By Julissa Marte | Observer Contributor
Tiana Notice, a victim to domestic violence, lost her own life but has saved many more. Kathy Lewis, her mother, an employee at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC), recently spoke during domestic violence awareness month at MWCC where she gave details of her daughter’s death and the family’s subsequent steps to help victims of domestic violence.
According to Lewis, Notice visited 3 different police stations in Connecticut in 2016. In her hometown of Plainville, she visited the station 33 times seeking help after getting a restraining order against James Carter, the murderer. She brought substantial evidence to arrest him after he violated the restraining order by stalking her with calls and emails.
But he masterminded the police by getting another restraining order against the victim with false allegations and evidence. The police decided to run a background check and fingerprints on Notice but not on Carter. He had a record of domestic violence and offenses, according to Lewis.
Notice, unable to get the help, turned to her parents. Her mother said, “I called [the Sergeant and] said, Look you can’t wait until Tuesday; I don’t want my daughter becoming a statistic.” Lewis said the Sergeant responded by saying, “Nothing is going to happen to your daughter,” which startled Lewis. Then Notice’s father, a correctional officer, installed cameras in her home for protection and evidence against James.
As stated by Lewis, on Valentine’s Day, 10 days after her 25th birthday, Notice was butchered and killed by Carter. She lay on the floor for 30 minutes, next to an officer, for an ambulance because there were not any private ambulances that could bring the victim to the nearest hospital that was 15 minutes away.
After a guilty verdict for Carter, the family also sought justice from the police department. Obtaining a victory, the jury ruled that the police department was responsible for the wrongful death of Tania Notice.
Connecticut laws changed after her death to protect domestic violence victims, male and female. The state was famous for failing to protect women, said Lewis. Notice’s father, Alvin, introduced a GPS system to the state, where the victim and police can know how close or far the offender is from the victim. Kathy Lewis started a Foundation in her daughter’s name, “making lemonade out of lemon,” said Lewis, by helping young women install video cameras for free to have for evidence. Her website is http://www.tiananoticefoundation.org/.
“[I] wasn’t able to save her, [but] we can probably save other people.” said Lewis.
Comments are closed.