Sheffah Chevis Defense Fund

All of our children are vulnerable. The perils of youth increase by the minute. A mistake punishable by grounding in my daughter’s day is punishable by death in my granddaughter’s.

Today, a beautiful, talented, college bound young lady, sits in jail on one million dollars bail. Sheffah is charged with aiding and abetting, which she did not commit. If she had $50K-$100K for an attorney her bail would likely be much less and she might be sitting at home. She is guilty of giving two of her friends a ride. She had no idea what was about to transpire.

This is a plea to raise money to save this child from the system. She does not belong in the system. She is innocent of the charges and I am confident the truth will come out. I am not confident the truth will prevail. I pray for her safety in jail as she sits in prison awaiting due process. Sheffah does not deserve to have her life ruined because she gave her friend a ride.

When people are not able to deal with their emotions the world becomes a very dangerous and destructive place.

A 21-year- young man has needlessly lost his life. An 18-year- young GIRL has lost her freedom. This is all at the hands of an extremely damaged 20-year-old.

It is excruciating to think of the suffering of the young man’s family. Equally as excruciating to think of the potential life destruction Sheffah is facing.

Sheffah is traumatized having witnessed a guy she was dating murdered his own friend. Further traumatized by having her “boyfriend” turn the gun turned on her; traumatized even more as the “boyfriend” directed Sheffah’s actions under mortal threat leading up to Sheffah being arrested for aiding and abetting and other related charges. She has been released from the hospital on a suicide high-risk watch. She is still morbidly depressed. She did not know what lay ahead. She had nothing to do with the choice take a life.

Imagine if this was you or your child! ...And don’t say it wouldn’t happen to you or your child because honestly, no person of color is out of reach of the system.

Sheffah made a mistake in judgment. She started dating one of her older brothers’ classmates from elementary school. Who manipulated her and abused her physically and emotionally; and convinced her to keep the relationship a secret from her supportive family. Sheffah is an 18-year-old child. Sheffah and my granddaughter have been best friends since third grade. She grew up in a wholesome, healthy and protected environment. She has achieved much in her short life. Sheffah was an honor student, a high school varsity cheerleader member of TLC – Together Loving Christ Christian Bible; ASB - Associate Student Body; LINK CREW, and a member of the Rock Church. She loves children and worked as a part time nanny for many different families. Sheffah loved animals and would cancel a trip to the mall to spend time tacking up posters for a lost dog. Sheffah had just graduated from high school and was preparing for college; she was accepted into four major Universities.

We all think “these” kind of problems happen to “those” kind of people and dismiss it because it doesn’t relate to you. Today all children are vulnerable especially if they are not white. Any of us that do not have the resources for a good legal defense is at risk of seeing their child’s life ruined or ended for something they didn’t do. These are times when we have to begin educating our children about the perils of the system as early as elementary school.

In my day it was a good thing to shelter our children. Today sheltering your child from unpleasant realities may cost them their freedom or their life.

Please contribute whatever you can spare to help the child escape the system. Money is greatly appreciated and an email to Sheffah in support while she is going through this ordeal would be greatly appreciated.

Let us support and insist on social and emotional education start with early education to reduce the abundance of stories like this one.

Funded Justice