Three children kidnapped from Florida on 9/11 or September 11: Part 4 Amanda Brown

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Willie Crain came back to Kathryn Hartman’s trailer for dinner on September 10, 1998. During the trial, Kathryn testified that Willie Crain still smelled of alcohol and was still drinking the yellow liquid from a cup. Amanda Brown had asked for spaghetti that night, during dinner, Willie Crain told Kathryn Hartman that she had given Amanda more food than she could eat. Amanda finished her dinner.

After dinner, Willie Crain played tic-tac-toe with Amanda. On the notepad, Kathryn traced her hand and wrote “I love my Amanda.” On another piece of paper, Willie Crain traced his own hand and wrote “I like Willie.” After the doodling, Willie Crain invited Kathryn and Amanda to return to his trailer to watch movies. He stated that he had an extensive video collection.

Amanda begged her mother to let them go so she could see the movie “Titanic.” Kathryn Hartman was hesitant to let Amanda stay up late on a school night. At Willie Crain’s suggestion, Hartman agreed to let Amanda sleep in the next morning. Kathryn and Amanda left with Willie Crain at approximately 9:00 p.m., September 10, 1998 and headed for his trailer.

Willie Crain had been a commercial crabber since he was nine years old, once at the trailer, Willie spoke to his son who was standing near his boat. Inside the trailer, they watched Titanic in the living room.

Testimony by Kathryn Hartman states that Willie Crain still smelled of alcohol and that it was difficult to understand what he was saying. The phone rang and Willie Crain answered it. It was his sister and he asked Kathryn Hartman to speak to her. Kathryn stayed on the phone with Willie Crain for approximately twenty minutes. After she hung up the phone, she found Willie Crain in the bedroom with Amanda, the door was closed.

When Kathryn Hartman entered the bedroom, she found Amanda sitting between Willie Crain’s legs. She stated that he wasn’t touching her in an inappropriate manner, but was showing her how to use the remote control. According to court documents, Kathryn placed Amanda on the bed next to her, and then brought her to the bathroom. She stated that while in the bathroom, she didn’t detect any blood from Amanda, nor was there any blood on the toilet seat. Amanda did not use the bathroom again that evening.

Kathryn then asked Willie Crain if he had any pain medication, he told her that he had Elavil and Valium. She took five valiums, according to reports this was not unusual for her. Crain also took Valium that evening. He offered her marijuana, she declined. Kathryn asked Willie Crain if she could borrow twenty or thirty dollars. He gave her a $100.00 bill and told her that she would not have to repay it.

Kathryn then went to use the bathroom, when she returned, she found Willie Crain and Amanda in the room again with the bedroom door closed. She stated that she left the bedroom door open when she went to the bathroom. At this point, Kathryn decided it was time for her and Amanda to go home.
 

Continue to Part 5

Interview with Willie Crain Jr. on Florida's death row

Photo 3- Kathryn Hartman copryight St. Pete Times Tony Lopez

Three Florida children kidnapped on 9/11 or September 11: Part 3 Amanda Brown