Slain teen's mom relies on faith, forgiveness

BRADENTON (FOX 13) - Even through the toughest challenge of her life, Jan Goode's faith doesn't falter.

"On my own, I couldn't do this.  But with God's help, I can do this," she said.

On November 6, her 18-year-old daughter Moriah was shot and killed.  Deputies said Devon Freeman pulled the trigger.  He was aiming for someone else, but hit Moriah.

"I needed him to know I truly forgive him," Jan said.  "I think it's important that the world see what true love is like and what true forgiveness is like."

Last Wednesday, Jan had her chance. She met with Freeman face to face, over a video monitor.

"I told him I wanted him to know I forgave him for shooting Moriah and I could love him. I wanted him to know that my love was unconditional it wasn't conditional," she recalled.

Jan held out hope for a response.

"Once I started talking to him and telling him about wanting him to know about Moriah's Jesus and my Jesus and that we truly loved him, his whole demeanor changed," Jan continued.

It gave her the chance to ask the questions she's wondered about since the day Moriah was killed.

"I asked him if he could go back and change the hands of time and prevent Moriah from being shot, would he do that? He said yes. He just hung his head down and said, 'Of course.' I cried because I could see remorse in his eyes," she said.

The pain of losing her child will never end for Jan. But talking to the man charged with her death has helped ease it -- and it gives her hope.

"Moriah's post before she died -- one hour before she died -- was, 'Without God, I can do nothing. With God, I can do everything.' That keeps playing over and over in my mind. Without God, I could not forgive Devon. I could not love unconditionally. But with God, I can do this," she added.