Prosecuting Attorney Bryan Chesshir praised how the Foreman, Ark., School District faculty coped with the emotional stress of students, family and friends during the past 10 months after the murder of Caitlin Caskey, 17, at a birthday party.
Traci Dierks, 41, of the Wallace community in Little River County, Ark., pleaded guilty Monday in the Little River County Circuit Court in Ashdown. Chesshir said the second-degree murder of Caitlin created "emotional stress" since the fatal shooting Jan. 23 during a birthday party for one of Dierks' daughters.
The sentenced was issued after a plea bargain was accepted instead of having a trial.
"We had 40 to 42 witnesses and about 30 of them were students. Most of them have been traumatized and most have not healed from what they witnessed that night," Chesshir said.
"They wanted the facts to come out, but it would be like a kid not wanting to go to a dentist. They just didn't want to go. They were afraid of what they were going through," he said.
"Several of them have been seeing counselors for the emotional stress. It had an impact on the Foreman School District, no doubt about it," Chesshir said.
"I cannot do anything but praise Foreman School Supt. George Kennedy and his staff, not only how they handled this and how it affected the school district since the actual murder Jan. 23, but also how they handled and helped in the preparation of these children and to have the most comfortable setting in helping them to provide counseling for these kids and their families as we approached the trial date. They've gone above and beyond in regards to the case itself," he said.
Circuit Court Judge Charles Yeargan sentenced Dierks to the maximum of 30 years for the second-degree murder of Caitlin.
She was also sentenced to one year in prison on a charge of aggravated assault for the AR-15 gunshot that struck another student in the arm, nine additional years on three counts of aggravated assault for pointing the weapon at other teenagers who attended the party, and seven more years on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor-based on one year per each of seven counts, Chesshir said. The charges were filed for offering alcohol to underage students.
The school superintendent said the school year has been difficult for the community.
"This past year has been hard on the students and staff. I'm amazed to watch how the staff has pulled together," Kennedy said.
Students have received counseling on and off campus, Kennedy said.
Caitlin was a junior at Foreman High School and her mother, Sonia Caskey, is a first-grade teacher with the Foreman School District.
"Sonia is on our staff and she is a fantastic lady. She is an integral part of our staff and we will do what we can to help her," Kennedy said.
The school district has an enrollment of 500 students from kindergarten through the 12th grade.
"We're a small school and we have the advantage of being a small school. We pay attention to the kids and we have a family atmosphere. We take care of each other," Kennedy said.