Investigation Discovery’s “Evil Lives Here” The Monster Within Him The story follows the way Vernetta Cockerham went through an awful loss, and used her strength to advocate for domestic abuse victims across the country. It’s an inspiring tale about a mom who lost her only daughter Candice Cockerham. She fought the system and the city to increase its reach to accommodate the many victims. Who is this Vernetta Cockerham? Let’s discover the truth.
Who is Vernetta Cockerham?
Vernetta Cockerham was born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1969. She was the eldest of three sisters and was also taken care of by their maternal grandmother Marie Edmonds, from an early age as their mother and dad were unable to provide an enlightened home. When the sisters were mature enough to be able to attend school, they relocated to the tiny city of Jonesville located in North Carolina with Marie, an experienced nurse at an in-home space nursing facility. Marie taught her grandchildren traditional ways and took her to church every Sunday and made their cans of greens.
The reason is that it was Marie who instructed Vernetta to stand up for herself and fight for herself – the lesson was well-instilled in her that she went further to challenge the system and change it. At the age of 14years old, Vernetta moved her home to Newark, New Jersey in an effort to get acquainted with her mother. She then moved she moved to Paterson where she resided alongside her father. She also attended high school. It was the time of summer before her sophomore year, Vernetta, a math tutor, was able to have Kevin Baker, a linebacker as her teacher. They had a romantic flurry that led to her becoming pregnant halfway through the high school year.
Vernetta was 15 when she gave her start time to Candice in Jonesville then moved to Paterson and then got married to Kevin at the age of 18. Kevin’s sister’s previous partner, Richard Ellerbee, taught Vernetta to realize that Kevin was a fraud to her. Believing in Richard who was 13 years older to Vernetta, Vernetta divorced Kevin as Richard was definite one of her closest confidants. She graduated from school and began working in the knowledge centre at the Paterson Police Department. When Candice was six, the mother-son relocated to Jonesville in the area where she had two jobs at the same time as she raised her daughter.
The year 1993 was when Richard purchased right there to Jonesville to search for work and started a relationship with Vernetta who was then 24. While she had never had any children following her difficulties throughout the beginning of Candice’s relationship and ending, she became pregnant by Richard’s son Rashieq in the year 1995. When she became birth to the couple’s second child, Dominiq In 2001, Richard compelled her to marry him according to her desires at the end of December. At that point, Vernetta began to recognize the real colours of Richard who was a major issue with anger management.
When Vernetta became a victim of regular abuse in her residence and at work, she was able to get Richard taken into custody on the 4th of July, 2002 for murder with a deadly weapon. But, Richard rapidly bought right out on bail, and the violence continued. She repeatedly complained at the local police station and got Richard detained in various instances and even obtained an order of restrain, however, Richard did not stop. Richard continued to harass the woman, harass her and even break into her house by leaving threats and digging graves in shallow puddles all throughout her home to scare her.
Vernetta continued filing complaints and carried out everything in compliance with the law however Richard was never detained for a prolonged period of time. All the harassment and violence culminated in Richard attacking and killing Candice and cutting Vernetta to a complete lack of life on the 12th of November 2002, prior to self-immolating three days afterwards.
Where is Vernetta Cockerham Today?
Vernetta’s injuries took a long time for healing, but she was still on her feet as she filed a wronged denial of life lawsuit against the city of Jonesville and two law police officers back in November of 2004. It took five years of legal battle, but on June 9, 2009, Vernetta came to an agreement with the council of her town and received the sum of $430,000. She admitted, “It took a long time, but it was worth it for the people who will help. The expansion of laws against domestic violence is taking place right now, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. I’m hoping to bring about changes and services in Yadkin county. That’s what this settlement means to me.”
Vernetta continues to fight for the victims of abuse in residence through The North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The director of the coalition’s government, Rita Anita Linger acknowledged, “… what really impressed me about Vernetta is the speed at which she began to advocate for victims and was a defender for other victims, and looking for systemic weaknesses and ways to fix these.” Vernetta has pushed legislation through the Senate that calls for the arrest of people who violate restraining orders. She also continues to aid victims of sexual and residential crime.