History of the Brooks Case
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del.icio.usJune 18, 2006: Two more arrests in girl's killing
BY HURST LAVIANA AND DENISE NEIL
The Wichita Eagle
Two more people have been arrested in the death of 14-year-old Chelsea Brooks.
Sedgwick County Jail records show that one of the suspects, Elgin R. Robinson, who listed an address in the 3600 block of East Oneida, was booked at 2:30 a.m. Saturday on one count of first-degree murder. His bond was set at $1 million.
Friends of the family said Saturday that Chelsea had a relationship with Robinson and that they had seen the two together at this year's River Festival .
The name of the other suspect was not available. Deputy Police Chief Terri Moses said both men were arrested early Saturday, but she declined to release further details about the investigation.
Sedgwick County District Court records show that Robinson was named as a defendant in a protection-from-abuse case filed in February by Chelsea's mother, Terri Brooks.
A 17-year-old suspect, whose name has not been released, was arrested Friday and is being held in the Juvenile Detention Facility.
District Attorney Nola Foulston said Saturday that police and prosecutors would meet early this week to determine what charges should be filed in the case.
Chelsea, who was nine months pregnant, was reported missing by her family June 9 after she disappeared while she and some friends were at Skate South, 1900 E. MacArthur Road.
Her body was found partially buried Thursday at the edge of a wheat field northeast of Andover.
Wichita police have not released a motive for the slaying or said how Chelsea died.
Details of the protection-from-abuse case filed against Robinson were not available Saturday because the Sedgwick County Courthouse was closed. Limited information that was available online shows that Robinson, whose age was not available in public records, did not try to contest the order against him.
Protection-from-abuse orders typically are used to prevent defendants from going near people who ask to be protected.
Family speaks
Terri Brooks read a statement Saturday outside Allison Middle School, where Chelsea had just completed eighth grade, thanking those who had helped the family and pleading for privacy.
"We will continue to pursue just punishment for the person or persons responsible for the death of our daughter and granddaughter," she said.
Annie Brooks, Chelsea's 17-year-old sister, said her family spent Saturday greeting friends who delivered a steady stream of food and condolences, and confronting their anger at the killer.
"I'm mad at the person who did this," Annie said. "But sooner or later, I'll find forgiveness in my heart."
She said the family plans to start a petition supporting a law that would mandate that anyone who kills a pregnant woman be charged in the death of the fetus.
Foulston said Kansas law does not allow the filing of murder charges in the death of a fetus. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that the state's murder laws can only be applied in cases where a child has been born.
In its ruling, the court overturned one of two murder convictions of a Wichita man who was convicted of murdering a former girlfriend who was eight months pregnant.
'An amazing person'
Chelsea's friends said that Saturday was supposed to have been the day they had a baby shower for her.
Instead, they spent the day in tears, talking to each other on the phone, planning a memorial service, and trying to understand why someone would hurt their sweet-natured friend.
"It just scares me think someone could do that to her," said 14-year-old Madison Branch, a close friend of Chelsea's since sixth grade.
Chelsea was outgoing and friendly and had acquaintances in every circle at school, she said.
When kids at school first found Chelsea was pregnant, they were shocked, Madison said. But over the course of the school year, it almost became a nonissue.
Friends were supportive, and they particularly admired Chelsea's decision not to transfer to the school district's Homebound program, as she had originally planned.
Chelsea even walked across the stage at Allison's eighth- grade graduation ceremony May 25.
"She was an amazing person," Madison said. "She made mistakes, but she had so much going for her. She had the rest of her life ahead of her. It wasn't fair."
Friends said Chelsea was a talented singer. In choir, she was often chosen to perform solos, and kids joked that she and another singer at Allison ought to battle it out on "American Idol."
She could be shy around new people, but she could also be goofy, breaking out in song and dance in the middle of gym class.
Sarah Tanner, 14, was at the mall Friday when she heard about Chelsea's death. She and her friends canceled their plans to see a movie and instead gathered to remember Chelsea.
Tanner said Chelsea was smart and good at math and was always willing to explain a problem to her.
She also remembers the last time she saw Chelsea at graduation.
"She came up to me and she kind of just looked at me and gave me a hug and said, 'I'm going to miss you a lot,' " Tanner said. "I just remember looking at Chelsea and thinking how much guts she had."
Anyone grieving Chelsea's death is invited to stop by Allison Middle School, 221 S. Seneca, on Monday.
Staff members have organized a drop-in session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The district's crisis team will be on hand, as will several counselors.
The Brooks family's statement
Following is a transcript of the statement that Terri Brooks, mother of 14-year-old Chelsea Brooks, read to the media on Saturday.
"Our family wishes to thank the Wichita community for the outpouring of love and support we have received in the past few days while we and many others were searching for Chelsea and Alexa. God put the two men that found them in that field that day and we thank them for not just walking on.
"We offer a special thanks to those of you (and you know who you are) who worked so hard to elevate the level of the search for Chelsea and Alexa. We knew Chelsea wasn't 'just another runaway.' Thank you for the telephone calls and e-mails that got the search moving.
"We will continue to pursue just punishment for the person or persons responsible for the death of our daughter and granddaughter. Two lives were taken from us last week and we will do whatever it takes to make sure that the law, in the future, recognizes all life, even if it is too late for our girls.
"Also we express a special thank you to QuikTrip Corporation for allowing us to put our fliers in their stores after Chelsea went missing. Also, we give a special thank you to Kinko's, DOCS and Legal X-Press for all the copies of fliers made to be distributed throughout the community and to those who took the time to distribute them.
"We also give a heartfelt thank you to my employer, Hinkle Elkouri Law Firm L.L.C., who has been so supportive in our time of grief. I work for the best employer in the city.
"Though we want everyone to know what a special and wonderful girl Chelsea was, please respect our privacy. Please allow us to gather our family and grieve our loss of Chelsea and Alexa in private. Therefore, we will have no further comment to the media."
Darren and Terri Brooks and family.