Shining a light on domestic violence awareness

Domestic violence is a growing issue that plagues communities throughout the world and of course right here in the Magnolia State.

One Biloxi women hopes by sharing her daughter’s story, it could possibly save another from the horrors of relationship abuse.

Gabrielle Danyette Reed was an active teen, full of energy, enjoyed volunteering in her community, with plans after high school to serve her country. Her mother, Janice Reed, said, “She liked working with the 4-H Club. She liked working with the children. She was an honor student. She was a flag girl at the Biloxi Public School. She would help me with the tutoring program with AmeriCorps.”

She died from domestic violence at just 18-years-old at the hands of her then boyfriend, Rotheleo Dixon. “She went to see him. He’d just moved with his mother to Yazoo City. When she told him of what she was getting ready to do, with the military and getting sworn in, it happened the next day. He was outside with a barbecue pit, a grill and he took some lighter fluid and he was, “playing” he said to the judge, with the lighter fluid and he sprayed it at my daughter. The lighter fluid hit from her hair all the way down, her hands, her legs and he just struck a match and lit her on fire.”

Gabby suffered fourth and fifth degree burns and passed away days after the incident in the hospital.

Sandy Sanders with the Women’s Resource and Empowerment Center says Gabby’s story is all too common for both men and women.  “It says nation-wide experience physical abuse from dating partners in a single year, this is in a single year, one year, 1.5 million. We have to do something. Shedding a light on Gabby’s story, it is our desire to save another young girl, a young boy. That is our desire. That is our ultimate goal.”

Dixon was charged with murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2005. Reed and Sanders say they hope to prevent this from happening to you. “Tell somebody. That’s where your power is.”

“Tell your best friend. They have to responsibility to share it with someone who can cause some action.”