Over the weekend in Sunrise, Florida, a five year-old child runs out from witnessing a massacre in her own home to a neighbors door for help.In front of the child [pictured above in grandma's arms] her step-father at close range shoots Danielle Lorenzo age 30[pictured right] her mother, fires another round at her grandma Linda Scudera, age 56, before turning the gun on himself committing suicide.
With the assistance of the neighbor the 5 year child spoke to the 911 operator in detail as to what happened. The call is very disturbing and it is below:
Listen:
UNCUT: Sunrise 911 CallThe child says " I need someplace to live my mommy, daddy and grandma are dead."
Today in court a hearing was held as to the temporary placement of the child. Under child services she will temporarily remain with a babysitter with whom she is familiar. But what happens to the child when these strangers who will have control of her until the age of 18, determine where to place her? Is anyone really all that concerned about another child, suddenly a number in the system?
The 911 call must be America's awake up to take action in all cases of intimate partner homicide and those left behind. Danielle had suffered prior incidents of abuse. She had enough and was planning on divorcing her husband. He responded to Danielle's request to end the relationship by killing she and her mother in cold blood.
The child will never, ever recover from this trauma. She will require services that the State of Florida will not cover due to lack of quality resources and services. Placing the child in the system will be internalized at some level as a punishment for what "daddy did to my mommy." And if you believe she will get past this or forget what happened, you are mistaken. When you witness or discover such horror, nothing erases it from your mind. Very few experts treating this type of specific trauma are not successful and often resort to medication as a major part of therapy.
The solution begins in recognizing intimate partner violence as a crime. The lives this shatters go beyond the victim and offender. It literally destroys the ability for a child to live a normal life well into their adult years.
Week after week I provide an insight into these real life tragedies, praying that the world will wake up and actually do something that changes lives. Treat these cases from the beginning with the same seriousness given to a drunk who gets in their car and drives. The offenders committing a first or second offense have no consequences as it relates to intimate partner violence. For the most part it is not dealt with as a crime, even though we have laws that say otherwise.
I am the daughter of Roberta Murphy. When she was alive, I had a brief glimmer that hope really existed. When she was murdered in cold blood by my father who then committed suicide, the sun stopped shinning in my life. And though I so readily attempt to pass hope out to the world like a piece of candy on a street corner, it is what gets me up most mornings. The possibility that I can and do keep another person alive.
Related Coverage:
Providing information on what you need to do if you or someone you know is in a potentially violent relationship is done with the hope of saving lives. My work in the area of intimate partner prevention of homicides for over 20 years is a direct result of not being able to save my own mother back in 1989, killed by her police detective husband prior to committing suicide.
And as always, if you have questions, my email adddress is murphymilano@gmail.com
If you are in a relationship that has a history of violence, simply mustering up the courage to confront the person and say it is over, without the proper tools, can cost you, your life!
One of the major reasons women stay in abusive relationships is fear. They are afraid of what will happen to them and their children if they leave. Sadly, their fears are often justified; statistics show that a woman is at the greatest risk for injury when sheannounces her plans or leaves an abusive relationship.The book "Time's Up A Guide on How To Survive and Abusive and Stalking Relationship" is the prescription, if you will, that every person must obtain before they announce they are leaving. Below is an example from Chapter 4, one of many unique tools provided in the book. It is available onAmazon.com, or you can purchase via e-book or on a cd. If you have questions, the email address is: timesupforjustice@gmail.com
Before you decide that you have had enough and are ending the relationship create for yourself the "Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit" and video (shown below).
If you do nothing else, please take one important step that if something does happen to you, if you do vanish like Stacy Peterson, Vensus Stewart, Rachel Anderson, Susan Powell, Lisa Stebic, or arefoundmurdered like Monica Beresford-Redmond, Franki Jacobson, Renee Pagel, Summer Inman,Kelly Rothwell and others where the person responsible has gotten away with murder that your voice and record of the abuse will be captured and recorded. Do it for you friends, family and loved ones. Do it for your children. Do it for you!
Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit by Susan Murphy Milano from the Book "Time's Up"from Courage Network on Vimeo.
If you have questions, the email address is: timesupforjustice@gmail.com
This book doesn't merely discuss when you should leave or why you should leave, it tells you HOW you should leave. The book has step-by-step instructions how to covertly make a plan, set-up a safe escape, deal with financial issues, and the paperwork. Susan even takes you line-by-line through the process, the forms, the legal issues...she takes you by the hand, and, believe me, when you are being terrorized and you are an basket case, you don't need vague ideas, you need specific instructions. TIME'S UPcan save your life and your sanity. If you need to get out, get this book before you make a mistake that could be fatal. It is money well spent.
****
Susan Murphy Milano is a staff member of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education as a educator and specialist with intimate partner violence prevention strategies directing prevention for high risk situations and cases.
A national trainer to law enforcement, training officers, prosecutors, judges, legislators, social service providers, healthcare professionals, victim advocates and the faith based community. In partnership withManagement Resources Ltd. of New York addressing prevention and solutions within the community to the workplace.
Online contributions: Forbes : Crime, She Writes providing commentary about the hottest topics on crime, justice, and law from a woman’s perspective, as well as Time's Up! a blog which searches for solutions (SOS) for victims of crime.
Radio Shows: Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" . She is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated "The Roth Show" with Dr Laurie Roth and a co-host on Crime Wire.
Books: Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships,Moving out, Moving on, and Defending Out Lives.
Books: Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships,Moving out, Moving on, and Defending Out Lives.
