Thousands Bid Farewell to Somer Thompson, Who Was Kidnapped and Murdered While Walking Home from School

Thousands bid farewell to Somer Thompson who was kidnapped and murdered as she walked home from school a little over a week ago. The public memorial will by followed by a private graveside funeral. What happened to this little girl is unconscionable and parents cannot let down their guard for a moment. When we were children, it was such a different place and time. Nobody bothered kids. I walked to and from school without any fear of being kidnapped. Today, I do not allow my children to walk from the gate of my subdivision to my home after getting off the school bus. Either my husband or I will go to meet them. They are not allowed to play unattended in the yard or roam the subdivision with some of their friends.

Somer's body was found on last Wednesday at the south Georgia landfill where Orange Park's garbage is dumped like trash. Investigators will no say how she died, but Beseler called it a "heinous crime." According to media reports, investigators have received more than 1,500 tips but still don't know who killed the first-grader who disappeared while walking home from Grove Park Elementary School about 2:45 p.m. Oct. 19.

There's a vile beast roaming around the community who needs to be taken off the streets and locked up before he/she strikes again. This little girl, like the hundreds of children who are kidnapped and murdered in this country, did not deserve this fate. It is time for each person to take a stand against these murderers and child predators. There should be zero tolerance. Any person guilty of molesting a child should be locked up for the rest of their lives so that they do not re-offend.