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‘She murdered who my
child was supposed to be’
Crowning moment: Outgoing Miss Auburn Daniela Ferrell places the tiara on the new Miss Auburn, Tera Sabo. RACHEL CIAMPI,
Auburn babysitter gets 10 years for shaking child; family coping BY ROBERT WHALE rwhale@auburn-reporter.com
Auburn Reporter
In a split second on May 20, 2010, Dottie Reed, 18, let her frustrations with the fussy 8-month-old baby she was sitting at her Auburn home boil over. She set him down on the floor hard, once, maybe twice, and spun him around. That’s all it took. Doctors at Children’s Hospital later told Colby Thompson’s parents that the shock had snapped the baby’s neck back, grievously injuring his brain, breaking it apart. Doctors said he probably would not survive the swelling inside his skull, and that they should prepare themselves to say goodbye. Somehow Colby lived, but the once happy, gurgling baby, mom’s “little ham” with the big smile and bright life ahead is gone. In his place is a boy whose parents have to hook him to a feeding tube five times a
Voters decide key school measures BY ROBERT WHALE rwhale@auburn-reporter.com
For a 61-year-old school, Auburn High seems to be in good shape. But looks aren’t everything. Peel back the skin, district officials say, and you’d find infrastructure long past its
[ more ELECTION page 3 ]
Sabo captures Miss Auburn title BY MARK KLAAS mklaas@auburn-reporter.com
Chris and Jamie Thompson face challenges providing care for their 2½-year-old son, Colby, who is severely disabled from being shaken by his babysitter. ROBERT WHALE, Reporter day so he doesn’t suck food into his lungs. Who is prone to episodes of seizure-like “storming” from the neurological damage he sustained.
Who can’t talk, probably can’t see, and suffers from muscle stiffness, [ more COLBY page 4 ]
Tera Sabo considered herself a contestant, not a contender. A year removed from her first experience at the Miss Auburn Scholarship Pageant pageant, the 18-year-old from Maple Valley returned a wiser, more composed young woman to confront the bright lights of the Performing Arts Center stage.
more photos online… auburn-reporter.com
What Sabo didn’t expect was soaring to the top of a talented field of 21 other women last Saturday night, capturing the crown and more than $10,000 in gifts, awards and scholarships. “I was completely shocked. I didn’t think I was even going to place,” Sabo said as family members hugged and kissed her [ more PAGEANT page 9 ]
Welcome back, Carter
Injured teacher returns to thank students, staff BY SHAWN SKAGER sskager@auburn-reporter.com
Students at Mt. Baker Middle School got a surprise visit last week. Jeremiah Carter, a popular algebra teacher who was injured in a Nov. 25 accident that left him paralyzed, returned to cheers, hugs
and smiles at a pep assembly. It was the first appearance at the Auburn school for Carter. He has been recovering from injuries sustained after he fell off a 40-foot bluff while cutting down a Christmas tree near Crystal Mountain. “I can’t tell you how good it feels to be back in this place again,” Carter said before a frenzied crowd of students assembled in the
Jeremiah Carter was all smiles at an assembly at Mt. Baker Middle School last week. SHAWN SKAGER,
[ more CARTER page 3 ]
Auburn Reporter
Learn more on page 2
Exceptional Doctors, Compassionate Care AuburnRegional.com