DV Awareness Month begins with fatality

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

Domestic Violence is often thought of as being limited to intimate partner relationships. But the legal definition encompasses all relationships where one family member assaults another.

This past weekend I had the honor of commemorating those who lost their lives in Orange County by reading their names at the DV Task Force's event at Lake Eola. They are listed here.

If you review the names, you'll notice that of the 19 fatalities from October 2010 through September 2011, there were 6 children. 

We celebrate that the total number of DV deaths in Orange County dropped from 28 in the previous year to 19. But children are comprising a greater percentage of fatalities, rising from 14% to 32%.

And on the first day of DV Awareness Month, a former law enforcement officer, Timothy Allen Davis Sr,  shot and killed his adult son in an argument over his grandchild just a few hours after our event.

So the Orange County fatality list has a new name for next year's DV Task Force walk. And another family has forever been changed by domestic violence.

That should sadden us all. 

It Takes Courage: Walk for Awareness

The Orange County Domestic Violence Task Force kicks off Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a Walk at Lake Eola on Saturday, October 1st from 9:00 am until 10:30 am at the amphitheater. 

Please join us and learn more about the efforts in our community to eliminate DV, honor its victims, and connect with Task Force member agencies.

Here is a list of the 13 adults and 6 children who have lost their lives since last year's event:

10/6/2010

Alfonso Angelo Tapia (8 wks)

Perpetrator: father

Weapon: not disclosed

10/9/2010

Jill Morris

Perpetrator: boyfriend

Weapon: gun

10/11/2010

Jacob Carmichael

Perpetrator: romantic rival

Weapon: gun

11/15/2010

Christobal Escontrias

Perpetrator: girlfriend

Weapon: stabbed

11/17/2010

Malloree Tatum (6 mo)

Perpetrator: mother's boyfriend

Weapon: shaken baby

11/19/2010

Jaliya Rivera (4 mo)

Perpetrator: father

Weapon: shaken baby

2/2/2011

Jason Rodriguez

Perpetrator: romantic rival

Weapon: gun

3/3/2011

Thelma Carter

Perpetrator: Husband

Weapon: gun

3/3/2011

Noah Fake (3 yrs)

Perpetrators: mother & mother's BF

Weapon: blunt force trauma

3/16/2011

Fabiana Romero

Perpetrator: Estranged husband

Weapon: gun

4/3/2011

Rosa Barrientos Isalgue

Perpetrator: estranged husband

&

Raymond Treasure

Perpetrator: romantic rival

Weapon: gun

4/9/2011

Ruth Owino

Perpetrator: fiancé

Weapon: hand weight

5/28/2011

Tramaine Griffin

Perpetrator: romantic rival

Weapon: gun

6/30/2011

Carry Dorcelus

Perpetrator: children’s father

Weapon: gun

7/19/2011

Pamela Carr

Perpetrator: Husband

Weapon: gun

7/27/2011

Phillip Peatross

Perpetrator: girfriend

Weapon: gun

7/29/2011

Isaiah Shade (2 yrs)

Perpetrator: Mother's boyfriend

Weapon: blunt force trauma

8/29/2011

Bonnie Marie Caban-Pearce (5 mos)

Perpetrator: under investigation

Weapon: not disclosed

A trio of fatalities in 24 hours

Domestic Violence Awareness Month begins in less than two weeks. If you're not aware of DV in our community after this weekend, you must be living under a rock (either that, or you've been on jury duty for the Bob Ward murder case and therefore not allowed to view any news media).

Most people think that domestic violence only happens to lower income, uneducated people. Think again. The past two days in Central Florida should forever dissuade us from that notion.

Early morning, Sunday, September 18, 2011

Victim: Beatrice "Bea" Dickey, 44, murdered at home in Plant City
Alleged Perpetrator: Lawrence Douglas Dickey, husband
Weapon: baseball bat

Click here for the Lakeland Ledger's coverage

Bea Dickey's murder is perhaps what most of us think of when we hear a story about a domestic fatality. I wonder, though, did anyone at the Polk County Sheriff's Office suspect she might be a victim? 

Even though she was surrounded by law enforcement personnel at work, did she feel safe to disclose what was happening at home? Do the people she worked with know how to recognize domestic violence "warning signs" and how to refer their friend & co-worker to get assistance? Does the Sheriff's Department have a standard policy for dealing with domestic violence amongst its employees?
It is highly unlikely that we'll ever know the answers to most of these questions. But I hope that Ms. Dickey's death will make those closest to her ask them and formulate solutions to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.

Sunday morning, September 18, 2011

Victim: Theresa Fogle, 56, murdered at home in Lakeland

Alleged perpetrator: Jeremiah Fogle, husband, subsequently opened fire and wounded two pastors at the couple's former church nearby

Weapon: gun

Orlando Sentinel's coverage dated  9/18/11 and 9/19/11

It has been reported that Mr. Fogle pled to manslaughter in the death of another wife, Diane, 25 years ago and was only sentenced to probation for that crime. 

This tragedy highlights

• Abusers come from "good" families.
• There are abusers in religious institutions, often in prominent positions (Fogle was a deacon in his church).
• Abusers usually have many victims in their past (Fogle was married 7 times).
• The court system is often ineffective in how it handles perpetrator accountability, particularly in domestic violence cases.
• Domestic violence doesn't happen only in private. The church members who witnessed Mr. Fogle's shooting rampage were undoubtedly traumatized by his actions.
• Churches, like businesses, need policies in place for dealing with domestic violence.

Approximately 10:00 AM, Monday, September 19, 2011

Victim: Heidi Shelmire, 38, murdered at Burger King, her place of employment, in Debary

Alleged Perpetrator: Jesus Morales, ex-boyfriend

Weapon: gun

Click here for the Daytona Beach News Journal report on this case
Click here for WFTV's report

This tragedy highlights several "cracks" in the system:

• An injunction is not bulletproof. It only works if the respondent respects the law and is afraid of going to jail.
• Just because an injunction prohibits the respondent from having a firearm, it doesn't mean he or she will comply.
• Victims of dating/domestic violence need a safety plan when leaving a relationship. For some, an injunction might not be advisable. They need to seek assistance from trained advocates at their local DV shelter.
• Domestic/Dating violence doesn't happen only in private. Ms. Shelmire's co-workers and the patrons at the store were undoubtedly traumatized by Morales' actions.
• Employers need a comprehensive DV policy for the workplace. 
• For whatever reason, the perpetrator was not arrested for violating the injunction on previous occasions. If the victim called for help when he violated the injunction, I hope law enforcement takes a long, hard look at why the court order was not enforced.

Do you suspect someone at your workplace, school, church or neighborhood might be a victim of domestic violence? Don't  know how to help? 


Start the conversation with "I'm concerned about your safety" and help them get connected with a trained advocate to do a safety plan. Victims tend to feel completely isolated and embarrassed about their situation. Tell them it's not their fault and that there are people who can help.


You might just save a life.

Domestic Violence Related Fatalities in 2009

The following people died in Orange & Seminole Counties last year in domestic violence related incidents.

Orange County: 16 victims + 9 suicides = 25 fatalities
1/16: Jerry Cisco
1/28: Loyta Sloley murder-suicide (James Clayton, perpetrator)
2/28: Ramisha Oliver
3/1: Lolitta Flores
3/27: Brianna Morges-Gress (age 4 months)
4/2: Felix Davila
4/6: Maria Estela Lopez-Soto
4/21: Derrick Curry (suicide)
5/10: Celeo Rosales murder-suicide (Hafeza Adam, perpetrator)
6/12: Keshan Parboo (suicide)
7/16: Svend Aage Ovesen III (suicide)
8/3: Alexander May (suicide by cop)
8/8: Roosevelt Bradley III (age 8 months)
8/11: Ashley Diaz (age 4 months)
8/17: Freddie Spears
9/1: Alexis Franco (suicide)
9/22: Diane Elizabeth Ward
11/6: Elba Ortiz murder-suicide (Ignacio Hernandez, perpetrator)
11/24: Sophia Chasteen
11/25: Palin Perez (suicide by cop)
12/17: Demetria Harp
12/21: Norvell Childs, Sr.

Seminole County: 8 victims + 6 suicides = 14 fatalities
1/27: Anthony Jesy Cabral (age 2)
4/5: Mitchell Moore murder-suicide (Marie Moore, perpetrator)
6/13: Cynthia Wood, Aubrey Wood (age 10), Dillon Wood (age 12) murder-suicide (John Dillon Wood, perpetrator)
6/27: Kenneth Keefer (suicide)
7/4: Gary Adams (suicide)
8/2: Melanie Lee
9/28: Janessa Sandoval (age 2)
10/25: Jerry Wesley Camp (suicide by cop)
12/16: Jeanette Harper murder-suicide (Harry Harper, perpetrator)

Click here for more details on the dispositions of these cases as well as a listing of the fatalities from 2007 and 2008.

Please remember these people and the loved ones they've left behind. Because 2010 will likely be anything but a happy new year.