Billie Jo Baretta Jones was born October 11, 1996, to an unwed mother who had arranged for the baby's adoption before the birth so that the child could immediately go to a family. Billie Jo was adopted by Mary and Elliott Jones, who had applied for adoption of a newborn about 18 months earlier and had completed all the necessary investigations and requirements for adoption. They had chosen to go through an adoption attorney rather than an agency.

The baby immediately captivated Mary and Elliott. Neither could get enough of watching her, cuddling her and nurturing her from the moment she entered their lives. It was an effort for them not to spoil her when she began exerting her will and independence, but they were conscientious parents and knew that discipline and structure were necessary to the development of a well-balanced child. Mary had taken maternity leave from work and hoped she could remain a stay-at-home mom, but needed to return to work a few months after Billie Jo's arrival.

Billie Jo thrived on the care of her loving parents and her babysitters, Aunties Julie and Eleanor. Like most youngsters, she was curious and adventurous as well as willful and independent. She loved exploring -- especially where she knew she wasn't supposed to go -- and wasn't fearful of going out on her own almost as soon as she began walking. In fact, her parents often laughingly related that Billie Jo never walked, but was running as soon as she learned to stand and put one foot in front of the other. Her parents loved her courage and independence However, more than once Billie Jo found herself on the receiving end of a "time out," a scolding, or in the corner for going off on her own in pursuit of what she wanted. Mary complained to friends that, once the child got an idea in her head, she was going to have what she wanted to have, regardless of danger, common sense, or any discipline Mary and Elliot could bring to bear.

Elliott was a good father and loved spending time with his little girl: reading to her and helping her learn new skills like roller skating and riding her tricycle and later a two-wheeler. She ran gleefully to her Daddy as soon as he came home from work. Mary loved seeing them together and took lots of pictures.

As soon as they felt Billie Jo would understand, Mary and Elliott told Billie Jo she was adopted and how special she was to them. Billie Jo accepted her life as a happy, normal one. She felt sorry for her friends whose natural parents sometimes treated them as a nuisance instead of special as her parents treated her.

Billie Jo knew Barbara Dubois all of her life since Mary made many of Barbara's pageant clothes and the fittings took place at Mary's home. Billie Jo thought Barbara the most beautiful person she had ever seen. It didn't take long for her to try to be like her idol and copy Barbara's mannerisms and talents. Barbara generously shared her limited free time with Billie Jo, taught her tap and jazz, and answered endless questions about the life of a beauty queen. Barbara didn't glorify the pageant life, and even subtly tried to discourage Billie Jo, but the child insisted she wanted to be a beauty queen just like her "Auntie Barbara." Upon Barbara's recommendation, Mary and Elliott told Billie Jo she must wait until she turned 10 before she could enter any pageants. Billie Jo could hardly wait and often told strangers who asked her age that she was 9 or 10. She didn't thinking of it as lying, but just her trick on people.

At the time of the Yoknapatawpha County Literature Festival Beauty Pageant, Billie Jo was still trying to recover from the death of her beloved Daddy in Iraq when she was shocked and horrified by the terrible thing that happened to her beloved Auntie Barbara.