YADKINVILLE
A mother who is suing the town of Jonesville over her daughter's stabbing death will have her case heard this week in Yadkin Superior Court.
Vernetta Cockerham-Ellerbee says that the police department and two of its officers failed to protect her family after she took out a protective order against her estranged husband, Richard Ellerbee.
Yesterday, attorneys for both sides met in chambers with Judge Edwin Wilson Jr. No arguments were made in open court, and prospective jurors were sent home about 2 p.m. Court will resume at 9:30 this morning.
Cockerham-Ellerbee filed the wrongful death suit Nov. 18, 2004, against the town and police.
The lawsuit alleges that negligence by the department and by officers Scott Vestal and Lee Gwyn led to the death of Cockerham-Ellerbee's daughter, Candace Cockerham.
On Nov. 13, 2002, Cockerham-Ellerbee took out a protective order against Ellerbee that required him to stay 250 feet away from Cockerham-Ellerbee and Candace Cockerham. Several days later, on Nov. 18, Cockerham-Ellerbee told Jonesville officers that she was being followed by Ellerbee. The next day, Ellerbee broke into her home and stabbed and suffocated Candace with duct tape. He then repeatedly stabbed Cockerham-Ellerbee with a knife.
He had dug graves for Cockerham-Ellerbee and her children across the street from her home.
Cockerham-Ellerbee survived with injuries to her neck and arm. Her daughter died. She was a 17-year-old high-school student.
Ellerbee committed suicide about a week later.
■ Sherry Youngquist can be reached in Mount Airy at 336-789-9338 or at syoungquist@wsjournal.com.
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