River Bates, Skyler Bates and Leland Bates smile for a photo. River and Leland died of heat-related injuries last year. Their mother, Tasha Bates, has been charged in their deaths.Some days, the grandmother still looks over her shoulder to see if the 3-year-old toddler is on her heels.
River Bates was always like that — underfoot, wanting to be as close to an adult as he could. It’s easy to think he’s not too far behind, says his paternal grandmother, Linda Bates.
And it’s still her instinct to look for the 5-year-old’s flash of red hair at family gatherings.
Little Leland Bates was usually content to be off on his own, but ready to give his sweet smile to relatives who asked for it.
Sometimes it still seems like they’re just around the corner — just in the next room.