It all started with a slap. He didn’t apologize and even though her family made it clear this was unacceptable she was only 16 and knew she loved him. She forgave him and continued the relationship. The years passed and the abuse continued and escalated. He would hit her with sticks or whatever was handy. She lost her children. Her family distanced themselves. She got a job, an apartment and finally kicked him out. Things were finally looking up for her. He made one final appearance at her apartment. This was the scene of her murder. He literally beat her to death. Her body wasn’t found for over a week. That’s how isolated she had become. This was not a simple crime of passion, but a systematic pattern of escalating violence.
We all grieve for Brittney and the loss of her child to the system. We hope that her story will be a caution to someone else who might find themselves in her situation.
