Mom of slain kids: ‘My dear babies, I love you all’
Farmington Hills — Faith Harris-Green was too overcome Friday to speak about her four murdered children, but their personalities shone through in a letter she wrote for their packed funeral service.
Nineteen-year-old Chadney Allen Jr. was a “strong, unique and smart” young man who loved giving his mother tight hugs.
The 2015 graduate from Southfield High School recently completed a certificate in digital media arts from Specs Howard. He was good at art, with his work once exhibited in the General Motors building in downtown Detroit.
Kara Allen, “Kara Bear,” was “creative, beautiful, confident and a go-getter.” An accomplished student, the 17-year-old Southfield High senior was on the school newspaper, cheer team and the National Honor Society. She wanted to be a doctor.
Five-year-old Koi, “Princess Koi,” loved “wearing her dresses and getting her hair done. She loved to be the center of attention.”
Four-year-old Kaleigh, known as “Sweet Pea,” “was glued to my hip.” The youngster, who went to St. Sebastian Catholic School in Dearborn Heights with sister Koi, loved the water and loved to sing.
Friends, family members and ministers spoke lovingly of the four slain Dearborn Heights siblings during the two-hour funeral service at Detroit First Church of the Nazarene in Farmington Hills. An estimated 1,500-1,700 mourners attended.
Harris-Green, 39, who needed the help of a wheelchair, wore a black veil over her face.
The children were slain in their home Sept. 21, allegedly by Harris-Green’s husband, Gregory Green. The younger ones were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning and the older children, Green’s stepchildren, were shot to death.
Harris-Green was slashed in the face and shot in the foot and allegedly forced to watch as her older children were killed, officials said. Green faces a preliminary hearing Wednesday on multiple charges.
Pastor Ben Walls read the letter about Harris-Green’s love for her children.
“I know your love,” the letter said, in part, and continued: “My dear babies, I love you all. You were always unique in your own way. I always encouraged each of you to be your own person ... to be a leader and not a follower and stand up for what’s right.”
Walls told the grieving mother: “Faith, you were successful as a wonderful mother.”
Chadney Allen Sr., father of Kara and Chadney, said his loss “is going to be hard the rest of my days.” Allen said his children “weren’t burdens to society. They were going to be powerful individuals.”
Mourners filed past the four caskets and cried openly. Some who were overcome by emotion left the church sanctuary. Videos were played, showing the smiling children with one another and their mother and the older children’s dad. Pink and white teddy bears hung from the caskets. Harris-Green, like many others in attendance, wore pink.
Apostle Ron Shepherd said in his eulogy: “Satan and his dark angels did this.”
Shepherd told the mourners “to (put) down their anger (and) forgive,” saying “he was processed and programmed” to do it, a reference to Gregory Green.
“Satan blinds the minds of men,” Shepherd said. “Satan planned (the murders) and it wasn’t all at once.”
Shepherd told Harris-Green and Allen, who sat in opposite pews at the front row of the church facing their children’s caskets: “Faith ... Chad ... God spoke ... He said the children are with me.”
Some friends of the children spoke at the solemn service.
The children were buried at St. Hedwig Cemetery in Dearborn Heights.
Green, 49, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count each of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, torture, unlawful imprisonment, felonious assault as a felon in possession and felony firearm. The father’s court-appointed attorney said he will plan a motion for an insanity defense.
Green had been released from prison five years earlier after serving 16 years for second-degree murder in the death of his first wife, Tonya, who was six months pregnant. It’s unclear if Harris-Green knew her husband had killed his first wife and served time for the crime.
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