While baby-sitting the new neighbors’ children for the first time, Katie answered the phone quickly before Kris or Nichole could. Katie picked up the phone and it was her boyfriend James. They talked and talked until she realized she didn’t see Kris or Nichole anywhere. She walked up to Kris’ room; noone was in it, so she checked Nichole’s room, still no one there. She started to get worried when someone knocked on the door, she walked over to it, opened it slowly and there was Kris. His hands were all dirty when he walked in Nichole was nowher to be seen.

Katie asked, “Kris, do you know where Nichole is?”

“Nope, I was at the park all day.”

Katie and Kris went looking for her outside until it was dark outside but still no Nichole. She called the police; they looked but didn’t find her. Kris’ parents sued without hesitation. Katie was 18 and was found guilty. She was sent to prison for eight years.

Fourteeen years after the tragedy, Katie was watching the nws.

“A nine-year-old girl was found today, buried. She was recognized as Nichole Smithers …”

Katie shut off the T.V. immediately. She tried to get the subject off her mind by walking around the block a few times. As she walked out the door, she had a flashback one time 14 years ago when she baby-sitted Kris and Nichole. She was Kris’ dirty hands and remembered where he said he had been. She ran back in and switched on the T.V. Then heard she had been found by the park in the thick woods …

— Pat McMullin is a Tonganoxie Junior High School student.