DAYTON -- A mother whose daughter was gunned down right in front of her speaks out to tell us how she got involved with convicted murderer Dameon Wesley.
"I just blinked my eyes, and there my baby was, laying there."
Dawan Culpepper sat down to tell us about her daughter's brutal murder.
"She just laying there, she didn't cry, she didn't moan, she didn't holler," continued Culpepper, "She just laid there with her eyes closed.
Briona Rodgers was only 13 years old. Briona had a bright smile, loved to be with her friends, and adored her mother. Now, Dawan shares what happened on that Sunday afternoon.
"I came home from church, there he was, in my bedroom behind my door with a gun in my face," said Culpepper.
That's when the protective Briona tried to come help her mother.
"He just shot her repeatedly," explained Culpepper. "As if he had no remorse or no care for life."
Briona's cousin and best friend, Aâlonta Culpepper was also shot and remains in the hospital fighting for her life.
Dawan says she was next.
Dameon Wesley served nearly 20 years in prison for murder and is on parole. Dawan met him in September. She knew he served time, but never the full extent of what he did.
"He told me he took the wrap or took the case for a friend," said Culpepper.
Dawan says she gave him the benefit of the doubt, until he became abusive, controlling and manipulating.
"He would threaten me with hammers and knives," Culpepper told us. "[He would] make me stand there, tell me he was going to torture me, he was going to kill me and after he would feed my flesh to my daughter."
"He would say, he would have my baby kidnapped from bus stop, dope her, tie her up and make me watch her get raped," Culpepper said.
After this threat, Dawan left Wesley for good in January. Dawan says he knew that Briona was her world. Now, she looks at pictures of her daughter and knows she's never far away.
"I know babies are a gift from God," said Culpepper. "He lends them to you, you'll never know when he calls them back."
"I just blinked my eyes, and there my baby was, laying there."
Dawan Culpepper sat down to tell us about her daughter's brutal murder.
"She just laying there, she didn't cry, she didn't moan, she didn't holler," continued Culpepper, "She just laid there with her eyes closed.
Briona Rodgers was only 13 years old. Briona had a bright smile, loved to be with her friends, and adored her mother. Now, Dawan shares what happened on that Sunday afternoon.
"I came home from church, there he was, in my bedroom behind my door with a gun in my face," said Culpepper.
That's when the protective Briona tried to come help her mother.
"He just shot her repeatedly," explained Culpepper. "As if he had no remorse or no care for life."
Briona's cousin and best friend, Aâlonta Culpepper was also shot and remains in the hospital fighting for her life.
Dawan says she was next.
Dameon Wesley served nearly 20 years in prison for murder and is on parole. Dawan met him in September. She knew he served time, but never the full extent of what he did.
"He told me he took the wrap or took the case for a friend," said Culpepper.
Dawan says she gave him the benefit of the doubt, until he became abusive, controlling and manipulating.
"He would threaten me with hammers and knives," Culpepper told us. "[He would] make me stand there, tell me he was going to torture me, he was going to kill me and after he would feed my flesh to my daughter."
"He would say, he would have my baby kidnapped from bus stop, dope her, tie her up and make me watch her get raped," Culpepper said.
After this threat, Dawan left Wesley for good in January. Dawan says he knew that Briona was her world. Now, she looks at pictures of her daughter and knows she's never far away.
"I know babies are a gift from God," said Culpepper. "He lends them to you, you'll never know when he calls them back."