Instead of celebrating her first birthday on Tuesday, the family of Letariah Brown will remember the little girl they will never watch grow up.
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On October 4, 2015 unborn Letariah Brown died as the result of a three car accident near Berry two days prior. At 26 weeks pregnant, Latariah’s mother was a passenger in the car with driver Zebulon Wood. He was driving with a suspended licence and had been drinking.
One year on and Letariah’s grandmother Toni Brown is determined the little girl, not recognised in the eyes of the law, will never be forgotten.
“All I wanted was for the Government to recognise Letariah for the beautiful little girl she was, not a foetus and definitely not just an injury to her mother,” Mrs Brown said.
“I was so angry I decided to channel my energy into another avenue, something that would make people remember Letariah.”
After registering Letariah and planning her funeral, Mrs Brown’s friends from the greyhound racing community came to her support.
“Friends and people I didn’t know paid for her funeral,” she said.
“There was left over money and they wanted me to go on a holiday with the money but I wanted to put it towards something lasting.”
That’s when Mrs Brown contacted local Motor Cycle club, Loud Pipes Big Hearts who assist the homeless and less fortunate.
“I wanted to pay Letariah’s legacy forward,” she said.
“I sought out a bike club that help the homeless. I rang them and did a bit of homework and asked if I could come along and see what they did. So I went with them to feed the homeless one night.
“What they do for the homeless is amazing. They’re not funded at all, they provide out of their own pockets.”
Through Letariah’s Legacy Mrs Brown has purchased a generator for Loud Pipes Big Hearts.
“On the Piccadilly rooftop they hold a BBQ each week and there is no power,” Mrs Brown said.
“The generator is enabling them to feed the homeless and I want Letariah’s Legacy to help someone who is helping others.”
When Mrs Brown told her friends in the greyhound industry this was what she wanted to do, the community was once again quick to jump on board.
“I was flooded with items from shoes to clothes and food and toiletries to help these people out,” she said.
“One woman handed me $500 and told me to go and shop.
“I want to acknowledge the greyhound industry and what they’ve done despite their own struggle to save their industry.”
The first anniversary of Letariah’s death also coincides with Zebulon Wood’s release from prison.
Mr Wood was sentenced to seven months’ jail, with a non-parole period of two months and disqualified from driving for three years.
“It dragged on for so long with the court case and then he got only eight weeks, it’s just been horrible,” Mrs Brown said.
“By law we had to register her, get a death certificate and have a full burial. I want it out there that thousands of people have recognised her but the law won’t.
“We held her and dressed her, but she was considered just an injury to her mother and he only got eight weeks non-parole, we got a life sentence.”