The unspeakable tragedy of a child’s murder and subsequent journey to healing have been chronicled in a book by a New Brunswick author and journalist.
Laverne Stewart covered the killing of nine-year-old Jackie Clarke in Fredericton in 1995. Clark was abducted, sexually assaulted, murdered and buried in a shallow grave. Murray Lyons was convicted of the killing and himself murdered in prison four years later.
Stewart covered the story but it wasn’t until seven years ago, that she was contacted by a psychic medium who asked to arrange a meeting with Jackie’s mother because she was told the child’s spirit wanted to connect with her mom.
“In that meeting, things were said that only Jackie’s mother knew,” Stewart said. “There was no way that woman could have known the things that Tammy Grant (Jackie Clark’s mother) heard.”
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That led to the search for others still struggling with grief and the writing of the book — something Stewart admits was a challenge. “Many times, I was frustrated by this and I wanted to walk away and I felt that little child’s spirit pushing.”
A second psychic medium became involved and was instrumental in the completion of the book. According to the author, Suzanne Riley helped relay messages who claims Jackie’s spirit wouldn’t take ‘No’ for an answer.
“Things like that, and these were messages that came through for her to show everyone she was really OK,” Riley said.
It was an emotional event for an emotional book, and Stewart, who struggled with the murder of her own friend 25 years ago, says she hopes Healing After Homicide – The Jackie Clark Story can be healing for everyone who reads it.
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