time served six months home detention and three years probation and that’s no justice for my 15-month-old niece Alissa,” said Sprunger.


Since the modified sentence, Sprunger started a Facebook page where he posted pictures of the abuse Alissa sustained.

“If you see the pictures, it looks like someone took a paring knife and ground the inside of that baby’s lips and she only got neglect, not abuse or murder, that’s wrong,” said TJ Hargett, who was also among the first protesters.


Sprunger said he will protest every Friday evening until Alissa’s death is ruled a homicide.


“This was a murder, this was a homicide and I really deeply feel it’s been swept under the rug just pushed off the side of the table, no one’s wanting to acknowledge it,” said Sprunger. “Once they acknowledge it for what it truly is then we can stop and call it an end.”

In an effort to help the cause and raise more voices for the abused, I will be featuring a post from Alissa's fight for justice every weekend, until justice is served. Click here for the latest.

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Cheryl Baumgartner
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