Summer Camp After a Killing
How the Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders Affected One Group of Campers
Perhaps our parents told us what happened, but no one needed to tell any little girl. It was on every television station and on the front page of every newspaper. If you could hear or read you knew that three girl scouts had been killed while they were at camp. Three girls, two of them almost exactly our age, had been beaten, raped, and murdered at Camp Scott in Locust Grove, OK.
Their innocent faces smiled out from the TV screen. Lori, Michelle, and Denise went to their tent during a summer storm, completely unaware that they were going to die that night. Weren't they just like us? They were just three young girls looking forward to a fun filled time at camp.
240 miles away in Lawton, OK there were other girls looking forward to a week at Camp C'Andy, a Camp Fire Girls camp near Faxon, OK, however, there still had been no suspect arrested in the Camp Scott murders. There was a deranged killer on the loose and he preyed on little girls.
Parents spoke in hushed whispers behind closed doors, and fell silent when we entered the room. Some parents pulled their daughters out of camp despite the promises of camp personnel that all children would be kept safe. Finally, a plan was put in place to have fathers patrolling the grounds of the camp at night.
And so we went with trepidation on the part of both the campers and their parents, but determined not to let fear rule our lives. As night fell on the camp we could see the lights as fathers kept watch over daughters. We would call out "good night daddy" and get a "good night" in return. They covered the grounds of the camp silently with flashlights and billy clubs in hand. No one's daughter would die on their watch. If some maniac had dared to come near a girl they would have received a beating that they very likely would never have recovered from.
The years passed and we returned to our camp many more times. The memory of what happened in Locust Grove faded. Gene Leroy Hart was arrested for the murders, and was later acquitted of the crime. Was he really innocent? We may never know because he died 2 years later.
In the backs of our minds we have not completely forgotten Lori, Michelle, and Denise. Our children ask us about sleep away camps and for a moment the all too familiar terror seizes our hearts.
Published by Becky Smith
I served as the Senior Editor of a local parenting publication for 2 years and am now the Layout Editor for OKIE magazine, a local arts, news and entertainment publication.Writing was always my dream job. I... View profile
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20 Comments
Post a CommentI had always heard about the murders and had the chance to visit the campsite several years ago. Approximately 14 yrs ago...gates open and yes myself and 3 family members drove in. The campsites were as left (was grown up) and there was a huge barn where they all congregated. At that time you could see where some girls had carved their names on the beams at the different sites. Very sad...
I would have been 9 at the time of the killings -- and a camper at Camp C'Andy. I never knew anything about the killings - scary!
I love it that the dad's patroled the area all night. That is an excellent idea.
My senior girl scout troop left the morning after we graduated.We took two weeks camping from Lubbock Texas to Yellow stone park! 8 girls, two adults and a tag along little brother stoped at different parks along the way. We were care free and enjoying camping. each park we stayed at we went around and asked others to jion us in a camp fire. we met so many people and were not afriad. Nothing bad could happen to us. We were girl scouts how could anyone want to hurt us. When we arrived home each girls' parents took them home and after we shared our wonderful stories about our trip we were told what happened to thes little girl scouts. Camping was always a great time we learned so much and felt so free. All of that changed. I became a girl scout leader. I took my troop camping and let them have the fun I had as a scout. LET IT BE KNOW THAT I NEVER FORGOT THESE BABY GIRLS! My girl scout troop would tell you that I was over protective.
I never told then about Doris, Michelle and Lori L
I feel the exact same way when my daughter goes to camp. I have cried so much remembering when I was at camp when this happened. I knew it happened right before I went to camp. My parents still made me go. The older girls made us younger girls always go behind the tents to tie the flaps down. I was scared enough already in addition to the threats these girls would make to us younger girls if we didn't take their turns to tie down the back flaps in the dark. Fathers were at camp at night. But we knew that this man could sneak silently into camp without adult counselors hearing him or them, that I did not really have faith in anyone but myself. I did not get a lot of sleep that week. Then when the mention of the 30 year anniversary of the murders, the nightmares, mostly for my daugher, whom is 9 and beautiful, came back all over again. I try not to make my fears become hers. But until I hear about the DNA I will probably not rest until she gets back. I know most would say, why do you let
well written
miss gallop the story was very well done. The picture of the tent,is that the tent from camp scott? Please let me know Shelia tweed212c@peoplepc.com Thank you
Wonderfully written Becky. What a sad tragedy. Those poor girls.
You told this so well, Becky! Excellent writing!
What a horrifying story and how wonderful to have fathers that kept watch so their daughters could experience camping. great story