CLEARLAKE — The outpouring of support from the Lake County community amazed one area grandmother, whose granddaughter recently suffered severe injuries. The injuries to the 3-year-old girl are considered suspicious in nature.
Susan Thompson said she is overwhelmed with gratitude for the people in her community who have offered their prayers and support for her granddaughter, who lives thousands of miles away in Missouri. “The outpouring of love and prayers from Lake County has been phenomenal,” she said. “Our prayer chains have been awesome.”
Thompson, who is well-known throughout the county for her contributions working in the resource/recovery community, said that her granddaughter Arowyn left for a visit with her father the morning of July 8. She said within an hour of leaving with her father and his girlfriend, Arowyn was in an ambulance en route to the hospital. She said within two hours the little girl was in surgery where it was determined that her injuries could not have happened accidentally.
According to her grandmother, Arowyn sustained multiple blows to her head and to the base of her skull. Thompson said Arowyn”s skull was crushed in and her cheek bones, nose and teeth were broken. She said there were also marks found on Arowyn”s wrists possibly caused by restraints. Thompson said her granddaughter was in a coma for two days and while she has made great strides in her recovery, there is still a long road ahead.
After learning the news of her granddaughter”s tragedy, Thompson sent out a message for help on Facebook. She said a Missouri judge has since issued a gag order on the site. Prior to the gag order, however, the message reached local business owner Jeri Spittler, who operates Girlfriends Beauty Salon in Clearlake. Spittler immediately initiated a fundraising raffle to help Thompson and her family.
Spittler sponsored a raffle for a designer handbag filled with beauty supply items from her salon. “Most people didn”t want a ticket,” she said. “They just wanted to donate.”
Spittler”s effort garnered $174. “In this economy, this is like fabulous,” Thompson said. “This will pay for one of those trips to St. Louis Children”s Hospital. That”s a three hour drive for my daughter.”
The winning raffle ticket was drawn by Thompson on Friday. The winner was Barbara Sinor, Ph.D. who is a psychospiritual therapist in the area. Sinor also left a gift for Arowyn and her 28-year-old single mother of three at Spittler”s shop. The gift was a handmade, beaded bracelet, which Spittler said Sinor prayed over as she crafted it.
Anyone wishing to help Arowyn and her mother may do so via PayPal online at tigerlily95451@yahoo.com. Spittler is also accepting donations at Girlfriends Beauty Salon, 14510 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.
Contact South County reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
