Stay updated with breaking news from Loved school. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
her mother sharon remembers. >> she's always loved th camera. the camera was her friend. the camera was her way of expressing herself. >> denita was beginning to tur all that talent into a successful trade. working as a photo journalist on the studen newspaper at north carolin central university in durham >> she would see things that probably the average perso wouldn't see >> but there was something denita didn't see coming. blind spot in her seemingl perfect life. something sh never anticipated. never imagined. but maybe no one could. it was january 4th, 2007. a crisp carolina morning denita had a busy day ahead as classes were about to resume after christmas break. >> denita loved school. and sh
desk. his head was lying down on his arm. i could feel before i even touched him that something was more ohioerably wrong. >> reporter: every parent's worst night mnightmare. zack did yeah dittier found dead at his desk >> i started doing cpr. i got mad at them. i said, help me save my boy. when they didn't, i started to talk to zack begging him, don't go, come back, please come back, do not go. >> i walked up, and chris just said our baby is gone. >> reporter: we sat down with chris and laurie dittier inside zack's classroom. >> he loved school, loveland sports, starred in a musical. zack was such a stellar young
classroom theatre room. surrounded by memories of their son. >> he loved school, loved sports, starred in the musical. he was such a stellar young man. he always wanted to help other people. >> reporter: zach's sudden death initially a mystery to investigators. but the coroner had two theories, either an undetected medical issue or fentanyl. >> and that further spiralled us into -- >> into confusion. >> yeah, debilitating confusion. why would you say that word. we had no red flags of zach having struggles with any drug use or addiction or depression. >> reporter: nine out of every ten overdose deaths in teenagers involves opioids. and most common, fentanyl. >> fentanyl is so potent that
or electricity and that was a challenge. >> reporter: how old were you? >> from about the age of 8 until not quite 12. so it was -- those were formative years. >> reporter: you were going to school the whole time? >> yes, i loved school. i never missed school. those were tough times. you know, what i'm grateful for was during that time, i learned a lot about independence, about the importance of working hard and overcoming challenges. i also was really grateful that we had folks helping us. my parents' church helped us a lot during those times, family and friends helped us during those times, and so i think that's how i really developed this -- what some people would say is an interesting mix, but i actually think is pretty normal, of both wanting to encourage folks to work really hard and do their best, to get that shot at the american dream, and absolutely recognizing that
7-year-old loved animals and jewelry and loved candy and sweets and diving boards and her baby sisters. her mother said athena loved school and drawing and wanted hair as long as rapunzel's. her favorite color was pink and across wise county the color popped up everywhere. pink ribbons and balloons and teddy bears adorned the streets. mostly, residents like bobby dean are struggling to understand how such evil can walk up your driveway. >> out here you let your kids go outside and encourage it. get off the tv and devices and go out and play. your worries are snakes and falling down or maybe flipping an atv over. you never worry about somebody doing something like this. >> we love athena. we hate what's happened to her.
just hours later, authorities announced the arrest of tanner warner. >> they were able to determine that the driver abducted athena. we do have a confession. >> the county sheriff said the suspect did not know athena or her family, and that the abduction was a crime of opportunity. the sheriff also said warner told investigators where he had left the child's body. >> it's one of the toughest investigations that i've been involved in. because it's a child. and anytime there's a child that buys, it just hits you in your heart. >> i think his mom very described in a facebook post that the seven year old loved animals in jewelry. she loved candy and sweets, and diving boards, and her baby sisters. her mother also said athena loved school, and drawing, and
siblings. most of the time he was just very active. he was the energy of every day. >> he was so beautiful. i'm so sorry for your lost. i am a mom too and i cannot imagine the excruciating pain associated with this and i know he loved school. he was smart. thank you so much for coming on. we wish you the best with the police academy, what happens next? have you signed up? >> i will be re-taking the exam as soon as i can get into the physical condition to do it. but i'm pregnant saw -- >> that's true. you are right. thank you so much, god bless you and i don't know how you move on but hopefully you will cling to god and you will find some peace and all of this to see him again in heaven. god bless you. >> thank you. he loved his family, loved to school, and loved playing sports. as a precious young boy rest in
like before they assigned the homework i would anticipate it and get it done. >> larry: oh, a goody goody. that never even occurred to me. >> dana: when school went out for summer my sister was like do you want to play? i was like you want to play school? i loved school. >> larry: i loved school too but. >> dana: jimmy do you think it was more about not meeting the writer' goes. >> jimmy: i had writer's blas on this. i think it's a waste. they're surrounded by like minded people which is not good for the creative process. what they should do is go to a dunkin' donuts, a lot of people like starbucks but as a writer you like dunkin' donuts better because they have better table conversation. go to starbucks they're arguing with accountant about a beach house they're building at the jersey shore. you go to dunkin' donuts and the guy next to you is arguing with himself because the spaceship is out of gas again. you know what i'm saying?
her family says they have been devastated as you can imagine since losing her. but nevaeh will be remembered as a young girl who put a smile on everyone's face. just like her smile right there. makenna lee elrod was a light to all who knew her and had a smile that would light up any room. she liked to play softball, she did gymnastics and loved her friends and family so much, we're told. her aunt described her as a natural leader who loved school. and alithia ramirez was in fourth grade, she loved to draw. she hoped to become an artist one day. alithia's grandmother says she was a very talented little girl and very sweet. those are all of the people that we have lost. we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ ♪
birthday. >> ellie was a beautiful little girl. she was filled with so much joy, so much life. she had a good heart. she was never angry at anyone. she loved everyone. she was just such a good kid. >> what did she like to do? >> she loved basketball. she loved to ride bikes. she loved to -- she loved going to church with us. she loved the lord. she loved school, dancing tiktoks. >> hey, guys. >> what a 9-year-old kid would like to do. >> she's about to have a birthday. >> birthday is next saturday on the 4th, yeah. she would have been 10. she still will be 10. >> it's tough. >> it's very hard. i imagine that weekend will be a tough weekend for the family because her birthdays on the 4th and two days later, on the 6th,