Newport News, Va. - Detective Amber Rogers has one of the toughest jobs in the Newport News Police Department.
She's an investigator in the special victims unit.
“I chose to be in this unit for a specific reason. I could have chosen another unit. I'm passionate about working with kids, passionate about working with victims of sex crimes and that's what drives me to solve the case and get it to court and get it prosecuted,” says Rogers.
Detective Rogers investigated the murder of 13-year-old Lamonee Johnson-Chisholm for days, tracking down witnesses and ultimately charged a 15-year-old with murder.
And there's the case of two 13-year-olds charged with poisoning their teacher at Hines Middle School.
Through her investigation, Detective Rogers found the kids had been putting hand sanitizer in their teacher's coffee over several months.
Detective Rogers says her team in Newport News SVU makes all the difference.
“We all have the same emotions about the crimes. We're all passionate about it. So we really work together to come together to get the job done. Some cases are harder than others,” says Rogers.
In the case of little Madyson Van Cleave, the four-year-old was found not breathing in her mother's home. She died at the hospital.
Police say her mother's boyfriend, Carl Cottee, Jr. admitted to being involved in Madyson's death.
The truly tough days make detective Rogers remember why she works so hard for her victims.
When you go home, you hug your kids a little tighter and kiss them a little more,” says Rogers.
“We really need people like her out there. These really are horrible cases and are tragic and we really are grateful we have people like her to do it,” says Joseph Moore, Newport News’ Interim Chief.
Related:
Teen accused of murder allegedly confessed in Facebook messages to victim
Teen charged in shooting death of 13-year-old Newport News boy
Family of murdered 4-year-old says CPS failed to do thorough investigation
