Chapter 2: The Sirens
Chapter 2: The Sirens
The first patrol car arrived less than four minutes after I called 911.
Two officers stepped out with their hands near their holsters as they scanned the property. I held Emily close while a paramedic gently approached us.
"It's okay," she said softly. "We're here to help."
Emily refused to let go of my shirt.
One officer asked what had happened. Before I could finish explaining, the front door swung open.
Jason stepped onto the porch.
He looked calm.
Too calm.
"What is all this?" he demanded. "You're trespassing."
The officer immediately ordered him to stay where he was.
Sarah appeared behind him, pale and shaking. Her eyes landed on Emily, and for a split second I thought she might run toward her daughter.
She didn't.
Instead, she lowered her head.
The officers separated everyone while detectives were called to the scene.
As paramedics examined Emily, they documented bruises, dehydration, and signs that she had gone without proper care for days.
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One detective looked at me and quietly said, "We're treating this as a major felony investigation."
The backyard was sealed off with crime-scene tape before sunset.
