“They were always chasing that dog around,” Porter said. “It was funny because they would chase the dog into garages, and there were times the dog got into my house and the kids would chase after it screaming and yelling. They were two excitable children, but they were extremely polite and well behaved.”
“Indie was named after Indiana Jones,” Porter said. “They loved Indiana Jones.”
Kat Lee remembered when the children returned home from a recent family trip to Disneyland and how excited they were to tell them all about the trip. James and Jean Marie were also excited about the new school year.
“The kids were so excited to share with us about their trip,” Lee said. “They came over another time because they were excited to show us their new school clothes.
“Both were excited for school to begin and talked about how much they liked their teachers.”
The children attended East Layton Elementary where crisis workers have been made available for children or faculty members.
“These were absolutely darling children,” Porter said. “This is an older neighborhood, and they were the only children on the street so everyone sort of knew them.”
With regard to reports that James and Jean Marie might have been neglected or in harm’s way inside the home they shared with their parents, Porter rebuffed such allegations.
“These children were taken care of,” Porter said. “There was no indication at all of any kind of abuse or neglect. They played outside like kids do. I never saw anything that would have made me think there was a problem. No bruises; they never said anything; they were always happy.
“And so outgoing. They were just wonderful and fun to have around.”
Lee offered similar insight.
“They were always neat, clean, well dressed and happy,” she said. “They were such pleasant children.”
After police arrived on the scene Wednesday night, neighbors gathered and waited for word of what might be occurring inside. Even before official word came out of the tragedy that was playing out within the walls of the home, Porter had a bad feeling.
“We were standing there and just got this feeling something bad happened to the children,” Porter said. “But this is just terrible. No way to have known this was coming. No signs that something like this was going to happen.”
People in the neighborhood hope as time moves on James and Jean Marie will be remember for their lives, not their deaths.
“We hope everyone will remember these beautiful, innocent, loving little faces rather than the tragic manner in which they died,” Lee said.
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