Loading Video…
This browser does not support the Video element.
Turf for field honoring 10-year-old never arrived
A Cobb County Christian school appears to have been swindled out of more than $100,000. North Cobb Christian School officials say they bought the turf for a new project that they never received.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A metro Atlanta Christian school appears to have been swindled out of more than $100,000. North Cobb Christian School officials say they bought turf for a new sports complex, but they never received it.
The final touches are now being put on the new softball and baseball complex at the school.
"A nice little facility for the girls to have a locker room, hitting cages, public restrooms, everything. It will also act as a baseball field for our middle school," said Todd Clingman, the head of the school.
Plans for the project have been underway for a while.
"We got all the funding together, we broke ground, and we began to get ready for the turf," said Clingman.
The turf was supposed to show up in June. It never did.
The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. The baseball field at North Cobb Christian School honoring a 10-year-old killed in a house fire was almost in danger of not being completed after a more than $100,000 turf order never arrived. Clingman says they paid a woman named Tracey Leann Morton $106,000 for turf.
"We were communicating with her, and we weren't getting any response, and we were starting to get a funny feeling, and sure enough, when it came time to have it all come together there was no turf," said Clingman.
There's now a warrant out for Morton's arrest on theft charges.
"What happened was wrong, and it needs to be made right," said Clingman.
Walker Phillips (Supplied)
This project has special meaning for the entire school community. The field honors the life of Walker Phillips. Walker was a fourth-grade student who died in a house fire 2 years ago. He has a brother and sister who attend North Cobb Christian.
"It rocked our community in so many different ways. We wanted to honor that family specifically with this field," said Clingman.
SEE ALSO: Cartersville organization spreading love by fighting hunger across the world
The school had to scramble to find turf and get it installed quickly.
With a little more than a week before the first game, the field was almost ready to go.
A No. 2 was placed in the middle of the baseball field at North Cobb Christian School to honor 10-year-old Walker Phillips. (FOX 5)
The number "2" is in the center. That was Walker's number.
The words "Live Like Walker" are in front of the home dugout.
"What happened was not right, and it needs to be made right financially. But it's not going to detract from our enthusiasm and our commitment to honor Walker and the Phillips family in the way he deserves to be honored," said Clingman.