VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. ( WAVY) — In February, live coverage from 10 On Your Side’s Brett Hall took viewers to the scene of deadly domestic violence at a multi-family complex Portsmouth.
“It was just before 8:30 last night Portsmouth police were called to Kenny Lane for reports of a domestic dispute. Police found Shaquana Jordan shot, she would die at a hospital,” Hall reported.
Hasheed Ali Mills, 30, has been charged with the murder of a pregnant woman. His case is slowly winding its way through the Portsmouth Court system. A preliminary hearing is set for December 1.
The people who operate rental units where domestic violence unfolds are usually silent about such tragic cases, but Friday morning, a calvary of concern arrived at the Samaritan House headquarters in Virginia Beach. That’s the organization that wraps arms around those who live to flee domestic violence. said Kelsey Fadness is the nonprofit’s Marketing Director.
“So partnering with VAMA, the Virginia Apartment Management Association, is such an honor for us,” said Kelsey Fadness, Samaritan House marketing director. “They’ve been collecting donations over the last month for this event, and we’re going to help hundreds of families through these. The amount of donations that they’re bringing out here today, whether it’s toiletries, home care or personal care, it is going to impact the lives of so many people today.”
Fourteen property management companies and their tenants collected the supplies for victims who are running for their lives. Tarra Secrest beamed with pride as she explained how managers and tenants worked together to collect items for the victims of domestic violence.
“We had a great list of household items that the Samaritan House really decided were critical for their recovering victims in order to set up a new home,” Secrest said. “So blankets, sheets, towels, personal care items, those really add up, even can openers, to get really nice, good can openers to be able to live day to day is important.”
One company delivered a stack of blankets that could warm broken hearts this winter.
“So something as simple as a blanket, something as simple as personal care items can really make a difference to them,” Fadness said. “And we’re just very, very fortunate that we’re able to do that for them.”
According to the Domestic Violence Awareness Project, domestic violence is severely underreported and financial hardships can only exacerbate the hidden crime. If you are in need of help dial 911 or call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
