This is a story of a little girl, you may have heard of. Her name, was Kelsey Shelton Smith-Briggs.

  

Kelsey came into this world on the 28th of December 2002 in Oaklahoma, USA. She was born to Lance Briggs and Raye Dawn Smith AFTER they were divorced. Kelsey lived with her mother, but she loved spending time with her Daddy.

Early 2005, Raye Dawn Smith began dating a man by the name of Michael Lee Porter. In mid-January 2005, Kelsey suffered a broken collarbone and bruises while in the care of her mother. In January 24th, she was moved to her paternal grandmother, Kathie Briggs.

April 2005, Kelsey was still in Kathie's care but visited her mom regularly. On the 18th of April, Raye Dawn, married Michael Lee Porter.

Around the end of April 2005, Kelsey broke both her legs.

On the 3rd of March, Kelsey was placed in the state Department of Human Services custody. The next day, Kelsey was moved to her maternal grandmother, Gayla Smith.

On June 15th, 2005, Judge Craig Key returned Kelsey to her mother, after stating that Kelsey's abuser was unknown.

On August 27th, 2005, Kathie Briggs saw her grandaughter, Kelsey, alive, one final time.

"The last time I saw her, just the way she looked, the way she acted, she looked like she was dying. She was not the same child." -Kathie Briggs.

 

On October 11th, 2005, Michael Lee Porter kicked, or hit, Kelsey so hard in the stomach,
it killed her.

Her death was ruled as a homicide, due to blunt force trauma to the abdomen.

Kelsey passed just days before her daddy came home from the war. So instead of a happy homecoming, Lance Briggs had to bury his little girl.

But Kelsey's life was not in vain. She had a purpose. Kelsey Shelton Briggs was put here to make a difference.

In March 2006, the Oklahoma State legislature passed the Kelsey Smith-Briggs Child Protection Act.

Michael Porter was charged with murder and sexual abuse. He was sentenced to 30 years of prison without the possibility of parole for 25.5 years. He had previously been sentenced to 25 years for murder, which he declined, stating that he did not kill the child directly. He filed for divorce from Raye Dawn Smith a month after Kelsey's death and later testified that Raye Dawn was the person who killed Kelsey Briggs. The presecuter, however, believed that Porter was Kelsey's murderer.

Raye Dawn Smith was charged with enabling child abuse and was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

A law was passed in her name, to make sure other children are protected.

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This is a link to a tribute to Kelsey Briggs and her father, Lance Briggs. Two heroes. A father who lost his little girl, and a daughter, who never got to say goodbye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSnF2-BEuEM&feature=related

"This was not the homecoming we had planned, no American flags waving, no cameras, no children. Just tears." - Kathie Briggs.

"He cried over and over how he just needed to give her the camel he had brought her from Iraq." - Shirica Howard.

He walks up to the casket afterwards and hugs it. He does not want to let it go." -Shirica Howard

"He just wants to hold her one more time. He wants to kiss her face, one more time." -Shirica Howard.

"He wants to tell her he loves her. But instead, he is left here with his broken heart and her memories." Shirica Howard

"He will have to continue to be strong, the way she was for so long." - same person.

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Goodbye, little angel.