Former American Idol singer Caleb Flynn wept in court as his young daughters' heartbreaking statements were read aloud at his sentencing for murdering their mother.
asserted
statements → weep → mother
Flynn, 40, turned red and struggled to contain his sobs as an impact statement was read out on behalf of Ava, 10, and Alyssa, 12, describing the devastation he had inflicted on their lives by killing their mother, Ashley Flynn, 37.
One daughter told the former church music pastor that he had 'sinned big time' by cheating on their mother with his much younger mistress, while the other delivered a blunt parting message - that she had no intention of visiting him behind bars.
asserted
she → turn → bars
The emotional statements came before Flynn was sentenced on Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for shooting Ashley dead inside the family's Tipp City, Ohio, home on February 16.
asserted
Flynn → come → February
But one of the most powerful moments came when Ashley's sister Kayla Keyt addressed the man convicted of murdering her sibling - and spoke of forgiveness despite the unimaginable suffering left behind.
asserted
sister → come → suffering
The hearing laid bare the catastrophic impact of Ashley's death on her two daughters, who effectively lost both parents in a single night and are now being raised by Kayla and her husband, Matthew.
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who → lay → Kayla
I don't know where to start.
asserted
I → know → ?
How could you do such a thing?' Ava said in a statement read by her uncle.
uncertain
Ava → do → uncle
'I loved you with all my heart.
asserted
I → love → heart
what did she ever do to make you hate her so much?'
During his two-week-long trial last month, prosecutors said the former music pastor shot and killed his wife, 37-year-old Ashley Flynn, after having a 'years-long' affair
The little girl then turned to her father's affair with Alleigha Botner, now 24, who had been an intern at the Ohio church where Flynn worked as a music pastor.
asserted
Flynn → do → pastor
'I cry and cry every day, and my heart breaks to see the people I love hurt,' Ava's statement continued.
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statement → cry → ?
'I've seen videos and pictures of you on YouTube.
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I → see → YouTube
It was your choice to go off with that dirty girl.
asserted
It → go → girl
It was your choice to leave that perfect girl, Ashley.
asserted
It → leave → girl
It was your choice to leave your only two daughters.
asserted
It → leave → daughters
It was your choice to kill the only mother I've ever had.'
asserted
I → kill → mother
She also directly confronted her father over his relationship with Botner.
asserted
She → confront → Botner
'How could you cheat on her and go to that awful girl Alleigha?
uncertain
you → cheat → girl
I never liked her,' Ava said.
asserted
Ava → like → her
'You and Alleigha sinned big time but you still have a chance to tell God that you are sorry.'
asserted
you → sin → God
'Did you ever think about how much pain you would bring your own two daughters?' she asked in her statement.
asserted
she → think → statement
Flynn's 24-year-old mistress, Alleigha Botner, testified that they used hateful language to talk about Ashley
'
asserted
they → testify → Ashley
By the way, Ashley Flynn was the best thing that ever happened to you.
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that → happen → you
You decided to throw it away for a girl who was half your age.'
asserted
who → decide → girl
She accused her father of being unable to love anyone but himself and demanded that he finally admit responsibility.
'
asserted
he → accuse → responsibility
You have already caused so much pain to your family and the world.
asserted
You → cause → family
The least you could do is tell everyone that you did it,' her statement said.
uncertain
statement → do → it
Then came a final blow.
asserted
blow → come → ?
'You made me feel like an idiot thinking I could trust you...
uncertain
I → make → you
And by the way, I don't plan on coming to see you.'
asserted
I → plan → you
Flynn sobbed in court while relatives delivered the girls' words.
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relatives → sob → words
Kayla Keyt, Ashley's sister, revealed how profoundly the daughters continue to struggle with their mother's murder.
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daughters → reveal → murder
Kayla recalled how one of the girls had recently been lying beside her and sobbing because she could not understand how her own father could have inflicted such devastation on their family.
She said the child then asked: 'Why should I even believe in Jesus if he allowed this to happen to us?'
uncertain
this → recall → us
Matthew Keyt, Kayla's husband and brother-in-law to the late Ashley, described another agonizing ritual: the girls repeatedly visiting their mother's grave.
asserted
girls → describe → grave
'Nearly every day we watch as Ashley's daughters visit their mother's gravesite,' he told the court.
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he → watch → court
I watch them cry and talk to her.
asserted
them → watch → her
They often lie on the grass in front of her tombstone imagining that it will bring them a bit closer to their mom.'
Kayla also confronted Flynn over his refusal to confess, saying Ashley's relatives had prayed for months that he would finally admit what he had done.
'
asserted
he → lie → what
For months, our family prayed that you would confess and own up to all of your actions.
asserted
you → pray → actions
But you didn't,' she said.
asserted
she → do → ?
'Instead, you chose to drag us through a nationally televised trial.'
asserted
you → choose → trial
The Aporia
