"In My Footsteps"
Do the words of a killer feigning to be a grieving mother indicate anything about the death, or about her mind set?
Or, are these the words of an innocent mother, falsely accused by police and the public?
Statement Analysis is in bold type following the speech.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/33066263
(Billie Dunn’s speech starts at about 37:07 and ends at about 39:00. She read from a script.)
"It all started when two kids fell in love. From that our most precious Hailey was created. And on August 28, 1997, at approximately 4:03 am with Connie peaking under and around the curtain we welcomed Hailey Darlene Dunn into our world. Six pounds and nine ounces of perfect beauty.
The first thing Clint and I did was look at each other and say thank you. Every day thereafter Hailey brought joy and laugh ... joy and laughter into our lives. Very early on she kept us entertained. So full of love, life and a little mischief. Desperate to make people laugh.
For 29 months we’ve been forced to make due with our fond memories.
One of her first shocking moments happened at around age two when I was cooking and Clint found her in our bedroom, scissors in hand. “Look what your daughter has done,” he said. She cut the entire top part of her hair so short it looked like a buzz cut.
She loved to pretend she was talking to Britney Spears and would often tell us of their play dates. As she grew a little older we began to see just how smart she was. As at six years old she would read my nursing books [Billie turned the page over to read from the back] to me and help me study with ease.
In elementary school, Hailey took two sets of real human lungs to school, a healthy pair and a diseased pair. She thoroughly explained the respiratory system and complications. It seemed to me she was following in my footsteps.
Within her last year, Hailey and her friends walked inside with an old shoe box. What could she be up to? Oh, it’s a dead bat. We’re gonna dissect it, Momma. I said, “Honey, I am so proud but go bury that bat.”
I miss the many times I was doing dishes and looked out the window to see Hailey pretending to put on a rock show, unaware that anyone was watching.
I could go on all day ... she’s more than a pretty face, more than a jokester, more than intelligent, more than a saxophone player, more than an athlete, more than just a little determined. She's now a blissful angel.
I won’t ruin Hailey’s day by speculation so I will close by saying the same thing I said when her life began. Thank you, Clint, for giving me such a beautiful daughter. Thank you to my son for being a great brother and friend to my sweet Hailey.
Thank you, Hailey, for being my baby and I will love you for ever and a day and I’ll see you in my dreams."
(end of speech)
In Statement Analysis, specifically, the SCAN technique developed by Avinoam Sapir, we say:
The subject is dead; the statement is alive.
This has specific meaning. We are not analyzing Billie Jean Dunn, but the words on a paper which she read at a memorial service. We are not analyzing reality, but verbalized reality. If the words are improperly transcribed, it will impact the analysis. It is the words, themselves, that we analyze.
Objection: Isn't it almost impossible to analyze this given how much is known by the case?
Answer: True enough: we cannot analyze it 'cold', due to several things:
1. Time
2. Knowledge of the case
1. Time.
When someone is initially interviewed by police on a homicide, the innocent person will be bring herself to say "I didn't kill Hailey" in an open sentence. If accusations continue, the subject will continue to say this sentence, specifically using:
a. The pronoun "I"
b. The past tense verb "didn't" or "did not" (Note that Reid sometimes classifies "did not" as not as strong as "didn't" (casual) but no such distinction exists in the SCAN technique from which Reid draws its principles).
c. Specific allegation: "kill", "steal", "take", and so on.
If any of these three are absent, or if anything is added to the statement, it is deemed "unreliable" for purposes of analysis. Therefore, "I would never have harmed Hailey" uses the unreliable "would never" (future/conditional tense verb) and "harm" which minimizes or reduces "kill"; since Hailey wasn't "harmed" but "killed." If this sentence follows a reliable denial (above) it is appropriate, but by itself, the subject avoids making a strong commitment to not killing Hailey. (See analysis on Shawn Adkins).
During the initial interview, the subject who is innocent, will bring herself to say these words, of her own accord (the 'free editing process' in which someone chooses their own words rather than repeating the words of the interviewer) readily, and without qualifiers such as "I believe I did not kill Hailey" or "I think I did not kill Hailey..." and so on.
Once a subject has been interviewed, it becomes increasingly easier to lie, including one who has read analysis. John Ramsey demonstrated this in a prepared statement. It is not reliable because the initial interview has already taken place.
However, it is still of interest in analysis because many subjects who give broadcasted interviews will still avoid saying "I didn't do it", years later. In the case of Shawn Adkins and Billie Dunn, neither has ever made a reliable denial. If either issued a reliable denial today, it would not be deemed reliable, as this should have come more than 2 years ago.
2. Knowledge of the case.
At this point in time, many facts are well known about the case, including pornography, drugs, and sexuality and violence linked together. We know that police accused her of murder and cover up, and that she abruptly left the interrogation. We know that she failed a polygraph. We must view this speech from the contextual perspective of all that we know.
From her many appearances on the Nancy Grace Show, Statement Analysis has concluded:
1. She was deceptive about what happened to Hailey
2. She had guilty knowledge of Hailey's death
3. She, not Shawn Adkins, was the author of the 'sleep over' story, which she lifted from the True crime library regarding another young girl who was murdered.
4. That she saw Hailey at, or near the point of death, in her bedroom, and described this scene, adding that she did "not touch her."
In two plus years of appearances she did not, once, ever deny involvement in the death and disposal of Hailey. In statement analysis, we follow a rule:
If the subject is unable or unwilling to say she did not do it, we are not permitted to say it for her.
Expectation:
In Statement Analysis, we deal with the "unexpected" by setting up what is to be expected.
A powerful example of this comes from Analyst Kaaryn Gough when working the case of missing 7 year old Isabel Celis. Her parents had reported her kidnapped and went on television.
Kaaryn made a list of the expected words:
kidnap, kidnapping, ransom, and so on. These are words that, when taken in context, are "expected" to be heard.
When someone is accused of stealing and wishes to proclaim innocence, for example, we have an expectation of the person saying, "I didn't take it..." but when they do not, we are confronted by the "unexpected."
In this case, the mother of a murdered 13 year old is about to speak.
Billie Dunn is no longer with Clint Dunn; as she moved on to live in boy-friend, Shawn Adkins. Billie Dunn is no longer with Shawn Adkins.
We expect her to speak of her memories of her child, therefore, we look for the use of the pronoun "I" to dominate. Since she is not with Clint Dunn (who suspects Billie Dunn in the murder, along with Shawn Adkins), we do not expect her to use the plural pronoun "our", "us", etc, often. She is alone as a parent.
Also, we expect the pronoun "I" to come from her because she is the deceased child's mother. For a mother, the death of a child is the single most personal issue that comes to mind. Nothing is more close to a mother's heart than the death of a child. Therefore, we hold the expectation to be with the pronoun "I."
We also hold expectation of a mother's "deification" of her deceased child. This is common among parents of dead children: they speak of the child in almost God-like terms, only remembering the good times, as the pain of death wipes away all the difficult times. (See Solomon on Proverbs on how much is forgotten with death). It is, therefore, unexpected to hear anything, even subtly, negative, about the victim.
Expectation Conclusion:
We expect to hear:
1. The pronoun "I" to dominate the speech.
2. Only the most positive things said about the deceased.
3. The order of names or people mentioned often indicates priority. We expect to hear Hailey named first.
"It all started when two kids fell in love. From that our most precious Hailey was created. And on August 28, 1997, at approximately 4:03 am with Connie peaking under and around the curtain we welcomed Hailey Darlene Dunn into our world. Six pounds and nine ounces of perfect beauty.
Where someone begins a statement is often the reason for the speech. Here, the speech begins, not with "Hailey" but the pronoun "it" instead. This is not expected.
The "two kids" is without title (names), and where the subject has chosen to start her account. The first sentence is often important and will sometimes tell the reason for the statement. The statement does not begin with Hailey, but with the subject's relationship with Hailey's father, describing it with the pronoun "it."
The "two kids" is the first people in the statement mentioned:
Billie Dunn and Clint Dunn.
Order often indicates priority.
Since the subject has chosen to being with the relationship that produced Hailey rather than Hailey, herself, we now look for the statement to be more focused upon her and Clint Dunn (Hailey's father) than upon Hailey.
This is not expected.
Question: Why does the subject do this?
Answer: The subject may feel 'vulnerable' due to the possible upcoming arrest, and may seek to 'share' the 'responsibilty', not with Adkins, who is not present, but with Clint, who is innocent. Seeking to portray herself with Clint may indicate a need to associate herself with someone who is not involved in the murder of Hailey Dunn.
It is not expected. Speaking of Hailey, only in positive terms, from a very personal, maternal matter, for herself (the pronoun "I" to dominate) is expected.
"It all started" is a time period:
Here it is just prior to when Hailey was born; the "two kids fell in love."
The word "that" indicates distance. In this case, it was more than 15 years ago, making the distance appropriate.
Hailey is then mentioned, and the pronoun "our" is used, common when:
1. One is speaking for two parents
2. There is a divorce, step parenting, foster parenting, or adoption in the picture.
We do expect to hear a mother say "my" rather than "our", especially at a memorial, even when speaking for two. Fathers more often will say "our" when speaking for both, whereas mothers will sometimes begin with "our" but move to "my" quickly.
Note that "Connie" is introduced without any title. This is often the case when everyone knows the person referenced, but in a setting where not everyone knows the person, it can indicate a poor relationship.
Since the release of the affidavit, there has been a split as Hailey's grandmother not only suspected Dunn's live in boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, but came to believe that Dunn, herself, was covering for him, and then that Dunn was involved. This may be reflected in the language.
Did Hailey's grandmother sit with Dunn at the memorial? Or, was there distance between them, as the language suggests?
The first thing Clint and I did was look at each other and say thank you. Every day thereafter Hailey brought joy and laugh ... joy and laughter into our lives. Very early on she kept us entertained. So full of love, life and a little mischief. Desperate to make people laugh.
The sharing of "Clint and I" is not expected, especially when a mother has lost a child. The theme of associating herself with a non-suspect in the case continues.
When someone says "the first thing", there is often a second or third, and where it is not present, we often ask, "What was next?" to the subject. Here, it is followed with "thereafter", which might be the second thing.
A new born child brings joy. Hailey brought "joy and laugh...", which is repeated, making the topic of "joy" and the topic of "laughter" sensitive to the subject, herself. What would cause something as basic as "joy" to be sensitive?
What would cause a baby, or newborn child, to make others "laugh"? The joy is a quiet excitement or contentment, often tempered by the lack of sleep, worries over newborn care (especially to young and inexperienced parents) and the financial concerns that a providing father may have.
Note the emphasis is not upon caring for Hailey, but Hailey "entertaining" she and Clint. In this short statement, we see the word "laugh" repeated. What makes "laughing" sensitive?
Hailey is here described as being a "little mischief", which may be considered cute, though it also may be a subtle negative comment. It is strange that a child is described as not only entertaining young parents, but that the child is described as being "desperate" to make "people" laugh. What environment would cause a child to feel the burden, enough to be "desperate" to make "people" (not "me", and not "us", not even "Clint and me") laugh? Was it something mischievous that caused them to laugh?
We are being given insight into a home which eventually degraded into sexual perversion, drugs, and violence. At this time in the statement, according to Clint, Dunn was very averse to drug abuse. Is there something within placing a child in the role of "desperate" to entertain a family that telegraphed, or predicted, the trouble to come?
Clownish behavior is often cute in children yet in context, we are remembering a 13 year old murdered child. It is not expected in a memorial service to hear anything even slightly negative.
This entertaining of being kept laughing is limited to "very early on" in the statement. Since the context was the birth and early childhood of Hailey, it would appear unnecessary to add the words "very early on"; with their addition leading the reader to ask,
"After that period of time, did Hailey fail to entertain? Did the laughter cease? Was she no longer entertaining them after this period? This is what is inferred by the additional and seemingly needless words.
Remember: Unnecessary words are to be deemed double important.
For 29 months we’ve been forced to make due with our fond memories.
The time period "29 months" may be included here because recently Billie Dunn was quoted as giving the wrong time table, with the thinking being this:
An innocent mother of a missing child would know the days, hours and minutes since the child disappeared. She was off by "months"which was likely a criticism that stung her and brought her to mention the months.
Yet, she continues to avoid the personal "I", and only associates with Clint Dunn.
Clint Dunn eventually moved away from her. This need for unity, itself, should not be overlooked by the analyst.
Note that "we've" been "forced"; not "I've been..."
Note that they have been "forced" to make due with "fond" memories, indicating that there are memories that are not fond.
"I have lived off the memories of Hailey..." is something more expected because, to a mother of a dead child, there are no 'bad' or 'not fond' memories; everything was good, and considered a learning experience. To the subject, there are memories and there are "fond" memories.
There may be some memories Dunn does not wish to "make due" with, as not only suggested in the affidavit, but from what we may learn from the forensic testing on the remains.
One of her first shocking moments happened at around age two when I was cooking and Clint found her in our bedroom, scissors in hand. “Look what your daughter has done,” he said. She cut the entire top part of her hair so short it looked like a buzz cut.
Note that "one" of her "first" shocking moments indicates that she had other shocking moments after that.
Note that while cutting her hair, she was "your" daughter, and is not "our" or "my" daughter, in attributing the quote to Clint.
She loved to pretend she was talking to Britney Spears
It is interesting to note the name "Brittany Spears" enter the speech at a memorial for a dead child, as Brittany Spears was seen shaving off her hair, as well, in a mental health breakdown, or a publicity stunt. Brittany Spears cut her "hair" off in such a manner as to give herself a "buzz cut" and was reportedly hospitalized after.
According to the subject, Hailey was about 2 years of age at this time:
and would often tell us of their play dates.
Two year old having "play dates" and "talking" to "Brittany Spears" is not expected.
What was the household like? Is this a credible description of a two year old?
As she grew a little older we began to see just how smart she was.
The avoidance of personal experience ("I") continues.
As at six years old she would read my nursing books to me and help me study with ease.
A six year old child reading medical college texts, helping "me" study was done with "ease."
Is this a credible description of a six year old helping her study "with ease" complex college medical books?
There appears to be a disconnect in reality which is often found in abusive mothers.
Mothers of new-borns are asked, "How do you discipline your baby?" knowing that the only appropriate answer is, "She is too young for discipline!"
The answers given would frighten you.
Some will say, of the new born, "She is crying just to get on my nerves" or "She is just being a spoiled brat!" (of new borns!).
Mothers who have been accused of abuse or neglect often exaggerate their parenting skills in order to appear better than they are. We saw this with Carnel Chamberlain's mother who's boyfriend beat him to death. She said they were teaching him to be a "man" and had higher expectations for him than his age allowed.
It is difficult to consider a two year old having conversations with an imaginary pop star (role model?) or any six year old reading college medical books, helping study with "ease."
These may be indicators that the subject is deliberately seeking to portray herself as having been a "wonderful" mother, and passing on superior genes. When asked to describe herself, she called herself a "wonderful " mother at a time when Clint had accused of her buying and selling cocaine, and burning a tattoo into her son's back.
We continue to see the avoidance of personal memories. Next, as we consider what was found in the home, may be particularly disturbing.
"Slice and dice" videos were found, "gutting deers", Michael Myers mask and "coveralls" that catch blood as the killer murders his victims. Note what enters her language:
In elementary school, Hailey took two sets of real human lungs to school, a healthy pair and a diseased pair. She thoroughly explained the respiratory system and complications. It seemed to me she was following in my footsteps.
This was spoken at a memorial service for a dead child in which "slice and dice" "blood lust" videos were found in the home. This is her own words.
Note the horrific prophetic-sounding words: "she was following in my footsteps."
Here, with human organs being carried to school, the pronoun "my" (singular) is produced.
There is nothing "expected" here in this speech, but it is particularly disturbing that human organs, removed from a person, was considered following in the subject's footsteps.
In the memorial service of a murdered child in which "coveralls" may have played a role, the mother mentions human dissection.
What was this home like? The mother continues to reveal:
Within her last year, Hailey and her friends walked inside with an old shoe box. What could she be up to? Oh, it’s a dead bat. We’re gonna dissect it, Momma. I said, “Honey, I am so proud but go bury that bat.”
Here we have Hailey (and her friends) carrying a "dead bat" to be "dissected."
If you were suspected in murdering your child with your boyfriend, who has coveralls and you had slice and dice videos, would you recall this memory for the public?
There were videos and pictures of all forms of pornography, including child pornography and bestiality.
Beastliest is the physical abuse (and death) of animals for some one's sexual gratification. This was found in the home to which Dunn replied in a casual manner, asking who had not received such things, as if everyone had.
Here, we learn that there was a casual attitude in the home towards dead animals, even with the child, which also sounds frightening with the words "in my footsteps."
Note the word "proud" from the subject.
I miss the many times I was doing dishes and looked out the window to see Hailey pretending to put on a rock show, unaware that anyone was watching.
Note that the pronoun "I" enters while doing chores. This might lead one to ask why the mother felt the need to portray herself as dutiful.
I could go on all day ... she’s more than a pretty face, more than a jokester, more than intelligent, more than a saxophone player, more than an athlete, more than just a little determined. She's now a blissful angel.
The order is important:
1. Pretty face
2. jokester
3. intelligent
4. saxophone player
5. athlete
6. determined
7. blissful angel
Here is the expected "deification" that takes place at so many funerals of young people. She is not just an "angel" but a "blissful" angel, indicating that she is now happy, or full of "bliss."
I won’t ruin Hailey’s day by speculation so I will close by saying the same thing I said when her life began.
Note that the pronoun "I" is here, with "speculation" as to her murdered child.
Note that "so" gives us the reason why she is doing something, yet here, it is in the negative: she is not going to speculate.
Please note that this is from the person suspected, along with Shawn Adkins, of her murder.
Thank you, Clint, for giving me such a beautiful daughter. Thank you to my son for being a great brother and friend to my sweet Hailey.
Note the strong seeking of approval or favor from Clint Dunn. Clint Dunn had revealed much of the abuse in the home, and suspected both Dunn and Adkins, but also feared them both.
Note the strong association in the short speech with someone she has had very little contact with since Hailey's death. Note that this person, Clint, did not kill Hailey, nor has he been ever been suspected in her death.
Thank you, Hailey, for being my baby and I will love you for ever and a day and I’ll see you in my dreams."
Hailey to be seen not in heaven, as she is a "blissful angel" but in the subject's own dreams.
There is a lack of personal connection in the speech until the very end, and readers may be disturbed by the facts of this case as seen in the affidavit, and the mother's choice of wording, including human organs and a dead bat.
These are most unexpected but give insight into what the home was like, further giving credibility to the sworn police affidavit.
The statement began with association with an innocent person (Clint Dunn) which often suggests importance. It closed in the same manner, firming the stance of unity with someone not suspected in the death of Hailey Dunn. This is a transparent attempt to influence future jurors as was expected.
This speech likely left many of those hoping for justice for Hailey shocked at the references used, yet is consistent with what we have learned about the home life that Hailey was brought up in. The very words of Clint Dunn in describing said home now appear truthful, just as the police affidavit does. This is the "leakage" so well described by Statement Analyst and Investigator, Kaaryn Gough.
As the subject reached into memory, the language she chose came from, not a vacuum, but from somewhere.
Who would have thought that human organs and a dead animal would be part of the speech of a murdered child?
Or, are these the words of an innocent mother, falsely accused by police and the public?
Statement Analysis is in bold type following the speech.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/33066263
(Billie Dunn’s speech starts at about 37:07 and ends at about 39:00. She read from a script.)
"It all started when two kids fell in love. From that our most precious Hailey was created. And on August 28, 1997, at approximately 4:03 am with Connie peaking under and around the curtain we welcomed Hailey Darlene Dunn into our world. Six pounds and nine ounces of perfect beauty.
The first thing Clint and I did was look at each other and say thank you. Every day thereafter Hailey brought joy and laugh ... joy and laughter into our lives. Very early on she kept us entertained. So full of love, life and a little mischief. Desperate to make people laugh.
For 29 months we’ve been forced to make due with our fond memories.
One of her first shocking moments happened at around age two when I was cooking and Clint found her in our bedroom, scissors in hand. “Look what your daughter has done,” he said. She cut the entire top part of her hair so short it looked like a buzz cut.
She loved to pretend she was talking to Britney Spears and would often tell us of their play dates. As she grew a little older we began to see just how smart she was. As at six years old she would read my nursing books [Billie turned the page over to read from the back] to me and help me study with ease.
In elementary school, Hailey took two sets of real human lungs to school, a healthy pair and a diseased pair. She thoroughly explained the respiratory system and complications. It seemed to me she was following in my footsteps.
Within her last year, Hailey and her friends walked inside with an old shoe box. What could she be up to? Oh, it’s a dead bat. We’re gonna dissect it, Momma. I said, “Honey, I am so proud but go bury that bat.”
I miss the many times I was doing dishes and looked out the window to see Hailey pretending to put on a rock show, unaware that anyone was watching.
I could go on all day ... she’s more than a pretty face, more than a jokester, more than intelligent, more than a saxophone player, more than an athlete, more than just a little determined. She's now a blissful angel.
I won’t ruin Hailey’s day by speculation so I will close by saying the same thing I said when her life began. Thank you, Clint, for giving me such a beautiful daughter. Thank you to my son for being a great brother and friend to my sweet Hailey.
Thank you, Hailey, for being my baby and I will love you for ever and a day and I’ll see you in my dreams."
(end of speech)
In Statement Analysis, specifically, the SCAN technique developed by Avinoam Sapir, we say:
The subject is dead; the statement is alive.
This has specific meaning. We are not analyzing Billie Jean Dunn, but the words on a paper which she read at a memorial service. We are not analyzing reality, but verbalized reality. If the words are improperly transcribed, it will impact the analysis. It is the words, themselves, that we analyze.
Objection: Isn't it almost impossible to analyze this given how much is known by the case?
Answer: True enough: we cannot analyze it 'cold', due to several things:
1. Time
2. Knowledge of the case
1. Time.
When someone is initially interviewed by police on a homicide, the innocent person will be bring herself to say "I didn't kill Hailey" in an open sentence. If accusations continue, the subject will continue to say this sentence, specifically using:
a. The pronoun "I"
b. The past tense verb "didn't" or "did not" (Note that Reid sometimes classifies "did not" as not as strong as "didn't" (casual) but no such distinction exists in the SCAN technique from which Reid draws its principles).
c. Specific allegation: "kill", "steal", "take", and so on.
If any of these three are absent, or if anything is added to the statement, it is deemed "unreliable" for purposes of analysis. Therefore, "I would never have harmed Hailey" uses the unreliable "would never" (future/conditional tense verb) and "harm" which minimizes or reduces "kill"; since Hailey wasn't "harmed" but "killed." If this sentence follows a reliable denial (above) it is appropriate, but by itself, the subject avoids making a strong commitment to not killing Hailey. (See analysis on Shawn Adkins).
During the initial interview, the subject who is innocent, will bring herself to say these words, of her own accord (the 'free editing process' in which someone chooses their own words rather than repeating the words of the interviewer) readily, and without qualifiers such as "I believe I did not kill Hailey" or "I think I did not kill Hailey..." and so on.
Once a subject has been interviewed, it becomes increasingly easier to lie, including one who has read analysis. John Ramsey demonstrated this in a prepared statement. It is not reliable because the initial interview has already taken place.
However, it is still of interest in analysis because many subjects who give broadcasted interviews will still avoid saying "I didn't do it", years later. In the case of Shawn Adkins and Billie Dunn, neither has ever made a reliable denial. If either issued a reliable denial today, it would not be deemed reliable, as this should have come more than 2 years ago.
2. Knowledge of the case.
At this point in time, many facts are well known about the case, including pornography, drugs, and sexuality and violence linked together. We know that police accused her of murder and cover up, and that she abruptly left the interrogation. We know that she failed a polygraph. We must view this speech from the contextual perspective of all that we know.
From her many appearances on the Nancy Grace Show, Statement Analysis has concluded:
1. She was deceptive about what happened to Hailey
2. She had guilty knowledge of Hailey's death
3. She, not Shawn Adkins, was the author of the 'sleep over' story, which she lifted from the True crime library regarding another young girl who was murdered.
4. That she saw Hailey at, or near the point of death, in her bedroom, and described this scene, adding that she did "not touch her."
In two plus years of appearances she did not, once, ever deny involvement in the death and disposal of Hailey. In statement analysis, we follow a rule:
If the subject is unable or unwilling to say she did not do it, we are not permitted to say it for her.
Expectation:
In Statement Analysis, we deal with the "unexpected" by setting up what is to be expected.
A powerful example of this comes from Analyst Kaaryn Gough when working the case of missing 7 year old Isabel Celis. Her parents had reported her kidnapped and went on television.
Kaaryn made a list of the expected words:
kidnap, kidnapping, ransom, and so on. These are words that, when taken in context, are "expected" to be heard.
When someone is accused of stealing and wishes to proclaim innocence, for example, we have an expectation of the person saying, "I didn't take it..." but when they do not, we are confronted by the "unexpected."
In this case, the mother of a murdered 13 year old is about to speak.
Billie Dunn is no longer with Clint Dunn; as she moved on to live in boy-friend, Shawn Adkins. Billie Dunn is no longer with Shawn Adkins.
We expect her to speak of her memories of her child, therefore, we look for the use of the pronoun "I" to dominate. Since she is not with Clint Dunn (who suspects Billie Dunn in the murder, along with Shawn Adkins), we do not expect her to use the plural pronoun "our", "us", etc, often. She is alone as a parent.
Also, we expect the pronoun "I" to come from her because she is the deceased child's mother. For a mother, the death of a child is the single most personal issue that comes to mind. Nothing is more close to a mother's heart than the death of a child. Therefore, we hold the expectation to be with the pronoun "I."
We also hold expectation of a mother's "deification" of her deceased child. This is common among parents of dead children: they speak of the child in almost God-like terms, only remembering the good times, as the pain of death wipes away all the difficult times. (See Solomon on Proverbs on how much is forgotten with death). It is, therefore, unexpected to hear anything, even subtly, negative, about the victim.
Expectation Conclusion:
We expect to hear:
1. The pronoun "I" to dominate the speech.
2. Only the most positive things said about the deceased.
3. The order of names or people mentioned often indicates priority. We expect to hear Hailey named first.
"It all started when two kids fell in love. From that our most precious Hailey was created. And on August 28, 1997, at approximately 4:03 am with Connie peaking under and around the curtain we welcomed Hailey Darlene Dunn into our world. Six pounds and nine ounces of perfect beauty.
Where someone begins a statement is often the reason for the speech. Here, the speech begins, not with "Hailey" but the pronoun "it" instead. This is not expected.
The "two kids" is without title (names), and where the subject has chosen to start her account. The first sentence is often important and will sometimes tell the reason for the statement. The statement does not begin with Hailey, but with the subject's relationship with Hailey's father, describing it with the pronoun "it."
The "two kids" is the first people in the statement mentioned:
Billie Dunn and Clint Dunn.
Order often indicates priority.
Since the subject has chosen to being with the relationship that produced Hailey rather than Hailey, herself, we now look for the statement to be more focused upon her and Clint Dunn (Hailey's father) than upon Hailey.
This is not expected.
Question: Why does the subject do this?
Answer: The subject may feel 'vulnerable' due to the possible upcoming arrest, and may seek to 'share' the 'responsibilty', not with Adkins, who is not present, but with Clint, who is innocent. Seeking to portray herself with Clint may indicate a need to associate herself with someone who is not involved in the murder of Hailey Dunn.
It is not expected. Speaking of Hailey, only in positive terms, from a very personal, maternal matter, for herself (the pronoun "I" to dominate) is expected.
"It all started" is a time period:
Here it is just prior to when Hailey was born; the "two kids fell in love."
The word "that" indicates distance. In this case, it was more than 15 years ago, making the distance appropriate.
Hailey is then mentioned, and the pronoun "our" is used, common when:
1. One is speaking for two parents
2. There is a divorce, step parenting, foster parenting, or adoption in the picture.
We do expect to hear a mother say "my" rather than "our", especially at a memorial, even when speaking for two. Fathers more often will say "our" when speaking for both, whereas mothers will sometimes begin with "our" but move to "my" quickly.
Note that "Connie" is introduced without any title. This is often the case when everyone knows the person referenced, but in a setting where not everyone knows the person, it can indicate a poor relationship.
Since the release of the affidavit, there has been a split as Hailey's grandmother not only suspected Dunn's live in boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, but came to believe that Dunn, herself, was covering for him, and then that Dunn was involved. This may be reflected in the language.
Did Hailey's grandmother sit with Dunn at the memorial? Or, was there distance between them, as the language suggests?
The first thing Clint and I did was look at each other and say thank you. Every day thereafter Hailey brought joy and laugh ... joy and laughter into our lives. Very early on she kept us entertained. So full of love, life and a little mischief. Desperate to make people laugh.
The sharing of "Clint and I" is not expected, especially when a mother has lost a child. The theme of associating herself with a non-suspect in the case continues.
When someone says "the first thing", there is often a second or third, and where it is not present, we often ask, "What was next?" to the subject. Here, it is followed with "thereafter", which might be the second thing.
A new born child brings joy. Hailey brought "joy and laugh...", which is repeated, making the topic of "joy" and the topic of "laughter" sensitive to the subject, herself. What would cause something as basic as "joy" to be sensitive?
What would cause a baby, or newborn child, to make others "laugh"? The joy is a quiet excitement or contentment, often tempered by the lack of sleep, worries over newborn care (especially to young and inexperienced parents) and the financial concerns that a providing father may have.
Note the emphasis is not upon caring for Hailey, but Hailey "entertaining" she and Clint. In this short statement, we see the word "laugh" repeated. What makes "laughing" sensitive?
Hailey is here described as being a "little mischief", which may be considered cute, though it also may be a subtle negative comment. It is strange that a child is described as not only entertaining young parents, but that the child is described as being "desperate" to make "people" laugh. What environment would cause a child to feel the burden, enough to be "desperate" to make "people" (not "me", and not "us", not even "Clint and me") laugh? Was it something mischievous that caused them to laugh?
We are being given insight into a home which eventually degraded into sexual perversion, drugs, and violence. At this time in the statement, according to Clint, Dunn was very averse to drug abuse. Is there something within placing a child in the role of "desperate" to entertain a family that telegraphed, or predicted, the trouble to come?
Clownish behavior is often cute in children yet in context, we are remembering a 13 year old murdered child. It is not expected in a memorial service to hear anything even slightly negative.
This entertaining of being kept laughing is limited to "very early on" in the statement. Since the context was the birth and early childhood of Hailey, it would appear unnecessary to add the words "very early on"; with their addition leading the reader to ask,
"After that period of time, did Hailey fail to entertain? Did the laughter cease? Was she no longer entertaining them after this period? This is what is inferred by the additional and seemingly needless words.
Remember: Unnecessary words are to be deemed double important.
For 29 months we’ve been forced to make due with our fond memories.
The time period "29 months" may be included here because recently Billie Dunn was quoted as giving the wrong time table, with the thinking being this:
An innocent mother of a missing child would know the days, hours and minutes since the child disappeared. She was off by "months"which was likely a criticism that stung her and brought her to mention the months.
Yet, she continues to avoid the personal "I", and only associates with Clint Dunn.
Clint Dunn eventually moved away from her. This need for unity, itself, should not be overlooked by the analyst.
Note that "we've" been "forced"; not "I've been..."
Note that they have been "forced" to make due with "fond" memories, indicating that there are memories that are not fond.
"I have lived off the memories of Hailey..." is something more expected because, to a mother of a dead child, there are no 'bad' or 'not fond' memories; everything was good, and considered a learning experience. To the subject, there are memories and there are "fond" memories.
There may be some memories Dunn does not wish to "make due" with, as not only suggested in the affidavit, but from what we may learn from the forensic testing on the remains.
One of her first shocking moments happened at around age two when I was cooking and Clint found her in our bedroom, scissors in hand. “Look what your daughter has done,” he said. She cut the entire top part of her hair so short it looked like a buzz cut.
Note that "one" of her "first" shocking moments indicates that she had other shocking moments after that.
Note that while cutting her hair, she was "your" daughter, and is not "our" or "my" daughter, in attributing the quote to Clint.
She loved to pretend she was talking to Britney Spears
It is interesting to note the name "Brittany Spears" enter the speech at a memorial for a dead child, as Brittany Spears was seen shaving off her hair, as well, in a mental health breakdown, or a publicity stunt. Brittany Spears cut her "hair" off in such a manner as to give herself a "buzz cut" and was reportedly hospitalized after.
According to the subject, Hailey was about 2 years of age at this time:
and would often tell us of their play dates.
Two year old having "play dates" and "talking" to "Brittany Spears" is not expected.
What was the household like? Is this a credible description of a two year old?
As she grew a little older we began to see just how smart she was.
The avoidance of personal experience ("I") continues.
As at six years old she would read my nursing books to me and help me study with ease.
A six year old child reading medical college texts, helping "me" study was done with "ease."
Is this a credible description of a six year old helping her study "with ease" complex college medical books?
There appears to be a disconnect in reality which is often found in abusive mothers.
Mothers of new-borns are asked, "How do you discipline your baby?" knowing that the only appropriate answer is, "She is too young for discipline!"
The answers given would frighten you.
Some will say, of the new born, "She is crying just to get on my nerves" or "She is just being a spoiled brat!" (of new borns!).
Mothers who have been accused of abuse or neglect often exaggerate their parenting skills in order to appear better than they are. We saw this with Carnel Chamberlain's mother who's boyfriend beat him to death. She said they were teaching him to be a "man" and had higher expectations for him than his age allowed.
It is difficult to consider a two year old having conversations with an imaginary pop star (role model?) or any six year old reading college medical books, helping study with "ease."
These may be indicators that the subject is deliberately seeking to portray herself as having been a "wonderful" mother, and passing on superior genes. When asked to describe herself, she called herself a "wonderful " mother at a time when Clint had accused of her buying and selling cocaine, and burning a tattoo into her son's back.
We continue to see the avoidance of personal memories. Next, as we consider what was found in the home, may be particularly disturbing.
"Slice and dice" videos were found, "gutting deers", Michael Myers mask and "coveralls" that catch blood as the killer murders his victims. Note what enters her language:
In elementary school, Hailey took two sets of real human lungs to school, a healthy pair and a diseased pair. She thoroughly explained the respiratory system and complications. It seemed to me she was following in my footsteps.
This was spoken at a memorial service for a dead child in which "slice and dice" "blood lust" videos were found in the home. This is her own words.
Note the horrific prophetic-sounding words: "she was following in my footsteps."
Here, with human organs being carried to school, the pronoun "my" (singular) is produced.
There is nothing "expected" here in this speech, but it is particularly disturbing that human organs, removed from a person, was considered following in the subject's footsteps.
In the memorial service of a murdered child in which "coveralls" may have played a role, the mother mentions human dissection.
What was this home like? The mother continues to reveal:
Within her last year, Hailey and her friends walked inside with an old shoe box. What could she be up to? Oh, it’s a dead bat. We’re gonna dissect it, Momma. I said, “Honey, I am so proud but go bury that bat.”
Here we have Hailey (and her friends) carrying a "dead bat" to be "dissected."
If you were suspected in murdering your child with your boyfriend, who has coveralls and you had slice and dice videos, would you recall this memory for the public?
There were videos and pictures of all forms of pornography, including child pornography and bestiality.
Beastliest is the physical abuse (and death) of animals for some one's sexual gratification. This was found in the home to which Dunn replied in a casual manner, asking who had not received such things, as if everyone had.
Here, we learn that there was a casual attitude in the home towards dead animals, even with the child, which also sounds frightening with the words "in my footsteps."
Note the word "proud" from the subject.
I miss the many times I was doing dishes and looked out the window to see Hailey pretending to put on a rock show, unaware that anyone was watching.
Note that the pronoun "I" enters while doing chores. This might lead one to ask why the mother felt the need to portray herself as dutiful.
I could go on all day ... she’s more than a pretty face, more than a jokester, more than intelligent, more than a saxophone player, more than an athlete, more than just a little determined. She's now a blissful angel.
The order is important:
1. Pretty face
2. jokester
3. intelligent
4. saxophone player
5. athlete
6. determined
7. blissful angel
Here is the expected "deification" that takes place at so many funerals of young people. She is not just an "angel" but a "blissful" angel, indicating that she is now happy, or full of "bliss."
I won’t ruin Hailey’s day by speculation so I will close by saying the same thing I said when her life began.
Note that the pronoun "I" is here, with "speculation" as to her murdered child.
Note that "so" gives us the reason why she is doing something, yet here, it is in the negative: she is not going to speculate.
Please note that this is from the person suspected, along with Shawn Adkins, of her murder.
Thank you, Clint, for giving me such a beautiful daughter. Thank you to my son for being a great brother and friend to my sweet Hailey.
Note the strong seeking of approval or favor from Clint Dunn. Clint Dunn had revealed much of the abuse in the home, and suspected both Dunn and Adkins, but also feared them both.
Note the strong association in the short speech with someone she has had very little contact with since Hailey's death. Note that this person, Clint, did not kill Hailey, nor has he been ever been suspected in her death.
Thank you, Hailey, for being my baby and I will love you for ever and a day and I’ll see you in my dreams."
Hailey to be seen not in heaven, as she is a "blissful angel" but in the subject's own dreams.
There is a lack of personal connection in the speech until the very end, and readers may be disturbed by the facts of this case as seen in the affidavit, and the mother's choice of wording, including human organs and a dead bat.
These are most unexpected but give insight into what the home was like, further giving credibility to the sworn police affidavit.
The statement began with association with an innocent person (Clint Dunn) which often suggests importance. It closed in the same manner, firming the stance of unity with someone not suspected in the death of Hailey Dunn. This is a transparent attempt to influence future jurors as was expected.
This speech likely left many of those hoping for justice for Hailey shocked at the references used, yet is consistent with what we have learned about the home life that Hailey was brought up in. The very words of Clint Dunn in describing said home now appear truthful, just as the police affidavit does. This is the "leakage" so well described by Statement Analyst and Investigator, Kaaryn Gough.
As the subject reached into memory, the language she chose came from, not a vacuum, but from somewhere.
Who would have thought that human organs and a dead animal would be part of the speech of a murdered child?
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