Slain Teen's Friend Breaks Down Facing Killer in Court

[00:00:00] Claire Etienne: Your Honor, my name is Claire Etienne, and I am the mother of one of the victims in this case. I respectfully submit this statement to describe the profound and the lasting impact that had on my daughter, on me, and my entire family. The day of the attack changed our life forever. My daughter, Luann, was held at gunpoint and suffered severe trauma that required her to be hospitalized in ongoing mental health treatment. As a mother, watching my child endure such fear, pain, was one of the most devastating experiences of my life. No parent should ever witness their child suffer in this way. The trauma was made even more unbearable because Luann's friend, Kayla Racken Miller, was killed during the attack. In a single moment, my daughter became both, a survivor of a violence crime and a young person grieving the loss of her friend. This is a burden that no child should ever have to carry. The effect of this crime did not end at the attack, when the attack was over. Because the trauma she experienced, she was removed from her high school and placed into a smaller school for an entire year. She lost the opportunity to experience a normal school environment with her entire, with her classmate and friend. Her education, her education, her routine, and her sense of security was all this first rub. The impact on our family has been overwhelmed. Our life became centered around doctor's appointment, counseling, and helping Luann heal emotionally. Every day brought a new challenge as we work to support her recovery, while we are trying to rebuild some sense of normalcy. The emotional toll on me became severe. I was hospitalized twice, overwhelmed with stress trauma by this horrific event. The fear of almost losing my daughter combined with witnessing her pain and grief affected every part of my life. It changed me as a mother, as a person, and as a foundation of our family. This case is not just about what happened on one tragic day. The effect continued to be felt every single day. Luann continued to live with trauma of the attack and heartbreaking of the loss of her friend Kayla. Our family continues to carry emotional scars that cannot be seen, but are deeply felt. I also want to acknowledge Kayla's family. They suffered the loss of their daughter, who was taken far too soon. My heart continued to ache for them, and I pray they find strength and peace as they continue their journey of grief. I respectfully ask the court to consider the full extent of harm caused by this action. Not only the physical danger, but also the lasting trauma, the disruption of my daughter's education, the grief, the fear, and the permanent impact on my family. Despite everything she has endured, Luann has shown incredible courage, resilience, and she is determined. I am deeply profound of the young woman that she has become. Although this tragedy will always be part of our life, it will not define her future. We will continue to move forward honoring Kayla's memories while supporting Luann as she continues to heal. I want to thank you, and thank you for joining us today. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor, for allowing me the opportunity to share the lasting impact this tragedy has had on our family. [00:05:24] Speaker ?: Thank you. [00:05:25] Claire Etienne: Thank you. All right. You can sit down. [00:05:28] Speaker ?: Thank you. All right. You can sit down. Thank you. All right. You can sit down. Thank you. All right. You can sit down. Thank you. [00:05:38] Speaker 2: And the state calls Luann Deje. All right. [00:05:46] Speaker ?: If you raise your right hand, you swear a firm testimony you give will be the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. All right. You take the right hand. You swear a firm testimony you give will be the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. All right. You take the right hand. You swear a firm testimony you give will be the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. All right. You take the right hand. [00:06:02] Claire Etienne: You swear a firm testimony you give will be the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. All right. You take the right hand. You swear a firm testimony you give will be the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. Nothing but the truth. All right. You take the stand. [00:06:09] Speaker ?: Okay. Okay. Receive when you're ready. Thank you. Good morning. [00:06:14] Speaker 2: Ma'am, would you please state your name for the record? [00:06:29] Luann Deje: My name is Luann Deje. [00:06:31] Speaker 2: How do you spell your first name? [00:06:32] Luann Deje: L-O-U-A-N-N. [00:06:34] Speaker 2: And your last name? D-E-J-A-I-E. I know you've been up here a few times. I'm just going to remind you to make sure that the microphone is going to pick you up. Okay? Okay. Have you come today to present some impact statement about how the crimes have affected you? Yes. Would you like to do that now? Yes. [00:06:54] Speaker ?: Thank you. Good morning. [00:06:56] Luann Deje: Good morning, Your Honor. I stand before you today, not because I want to, but on behalf of my friend, Kayla Rincon Miller. This is something I never imagined I would have to do. There are no words that can truly describe the void I wake up with every single day. It feels like I'm trapped in a coma that I can't wake up from. Like I'm suffocating, but somehow still expected to keep on living. Losing Kayla changed every part of my life. It changed my relationships with my family, my friends, and the person I used to be. I live with grief, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The rumors and bullying also played a part in my mental health, and I did not have support from anyone except my state attorneys and my family and my team. Every part of what happened has left a scar on me from the moment I was held at gunpoint, to finding out it was kids our own age, to having to sit in this courtroom and face them. In one split second, the entire trajectory of my life changed, and I will never get that life back. We will never be those girls again. We will never go to the movies together. We will never laugh about boys and how stupid they are. We will never make more memories together. Time was stolen from her and everyone who loved her. I've never lost someone this close to me. It's made me realize how precious time really is, because tomorrow is never promised. Our families will never be the same. I ask myself, every single day, what made them do it? My heart keeps trying to understand. The empath in me keeps searching for a reason, because I don't want to believe that people our age were capable of doing something like this, but no answer will ever be enough. There's no winning in this case. No family wins. No lawyer wins. No court wins. The only true loss is my sweet girl, Kayla. I don't stand here today because I care about a sentence. I care about my friend who was taken from me. I ask this court to do what is necessary. I also know that no sentence will make me happy. No sentence will bring me peace. It will not ease my soul, because the one thing I want can never be given back. This is not the end for me. Years from now, I may still have to come back to the courtroom because of this case. While others may move on, I will continue carrying March 17th with me every day of my life. This tragedy doesn't end when this hearing is over. It stays with me when I wake up. When I try to sleep in every milestone, Kayla should have been able to experience with me. Every morning, I wake up knowing I still don't have the full truth. I pray every day that God reveals it. I pray that whatever in those boys' hearts that night, whatever led them to make those choices, is brought to the light. I pray that they come to understand the weight of what they took. And I pray that God changes their heart, because hatred and violence have already taken enough. There is no peace for me in this courtroom. I am spiritually changed in a way I don't know how to explain. A part of me died with Kayla that night. And I don't know if I'll ever get that part back. Your Honor, I ask you to please hear my cries. Please do what justice requires. Not because it will heal me, but because Kayla's life mattered. [00:11:42] Speaker 4: She deserved to graduate. She deserved to chase her dreams and fall in love and have a family and grow old. She deserved the future that was taken from her. I miss my best friend every single day. Thank you. [00:12:11] Speaker ?: Thank you.