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'Brave, courageous' Jaimie Cates is back home
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By KATHRYN MARCHOCKI
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
MONT VERNON – Sixth-grader Jaimie Cates has left the hospital and returned to her rural home where her mother was killed and the 11-year-old severely wounded during a vicious Oct. 4 home invasion and robbery.
Neighbors said Jaimie, who had been at Children's Hospital in Boston since the attack, returned to her 4 Trow Road home with her father, David Cates, on Friday.
Since then, the girl has enjoyed the company of close friends who helped her decorate a giant pumpkin while residents of this small town offer comfort and support by providing the family with cooked meals and -- Jaimie's favorite -- a pumpkin pie.
"She's a brave, courageous little girl. She is holding it together so well," neighbor Mary Minami said.
Jaimie Cates also keeps up with her school work from home and hopes to rejoin her classmates in school at some point, the school superintendent said last week.
A woman who answered the door at the house yesterday said the family appreciates the community support and will be issuing a public statement soon.
JAMIE CATES
The girl, who remains in a wheelchair, not only made the 911 emergency call after the early morning attack, but apparently provided police with a description of two attackers.
David Cates was traveling on business and the mother and daughter were home alone when four local teens allegedly entered the home armed with deadly weapons with the intent to kill anyone they found inside.
Brookline residents Steven Spader, 17, and Christopher A. Gribble, who turned 20 on Sunday, allegedly hacked Kimberly L. Cates, 42, to death in her bed and wounded Jaimie. Spader was armed with a machete; Gribble with a knife, the state alleges.
Amherst teens William Marks, 18, and Quinn Glover, 17, face robbery, burglary and burglary conspiracy charges in the home invasion.
►Complete coverage of the Kim Cates murder
All four defendants waived their probable cause hearings in Milford District Court yesterday after their attorneys separately entered into protective orders that gave them exclusive access to the affidavits filed in support of their clients' arrests.
The protective orders prohibit the attorneys from sharing the contents of the affidavits with anyone, including the defendants. The state also agreed to provide the lawyers with copies of any recorded statements their clients make.
Judge Martha A. Crocker approved the stipulations for the proposed protective orders, which amounted to the state offering defense attorneys limited access to the affidavits in exchange for the teens waiving their probable cause hearings. Much of the content of the affidavits would have become public at the probable cause hearings.
Court proceedings then turned to efforts by three news outlets -- The Associated Press, WMUR-TV and The Telegraph of Nashua -- to access the sealed affidavits, arrest and search warrants.
Senior Assistant Attorney General N. William Delker said releasing them now would compromise the ongoing investigation.
"In this case, there are a number of investigative avenues that police and our office are actively exploring that would most certainly be undermined by releasing the documents at this time," Delker said.
So far, he said "very, very little has been reported as to what actually happened during the crime itself."
Delker also asked the court to extend its 30-day seal to 90 days to give the state time to present its case to a grand jury.
"That is a long time to leave the public in the dark," Concord attorney William L. Chapman responded.
Chapman, who represents The Associated Press, said the state constitution guarantees a "presumption of access" to court documents and the court must apply the "least restrictive option" to any attempt by the state to limit it, especially when arrests have been made.
He argued some information can be made public without jeopardizing the investigation and called for a "paragraph by paragraph" review in closed court to determine what details could be disclosed.
"We did that in Zantop," Chapman said, referring to the 2001 murders of two married Dartmouth College professors stabbed to death in their homes.
"At least he (the judge) gave the public some information about that case, which was as horrendous and horrifying to the Dartmouth community as this is to the Mont Vernon community," Chapman said.
Judge Crocker called freedom of the press and transparency of court proceedings a "cornerstone of our society." "On the other hand, I am also aware that the state as well as the community and the defendants have a . . . vested interest in a very thorough, complete and untainted investigation," she said.
Crocker said she will issue a written decision.
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YOUR COMMENTS
hey jaimie its nice to see you i missed you. my thoughts and wishes are to you. I hope the recovery is quick i love you
- Tiana, Mont Vernon
God Bless her she has a lot of strength and spunk for this recovery. Stay strong.
- Jack Alex, Manchester
Jaimie,
What an inspiration you are to all both young and old. I am so glad that you are home already from this terrible act of injustice caused by four monsters. On another note I am sure the days ahead will be extremely difficult for this courageous girl. Reliving that horrible night only three weeks ago, going home to the place where the attack and death of her mother occurred is going to be very tough. I do feel however that Jaimie will be able to deal with this, as she has shown us all the bravery and stamina that she possesses. We should all take a lesson from her, especially when we say that we are having a bad day.
- MICHELLE, DRACUT MA
Welcome home Jaimie. We are with you and love you
- Jim, Mont Vernon
I send you both my loving peaceful thoughts. I love both of you much.
Robin
- Robin, Mont Vernon NH
Oh Jaime. All of us wish you a speedy recovery and a long, healthy, happy life. God bless you and your father, and thank you for being such an inspiration. Most of us in the world will never have the courage you have displayed.
- Molly, Mont Vernon
Jamie and her Dad deserve nothing more than our good thoughts, support, prayers and PRIVACY. Let this family heal in their fashion. If they want company they will call you. If they want to give an interview, they will call you. If they need more than what those close to them can provide it will be asked for. We are so proud of Jamie, her strength and courage are amazing and we look forward to her being in school with friends again.
- K., Mont Vernon
Kathryn Marchocki, you should be ashamed of yourself! I can not believe you had the audacity to walk up to their door and actually knock on it. You disgust me. What you did was extremely disrespectful. Leave this family alone so that they can heal.
- Fred, Milford
@ Margaret, Bell Canyon CA - we don't need to know anymore than we currently do. Mrs. Cates was fatally attacked, we know that. The experience was gruesome, we know that. This child was brutally attacked and is now home, we know that. They don’t need to knock on the door of the family home to get a peek of the home or of Jamie. How ridiculous, the rest will come out in time with the court case, etc. We don’t need to badger this family for our own curiosity and to constantly keep it on the front page. Every time that is done this little girl must re-live that night. Some level of decorum is appropriate here. A little girl’s recovery depends on that and to me that trumps the media or publics right to know.
- Cheryl, Derry
Hey Marchocki, if it was you knocking at the door, leave the family alone. They don't need irresponsible reporters like you around.
- Bob, Bedford NH
Welcome home Jamie. You and your family are in my prayers.
- Sarah, Manchester
Regarding everyone here on "Your Comments" complaining about the news reporters and photographers covering this tragedy: if these hardworking, professional journalists weren't covering this story, chances are you'd know very little indeed about about emerging facts of this event. News reporters are the least of the Cates' grief, and they deserve your gratitude, and not your derision.
- Margaret, Bell Canyon, CA
It is truly a miracle that Jaime & her Dad
have been able to get this far after such a horrific event . You are both in my prayers & we stand ready to help in any way we can.
- Steve T., Milford NH
It is good to know that Jaimie is on the road to recovery and is back at home. However, this girl's nightmare is far from over. She is the only eyewitness to the crimes and will likely be called, in some manner or fashion, to testify against the perpetrators. I hope that the courts make it as easy as possible on her during these trying times.
- Dan, Auburn
When the media invaded Concord after the
Shuttle tragedy the town closed ranks to protect the Mcauliffe family. Mont Vernon can do the same. Politely, but firmly.
- Andrew, Santa Cruz
Another copy and paste article from the Union Leader. Why publish the girls picture and the address to the house? Like the Cates need anymore attention/harassment from the media.
- Mike K, Manchester
I think of you both everyday! Such a brave little girl. Get well soon!
- summer henderson, manchester NH
I agree with Lynn, it was VERY inappropriate for your reporter to knock on their door. How would you feel if you were 11 years old and lived through this horrific event only to have a stranger knock on your door when you got home. Not the smartest of moves Union Leader. Use the phone next time.
- Jimmy, Milford
Publishing this girls picture is abhorrent.
- Jim Wilson, Manchester
May God Bless this family and especially little Jamie for her strength and heroism. NH, bring back corporal punishment!
- Dennis Hamel, Hooksett
This article opened up the flood gates for another media frenzy. Fox news has a camera set up in front of their house today. How insensitive! Please let them heal in privacte. I am very upset by some of the details in this article.
- Catherine, Mont Vernon
If this family is going to heal, they need to be left alone. Reporters going and knocking on their door is totally innappropriate! Have a little class. Give them some privacy.
- Lynn, Amherst
May peace be yours, David and Jaimie.
- Jennifer, Manchester
I wish you peace and strength Jamie. Mt. Vernon, the state of NH, and the rest of the country are praying for you.
The title of this article refers to this little girl coming home, but most of it is about the press wanting access to the details. Shouldn't that be a separate story! Geez...do we really need to publish what horrific details this little girl was subjected to so soon? We can already surmise that is was gruesome. Jamie does not deserve that, she has enough to deal with for goodness sake. It will come out in time.
- Cheryl, Derry
I am so happy to hear that you are out of the hospital. Only time will heal your heart little one. My thoughts are with you as you go through this awefull ordeal. Stay positive and keep smiling the beautiful smile sweet girl. All will get better with time. Again welcome home !
- Abbey Z, Ft.Bragg NC
Now lets leave this family alone and allow them to heal!
- Peter, Amherst
Welcome home and with God's help you will recover quickly from your physical wounds little girl..
It appears you have great support for your emotional wounds, which unfortunately, and as the result of 4 barbarians, will take longer to heal.
- Jim, Bedford
i am so happy that Jamie is home. I just feel real bad that she does not have a mother to be with her. I wish you and your father the best of luck. My thoughts are with you and your family
- amber, manchester
Stay strong Jaimie!
- Harry, Atkinson
Thank God for her speedy release and prayers for Jaime and her dad!!!!God Bless
- karen shutt, manchester
I pray that Jaimie is able to make a full recovery and is able to put this brutal attack in her past. May the fond memories of her mother always be with her and her dad. What a horrible memory this poor innicent little girl will have for the rest of her life. I hope she does well. Good Luck Jaimie you are in my thoughts and prayers!!
- Jennifer, Weare
God Bless this beautiful little girl.....
- Sue, Manchester, NH
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