A more prevalent problem in Florida than many people realize, domestic violence often occurs without the knowledge of people close to the victim. In some cases, friends and family of the victim may suspect that something is wrong, but in many situations, the perpetual mistreatment is not fully understood or even visible. Despite the victim’s best efforts or intentions to escape the abusive relationship, doing so safely can be incredibly daunting and even dangerous.
A recent incident out of Garden Grove, California resulted in the death of an 11-year-old girl after her step-father committed a violent act against his family. Reports started coming in early in the morning and when authorities arrived at the scene of the family’s home, they found a young mother who had been both shot and stabbed. She told responding authorities that it was her husband who was responsible for the crime and pointed to where he was hiding. When he was found, he was threatening to hurt himself and had already inflicted injuries on his body.
Investigators worked their way inside of the home and found the 11-year-old girl who had also received numerous stab wounds. She did not survive her injuries. Authorities also found two young boys in the home who were uninjured. Despite ongoing investigation into what had happened, authorities were calling the incident a domestic dispute. Neighbors expressed disbelief and shock that a violent incident had taken place in their usually quiet neighborhood. They also remarked at how nothing had seemed unusual in the days leading up to the deadly encounter.
If people have been involved in a domestic situation and are trying to establish a case, they may wish to contact an attorney. Doing so can provide them with direction through the process of gathering evidence and articulating a timeline of events.
Source: KTLA5, “11-Year-Old Girl Killed, Mother Shot and Stabbed in Garden Grove; Stepfather in Custody: Police,” Tracy Bloom and Kareen Wynter, Aug. 29, 2018
