CLEVELAND — Sharon Howard cries as she tries to process the fact that she'll never see her daughter Tara again.
It was just around 3 a.m. when she got the call that her daughter was killed in what police say was a domestic violence incident at a home in the 3000 block of East 125th Street.
She immediately drove to Cleveland to get her grandkids, and now she's trying to figure out what’s next.
“So, it's a big loss. It's a big hole in my heart now, and it hurts. I'm not supposed to bury my kids,” Howard said.
Tara Howard’s case is one of a grim increase in domestic violence incidents Ohio has seen since the pandemic.
Melissa Graves with the Journey Center says not only are they seeing more domestic violence cases but more extreme abuse.
“Here in the state of Ohio in 2021, there were actually 131 deaths attributed to domestic violence homicide, that was a 20% increase over the year before,” Graves said.
She continued, “They're coming into shelter with severe physical injuries, broken arms, you know, broken, broken hands, broken arms, facial injuries.
And sadly, those numbers aren't going down, but she reminds everyone to keep their eyes open because it could be anyone hurting because something wasn't done sooner.
Sharon Howard just hopes that no family has feel the pain she does, and that the domestic violence will stop.
“For the young women out there and going through this take a second look at it. Think about yourself and care about yourself enough to get yourself out of that because you are worth more. You were so much more, and the children are worth more and your families are worth more. So, think about it before you get involved,” Howard said.
Help is available for those in a domestic violence situation.
Click here for local resources from the Journey Center for Safety and Healing.
You can also call the center at 216-229-2420.
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