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If you would like to visit Casey's memorial site, there you will learn what kind of person Casey was. She had a plan for her life and she was working toward it. There are writings from her personal journal, impact statement, poetry and other information about her life. I am still working on some images.
Copy and paste the address below into your address bar. The name of her site is Casey's Castle.
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cabin/2290/index5998.html
I made this page in the memory of my daughter Casey Lee Melton. She was killed by a drunk driver on her way home from prom May 9th, 1998. She was only 16 years-old. Casey was the youngest of six children. She was a girl anyone would be proud to call their daughter. She did well in school. She had many friends and her life was full. She worked part time and was looking forward to college. She had a boyfriend she cared deeply for. They had a spat and being the head strong girl she was she went to the prom with another boy. She was strong willed, confident, kind and loved Jesus, her family and life.
Her death affected many people and changed the lives of those closest to her. There were so many people at the funeral people had to wait outside. The church was filled in every room. The parking lot was filled and cars were lined up on the sides of the road. The WBBJ news team was set up outside the church. Saying our final good-byes and watching the closing of the casket was devastating to her father and I. I am putting a link at the bottom of my letter to my daughter. The link is to Casey's Castle. There you may read about the wreck.
We had always taken comfort that Casey was not conscious when she drowned. At the parole hearing we learned she was alive with her face pressed against the rear window screaming for help as the car went under. The man who caused the wreck stood on the side of the road with two of his friends. They did not try to help her out of the car. They stood there until the car was completely submerged and then they left. They were 10 feet from the car and the water was 9 feet deep. They could have tried to save her. Instead the friends gave the driver a ride home so he could hide his drunkeness. If you visit CASEY'S CASTLE you will get to know Casey and a bit about her life.
If anyone has pictures of Casey and would like it added to her photo album on this page, please email it and I will post it. We did not get but one prom picture as the photographer could not find the ones he took of her. He sent us pictures of another girl, we returned them, and he searched and could only find one. We did not even get the last pictures taken of her.
This is what I was told by a woman in town last summer. "I have lived here all my life and there have been many horrible wrecks and many deaths of our young people." "But I wanted to tell you, in all my years, no death has ever affected the young people as the death of your daughter Casey. Her death changed many lives."
I hope the changes were that young and old now think before they drink and drive. Also, to be very careful on the roads and keep alert at all times so one can take defensive measures if they suspect a drunk driver is near them.
My precious Casey
You were a blessing to me. I wanted you long before you were conceived. I planned for you before I even knew you existed. I loved you before you were born; and I would have died in your place. I spent two years planning for you to come into the family. I waited ten years. I had a steamer trunk filled with the things for you; anticipating your birth. I purchased a crib which sat empty in our bedroom, waiting for you to make it yours. I knew you were coming, I knew you were a girl, and I knew you were going to be my Casey.
They put you into my arms, and I became yours. I looked at your face, your little rosebud lips, I drank in every feature of your being. I was intoxicated by your presence. You were mine! Oh, how happy I was. I felt your warmness, smelled the innocence of new life. You moved into my heart and you will remain there until the day I will join you.
I was captivated by every thing you did. Every moment was more precious than anything known on this earth. You brought such joy into my life. Every new step in your life was an adventure; not only for you but for me. I watched you grow so quickly. I remember your first day of school and how I hated leaving you there. I thought you would be afraid or upset. Mrs. Howell your teacher said I could leave and you would be fine; and you were, but I wasn't. I did not want to give up my baby. I stood around outside, waiting to hear you cry for your mother; you didn't. You loved school and your education flourished. You drank education like a cool drink of water on a hot day. It was a new beginning for you.
In my heart are locked away the school plays, the musicals, parades, birthday parties, dance recitals, Brownie Troop, piano recitals and you dancing around the room in your "Clunkies"; those oversized white tap shoes. The trips to the zoo, circuses, daddy carrying you on his shoulders fishing, I still see clearly the days of play with Taron and Amber, and your best friend Jada. Then you got older. Josh was the boy you liked first. I think he liked you too. His parents came and got you and you went to the movies. You were so scared because you were afraid your friends would tease you because Josh was so smart. I told you then that let people say what they want, and that boys like Josh grow up to become their bosses. You laughed. Then came the sleepovers, the country dances and boys. We would all go to the dances. I would watch you having so much fun doing all those line dances. Gosh, you grew so fast.
You were blessed with neices and nephews and your life was full. Taron and Amber were more like your sisters. You were overly protective of them and you would even smack a boy for a wrong remark. Then there were those teenage years with you and Taron thinking you could do anything. The world was at your feet. If you wanted something, you had a way of charming it out of one of us; and if that didn't work well you just worked your way down the line of siblings. We all adored you more than you can possibly know. I remember the day you hid in the bathroom yelling; I don't want to grow up, I don't want to have babies. It was just a normal part of growing up but you thought you could work your way out of that one also. Oh, how I wish I could have kept you safe at home.
Then your life was involved more with Shannon, your boyfriend, than with your family. That was okay, it is a normal part of growing up. Your siblings, everyone saw less of you. You worked, went to school and Shannon was first.
Then came the day of the phone call. The one every parent prays they never will get. You left us in such a hurry, none of us got to say good-bye. But you knew, you always knew, you were loved by everyone. You were the heart of the family. They did not want me to see you, it was Mother's Day. I begged them to let me see my child. Finally the funeral director called and said I could come for a few minutes. We were allowed to be alone for a few minutes. There you laid, so still, so quiet. My vivacious, energetic little girl, so still. I touched your face, I held your hand. I cried. I wanted to grab you up and run with you, but I couldn't. I wanted to take you back to yesterday. I wanted to change places with you. I wanted to rip the earth from its axis and hurl it into space. How could the world continue without my Casey? How could I go on without you? I could not watch after the service when they closed the door forever between us. I stood back and watched as your father stood there crying. I ran. I would never see my beautiful daughter again. I would never hear her voice, or smell her body. She was going and I could do nothing to stop it. They lowered you into the cold earth and I got in my car and raced away; I could not stand the pain. I found a field and pulled into it and screamed and cried. A mother is suppose to protect her child. A mother is suppose to die first! I could not protect you from this world. A man decided to drink and drive and he changed so many lives because of this. He still has his life, and that does not seem fair. God will punish him for what he did to you; and us. (he died in jail April 2001)
The blanket of grass was growing, creeping like a theif trying to steal you away from me. It became my own personal war against death. I could not let it win. Everyday I went to the cemetery and got on my knees pulling at the green sprouting blades of grass; scraping the earth with my fingers until they bled. How could I allow the grass to cover your grave? I felt like the earth was trying to swallow you. If I could keep the grass from covering you then you could not be gone. It was me raging war with God because he took you from me. His earth, His world, one of His children had brought me to this. How could he do this to you? How could he do this to me? What did I do to deserve the pain he washed over me violently like Niagra falls on a stormy day? The roots of the Burmuda grass were getting stronger, veining into the ground but not giving you back your life. The next four months I was at war with the earth. Finally your father put sod on your grave. I could do nothing more. I knew at that moment you were gone forever. The war was over.
Casey, I just wanted to tell you even if I knew how it would end, I would not have traded one minute of your life. You were a blessing and a joy. I am proud to be your mother. I will cherish every memory of you. I will miss you until I take my last breath. Thank you for being my daughter, and thank you for being a part of my life, and most of all thank you for loving me.
Love You Always
Moma
This picture was taken the Sunday before she was killed.
Cayce has been missing since 1996 in Milan, TN. Some person knows what happened and who took her. It has been 11 years and it is time to bring her home to her family and those who love her. No matter how small a detail one knows please contact the Milan, TN police 731-686-3309 department or you can call the missing and exploited children's hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Please right click on Cayce's banner, save to your hard drive and place this banner on your page so it will reach others.
Below is a sketch of a possible suspect in McDaniel's disappearance is posted below. He is described as being in his early twenties in 1996, with a dark complexion, dark hair and dark eyes. He was approximately 6'0 and weighed 165 - 170 pounds. The suspect had a scar underneath his right eye and wore an earring in his right ear. He has never been identified.