# data[].attributes.body
In Melissa's first interview she recalls the day Alyssa was murdered.Dawn assured her that everything was fine while they were gone. She says she called Dawn multiple times with no answer and when she showed up to the home she had saw Alyssa brutally beaten. In her say interview tells the detective her relationship with Dawn and Mary. She says Mary was very quiet but extremely smart. She describes Dawn as extremely helpful and caring. She described Mary and Dawn as inseparable , but found their relationship a but strange since she had no friends around. When asked if she had seen anything unusual when she arrived at Dawns house she said that Mary had seemed usual. She explained that when she asked Mary what happened Mary replied with that she didn't know. Melissa says this was strange because Mary wasn't a good liar.

# data[].attributes.body
In Dawns sole interview she recalls the night she took care of Alyssa. She described what she was wearing and what her room looked like the night of. The detective then asks her if she had on any jewelry that night because Mary had mentioned that. He then brought up her cross she used to wear it but lost it a few years back. The detective then tells her that a jewel that matches her cross was found in Alyssa's throat. Dawn explains how ridiculous that is and says shes never had a daughter before.

# data[].attributes.body
In Mary's first interviews when she was younger she speaks very timidly and never really digs deep into the case. Her stories  only come out later in the book as stated in her story retellings above. Mary and Dawn have a love hate relationship between each other. They never do right by each other but still continue to somewhat show a love for each other. Dawn was extremely dismissive and abusive towards Mary and never got affection growing up. She sees what shes missing in her relationship with her mom in Alyssa and Melissa Richardsons relationship. Shes always highly valued that bond they had together and even wished she was her own mother before.

# data[].attributes.headline
Statement from Ms.Ellen Rue, Mary s fourth grade teacher

# data[].attributes.subject
Statement from Ms.Ellen Rue, Mary s fourth grade teacher

# data[].attributes.body
She claims Mary to be highly gifted and excelled in school.

# data[].attributes.body
He says that Mary was prescribed with Ritalin and Catapres a medicine that treats aggression but Mary showed no signs of such behavior. He says that if she were regularly taking the medicine she would have to strength to caring out the crime.

# data[].attributes.body
My verdict is that Mary is guilty of Killing Alyssa Richardson. Mary had a chilling fascination with Mrs. Richardson and saw the relationship she had with Alyssa and wanted that for herself. Although it was not her intent to kill Alyssa at first she always hope for that outcome. Mary was a smart individual and knew what the outcome would be if she gave Alyssa the pills to "shut her up". Dawn also isn't %100 innocent as well. Although I believe she had no direct ties to the murder of Alyssa she had a big part into the lead up the case. Dawn was never a good mother to Mary and influenced her thoughts greatly. Mary saw Dawn kill Ray and was repeating her actions with Alyssa. I believe that Mary was the one to fully kill Alyssa but Dawn helped build Marys intentions to kill her.

# data[].attributes.headline
Statement from Jordan Million Author of when children murder 

# data[].attributes.subject
Statement from Jordan Million Author of when children murder 

# data[].attributes.body
Authors says that Mary stood by the paramedics while they were trying to revive her and says a report claims that she was smiling during the process.

# data[].attributes.headline
Statement from Charles Middlebury- Dawns Neighbor

# data[].attributes.subject
Statement from Charles Middlebury- Dawns Neighbor

# data[].attributes.body
Charles say that at the night of the crime he was watching his programs when floodlights came on in his backyard. He looks outside his backyard to see Mary  outside by a huge tree digging. He says it looks like Mary was trying to dig a grave up for Alyssa. He also says that Dawn was a lovely women while Mary was an odd child.

# data[].attributes.body
Mary is constantly repeating the words I didn't throw her to herself throughout the book. She even brings back up this statement during both her retellings of the story. Marys stories never stay consistent and always switch narratives as seen in her retellings of the night. Anytime she mentions her crime she states allegedly after, insinuating that her herself may not even remember the actual crime. Mary mentions her blackouts and how they cause her to disorient and forget things, similarly to how she recounts her stories.

# data[].attributes.body
Whenever Mary asks her to recall her story of the night Alyssa died she is very dismissive towards her and tells her that she shouldn't be trying to bring up that night again. She explains to Mary thats shes already told the truth and that she should let this all go.  This is also not the first time a child has died in the care of Dawn. Dawns younger brother and well as her son Junior also died at a young age like Alyssa.

# data[].attributes.body
Location of crime: Dawn Marie Coopers Residence

what was found at the scene of the crime?When the police first arrived they saw Dawn screaming in the front yard saying Alyssa wasn't breathing. They also observed at the scene that Mary was seen wearing pink pjs that were wet and covered with dirt. A piece of a jew that matches the description of Dawns cross was found in Alyssa's throat.

# data[].attributes.headline
Mary's Retelling of the Night of the murder #2

# data[].attributes.subject
Mary's Retelling of the Night of the murder #2

# data[].attributes.body
Mary's says that she was checking up on Alyssa but she wouldn't keep quiet so she gave Alyssa her pills. She says that Ray used to say that those pills were to shut her up so she figured they'd work the same on Alyssa, but they didn't. She says Alyssa just wouldn't listen to her then next thing she knew Dawn was fighting with her and wouldn't let go of Alyssa. Dawn then tripped over Marys pill bottle and Alyssa went flying. Mary then hid Dawn's cross to later use that as evidence against her later. Dawn called the police and told them everything that happened.

# data[].attributes.headline
Mary Retelling of the night of the murder #1 

# data[].attributes.subject
Mary Retelling of the night of the murder #1 

# data[].attributes.body
Mary's recalls Alyssa crying nonstop when in her and her mothers care. In order to get Alyssa to stop crying Dawn told her to get her pills to calm Alyssa down. Mary then got her pills and made a bottle for Alyssa.When Mary came back she saw her mother shoving something down Alyssa's throat then shoved the bottle down Alyssa's throat. Mary then tired to call 911 but her mother smacked the phone out of her hand and told her to stop because if they came she would go to jail. Dawn then started chanting and swinging Alyssa by her feet in attempt to save her. Mary tired to grab Alyssa but then she flew out of her hands and hit the wall. Then Dawn shoved her out of the room. Later on Dawn sat Mary on the sofa and told her she couldn't save Alyssa and she died. Dawn told her about all the horribles things that would happen to her in prison and told Mary to tell everyone that she killed Alyssa. Dawn then gave her a blanket filled with all the materials to kill Alyssa and told her to bury them. She started to dig in one spot then her mom told her to dig somewhere else then the police came. When the police arrived Dawn said she didn't know what happened and that Mary had been alone with her.

# data[].attributes.body
The unfateful death of 3 month old Alyssa Richardson begins when Melissa and Greg Richardson wanted to go to a company Christmas party but needed someone to watch baby Alyssa. Dawn Marie Cooper had volunteered to watch over Alyssa while they attended the party. Dawn had  watched Alyssa before and was extremely helpful towards the couple  so it wasnt odd to her watch Alyssa while they were gone. The night of Alyssa's murder Dawn brought her  daughter Mary Beth Addison to help watch Alyssa.  The events that led up to Alyssa's murder are unclear but the facts are crystal clear. When the police arrive to the scene they saw Dawn screaming in the front yard. When they questioned her she said Alyssa wasn't breathing. Alyssa had bruising on her forearms,upper right thigh, and the center of her forehead. Her cause of death was due to Asphyxia due to strangulation and died around 7:30-9:30pm.  The leading suspect of this case was 9 year old Mary B Addison who eventually went to jail for the murder of Alyssa Richardson.