CW Domestic Violence
To Prosecutors Dennis Watkins and Stanley Elkins,
My name is Cherelle Baldwin and I am a domestic violence survivor. I was released after my winning my trial in March 31, 2016 and serving 3 years of incarceration for the death of my son father. I recently just learned about the case of Bresha Meadows who is incarcerated in a juvenile detention in Ohio. I am saddened with the fact of the state prosecuting someone so young for the trauma she had to suffer in her household.
I am 25 now but at age 19 my son’s father mentally, physically, and emotionally abused me after i had our child. I didn’t know how to deal with it because i was so young and so scared for me and my son life. On May 18, 2013 my son’s father Jeffrey Brown attempted to kill me in front of our 19 month old son. He then began to chase me with a belt after I got away from him beating me and that’s when i knew it had to be me or him. When i got in my car and attempted to get away i just knew i couldn’t leave my son there with him. At that point he was still coming after me with the belt . I then was left to defend myself with my car nearly killing myself and finding out later on that he had died. A month later i was charged with murder and held on a 1 million dollar bond. Incarceration did not help me but made me more traumatized from the situation. I can only imagine that Bresha Meadows feel the same way.
No one knows what it feels like to suffer from abuse unless your in that situation. Please do not punish her but seek help for her. She is a child and I know she live in remorse just like I do everyday of my life. The system have failed Bresha Meadows and her mother. All she wanted was to save her mom and herself from an abuser. She is already traumatized by this tragedy but now to punish her at 14 does not make it any better. Why not help her instead of punishing her? Please bring Bresha home to her family.
Sincerely,
Cherelle Baldwin
#FreeBresha 