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Shattered innocence

A 5-year-old girl awakened by gunshots at her Volusia County home dialed 911. With police en route, the 911 operator and Tia Hernlen talked about the family pets - and the blood on the floor.

OPERATOR: 911, what is your emergency?

CHILD: Um, hello.

OPERATOR: Hello. Is everything okay?

CHILD: My mommy and daddy ... OPERATOR: Uh-huh.

CHILD: I think there is a bullet on the floor.

OPERATOR: And the what?

CHILD: And there is blood, coming out of my dad's mouth and he fell off the bed.

OPERATOR: He did? Where's mommy at?

CHILD: She is, I don't know, I think they're dead.

OPERATOR: What do you mean, sweetheart?

CHILD: I don't know.

OPERATOR: Okay, your daddy's on the floor. How old are you?

CHILD: I'm 5 years old and I have a dog in a house.

OPERATOR: Okay baby, okay. Let me get someone right over to you. Did you, did you go in your mommy and daddy's room?

CHILD: Uh-huh, and there is blood.

OPERATOR: All over the place?

CHILD: Not all over. There's blood on the plant and blood on the floor.

OPERATOR: Oh my goodness, and you have your little doggie with you?

CHILD: And three cats.

OPERATOR: And three cats too?

CHILD: Three cats and one dog.

OPERATOR: Okay, are you the only one there besides mommy and daddy?

CHILD: Well I said "Mommy" and "Daddy" and they didn't even answer.

OPERATOR: Okay, okay, what I want you to do, honey. I want you to stay on the phone with me. What is your name?

CHILD: (Tells operator her name)

OPERATOR: Oh that is a very pretty name.

CHILD: (Blocked out)

OPERATOR: Oh, I'm so sorry, that is a beautiful name. What is your doggie's name?

CHILD: Lizzah.

OPERATOR: Okay, and what made you wake up tonight?

CHILD: There was, I think I heard a gunshot.

OPERATOR: You heard a gun?

CHILD: Yes, and I see a bullet lying on the floor. I think it's a bullet.

OPERATOR: Really!

CHILD: Mmm-hmm

OPERATOR: Who has a gun in the house?

CHILD: I don't see a gun, but I'm scared.

OPERATOR: Oh sweetheart! ... I will not let anything happen to you.

CHILD: Can you send a deputy down here?

OPERATOR: I promise I will ... and you're only 5 years old?

CHILD: Mmm-hmm.

OPERATOR: You are so smart for 5 years old. Wow! ... are you off from school this week?

CHILD: Um, no, I go to school next year.

OPERATOR: You do? Oh my gosh, you're not even in kindergarten yet?

CHILD: Nope.

OPERATOR: Oh, what's your doggie's name?

CHILD: Lizzah.

OPERATOR: Lizzah, what kind of doggie is she?

CHILD: She's a Lab.

OPERATOR: Oh my god, I love those. Those are so beautiful. Is she a black Lab or is she a yellow Lab?

CHILD: A black Lab.

OPERATOR: Oh, you are so smart.

CHILD: With, um, brown eyes.

OPERATOR: Oh my goodness, how old is she?

CHILD: She is like 3 years old, or, 2 years old, I don't really know.

OPERATOR: Wow! ... You can remember for a really long time.

CHILD: Yup.

OPERATOR: Oh my goodness. Was there anybody else in the house tonight besides you and mommy and daddy tonight? Like an uncle or anything?

CHILD: No, there's no robber in the house.

OPERATOR: Okay, well I didn't think there would be a robber, sweetheart. Did you have anybody staying over the night with you guys tonight?

CHILD: Nnn-nnn.

OPERATOR: Okay. So and the doors are all locked? And everything like that. ... Where are you in the house?

CHILD: Well, I was in my room sleeping till I heard a noise shot and it woke me up.

OPERATOR: Oh my goodness. Uh, what part of the house are you in ... now?

CHILD: I'm in the one, it's yellow, all yellow house, of green, green with it, a little bit of green, and a pink door.

OPERATOR: Oh my goodness, that sounds really cool. Did you pick out the pink door?

CHILD: Um, no, my mom picked out the door.

OPERATOR: Look, I bet you that is beautiful. Does mommy and daddy have a car in the driveway?

CHILD: Mmm-hmm, two cars.

OPERATOR: Two cars? What kind of cars do they have?

CHILD: Umm, my mom has a Toyota.

OPERATOR: What color is that Toyota?

CHILD: Umm.

OPERATOR: Is it dark, or grey, or silver?

CHILD: It's, um, red.

OPERATOR: Red? Okay, what kind of car does daddy have?

CHILD: He has a Jeep. It's black and ... OPERATOR: Okay, listen to me (name). Is your phone the type that you can take with you and walk around?

CHILD: Um, this ... OPERATOR: There should be an officer at your front door. I need for you to take your phone with you and walk over to the door and open it for me, okay? And I will stay on the phone with you, okay?

CHILD: But um ...

OPERATOR: I will not hang up.

CHILD: I'm naked.

OPERATOR: Oh, well do you want to grab a towel or something? I don't think the officer's going to care, baby. We just want to make sure that mommy and daddy are okay, all right?

CHILD: Mmm-hmm.

OPERATOR: Grab a blanket or something. Stay on the phone with me, stay on the phone, all right?

CHILD: Okay.

OPERATOR: My name is Donna, by the way. You are doing a wonderful job (blocked), wonderful job.

CHILD: And I know what to do for (incoherent).

OPERATOR: You did great!

CHILD: I knew.

OPERATOR: You were wonderful, absolutely wonderful. You should be very proud of yourself.

CHILD: I'm to the door, I'm unlocking it.

OPERATOR: Okay, you let me know when the officer talks to you. Okay, you go ahead (blocked), talk to the officer.

OFFICER: (background) You talking to the dispatcher? Okay, tell her I'm here now and you can hang up.

OPERATOR: Bye sweetheart.

CHILD: Um, he's here.

OPERATOR: Okay sweetheart, you be good, Okay? Bye-bye.

Police found her mother fatally shot and her father mortally wounded.

Later they found the body of the killer, a man the couple had complained was harassing them because he mistakenly thought they had turned him in for growing marijuana and possessing steroids.

David Edward Johnson, 33, broke into the home of Aeneas and Julie Hernlen and shot the two in their bedroom shortly before 3 a.m. Monday, Volusia County sheriff's investigators said.

Johnson committed suicide at his own home later that day. No note was found.

Julie Hernlen, 31, died in the bedroom. Her husband, Aeneas Hernlen, 29, died at a Daytona Beach hospital on Tuesday.

Authorities said the Hernlens sought an injunction against Johnson in January, claiming he drove in front of their home and made threats. But a judge denied the request.

The Hernlens had nothing to do with Johnson's arrest, sheriff's investigators said.

"Looking back on it, I would have liked to have done it differently," Circuit Judge Richard Graham said this week. "But you review each case on a case-by-case basis."

Transcript provided by the Associated Press

[Last modified March 31, 2005, 01:27:20]