LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — Since Monday Laurel County Public Schools and almost a dozen others in the region have canceled school and or are using non-traditional instruction.

For three days. Tiffany Hammock and her son have been together at parks, restaurants and more during hours when he would typically be in school.

The ongoing search for Interstate 75 shooting suspect Joseph Couch has schools closed because of safety concerns.

Hammock said it’s a situation truly unexpected and alarming for families and schools.

“I am fortunate that I work at the school with my little boy, so that makes it a little easier. But if I was still working at my old job, I don’t know how we would find day care and stuff on such short notice,” she explained. 

Hammock said the area is a traditionally smaller community that closed many of the central day care services in their town after COVID-19.

It’s why they often rely on one another for child care and other community needs. 

“Everybody is so close here and you never see anybody out with like five or ten people. We’ve got family on the way now, so we all pretty much just stick together if we need to hang out at each other’s house for the night or just have a big cookout, supper, buddies, all in one space, that’s kind of what we’ve been doing.”

She said while many families and the community are managing; she hopes justice comes soon. 

“Catch him because I just don’t know how long this can go on with everybody being off work. And they’re calling off work for a lot of them, even my husband. And, you know, that affects everybody. So, I mean, all we can do is just pray that God will take care of this quickly.” Hammock said.