Friday, August 31, 2007
No answers in father's murder of three daughters
Residents struggle with questions as three sisters are buried.
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Photos by Jeanna Duerscherl | The Roanoke Times
Mourners gather around the coffins of Britney, Amber and Morgan Sims at the Mountain View Cemetery in Clifton Forge.
Coach Danny Keene holds dirt from each field he saw the three Sims girls play in last. Morgan's (far left) is from over the fence at Alleghany High School, Amber's (back) is from AET Park in Covington and Britney's (far right) is from Alleghany High.
CLIFTON FORGE -- More than 200 people streamed into Mountain View Cemetery Thursday to attend a graveside service for three Alleghany County girls who were remembered as happy children with a competitive nature and who loved sports.
The funerals for Britney Sims, 17, and her younger sisters, Amber, 14, and Morgan, 8, came as this rural community struggles to comprehend the girls' tragic shooting deaths at the hands of their father.
"They're awestruck that this could happen here," said the Rev. Roger Bush of Oak Hill Bible Church, one of two ministers who conducted Thursday's service.
Authorities say Edward Sims Jr. shot each of his daughters once with a .38-caliber handgun as they slept in separate bedrooms in the family's Potts Creek home. The shootings are believed to have taken place late Saturday or early Sunday morning. Sims, 41, then committed suicide by shooting himself.
Sims' wife, Karen Sims, had moved out of the house about a week earlier and was living in Clifton Forge.
A deputy sheriff found the four bodies Monday morning after Karen Sims asked authorities to check on the family.
Temperatures hovered around 90 degrees Thursday afternoon as the three white caskets lay side by side under a tent in the cemetery. Clifton Forge rescue squad personnel gave aid to a handful of people suffering from heat exhaustion during the funeral.
All three girls were remembered for their athletic ability, smiling faces and friendly demeanors.
But as coaches and friends paid tribute to the girls' lives, it was evident this community was still trying to understand why no one appears to have any insight into why Sims would take his life and harm his daughters.
Those who knew Sims said he was a family man who regularly attended his children's softball games and was seen playing with his youngest daughter, Morgan, on Saturday afternoon.
"If you're asking why right now, you're in good company," said the Rev. Mark Rosier, a Lynchburg minister and family member. "Although their lives were cut short, they will forever live in our memories."
As Rosier and Bush conducted Thursday's emotional service, girls and boys who attended school with Britney at Alleghany High School stood weeping silently, some rocking back and forth, others cradling one another for support.
"I hope we've all learned to be better people from this," said Danny Keene, Britney's high school softball coach. "I'm going to make a pact to myself to be a better person."
Keene said he would include dirt from ball fields that each of the girls played on in their burial sites.
"I don't think anyone will ever have answers" about why the tragedy took place, said Rebecca Rosier, Karen Sims' aunt, following the service.
A memorial fund has been set up to help cover funeral costs and other expenses for the family of Britney, Amber and Morgan Sims.
Donations can be addressed to "Memorial fund for 3 daughters," and sent to: Highlands Community Bank c/o Karen Sims, 1501 Main St., Clifton Forge, VA 24422.
