To the editor:

When is justice and injustice.

A young mother trying to explain to her four little ones that their dad has been arrested. That has been taken to jail and won’t be coming home, is impossible to explain, for reasons far beyond their understanding. Tears of fear and confusion on their little faces. The oldest sobbing on the couch trying to absorb the shock and uncertainty of what’s to come.

Suddenly a mom, becomes a single mom, trying to cope with the absence of the husband and father that she loves and has built a life with, and to calm and reassure her little ones that daddy will be okay. That he will get something to eat and a place to sleep.

A little girl whose fourth birthday was on October 27, who simply wanted her Dad to help her blow out the candles. How does one explain?

Neil (Editor’s note: Neil George Snelson) has been a part of my family for 13 plus years, I have known him to be kind and caring gentle man, trying to give his family the love and support they needed. To provide for them so their mom could be, and was a stay at home mom.

I too lost a daughter at twenty. I know how it feels to have a child taken so young. My thoughts and prayers have been with and for her, as they have been many times for Jennifer (Cusworth) and her parents over the years as they are now.

I am the mom and grandma of this family, struggling to grasp all of this and to keep it together for all of them and to know what to do. An unbelievable loss for all of them, and for the others in the family, that’s left incredible turmoil and hurt for each and everyone. I simply cannot even remotely explain my concern for how this has devastated everyone in this family and Neil’s family, and will for some time to come.

Who of us is capable of understanding the heart mind and soul of another? How would you want to be treated at the center of this? I find it appalling that anyone of us could assume because of DNA findings that it confirms guilt or closes the door of error.

I know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light. That he will carry all of us through this. May his truth prevail in all of this.

The proceedings ahead will be very difficult for this Mom and four little ones, all I ask is that you treat them with respect, compassion and courtesy and leave them out of the media comments and inferences.

G.M. O’Malley.

Kelowna