Tragedy Very Close to Home

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judo

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Tiffany Cecconi was a very close friend to my daughter. In the 5 years that I've known her, she's slept over at my house, I've fed her many meals, and washed her clothes. My daughter, also named Tiffany, is devistated and regretfully out of town. In order to keep them straight when addressing either one of them, I called Tiffany Cecconi "Cupcake" after a baking incedent in my kitchen. Many a "Funfetti" cupcake has passed through my oven.

Tiffany practically lived at that pool. She was a swim team member.

https://www.news4jax.com/video/19998460/index.html

I know a whole lot more that the press is releasing, but I won't disclose it. If you are a prayer warrior, pray for her mother Linda, older sister Ashleigh, and younger sister Lesliegh. Tiffany also has two half-brothers that I know of her in NE Florida.
 
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That is tragic.

The whole family will be on my list.
 
Wow, that's really sad, judo. A very beautiful mother & daughter. My thoughts & prayers will certainly be with them. So sad......
 
I just went up to see the family. No one was home. News ferrets were back by the pool. We passed the remote broadcast truck leaving the neighborhood as we were coming in. I'll try again tomorrow after my daughter gets back into town.
 
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My daughters best friend is here with us for a few days again.

Judo, I can't even imagine how you must feel right now.

Honest tears.
 
I missed some turns driving around last night on the roads. I also took some wrong turns down hallways in the nursing homes.
 
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, I can't imagine what you are feeling, nor the family.
 
Hope that the authorities get to the bottom of it soon. Cannot imagine what you, your family and their family are going through now.

Prayers for all.

N
 
I got more bad news about this case tonight. The memorial service will be Monday from 4p-6p at our church. It won't be a funeral because the guy Tiffany was married to refuses to release the bodies on account he's an atheist. It's his right but, dang, what a classless act. Let's see: church member for 18 years, married for 1.

The cops are still waiting to talk to the guy doing his best scarecrow impression in the pool. He's still in the hospital. All his mom will say is he's "ok."
 
I've very sorry to hear of this tragic loss. Please, take care of yourself and the other survivors. It does sound like there is indeed more to the story. The 18yo male "just standing there, naked" sounds way suspicious. Remember, she's not hurting now, and wouldn't want you to be in emotional pain either.

God bless,
Trudy
 
I knew on Wednesday when the news came out but could not say anything. The investigation had to run its course. Now, Andrew Gomez has been charged with two counts of murder.

The confession in his statement is completely plausable. "Gomez" (no one called him Andrew, except maybe his mother) stands 6' and 155. Tiffany was about 5'-2" and 110 or so. I still don't have any clue to why he was naked. I'll try to keep this part PG. According to his MySpace page, he would have never been interested in a physical, adult relationship with Tiffany. But he does state: I choke B$tches. They've known each other since kindergarden.

If it hasn't been stated before, here's how the incedent began to unfold. The weather here in Jacksonville was sketchy for most of the day. The morning rain had stopped so Tiffany, Kaylani, and Gomez went to the pool. Gomez had spent the night there before like hundreds of other times. It began to rain again about 1:00pm and no one had come back from the pool, so Tiffany's mom, Linda went to go get them. From their house to the pool is about a 45 second walk. That's how Linda found the three of them when she did. The rest is in the news.

Tiffany was sweet, but no angel. She'd often go look for Trouble and Trouble would meet her half way. Anyone who knew Tiffany knew she had issues. She seemed to be unable to experience the feeling of "remorse." There is a reason, but it really doesn't matter. I finally had to cut the ties between my Tiffany and "Cupcake" when she left my daughter in downtown Jacksonville late one night after church on Sunday night. Downtown Jacksonville is not the safest place to be after dark. I simply could no longer trust her.

A couple of years later and she got involved with Craig Cecconi. That lead to being pregnant at 16 and giving birth at 17. I don't know if the wedding was before of after the birth but it was definatly after the pregnancy. There was never a "happy couple." My daughter began to get reaqainted sometime during this period. After Kaylani was born, my daughter would get called in the middle of the night from a very terrified Tiffany. The Atlantic Beach Police Department got many calls as well.

A couple of months ago, Linda offered to help Tiffany get divorced from Craig. That's what got her living back with her mother at The Cove and walking distance to the pool where she both lived and died.

At first, Craig was very detached from the situation. He did not care what became of the bodies. Then Craig's mother injected herself into the situation, according to my daughter. Then the story became, "No, you can't have the bodies for a funeral; I'm an atheist. No one at First Baptist loved her anyway."

The Sykes family rememberance will be Monday from 4pm to 6pm at First Baptist Church Jacksonville. By some strange coincedince, the Cecconi family is holding a Catholic (Mrs. Cecconi's relgion) memorial and viewing at the exact same time across town. The funeral starts and 6pm, followed by cremation. Craig will be keeping the ashes.

The mothers finally coment here.

Same story, different link.

Mods: Thanks for the thereputic vent.
 
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She seemed to be unable to experience the feeling of "remorse."

I found out why. She suffered from something called an "attachment disorder." I've never heard of it before, but it sounds as though she could have any emotional attachment to anything. Well, all that changed after she gave birth to her little girl. As she stated on her MySpace, "My daughter is my life." She died defending that daughter.

Her memorial tonight was incredible. The attendance was from my guess, 400-600 people. Our auditorium can hold 12,000. Rev. Dan Elkins, our youth pastor, conducted the service. He said that we didn't need the bodies, because we were honoring her life. My wife and daughter shed tears throughout. In fact, in her mom's written remarks, my daughter was Tiffany's only friend call specifically by name. I almost lost it when Rev. Elkins almost lost it, relating to story of the last time he saw her.

We had two open microphones for anyone who wished, could come and tell a story on how they were touched by Tiffany. Much to the surprise of my daughter, I got up and told the story of how she earned the moniker "Cupcake."

Even Tiffany's biological mother and brother were there to thank the Sykes for their love. I've never met a free-er spirt. She'll be hard to beat.

But...I will see her again.
 
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