Dawn Bates

Leila Dawn Bates

Looking at her younger brother and sister, she knew something bad had happened. The silence in the house was no longer a welcome relief; it was deafening, all encompassing.

Then the police came, and then a nice lady, then something about a new family.

Everything a blur, until she became lost in her own silent world of colour and canvas.

Being the unwanted child of a prostitute, life was never going to be easy.

Becoming a sister gave her life meaning, then they were taken away from her.

Who was she now? Where were they taking her? And would the sounds of her mother's screams haunt her forever more?