The Rivazfar tragedy
It was early morning.
A couple drove down the road in the small town of Jay, Florida. Then they saw a girl waving at them with one hand.
Her other hand was touching her throat.
The couple stopped and approached the girl. Her neck was bleeding profusely.
They immediately called 911.
Dispatcher: 911. What’s your emergency?
Caller: Um, I found a little girl this morning down Jay Highway with her neck cut.
Dispatcher: Her neck cut?
Caller: Yeah. She ain’t but about 9 or 10.
Dispatcher: Okay, are you gonna stay there…
Caller: Yes until the county shows up.
Dispatcher: Okay.
Caller: But if this girl passes out on me, then I’m gonna get her to a hospital.
Sayeh and Sara Lived In Florida
Sayeh, Sara, and Arash lived in Florida with their mother, Patricia Pafford.
Sayeh Rivazfar was just eight years old, while Sara was six. Sayeh and Sara’s parents had divorced, and their mother had gained custody of the children.
The problem was that Patricia was an alcoholic and often neglected Sayeh and her siblings.
Thus Sayeh found herself playing the role of a mother to her siblings.
She prepared breakfast for them while taking care of her mother when she had migraines from her hangovers.
Meanwhile, Patricia had a nasty habit.
She often brought her many boyfriends home, exposing her children to strange men she barely knew. One of the many boyfriends was a man named Raymond Warfield Wike.
Raymond was initially friendly with Sayeh and her siblings. He bought them gifts and treats.
And Patricia and Raymond’s relationship lasted longer than usual.
So he became like a father figure to her children.
But Raymond soon began being inappropriate with Sayeh.
He started assaulting her.
And he made Sayeh promise not to tell anyone their little secret, or else he would kill her family.
Meanwhile, child services were often called to the Rivazfar home. At one point, Sayeh suffered cigarette burns at the hands of her mother. Then Sara got a bruised lip.
Patricia broke up with Raymond after a year and started dating another man.
A Couple Found a Girl With Her Neck Cut
On September 22nd,1988, a couple was driving down a road in Jay, Florida. Then they saw a girl waving at them with one hand while the other hand touched her throat.
The couple stopped, approached the girl, and noticed her neck bleeding profusely.
The man gave the girl his T-shirt so she could hold it against her wound. Meanwhile, the woman called the police.
The police soon arrived at the scene, followed by the paramedics. Then the girl told them everything that had happened.
“Who did this to you?” The police asked the girl.
“Ray, Ray did.” The girl stated.
The girl also told the police that her sister was still somewhere in the forest. The police promised the girl that they were going to find her sister.
Then the girl was rushed to the hospital.
Patricia Left Her Children At Night
On September 21st, 1988, Patricia left her children in the care of her new boyfriend and went to drink at a neighborhood bar.
That night, a man woke Sayeh up and dragged her out of bed and out of the house.
Sayeh looked at the man and realized that it was Raymond.
Raymond put Sayeh in the front seat of his car. Then he went back inside, took out Sara, and placed her in the back seat.
Raymond drove Sayeh and Sara to a dirt road.
He tied Sara up. Then he turned back to Sayeh, and he forced himself on her.
Sara hysterically started crying as she watched her sister being raped.
Then a pair of headlights suddenly turned in their direction and got closer. Raymond threatened Sayeh and Sara to keep quiet.
Then Raymond had a mini conversation with the driver of the other car.
Raymond told the driver that he had a problem with his car and was fixing it. Then the driver left.
Raymond Assaulted Sayeh the Whole Night
Raymond went on to assault and torture Sayeh until morning.
When morning came, Raymond told Sayeh to put her pants back on and stand outside his car. Then he picked up Sara and led the two into the woods.
Raymond left Sara on the side of the tree, and he turned to Sayeh.
“Say your prayers.” Raymond blurted out.
Then he pulled out a knife, held it to Sayeh’s neck, and slit it. Sayeh dropped to the ground, then she closed her eyes and played dead.
Sayeh listened as Sara screamed and cried a few minutes later.
Then Sara went quiet.
Sayeh heard Raymond jump over her body. Then he ran to his car and drove away. Then she opened her eyes and called Sara’s name repeatedly.
Sara didn’t respond.
So Sayeh made her way to the road with one hand to her throat. A blue truck passed by on the road, and Sayeh stopped it.
Then the police were called, and Sayeh was rushed to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the police found Sara in the forest, but she was already dead.
Sayeh and Sara’s father took a flight to Florida when he heard about the tragic news.
The Aftermath
Raymond was arrested later that day.
Sayeh testified against him in court.
Raymond was found guilty of kidnapping, sexual assault, attempted murder, and first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death.
Sayeh and Sara’s father, who had been fighting for years to get custody of his children, finally won, and he took Sayeh and her brother.
Sayeh currently works as a New York State trooper. She has made it her life goal to protect others against monsters like Raymond.
Sayeh stated;
“I wanted to honor Sara, my sister, and bring awareness and possibly even prevention by sharing my story with the families of the victims.
My mission was to become a strong voice for all girls, all women, all crime victims, and their families.
A mission of hope to illuminate that path for those who are walking this dark path that I walked as a child. A fighter for those who need me now.
Know this; I will never give up that fight.
I know that Sara is out there watching me, keeping me safe. That is my guardian angel.”
Sources: Littlethings.com, Syracuse.com, Unseen