CLEVELAND -- The family of 25-year-old Leshanda Long is the latest to learn that their missing relative was among the 11 bodies found at the home of accused serial killer Anthony Sowell.
The family was told by the Cuyahoga County Coroner that the human skull found hidden in Sowell's basement was Leshanda's.
Her cousin, Thessalonia Hardy says, "Why would he just decapitate my cousin and then leave her head in the basement in a bucket? It's like terrible, I mean it's terrible for all the women."
Leshanda Long was last seen in August 2008 and left behind three children, nine, seven and five-years-old.
"They don't actually know really right now. I mean it's like hard for the family to even talk about it because they're so young and it's like scary to tell them something about that, but I know later on in life they will want to have answers or you know want to ask questions about their mother," explains Hardy.
The families of all 10 victims who have been identified so far now have a burden they will carry for the rest of their lives.
Florence Gray, mother of victim Crystal Dozier says, "I always kept hoping in my heart that she would come and she would be alive, never wanted to accept the fact that she was gone."
At a support meeting for families Thursday night at the House of God Church, Mrs. Gray revealed that Crystal's body was found buried in Anthony Sowell's backyard and the body of Dozier's cousin, Amelda Hunter was buried on top of her in the same shallow grave.
"So I not only have one family member to bury on Saturday the 21st, I've got two and I have a heavy heart Lord," says Gray.
Local ministers are reminding Clevelanders they can help the families by making donations to a memorial fund at any U.S. Bank.
But a counselor told the families they will also need assistance as they deal with a wide range of emotions.
"Anger -- all of the sudden you're just really irritable and agitated and you don't even know why. Another sign is shock, like you can't even believe that this is even happening. It's almost like this is a bad dream and one day you're going to wake up. You might have some guilt, things that you should have done but didn't do," says counselor Sharon Henry-Smith.
Meanwhile, Anthony Sowell is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning on charges of murder, rape and kidnapping.
The family was told by the Cuyahoga County Coroner that the human skull found hidden in Sowell's basement was Leshanda's.
Her cousin, Thessalonia Hardy says, "Why would he just decapitate my cousin and then leave her head in the basement in a bucket? It's like terrible, I mean it's terrible for all the women."
Leshanda Long was last seen in August 2008 and left behind three children, nine, seven and five-years-old.
"They don't actually know really right now. I mean it's like hard for the family to even talk about it because they're so young and it's like scary to tell them something about that, but I know later on in life they will want to have answers or you know want to ask questions about their mother," explains Hardy.
The families of all 10 victims who have been identified so far now have a burden they will carry for the rest of their lives.
Florence Gray, mother of victim Crystal Dozier says, "I always kept hoping in my heart that she would come and she would be alive, never wanted to accept the fact that she was gone."
At a support meeting for families Thursday night at the House of God Church, Mrs. Gray revealed that Crystal's body was found buried in Anthony Sowell's backyard and the body of Dozier's cousin, Amelda Hunter was buried on top of her in the same shallow grave.
"So I not only have one family member to bury on Saturday the 21st, I've got two and I have a heavy heart Lord," says Gray.
Local ministers are reminding Clevelanders they can help the families by making donations to a memorial fund at any U.S. Bank.
But a counselor told the families they will also need assistance as they deal with a wide range of emotions.
"Anger -- all of the sudden you're just really irritable and agitated and you don't even know why. Another sign is shock, like you can't even believe that this is even happening. It's almost like this is a bad dream and one day you're going to wake up. You might have some guilt, things that you should have done but didn't do," says counselor Sharon Henry-Smith.
Meanwhile, Anthony Sowell is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning on charges of murder, rape and kidnapping.
