12-year-old girl killed in crash caused by suspected drunk driver

After reading the article about Cessair's unfortunate death and all of the commentary that followed, I decided to add some input from an outsider's perspective. My point is to make it clear that both David, and everyone else against him, exerted rational points that prove that you are all GOOD-WILLED people: David, you're right. Beautiful Cessair is in a better place. And you are correct in saying that no child should be neglected while her parents participate in unlawful activities- that is no way for a child to be raised and no way for parents to show their children love. Maybe legal actions would be justified because whether or not the rumors of drug-use are true, the article did state that the child wasn't buckled - and that's something parents should be absolutely anal about. Making sure that their child was traveling safely should have been a high priority. However, the others who added commentary are correct also: post-death is not the time to kick the mourning family while they are down. I didn't know the family but I assume that they were good-hearted, good-natured people who did love their daughter, and eachother, very much! In semi-agreeing with David, am I in no way trying to degrade River, Cessair, or Jason - or the love that they carried/still carry in their hearts. People do make mistakes - and whomever above said that is correct too. I don't think these people intended to hurt their beloved child, but I do think that their actions were at least some-what neglectful (or maybe irresponsible would be a better word?)if the child wasnt buckled. But, that is not to put full blame on them - I know they mostlikely didn't know what would result.Theres no way of possibly knowing those things. Ok enough from me, just saying that... you're all right in your defenses, and you are all wonderfully caring people with good hearts. Your emotions beamed from your passionate comments, which proves to me you all have your hearts and minds in the right places, even David - so please, give each other a break! Why damper the tragedy with more stress than necessary? Recognize what each other is trying to stand up for because it's only out of love for the little girl.

A Strangers Perspective wrote:

After reading the article about Cessair's unfortunate death and all of the commentary that followed, I decided to add some input from an outsider's perspective. My point is to make it clear that both David, and everyone else against him, exerted rational points that prove that you are all GOOD-WILLED people: David, you're right. Beautiful Cessair is in a better place. And you are correct in saying that no child should be neglected while her parents participate in unlawful activities- that is no way for a child to be raised and no way for parents to show their children love. Maybe legal actions would be justified because whether or not the rumors of drug-use are true, the article did state that the child wasn't buckled - and that's something parents should be absolutely anal about. Making sure that their child was traveling safely should have been a high priority. However, the others who added commentary are correct also: post-death is not the time to kick the mourning family while they are down. I didn't know the family but I assume that they were good-hearted, good-natured people who did love their daughter, and eachother, very much! In semi-agreeing with David, am I in no way trying to degrade River, Cessair, or Jason - or the love that they carried/still carry in their hearts. People do make mistakes - and whomever above said that is correct too. I don't think these people intended to hurt their beloved child, but I do think that their actions were at least some-what neglectful (or maybe irresponsible would be a better word?)if the child wasnt buckled. But, that is not to put full blame on them - I know they mostlikely didn't know what would result.Theres no way of possibly knowing those things. Ok enough from me, just saying that... you're all right in your defenses, and you are all wonderfully caring people with good hearts. Your emotions beamed from your passionate comments, which proves to me you all have your hearts and minds in the right places, even David - so please, give each other a break! Why damper the tragedy with more stress than necessary? Recognize what each other is trying to stand up for because it's only out of love for the little girl.

hey now, you are a little wrong, Jason is Not Cessair's father. Her father is Dean and he has been missing since before Cessair passed away. Jason was Rivers boyfriend. They both know Dean wanted to be in Cessairs life

I can't imagine what River is living through - and niether can any other person who isn't living her life. I know one thing though - it is wrong to take this tragedy as an opportunity to make oneself feel superior. As if by judging River we free ourselves from the wrongdoing in our own lives - how lame is that? How many of us have allowed a passenger (even a child) to ride without a belt? I'm not proud of it - but I've done it. Guess I got lucky.
I am sorry for your loss River.
Matthew's Mom, Marla

your big sur mate wrote:

Fugitive wanted on sex charges captured in Tonga
From staff reports
February 15, 2006
The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced today that it has captured a fugitive in the Kingdom of Tonga after he fled charges in Spokane and Stevens County two years ago.
David Frederick Achtemeier, 39, was charged with four counts of child rape and three counts of child molestation. Achtemeier, who was wounded as a medic in the Persian Gulf in 1991, fled Spokane in 2004 after those charges were filed, said Laura M. Laughlin, who is the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle Division.ADVERTISEMENT
The FBI obtained a warrant charging Achtemeier with the federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on July 6, 2005. The Spokane office of the FBI began searching for Achtemeier and he was eventually located in the Kingdom of Tonga, which is located in the South Pacific about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand.
Last Thursday, Achtemeier was escorted by Tongan authorities to Los Angeles. He will be extradited to Spokane soon to face the local charges, Laughlin said in a press release.

David is my cousin, he did the same things to me as a child, i hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life!!

jennifer nunya wrote:

<quoted text>David is my cousin, he did the same things to me as a child, i hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life!!

I knew David but he wasn't someone Cessair and I ever hung out with. I don't understand how someone could do things like that to another human being let alone a child and that he was able to get away with it for so long is just wrong, I'm sorry that happened to you, hes a twisted evil sick predator and I hope he dies in prison and has become somebody's bitch!!!!

BIG SUR.
A PLACE OF ABUNDANT LOVE AND BEAUTY
I CAN SEE HER NOW, IN THE RIPPLES OF WATER
ANGELS IN THE CLOUDS
SHE IS HERE WITH US.
SITTING UNDER THE SUN FLOWERS.
WATCHING THE RED WOODS ABOVE US AS THEY TOWER.
nails and bords...our fort is sitting in the woods, unfinished.
we wish for all these negative thoughts to be diminished
NO PAIN,
NO ANGER,
LOVE.
THERE IS A PLACE IN MY HEART WHERE I GO
down low, beneath the red woods above the creek,
a point awaits for me, bearing lemmons oranges and apples
THIS IS WHERE I GO TO LET MY MIND BODY AND SPIRIT CONTINUE TO GROW
beneath cone peak, tunneling up
there is something holding me back, i never will leave you.

please stay strong, i cant wait to see you

come back to me
im headed to the light house i wish you were here with me riv.
i love you.
ill give a flower to her for you baby.
C E S S A I R A N G E L Z E D U R S K I
ALWAYS IN MY HEART.

Well, anyone with a brain knows the last post is from Dean. I miss all of you. I'm back in San Diego getting my life together for my son. I know Droopy Derrek saw Dean about a year and a half ago. I miss Sassy as much as anyone. Like she used to say, she was my best friend. I miss you Dean. I miss you too River. If anyone has anything bad to say about either of them, please contact me so I can knock your F'#@ing teeth down your throat. It seems like Dean was in Santa Cruz when he posted this. That is unless there's another lighthouse you know about River. Either way, you should know where to Find him. The biggest clue here is that the post was written a day before Dean's Birthday. Glad to see it was written this year. If you need anything bro, I got your back. Anyone wanting to get in touch with me can reach me via Email. It's Darkstar1339@hotmail.com Love to the family, death to the haters. Peace to all.
Steven Bowman.

amy krohn wrote:

<quoted text>ummmmm....would dean really spell his last name wrong? ZADURSKI. and what about the light house where cessair died...its not dean.

and...this year was 4 years ago...not 3. if you see something i dont then feel free to call me.

Cessair means everything to me and it has been very difficult to adjust to life without her. In the days just after Cessair passed I was completely devastated, my life and my whole world had been shattered and forever altered in a blink of an eye. One second, one moment that changed my life forever. We were a team like peanut butter and jelly or cookies and milk. We were a part of each other and now she was gone

Just three days after her death the article about Cessair was published in the S.L.O. paper which in my opinion was mean and very cruel for me to have to read. It was based on an opinion of our life and of myself which couldn't be any farther from the truth. Anyone who REALLY know us would never say anything like that. It misrepresented her life and slandered me. This article was written for no other purpose than to place blame on me. You can’t imagine how difficult this time was, not only did I lose my daughter but I was getting blamed for it and this article printed three pages of slanderous statements about me as facts. I felt so alone and betrayed by the very place Cessair was born and that we spent most of her life.

I have not been perfect but I know and god knows the circumstances were not as they were presented. I had promised Cessair I would take her to Jamie’s house to spend the night. There had been many times when I promised her things and didn’t do them and I felt that I needed to do the things I said I was going to do. We had a really good close loving relationship but that was my flaw and I felt very strongly that I needed to change that. I wanted her to know when I said I would do something she could trust I would do it. That’s what I knew was true and lacking and on me to make right, and I was consciously making an attempt to strengthen our relationship in this way.

It was getting late that night but Cessair said she still wanted to go, so as promised I said o.k. I was driving at first but Cessair said,“Why don’t you let Jason drive?” I said no but gave in. Right before the accident Cessair clicked her seat belt off and laid down in the back seat. I said to myself that she was tired and it was o.k. we were almost there anyway.

After the accident I questioned everything I ever thought about life, God, my faith, and beliefs. I wondered why God couldn’t have taken me instead or at least taken me with her. You don’t know how many times I wished I could go back and change just one thing. If only I was driving, or if only I had told Cessair it was too late to go. I’ve lost the most precious person in my life. She loved every little part of me. My high points as well as my lows, more than anyone ever could.

She was the brightest light, she was perfect and brilliant. She had become her own person and she could do anything she wanted. I remember looking at her not to long before she passed thinking,”Wow, look at her, all the hard work is over, now you get to sit back and watch her do whatever she decides to do, and whatever that is she’ll be great”. I was so proud of her.

Cessair was a very compassionate person and I loved that part of her. I know she wanted me to love myself and know I deserved love and am a good person. Her life meant something and I am here because I still have something to do here. Cessair was a gift to all of us and I believe I was blessed everyday we had together. She taught me a lot and there is not a day that passes that I don’t think of her, that I don’t miss her. There is an empty space inside that I don’t know will ever go away, but I will not give up. I want her to know what she means to me, and I’m going to make her proud of me too.

I have acquired all the things Cessair wanted, a computer, a house, a cell phone, and a decent car. I enjoy these things but I feel guilty too because she isn’t here to share them with and it makes me sad. I don’t have the answer to why this happened and there are a lot of questions ill probably never know, that we’re not supposed to know, but I’ve come to believe that God does this to the strong ones so the rest of the world doesn’t need to know loss like us. If there is a balance to everything, the small tribe of us that have experienced such loss make up for everyone else so they don’t have to.

They say the good die young, so I guess ill be sticking around for quite awhile!

Written from
My heart and soul

Very Truly,
River Marcum
(Cessair’s mom forever)

River, I will always love you! No matter what. Joey