Cornelia Rose Lathan , had so much to look forward to, but some ideas for what was certain to be a bright prospect.
The 15-year-old was a rising freshman at a contract class in , Bessemer, she wanted to be a nurse, and a pilot, and even serve in the military.
All of those hopes and dreams ended two weeks ago when authorities say her mother’s ex-boyfriend opened fire on the home ‘s , Birmingham , house, leaving Cornelia dead and her 5-year-old brother, Roman, injured.
” It’s difficult,” said Cornelia’s grieving family,  , Sarah Lathan”. She was a really unique child.”
Otis Lee Montgomery, 27, is charged with capital murder , in Cornelia’s dying, first-degree abuse in the wounded of Roman, and shooting into an occupied apartment.
The fatal shooting happened midday , Wednesday, June 19,  , at , Park Place , rooms.
Because of the June 15th vacation, Cornelia and Roman were household that day because the summers camp at Memorial Park, where Cornelia was a consultant and Roman a tent, was being held.
Lathan, a , Minor High School , graduate who earned her political scientific education from UAB, works mildly at home as a case manager for a personal injury law firm out of , Boston.
Lathan set up her home office in her room to let her kids roam freely around the house. She also has a 12-year-old boy, Daniel, who was visiting his parents in , Georgia , at the time of the shooting.
She said she and Montgomery, with whom she is expecting a child, had argued the night before and again in the days before the killing.
” He had come by one day that night making threats,’ ‘ she said. Montgomery left before officers arrived.
He calls me while we were arguing, and as soon as I realized, I heard crystal ruin.
She and Cornelia and Roman both entered the den area after she left her place.
Montgomery quickly opened fire on several shots as he was outside the apartment’s driving lot, according to authorities.
Cornelia was pronounced deceased on the field at , 12: 25 p. m.
Roman was taken to Children’s of , Alabama , with a bullet scar to his knee. He is using a scooter and has been unable to walk for at least the following six months.
” We were all standing there up,’ ‘ she said”. I ca n’t believe I was n’t hit.”
She ca n’t believe any of it really happened.
” I know he gets,” she said”, but I never would have thought it may intensify to this.”
” You hear about it happening,” she said”, but to be in it is a totally different speedway.”
Cornelia, Lathan’s first-born, has just finished the nineth quality at , Alabama Aerospace , and Aviation High Schook, a contract college in , Bessemer, where she was an , Honor Roll , student.
” She was a really nice soul,’ ‘ Lathan said,” an all-around special girl”.
Cornelia was volunteering as a counsellor at , Memorial Park.
” Yet the persons at , Memorial Park , were shocked. They were like,’ This child was an god. Nothing volunteers to come and work with various children,”’ Lathan said.
” She was serving her society,’ ‘ Lathan said.
The girl was even a deep-thinker and had a powerful belief. At the time of her death, she was reading” Knowing Your Place in God’s Kingdom” by , Myles Munroe , and she and her nephew had chosen to be baptized up less than a year ago at , New Bethlehem Baptist Church , in , Bessemer.
” She absolutely gave her life to Christ,’ ‘ Lathan said.
She was observing a 21-day quickly just before her untimely death to focus on her life’s objectives.
We were attempting to set up mini-goals to accomplish the great purpose, Lathan said. One of her main objectives was for her to be self-sufficient by the age of 22. I told her it was very little attainable”.
Cornelia and her brothers were very tight in the early years. ” They were indistinguishable,’ ‘ she said.
She was anticipating the birth of her baby girl, who is expected any time. She even had to pick a brand.
The child was expecting a little sister, Lathan said the day before we went shopping because she was expecting one. ” She was n’t going to be the only girl anymore”.
Lathan said it’s been a terrible couple of weeks.
” That was my child,’ ‘ she said”. We were interrelated.”
Roman, she said, has struggled in the fallout.
” He and I will both have some pain counseling,’ ‘ she said. ” He was standing straight it. He saw the whole thing”.
” He’s a pretty smart 5-year-old,’ ‘ she said.
Since the shooting, Lathan has n’t returned to her apartment. She claimed that her home, her religion, and her friends have given her a lot of positive support.
” It breaks my heart,’ ‘ she said,” that all of this has taken area”.
Lathan stated that she wants her child to be remembered for who she was and what she could have been.
” At her company, citizens from her class were getting up and talking about how loving and caring she was,’ ‘ she said”. She was wonderful, she was brilliant, and she served her society and her home.”
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