PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

Rachel Hoffman.

So much has already been said about what the police did or did not do
to protect this young lady. Many people share in th) opinion that this
tragedy was preventable.

I only knew Rachel as a child, but I do know her parents. I know how,
much they loved her, and that she was raised well. I know that they
would never agree to her being in this situation. It matters not that
she was 23 and an adult. She's still her parents' child, and they had
to bury her this week.

I don't believe anyone is asking to absolve her from her involvement
in drugs. But our children do make mistakes. Scientists believe that
the brain is not fully developed until the early 20s. If this is true
then we, as parents, are still needed to guide our children. Our
officials and law enforcement need to guide and protect them as well.
Any parent will tell you this girl was sent to do a job she was not
equipped to handle. So shame on the Tallahassee police, shame on
anyone involved!

I pray for Rachel's parents and family, and I pray that every parent
in Florida cries out against this practice of using "lay" people to do
police work before someone else's child is sent into the hands of
thugs like the ones who took her life.

Lois Brown, Hudson