The Night I Turned Myself In

No one really understands how difficult something is until they're the one going through it. Imagine your life changing a whole 180 in a matter of seconds. Sunday, November 25th, 2018, my life changed — but not for the better.

I knew something was wrong when they called my cousin and told her the police were looking for me. Little naive me, thinking I was about to tell my side of the story, drove to the police station closest to me.

Deep down I knew. So while I was driving there I FaceTimed my mother to see my son, Odell. He was sleeping, but I insisted she wake him. When he was finally barely awake, all I could say was, "Odell, mami loves you. Baby, look at mami. I love you and I miss you." Thank God I FaceTimed him. It would be the last time I saw him for a long time.

I arrived not knowing what to expect. I hadn't thought far enough ahead to know what I would say. Somehow when I approached them, all that came out of my mouth was, "My name is Modesta Gomez and you guys are looking for me." They seemed shocked. Not many people turn themselves in. Which is what I had done, without knowing it.

An officer brought me into an interrogation room and told me to wait. From 10:45 PM until almost midnight, I waited. Then the detectives came in and questioned me.

At 1:50 AM on November 26th, 2018, I was handcuffed and transported. I was photographed. They took my fingerprints. They took everything from me — from my hair tie to my glasses. After some questions, I was placed in cell F1.