Taking care of Arraya

Arraya Scarlett of Folsom turned 9 years old just two days after her mother, the apparent victim of a murder suicide, was buried. The child's mother, Erin Scarlett, 39, was found shot to death July 16 on the upstairs balcony of a Wales Drive condominium located just blocks from the Folsom Police Department.At approximately 9 p.m. that Thursday night screams of "Somebody help me," followed by gunshots were heard in the Cobblestone Place condominium complex in the 200 block of Wales Drive, according to residents. When a SWAT team stormed the condo with flash grenades at 11 p.m., 41-year-old Michael Christopher Rogers and Erin Scarlett were found dead. Erin's daughter was not at home, according to the victim's sister Kelly Welch."She was at Grandma's house when it happened," Welch said. "That was a blessing."Welch said although Scarlett and Rogers had been married briefly and the two had been together for the past several years. She also said the gunman was not the child's father. "He wasn't her biological father but the only father she's ever known," Welch said. "They were raising Arraya together and anticipated getting remarried some day."The family held a memorial service for Erin on July 21, moving up the service to avoid Arraya from relating her birthday with her mother's death. Welch said her niece and the rest of the family are handling Erin's death as "any family would.""We are handling this with a lot of forgiveness toward Mike," Welch said. "He wasn't in his right mind."She said she and her husband, who have three grown children and are now caring for Arraya, have explained to the youngster that, "daddy" took medication that made him "think wrong." "We told her that when he realized what he'd done, he couldn't live with himself, so he took his own life," Welch said. She said that Rogers, who was a recovering alcoholic, recently started a new anti-depressant medication. Scarlett's family has forgiven Rogers for his actions and don't want Arraya to harbor resentment. "We want Arraya to grow up with some forgiveness," Welch said. Arraya told her aunt that her mom is in her heart and her dad is in a little place in her heart as well. "She's doing fine," Welch said. Arraya's grandmother, Shirley Scarlett, a long-time Folsom resident, echoed her daughter's sentiments."Because of Arraya we had to forgive. She loved (Rogers) with all her heart," Shirley Scarlett said. "We had to think of forgiveness at the beginning because of Arraya. She needs to forgive him."Officials believe that Erin Scarlett tried to escape through the back door before she was shot and killed. Officer Jason Browning of the Folsom Police Department said that Erin Scarlett was found on the deck off the master bedroom, and Rogers was found in the bedroom with a single gunshot wound to the head. "His family is suffering terribly," Welch said. "Through God we are learning to forgive. We have to — he was sick. He loved my sister and her daughter — they just had their problems."The Welch family, who live in El Dorado Hills, will assume guardianship of Arraya. "She'll be provided for, but every little bit helps," Welch said.The family has set up a memorial fund, to assist with burial costs as well as Arraya's needs.Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo branch to the Erin Scarlett Memorial Fund. Penne Usher can be reached at penne.usher@gmail.com.