THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995 TAG: 9512070339
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
As the two men charged with virtually destroying an elderly Windsor area woman's home were arraigned Wednesday, there was an outpouring from the Hampton Roads community of offers to help the 88-year-old woman put her life back together.
``Lord! I don't know where all these people have come from,'' Blanche Braswell said Wednesday afternoon, after phones rang all day at her daughter's house in Windsor, in Isle of Wight County. ``They've called from everywhere - the Eastern Shore, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Franklin. They all want to help.''
Mrs. Braswell's house was ransacked over the weekend - practically demolished on the inside, police say.
``It's heartwarming to see all these people call. It makes you feel good,'' said Virginia O'Berry, her 70-year-old daughter. ``One man from the Eastern Shore called and said he had a truckload of furniture he wanted to bring this weekend.''
During the arraignment in Isle of Wight General District Court, Judge Robert Edwards reduced bail from $100,000 to $5,000 for Jeff Cofield, 19, of Windsor, and Randy Vaughan, 18, of Carrsville. They were to be released to the custody of their parents later Wednesday, but Edwards put stipulations on their release.
Neither Cofield nor Vaughan will be allowed to leave home during daylight for anything except work, school, church, medical care, psychological counseling, or drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment. The two men were cautioned not to leave their homes at all at night. And Edwards said their continued freedom will depend on their good behavior. His decision came after an agreement between the men's attorneys and the Isle of Wight commonwealth's attorney.
Cofield and Vaughan are charged with breaking and entering, and destroying property. Preliminary hearings for them were scheduled for Feb. 8 in Circuit Court.
According to police, Cofield and Vaughan broke into Mrs. Braswell's small home on Deerpath Trail, near Windsor, while she was away Saturday night and broke windows, furniture and glassware. Police called the damage the worst ransacking of a home they had ever seen.
Mrs. Braswell, a widow, had to haul four pickup truck loads of broken glass and furniture from her home.
She is only now coming to realize how great her loss is, her daughter said Wednesday.
``She knows she can fix it back, but she also knows what she had is gone. She can't get that back.''
Local residents who read about her plight in Wednesday's newspaper swamped the Smithfield office of The Virginian-Pilot with telephone calls offering help.
``I read the story and wanted to send a small check,'' said Joyce Saxon, 61, of Suffolk. ``I'm on disability, but it's Christmas time. . . . I thought somebody ought to do something.''
Dr. Kirsten Santianni, a Newport News doctor and Virginia Beach resident: ``My immediate response was that something had to be done about this. Here's this 88-year-old woman who had stored up all these treasures, and then to have it taken in one swoop - it made me angry.
``This story made me take action,'' Santianni added. She said she plans to send a check and a package of stuffed animals and Christmas decorations.
And Chesapeake resident Faye Timm drove from her home to the Pilot's Smithfield office to deliver a rocking chair for Braswell. MEMO: A fund has been set up in Blanche Braswell's name at Farmer's Bank of
Windsor. Any donations should be sent in care of Patti Webb, P.O. Box
285, Windsor, Va. 23487. For more information and to offer other
assistance, people may call Sophie Mosley at the Pilot's Smithfield
office: 1-800-446-2004. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Blanche Braswell
by CNB