In recent weeks, a number of domestic violence cases have turned deadly in South Florida. On Wednesday, local leaders in Miami gathered at a roundtable discussion event to talk about ways to prevent these kinds of tragedies from happening and the limitations law enforcement may have.
The session began with a moment of silence in memory of Mary Gingles, her father David Ponzer and their neighbor Andrew Ferrin--the victims of a triple murder in Broward that took place in February.
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WATCH HERE"We ask ourselves if something could have been done differently,” said moderator Barbie Brewer, victim advocate manager for the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
From Jan. 1 through April 9, 2025, 662 domestic violence-related cases were reported in Miami-Dade County. Two of those were deadly, and authorities tell NBC6 an arrest was made in both cases.
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That’s why Miami leaders gathered Wednesday as part of the National Crime Victims Rights Week.
Rosa Kasse spoke with NBC6. She is a survivor of domestic violence and didn't hesitate to ask some tough questions at the discussion.
In Spanish, she recounted the first time her husband hit her. She said he hit her in the chest and she couldn’t understand why. Then, on a separate occasion, he threw a shoe at her and hurt her head, warning her not to call the police.
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She did so anyway. That was in 1998.
Kasse said she sought free resources to help women like herself and she took the case to court, establishing a restraining order against him and even changed the locks to her house, until eventually, law enforcement got involved.
Marie Etienne, a member of the county's Domestic Violence Oversight Board, spoke about how pervasive domestic violence is.
“I also have a former student who called me to assist her because she was being beaten and abused by her spouse," she said. "So we get these calls every day, and it's really hard.”
Although Etienne said she herself has never experienced domestic violence, she is a survivor of gun violence.
“That moment, I felt powerless…. no more, no more; we can't have another person die of intimate partner violence," Etienne said.
In 2019, just a year after she was robbed at gunpoint in front of her home, she created the nonprofit called The Global Innovative Foundation.
“We provide free counseling, we provide resources... we make sure that those survivors know that we're here for them,” she added.
Leaders said they will continue to host similar discussions in the Miami area to work with the community and better assist survivors.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
