This is my best friend…it is very hard to read. But we all need to share her story.. Just today someone e-mailed me and said because of shannon’s story, they called the police on a domestic violence situation they had been too afraid to interfere with before.
CHANGE is possible.
PREVENTION is possible.
And I for one, want to be a part of this.
My mom said something perfect to me today on the phone..i needed to cry to someone and she listens and helps…she said that shannon would be so proud of me..and that we are a team..she in heaven and me here..and we can work together to make change.
I cried. We ARE a team.
I cried. We ARE a team.
I can only hope that even just a handful of my readers will be touched by her story and take action to help other women like her..to prevent..to pray for those who feel they do not have the strength.to speak up for those who are too afraid to speak..
Below is the comment left by Shannon’s Dad,
in response to the article on the
court date for the man who killed her.
“The story is not about the elder erdman’s emotional ranting as written in the referenced article above; it was that finally the public gets to know the facts of how Shannon died. Self defense? She was executed while lying on the ground, after being hit with two debilitating shots in the hip and the shoulder, with the children present! “He loved the kids.”?? Sure, he loved them so much he brutally murdered their mother at a scheduled custody swap, threw her in the back of his pickup truck like a trophy deer carcass and went to drop off the kids to his mommy and daddy while her blood dripped out of the back of the truck bed on the driveway as he left the parking lot of the scene of the crime. Then he took the body to a hospital an hour later instead of calling police immediately at the scene. This was the testimony cited today in court by the Milton Police Dept. of the events of that day.
Why is the news not reporting the heinous nature of this crime? This was not a lover’s “spat”; this was an execution.
Further, the Protective Consent Order clearly states supervised visitation in it’s own titled paragraph. And this guy thinks it was “optional”? The paragraph they cited in court was about “Transportation”; it says the parents “may” be involved. Obviously, someone should have been involved, as even the elder erdman admitted in his testimony. He says, “I just don’t know”, but his face was laden with regret. That is the type of reporting that should be done.
—“We must work to warn others that this can happen to them. People need to know the details now, to fully understand the extent of the pain the family has been in and to heed the warnings of this story for others in her situation, as well as for the judges on the bench.”-Shannon’s Dad, Randy
THE ARTICLE he is referencing:
via cantonsixes-patch by Don Plummer
“Despite pleas for his release by his mother and father, a 25-year-old Cumming man charged in the June 5 shooting death of a Canton womanwas denied bond today in Fulton County Superior Court.
Christopher M. Erdman will remain in the Fulton County Jail until at least Aug. 10 when Judge Karen Woodson set his next court date.
Erdman is charged with felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the death of his children’s mother, 25-year-old Shannon Lawrence. Woodson dismissed two felony child cruelty counts after prosecutors could not present conclusive evidence that the couple’s two children had been present during the shooting.
During a lengthy hearing attended by the parents, family and friends of Erdman and Lawrence, defense attorney Stanley Constant sought to bolster Erdman’s contention that he shot Lawrence in self defense after she attacked him with a six-inch knife in the parking lot of a bank in Milton.
Police detective Sgt. CS Barstow testified that about 1:45 p.m. a witness called 911 and said when he heard four gunshots he looked out the window of a church building and saw a “white male with red hair with blood on his forearms picking up a sandal and putting it in a white truck.”
About an hour later police were notified that Erdman and his father had arrived at the emergency room of Northside Hospital-Forsyth in Cumming with Lawrence’s body, Barstow said. Lawrence had been shot four times, Barstow said.
Spent rounds from two shots fired into Lawrence’s left cheek were found embedded in the pavement of the parking lot, he said. Barstow said the evidence is consistent with those shots being fired after Lawrence was lying on the ground.
Questioned by police at the hospital Erdman’s father, Michael H. Erdman, said his son told him that Lawrence had attacked his son with a knife, but he refused to tell officers where the children, saying only “they were safe,” Barstow said. The elder Erdman would not say anything further when taken to Milton Police headquarters for questioning, Barstow said.
Testifying today Michael Erdman said his son and Lawrence had periodic “spats” during the years they lived with him.
But despite court-issued restraining orders filed in 2010 and 2011, Michael Erdman said his son loved Lawrence and his children.
“He loved those kids,” Michael Erdman said. “Next to Shannon those kids were number one in his life.”
The couple’s children are Emma Catherine Marie Erdman, who turned three on June 25 and Peter, who turned one the day before his mother’s funeral.
Under cross examination by Assistant District Attorney Jack Barrs, Erdman said he believed a provision of an April court order that the children’s grandparents supervise visits and exchanges of the children was optional.
Erdman said both sets of grandparents initially attended the swaps, but stopped participating after several incidents of discord between his son and Lawrence’s mother and father.
“I just don’t know if that would have happened if I had been there,” Erdman said. “I just don’t know.””
MY THOUGHTS:
Ben and I were talking recently about losing Shannon..and domestic violence. and our conversation helped me think through things. When bad things like this happen..many people question why God lets it happen…but it is an example of how He doesn’t force us to love Him..that he lets us choose Him. So there will be those who do not choose to love Him in our world and do not love others..people that are jealous and cruel and turn from how God wants us to live…after all of this…I wondered where i’m supposed to go from here?? Hearing more details of Shannon’s murder made it very difficult. Last night my chest, my heart, was just tight and burning. it just..hurt. and it wouldn’t go away. But I guess I’m supposed to choose now what I will do… And I choose to respond to God’s love…by loving God back. Thank you Shannon for bringing this to the front of my mind. For reminding me that through my actions each day…I am able to show God I choose to love Him. Please pray for me dear Shannon. my sweet friend and sister. That I might live this choice to the fullest. even when It seems impossible. I’m crying..but only because I miss you soooooo much..You are not suffering anymore..God has you in His arms. I love you. I miss you.
To read all posts related to Shannon you can click here.
Please share her story..donate if you can.
If you have been touched by her story and would like to
visit her Memorial Page you can visit here.
Please Pray for peace in our world
and for all those affected by Domestic Violence.
Please share her story..donate if you can.
If you have been touched by her story and would like to
visit her Memorial Page you can visit here.
Please Pray for peace in our world
and for all those affected by Domestic Violence.
Just the 3 of Us
July 14, 2011 at 6:27 pmThe story of your friend hits really close to home for me. I recently lost a dear friend, Kelly, in a very similar crime. She too was shot and killed by her husband in front of her son and daughter.
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/newport_news/mother-shot-dead-was-former-teacher
My heart goes out to you, your family, and the family of your dear friend. I hope justice prevails.
Kathy Marie
July 14, 2011 at 6:51 pmThis is just bone-chilling to read. I can only begin to imagine what her family & friends are going through — and you will all be forced to relive this for some time to come given the public nature of the crime and the long court process.
You will get through it, Natalie — not easily, I’m sure — but you will eventually work through it with the support and love of family and friends, but, mostly, with the love and comforting strong hand of God upon you!
Peace!
Kathy
Chelsey - The Paper Mama
July 14, 2011 at 7:04 pmOh. Wow. I’m so sorry. That’s terrible. I’m reading this in public and crying.
<3
Marjorie
July 14, 2011 at 7:31 pmI hope justice gets served and he is found guilty. Of course it will never be equal justice or take away the pain of the situation, but there will be closure and hopefully healing.
Kellene
July 14, 2011 at 7:37 pmI’ve been following this story with your posts for a little while and I’ve debated whether I wanted to leave a comment or not but today I was SO moved by this post that I wanted to let you know. Also, it seems like the thought of helping people through this tragedy is also helping you heal little by little. I wanted you to know, you are helping people heal in more ways than you realize. I too have suffered a loss. Not a loss in the same way you have, and it almost seems trivial in comparison to the way you’ve lossed Shannon, but it’s still a loss. A month ago TODAY, my husband and I found out that we were going to be miscarrying a baby. We went to a routine ultrasound and there was no heartbeat or appropriate growth. As I said, this is not such a tragic loss as your’s, but it has still had a huge impact on me. It’s strange how the loss of someone so tiny who you haven’t even ‘met’ can impact your life just as someone you’ve known for decades does. I go through good days and bad days and today, when I sat down and read this, the way you SO beautifully spoke of loving God back really hit home with me. I’ve always believed that God has a plan for all of us and I’ve learned to hold that especially near and dear to my heart in the last month. But, unfortunately, I’ve had no place to even THINK about putting my anger. With this post, I realized that maybe thats part of my healing problem. I don’t want to be angry with anyone, especially with God. So I need to acknowledge, as you said in the post, that I’m making the CHOICE to continue to love God back and realize this as part of the healing process. Thank you for your openess with all this. I just wanted you to know yet another way you are helping people you don’t even know and making a positive out of something so negative by helping so many, whether it be someone dealing with abuse themselves and getting free from that, or someone like me who has also suffered a loss and just needs a reminder of God’s love. THANK YOU!! God Bless you! May he keep you strong through all this! May he be with you, your family, and Shannon’s family!
Tracy
July 14, 2011 at 10:45 pmBeautiful tribute. Thank you for the whole story. I work in an ER and hate to deal with domestic violence It breaks my heart every time! Your thoughts at the end are beautiful! Isn’t it crazy how God opens our eyes in the strangest ways? You will be in my prayers, that each day you get a little bit stronger. You are doing so much good to share her story!
Ps…have you heard that song “a little bit stronger” not sure who it’s by-it’s a country song. Reminds me of this!!
Stephanie
July 15, 2011 at 10:08 amVery beautiful. As always, thanks for sharing. You’re in my prayers!
Laura@Cowboy Boots
July 15, 2011 at 6:53 pmeach time i read one of your post of sweet shannon my heart breaks. i haven’t had the words yet to even know what to write other than i am sooo sooo sooo sorry. all those what if’s run through your mind….i know her family is just distraught with those. those sweet babies have your memories along with everyone else to know what a wonderful mommy they had.
Anonymous
July 26, 2011 at 1:45 amThis post hits so close to home. When I was five months pregnant my daughter’s father tried to kill me. Luckily for me and my now two year old daughter the law has kept him out of our life. I applaud your courage and strength because having gone through something similar I can not imagine having this type of abuse happen to a close friend. As a mother you become selfless and learn to push through things and it makes terrible situations easier to deal with because you have to deal with them for your child. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to see all of this happening from the outside and feel helpless. My love and thoughts go out to you and your loved ones and thank you so much for sharing this. Hopefully it will give others strength to ask for help when they are unable to save themselves.
Anonymous
July 26, 2011 at 1:45 amThis post hits so close to home. When I was five months pregnant my daughter’s father tried to kill me. Luckily for me and my now two year old daughter the law has kept him out of our life. I applaud your courage and strength because having gone through something similar I can not imagine having this type of abuse happen to a close friend. As a mother you become selfless and learn to push through things and it makes terrible situations easier to deal with because you have to deal with them for your child. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to see all of this happening from the outside and feel helpless. My love and thoughts go out to you and your loved ones and thank you so much for sharing this. Hopefully it will give others strength to ask for help when they are unable to save themselves.
Anonymous
February 27, 2014 at 3:45 amdid he ever get convicted?