Shivangi Sinha
In March 2014, Cassy Brooks was found face-down and fully clothed in the overflowing bathtub of her home in Silver City, New Mexico. Her parents, Chuck and Darlene Brooks, had asked a friend and coworker to go check on her and were told that Cassy had passed away. In the days that followed, they became the flag-bearers for justice for her and pushed for a proper investigation. For them and their three other children, it was the most difficult time, which only came to an end in August 2018, when Brad Farrington was convicted of the crime. NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ particularly the episode ‘Suspicion in Silver City,’ features an interview with the parents as they speak about the most difficult chapter of their lives.
Cassy Farrington’s Family Raised Their Concerns Over the Initial Investigation
Marc “Chuck” and Darlene Brooks raised their four children, Eric, Cassy, CodyBo and Elizabeth, in Pima, Arizona. Chuck has spoken about Cassy’s childhood and said that she had always been a determined kid who never quit. In fact, when she was a part of the National Honor Society, he often had to stop her from training too hard. She was just 16 years old when she had her first baby and eventually married Brad Farrington. It was not the life that Chuck and Darlene had imagined for her, but they supported her in every way they could. Their grandchildren, Tristan and Lila, often spent time with them, and they were happy to have them around. When Cassy and Brad began their divorce proceedings and custody battle, Chuck, Darlene and her siblings were by her side.
In the episode, Darlene said that her daughter seemed to be in a very controlling relationship. She also recounted an alleged incident in which she had seen Brad being physically aggressive with her daughter. Darlene added that he was also allegedly abusive with the kids. Chuck also said that he remembered an incident from weeks before the killing, when Tristan had come back after staying with his father and allegedly said that Brad was going to kill his mother. Chuck added, “I don’t think a five-year-old makes that up.” On March 24, 2014, Darlene grew worried when she was not able to talk to Cassy after her shift. Her daughter had told her that she would be taking a nap at the house. That is when she asked her coworker, Chantal, to go to her house and check on her.
It was then that they found out that Cassy had passed away. They rushed to the scene and claimed that lead detective Jose Sanchez, of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, kept asking them if Cassy was suicidal. They insisted that she was not and were very critical of the handling of the case. Since Brad Farrington was a police officer, Darlene and Chuck were not satisfied with the investigation and the evidence collection. They have spoken about how a pair of broken glasses and a ribbon were allegedly not collected as evidence. They took their concerns to the DA’s office as well. It was at their insistence that the case was eventually reassigned to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Related
Cassy Farrington’s Family Has Kept a Low Profile Since the Trial
Darlene Farrington spoke at Brad Farrington’s trial, where the prosecutors asked her questions about the alleged abuse in the relationship and what she had witnessed. She also testified about how her daughter had told her that if something were to happen to her, they should be suspicious of Brad. Her testimony helped paint a larger picture of the estranged relationship between the two. In September 2018, when Brad was convicted, Darlene spoke to him about how he had allegedly isolated her daughter. Chuck also delivered an emotional victim impact statement at the sentencing. According to the latest reports, Cassy’s kids were being raised by their father’s family, and it is not known whether Darlene, Chuck, or any of her siblings have filed for custody or are planning to do so. They have kept a fairly private life since the incident and would still be grieving and dealing with the loss.
You must be logged in to post a comment.