Raye Dawn shows off her belly at the beginning of her pregnancy with Kelsey.

Raye Dawn and Kelsey at a visitation on February 12, 2005.

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Among many lies that have been told in this case, Kathie Briggs has her followers believing that Raye Dawn is being housed on death row and is only let out an hour per day. This certificate debunks yet another lie, when in fact, Raye Dawn is an inspiration to other prisoners and is helping others while in prison. Raye Dawn told me: "This was not her (Kathie's) plan. She would have a fit if she could see all of this. It might not have been her plan, but God's got me...God's awesome!"

PEOPLE SAY RAYE DAWN DID NOTHING - HERE IS PROOF THAT SHE DID EVERYTHING SHE COULD DO

The State of Oklahoma simply did not provide evidence to prove that the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith, was guilty of the crime of Enabling Child Abuse, as described in Title 10 Oklahoma Statute 7115.

Amazingly the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith actually provided evidence that proved beyond all reasonable doubt that she neither willfully nor maliciously committed the act of Enabling Child Abuse. The DHS records do not have or contain a single referral dated after June 16, 2005, which is the date that the defendant was awarded custody of the victim, Kelsey Smith-Briggs, except a referral made after Kelsey was in a truck with Mike Porter and Raye Dawn Smith that was totaled in a hit and run accident when the family was hit by a drunk driver. After the accident Kelsey had bruising to her face and blood in her eye. The Briggs took pictures and video of Kelsey's injuries and reported them to DHS who closed out the report because they were already aware of the accident. Pictures and video of the injuries have been shown in videos, etc. as an example of abuse from the Briggs family and their supporters.

During the court preceding in June, 2005, all parties agreed to the placement of the child into the home of the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith. All parties had the legal right to object, however none did. The only request was that Kelsey be phased-in for placement into the defendant's home. The Assistant District Attorney, CHBS, CASA, and DHS found no cause as of June 16, 2005 to suspect abuse. Therefore, this case needs to be closely assessed for signs that the defendant acted in a willful manner sometime during the time period of June 16, 2005 through October 11, 2005.

DHS documented a critical incident that was reported on September 2, 2005 by the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith regarding her concerns because Kelsey was biting herself and having night terrors. On September 25, 2005 the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith called to check in with the DHS caseworker. DHS documented another critical incident that was reported on September 28, 2005 by the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith regarding her concerns because Kelsey was refusing food. On August 11, 2005 the defendant again called just to check-in with her DHS caseworker.

These documented reports are documentation that the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith was concerned and took all necessary actions to obtain care for her daughter, Kelsey. All referrals received by DHS during this time were screened out; having no merit.

Additionally, there were several medical visits that further prove that the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith did not act willfully or maliciously to commit the crime of Enabling Child Abuse. The defendant's diligence and persistence with regards to a possible serious medical condition afflicting her daughter Kelsey, confirms that the defendant was aware that Kelsey was suffering from some sort of crisis, and that she genuinely believed that crisis to be medical in nature.

 

On May 11, 2005, there was a genetics department consultation at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center.  The written impression from that evaluation by Dr. Susan Palmer include the possibility of osteogenesis imperfecta, which could not be excluded but was not considered likely, and possible malnutrition. (Kelsey lost a significant amount of weight and a baseball size area of hair in the back of her head while in the custody of Kathie Briggs from April to May.) Blood tests for rickets, a skin biopsy, collagen fibroblast culture and tests and follow up visit were recommended during that evaluation.  The tests were completed as requested and the results from the biopsy  done at the University of Washington Seattle Medical Center were unequivocal, and do not confirm or necessarily exclude the diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta.  The test that was conducted was for research purposes only and not an FDA approved for clinical diagnosis.

On August 16, the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith took Kelsey to her pediatrician, Dr. Kellie Koons, with a DHS worker present. Several symptoms such as self injury, weight loss, vomiting, hair loss, night terrors, anxiety and easy bruising were noted and the doctor was extremely concerned for Kelsey's health.

Just seven days later on August 23, 2005 the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith again sought medical care for Kelsey, visiting the same pediatrician for a follow up from a motor vehicle accident (the hit and run accident mentioned earlier) in which Kelsey was badly bruised. Dr. Kellie Koons took detailed notes regarding the bruising on Kelsey's face and hip, and again expressed concern of a possible serious medical crisis.

Just two days later on August 25, 2005 the defendant took Kelsey in for a scheduled CT scan as part of her attempt to obtain a medical diagnosis.

Five days later, on August 30, 2005 the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith completed an application to enroll Kelsey in Child Role Play Therapy (Raye Dawn suggested the therapy) again showing that she was not aware of what was causing Kelsey's crisis, but that she was performing in a manner expected of a parent who is concerned for the well being of their child.

One day later, on August 31, 2005 the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith again took Kelsey in for a follow up visit with Dr. Kellie Koons.

Just thirteen days later on September 13, 2005 the defendant, referred by Dr. Kellie Koons, again sought medical care for Kelsey by taking her to The Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Children for an exam and blood work up.

Then seven days later the defendant, September 20, 2005 the defendant, Raye Dawn-Smith took Kelsey to the Shawnee Medical center with a complaint of vomiting and a high fever.

Seven days after her visit at the Shawnee Medical center, on September 27, 2005 the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith took Kelsey to the Jimmy Everest Center for a follow up visit and to get the results of the tests that were performed.

The defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith sought medical care for her daughter Kelsey Smith-Briggs a total of eight times in just less than four months. These medical reports serve as evidence that although the defendant Raye-Dawn Smith was aware that her daughter was suffering from a crisis, she never suspected or should have suspected that her daughter was being abused in the home. None of the agencies, including DHS, CASA, or CHBS, or the physicians involved with Kelsey's medical care expressed definite concern or indications regarding the possibility of child abuse in any report dated between June 16, 2005 and October 11, 2005. In fact, at the September 8, 2005 hearing to stop visitation with the paternal family that the paternal family ignored and did not bother to attend, things were going so well with Kelsey in Raye Dawn's home that the state wanted to drop all charges against Raye Dawn as a possible perp in any abuse allegations and take all the services from her home. Judge Craig Key, the judge that heard the custody hearing insisted that the law requires that services stay in the home for six months after a child is returned to his or her parent and so upon the judge's persistence, services remained in Raye Dawn's home at that time.

Furthermore, there was no evidence of a criminal or violent history with regards to Kelsey's step-father, Michael Lee Porter. The defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith never reported or indicated to any person that Michael Porter had the propensity to act in a violent manner toward Kelsey, or the other children in the home. Before the June hearing Michael Porter had been investigated and everyone spoke highly of him and of his parenting his two children. It wasn't until after Kelsey's death that the defendant's eight year old step-daughter indicated in a statement to a counselor that her father was mean to Kelsey when no one was around.

It is painfully obvious that the State of Oklahoma failed to provide any evidence that the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith acted in a willful or malicious manner with regards to the abuse that killed Kelsey Smith-Briggs. The State was only able to offer circumstantial evidence based on hearsay testimony with regards to what the defendant, Raye-Dawn Smith should have known. Testimony obtained from what would be considered hostile witnesses and one witness whose family has since the outcome of the trial apologized to the Smith family for the witnesses obvious lies on the stand.

The State of Oklahoma never provided a single example of evidence that meets the culpability requirements of Title 10 Oklahoma Statute 7115, the defendant Raye-Dawn Smith was able to provide DHS Reports, Medical Records, and Criminal History to conclusively prove that she did not enable the abuse that killed her daughter, Kelsey Smith-Briggs.

 

This is from Kathie to Mike Porter. Notice her statement, "...if they don't put the little hussy in jail soon..." Kathie stated that to the man who sexually assaulted and murdered her grandchild!

This email is from Shirica to one of our forum members. In it she admits that Lance was in a hospital and not Iraq. Why didn't the military take away Lance's weapons and put him in observation when he thought his daughter was being beaten like the Briggs have claimed? This is from Shirica:

In Craig Key's book he states on page 86:  "It was the CASA worker who learned of Lance's location.  The CASA worker had gone to pay her insurance bill in Prague, Oklahoma, where Lance's sister (me) worked.  It was discovered that Lance had been in Fort Benning, Georgia, at a military hospital for observation.  Lance's family expressed how upset they were at the amount of medication Lance was taking, because it was having a negative impact on him.
 
Finally, on September 23, 2005, Lance contacted DHS.  He informed DHS that he was injured while driving a truck in Iraq.  He stated his orders were sitting on someone's desk, and he should be home in the next two weeks.  Why was the public told Lance was injured in Iraq, but his sister let down her guard and informed the CASA worker of his actual whereabouts?"
 
The CASA worker, Carla Lynch, is my customer.  She comes in every month on the 3rd and makes her payment.  I do remember having a conversation with her about Lance.  I did state that he was in Georgia and he had been in a hospital environment for observation.  Apparently, in the military, when a soldier faces a life changing event (such as your wife telling you over the phone that she wants a divorce from her desk at work without ever changing the tone of her voice or without taking a moment to quit typing on her computer without any warning at all), they take your weapons away from you and put you under observation to make sure you do not cause harm to yourself.  That was what I was refering to when I stated to her that he was under observation.  At one point Lance was being medicated for pain and it concerned us that they were just medicating for the pain and not trying to fix the actual injury that he received from the accident.  Lance was in an accident on July 29th.  It was a severe accident and I have the photos from it.  Lance hurt his back while pulling another soldier from the wreckage that had to them be medi lifted to the hospital and from the impact of the wreck itself.  Lance receives a disability check from the military for this injury.  I had spoken to Carla on more than one occasion regarding Lance and I have to say she is not the smartest hen in the hen house.  I do not know if it was her that twisted my words and repeated them incorrectly or if it was Craig who decided to add a little color to the situation.  It seems that it has happened a lot in this case.  People hear just the part that sounds good and then adds their own spin to it.  I have said many, many times that the reason it is so easy to believe the lies told by the Smith family is because they mix just enough truth in it that it seems true.  I do not know if this is where the whole drug rehab thing came from, but that is my guess at what happened.  I do try very hard to not have conversations with Carla anymore and try to not even wait on her at all when she comes into my office.  We have often thought that she was the reason Craig Key had been under the impression that Lance had threatened him.  Carla comes off to me as the kind of person that just wants to get in with the "in" crowd and tried really hard to do so.  I often wonder if she did not take Lance's words and add a few dramatics to it to get his attention and then it went too far.  That is just me speculating though. 
 
I want to add one last thing tonight ~ On the day of Kelsey's death, picking up Whitney was not the only place Raye went when she left the house.  She also went to the post office to pick up her child support check that she knew would be there from the MILITARY.  She knew he was in the military because she knew where her child support checks were coming from. 
Shirica

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