Member-only story
A little before 3 am on October 2, 1999, 74-year-old Steven Beard dialed 911 for help. As his stomach organs began to spill out, he called for an ambulance and told the operator, “My guts are in my hands.” He was in excruciating agony and attempting to find out what was wrong while lying in bed.
Who was Celeste?
Originally from California, Celeste Johnson was adopted as an infant by Edwin and Nancy Johnson on February 13, 1963. She had a troubled upbringing, suffering physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her father and ultimately attempting suicide in her teens.
Celeste had her twin daughters, Jennifer and Kristina, in 1980, when she was just 17 years old. Craig Bratcher, Celeste’s fiance and the father of her children, was the man she would eventually marry. According to Celeste, Craig struggled to control his anger and fought demons with drugs and alcohol. In 1983, Celeste left her husband.
Living on her own
Celeste opted to join the Air Force because she was unable to cope with being a single mother of twins. She had no choice but to leave the twins in Craig’s care. However, she decided against joining because she was unable to bear the…
