Published: October 06, 2008 11:16 pm            

Care and concern: Vigil commemorates domestic violence victims

TERRE HAUTE — Standing between City Hall and the Vigo County Courthouse, Annette Valangeon held a photograph of her sister, Carolee Ann Reid, at Monday evening’s vigil in honor of the victims of domestic violence.

Reid, 38, died less than a month ago in her apartment. A former boyfriend is accused of the crime and faces trial next year.

When Reid’s name was spoken over the loudspeaker, Valangeon released a violet-colored balloon bearing her sister’s name into the mild evening sky. Then she started to cry.

One-by-one, Yvonne Creekbaum, director of resident services for the Council on Domestic Abuse in Vigo County, stated the names of 28 victims of domestic violence killed since the mid-1990s in the Wabash Valley. With each name, a balloon was released, floated high above City Hall and then drifted west.

“Nobody should ever die that way,” Valangeon said of her sister’s death. The accused killer is “in there,” she said looking at the nearby Vigo County jail. “And I’m glad he’s there.”

Also honored at Monday night’s vigil was Michael Nichols, an 11-month-old boy killed two years ago in Bridgeton. A former boyfriend of the mother was convicted of battery to a child causing death and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Rosie Myers, the child’s grandmother, was at the vigil and released a balloon bearing the boy’s name.

“It means a lot” to attend the candlelight vigil, Myers said. She has tried to attend every year since her grandson died, she said.

Several thousand cases of domestic violence are handled each year at the Vigo County Courthouse, said Susan Hall, executive director of CODA in the Wabash Valley. In Vigo County alone, CODA provided shelter for more than 300 adults and children last year, she said.

“Our only homicide this year was a victim of domestic violence,” said Terre Haute Police Chief John Plasse, who spoke at the vigil. Plasse urged anyone seeing the signs of domestic abuse to notify the police. “Let us get involved,” Plasse said. “It may be hard to do … but you can save their life if you do,” he said.

Another balloon at the vigil was released in honor of Jessica Jones, 26, a woman killed just two days after last year’s CODA candlelight vigil.

“It was very, very sad,” Creekbaum said of Jones’ death. Jones was shot to death outside the Drury Inn in Terre Haute late on the night of Oct. 4 last year. Her alleged killer was her ex-husband. He was shot and killed by police later the same night while holding one of the couple’s children on his lap and displaying a gun.

Monday night’s vigil was designed to honor victims of domestic abuse, to increase awareness of domestic violence and let people know of the services CODA offers to help victims get out of dangerous situations, Creekbaum said. On average, a victim of domestic violence leaves the violent situation seven times before getting away, she said. The level of danger rises when the victim tries to leave, so CODA tries to help people making that transition, Creekbaum said.

As the vigil came to a close, soft guitar music filled the air. Those who came to honor the victims of domestic abuse, a crowd of about 60, quietly extinguished their candles and walked to their cars.

“Remember what we have done here tonight,” Hall said as the vigil came to an end. “Celebrate the lives of the victims. Only through education and intervention can we hope to eliminate domestic violence.”

Anyone interested in making a donation of clothing, household goods or other items to CODA should call (812) 234-3441.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.

        

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