Behind the Headlines

By Paula Wethington / paula@monroenews.com

A story was on page 1A of the Feb. 12 print and e-editions of The Monroe Evening News about a 13-year-old Hamtramck girl who called 911 to tell Monroe County Central Dispatch that her dad was driving drunk southbound on I-75. After the Monroe Police Department pulled over the driver, the girl was taken to the police station where another relative picked her up.

And a court date has been scheduled in Monroe County District Court for the driver.

After the original story was in our newspaper and on www.monroenews.com, the article was picked up by the Associated Press and made headlines in many other newspapers. Someone in Niagara Falls, Ont., saw the story and wrote a heartfelt letter that you’ll see on page 4A of today’s print and e-editions of The Monroe Evening News.

A snippet:

Having no way to contact this young woman personally, I wanted to reach out to her through your publication, if at all possible, and tell her how proud I am of her bravery and clear thinking.
She must have been frightened of the consequences on many levels, but in the end she probably saved her own life and that of her father’s. She is to be commended for her courage, especially now when her father has been arrested and the long-term consequences to her family may be severe. …

Wherever this young lady is, I am so very proud of her.