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Sgt. Baker's biological mother shares painful loss

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Nearly five months after his death, the biological mother of Sgt. Daniel Baker sat down with NewsChannel 5 to discuss the family's painful journey to healing.

Veronica Bryan moved away from Hickman County to Huntsville, Alabama after her son was gunned down while on duty on May30

She thanked all of the community's ongoing support and decision to honor the beloved deputy but it was all too much.

"Thank you to all of the people that wanted to hug me and patted me on the back but I was reliving it everyday, so my husband and I decided we should move," Bryan told NewsChannel 5.

Her new home contains several pictures and decorations to honor Baker. There's a wreath and blanket colored in black and blue to represent law enforcement in the living room. She always wears a necklace with his badge number 95. As soon as you walk in you can see lettering on the wall with his name and when he died.

"I have him in my heart and all these things give me peace. Everywhere I go he will be with me no matter what," she said.

Steven Wiggins and Erika Castro-Miles have been charged with murder. Baker approached the vehicle they were in after it was reported to police, but after he told Wiggins to get out through the passenger side door, body cam footage showed the deputy running away after several shots were fired.

"I felt disgust, I felt anger, I felt sadness, I felt hurt, I think I felt every emotion that anyone can feel when you look at somebody that had killed your child," she said.

The body cam footage showed him stumbling on the ground before he was eventually shot some more.

"It was hard to watch and it was hard to hear his voice. It was hard to see his hand go in front of his face to shield his face and it was hard knowing he did not have his safety vest on," Bryan said.

She wanted to send a message for the suspects.

"I would tell them they had no idea how they have altered the lives of so many people, people that loved Daniel, people Daniel loved, our lives are forever changed," she stressed.

Bryan also wanted people to know that her son was a beloved father who would sacrifice anything for his family. He loved being a part of law enforcement and was known to be an avid hunter.

"He liked to joke and laugh. He was a peacemaker, and I know the term peacemaker goes simultaneously with police officers but honestly in his heart he was a peacemaker," she added.

The family is now waiting for the trial which is set in August 2019.