From Deseret News archives:
Addiction drains life out of body and soul
Young mom's sudden death devastates family
Snapshot: A young Monica and her mother schussing down a ski hill.
Snapshot: Monica wearing a high school graduation gown and an I-did-it grin.
Snapshot: A thoughtful Monica reading a storybook to her young son and niece.
The disc doesn't include pictures of the decrepit Monica. The one with hollow cheeks and wrinkles unbecoming her age. The one with ugly sores. The one whose bones protrude from her sallow skin. The one her family could hardly recognize. The one they don't want to remember. The one they can't forget.
Families don't put those kinds of images on a funeral DVD.
Despite some struggles her parents' divorce, pregnant at 16, bouts of depression, weight gain Monica Baird seemingly had it all together.
The 22-year-old single mother was sarcastically witty and full of laughter. She doted on her preschool-age son. She wrote in a poem, "I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a mom."
That was before methamphetamine.
Addiction drained the life out of her body and soul. She carried a scant 100 pounds on her 5-foot-6-inch frame. She turned irritable, angry and mean. She sent her son out to play alone so he could learn "more responsibility." She harshly scolded and grounded him when he wandered too far. He was 4.
She lost her job as a scrub tech at a hospital. She was evicted from her apartment. She jacked cars for meth money.
Her family didn't know her anymore. The daughter, the sister, the mom they knew wasn't capable of so much unfeeling.
In late October, Monica's druggie boyfriend nearly strangled her to death in a sleepless rage. She fled and desperately tried to check herself into a women's detox center at 3 a.m. on a Sunday but was turned away for lack of a bed.
A week later, on Halloween night, she died of heart failure, three days shy of her 23rd birthday. She left behind a 5-year-old son. She had used meth for about a year.
Recent comments
I recently found out that Monica died. This came as a complete shock...
Stacy | May 18, 2008 at 11:41 p.m.
I married Monica's father in 1997 and we live in Texas. I first met...
Jolene Baird | May 16, 2008 at 2:25 p.m.
Monica Baird was my aunt. I Love her with all my heart. I think of my...
Jasmine baird | April 29, 2008 at 10:28 a.m.
- I-15 driver may have suffered stroke 6:15 p.m.
- Kansas a runaway No. 1 in AP 5:55 p.m.
- 5 years to life for holiday slaying 5:54 p.m.
- Transactions 5:46 p.m.
- Witnesses to testify in Mitchell case 5:44 p.m.
- Grizzlies, Iverson part ways 5:43 p.m.
- Provo launches new Web site 5:39 p.m.
- Titans owner fined $250,000 5:38 p.m.
- Don't blame Fox for 'Dollhouse' 5:24 p.m.
- Stomach virus, food poisoning similar 5:24 p.m.
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- Wounded Utes limp home
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full
- RSL surprised by Chicago's Fire
- Barzee to plead guilty
- Williams returns to team
- Jazz notes: Young bigs ride bench
- Vitamin D deficiency puts U.S. at risk
- TCU creams U.
233 - BYU happy to escape with victory
232 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
221 - Will state consider gay rights law?
158 - RSL heads to MLS title game
133 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
132 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
114 - MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
112 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
The Gateway, 400 W. 200 South, will kick off the holiday shopping season...
I was a bit under the weather last week, which gave me some time to...
Abe Lincoln That must be why those who were at the Annapolis Convention...
FYI: The three games at Rice-Eccles makes it cost effective. The daily fee...
For the smaller schools, Salt Lake City is not a central location. Most of...
I am still mad about his voting down the flag amendment. That was a slp in...
way to go utes- just like all you arrogant fans promised, you did keep the...
Maynor played two great games. Has nothing but positive words from his...
Did the period and the question mark swap places. I don't get it?
ALWAYS MAKE THE BINGHAM ALTA GAME THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME... DO NOT TELEVISE IT...
OK, kudos to the Lord's church. I must admit I am a little surprised that...
Because coaches vote and coaches only know their own team and who their team...

