Page 2 – A Silence of Mockingbirds – Karen Spears Zacharias
This is also a lament for the system’s failure to defend the most vulnerable among us. This part could get tricky, given the intensity of the subject matter, and could easily dissolve into angry finger-pointing. Karen Spears Zacharias doesn’t pull punches, and she is angry as she should be, but that doesn’t cloud her judgment. Her interviews and attention to detail lay bare the facts, pinpointing the missed opportunities to stop the abuse before it led to Karly’s death. The reader sees the exact moment the case shifted from protecting Karly to catching David, who sadly was one of the only two people who handled this situation correctly. If Karly had been examined by the right people, her abuser, who had a criminal record including domestic violence, would have been investigated and prosecuted.
The killer, despite a stubborn lack of communication with the author, is given attention that makes his actions even more inexplicable and monstrous. He was raised in a loving Christian home, loved his own daughter, and visibly showed concern for her with an unquestionable sincerity. Possibilities for motives are explored, as they are for Sarah’s neglect as Karly’s mom, but there are no easy answers. The only possible hope in this case would have been the cold hard facts. If Child Services had seen to Karly being examined by the right people, Shawn Wesley Field’s dark purposes would have no longer been hidden.
Unfortunately, Shawn Wesley Field didn’t even enter the radar until his abuse finally killed Karly. A tragic bias towards mothers, even ones who don’t show the least bit of interest in their own children, set sights on David rather than Sarah’s boyfriend. Sarah, as Karly’s mom, at the very least shared blame with the system in her failure to protect her own daughter. The attention to these facts and inclusion of necessary details keeps the focus on lament rather than angry blame. This didn’t need to end in death.
Lastly and most importantly, A Silence of Mockingbirds is a call to action. The reader is encouraged to look up and support Karly’s Law, a law passed in Oregon that is saving lives. There are also examples in the story and helps in the back of the book to aid in spotting and reporting abuse. The U.S. leads industrialized countries in child abuse, and most abuse happens to children three and under. Most of the abuse is either allowed or caused by mothers acting alone (over forty percent), as opposed to fathers (18). The seriousness of neglect, which makes up for seventy five percent of abuse, also demands recognition and action. We all can and should do more to defend the defenseless among us.
C. Christopher Smith is the founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books. He is also author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church (Brazos Press, 2019). Connect with him online at: C-Christopher-Smith.com
 Reading for the Common Good From ERB Editor Christopher Smith "This book will inspire, motivate and challenge anyone who cares a whit about the written word, the world of ideas, the shape of our communities and the life of the church." -Karen Swallow Prior Enter your email below to sign up for our weekly newsletter & download your FREE copy of this ebook! |
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