​Lantern Project: Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities. We know the list of stories we post here is incomplete. We strive to learn about and share these stories but know that there are some that we and the media miss. If you see a news story of a death in WI related to domestic violence and don't see it posted here, please feel free to let us know about it here. Thank you.

July 13th 2018 Laurie Suzann Colon, age 37, Kimberly, WI 

Obituary

​Laurie’s obituary, which appears in Tuesday's Post-Crescent, describes Greg as Laurie’s “soon to be ex-husband,” and calls her a victim of domestic violence. Laurie and Greg Colon were in the process of getting a divorce, according to Outagamie County court records.
The Outagamie County Coroner’s Office confirmed Tuesday that Laurie and Greg Colon died Friday.
Tina Kraut, a friend of Laurie's, said in an interview Tuesday morning that Laurie was planning to move to Pennsylvania — where she graduated from high school — after the divorce was finalized.
Kraut said she last spoke to Laurie last week and has had conversations with Laurie in which she described her husband as being controlling and verbally abusive.
“She was not allowed to go out or spend time with friends,” Kraut said.
Laurie Colon was born Dec. 29, 1980, in Stevens Point to Kenneth and Nadine Guilbault of Appleton. She graduated from high school in Lititz, Pennsylvania, but moved to the Fox Cities in 2005.
She worked at Convergys as a supervisor for years before she became a sales team leader at eplus.com, an internet security firm.
Her funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Valley Funeral Home in Appleton. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. A GoFundMe page for Laurie has raised more than $3,300 to benefit Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs in Appleton.
The Colons did not have children together, according to court records.
The Fox Valley Metro Police Department was sent to a single-family residence at 5:42 p.m. Friday and found a man and woman, both dead, police said Monday.
"As part of our initial investigation, there was a continued law enforcement presence at the scene of this investigation for several days," police said
No additional details have been released by police, who have not yet formally released the identity of the victims. The case was described as an ongoing investigation.

Welcome to the July 2018 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!​

Denim Day Funds Raised
Approximately 50 agencies, businesses, schools, and churches in our five county service area participated in Denim Day this April by wearing jeans in support of survivors. Some groups choose to collect donations for Hope House in addition to their awareness efforts. Funds raised this year totalled over $3,000. Thank you for your support!  

Hope House Donation Needs
Monetary donations are most needed.  Individuals have the option of donating ​online.  Please note that a portion of your online donation will go towards PayPal fees.  Donations can be mailed to Hope House, P.O. Box 557, Baraboo, WI 53913. We also appreciate gas cards, gift cards (Walmart, Kwik Trip, Walgreens, Kohl’s), taxi vouchers from Baraboo Taxi, and used cell phones, iPods and iPads.  Please note that we are not accepting used stuffed animals/plush toys, used toys, clothes (except for new sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, used books, furniture, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include the following:

• Kitchen: Can Openers, Paper Towels
• Food: Cereal, Juice Boxes, Carnation Instant Breakfast, Canned Food (tuna, chicken, fruit)
• Cleaning Supplies: Disinfectant Spray, Toilet Paper
• Program Supplies: Sunscreen, Bubbles, Frisbees, Tote Bags

​Special Note about Travel-Size Items: We encourage those looking to donate travel-size items to donate them to the Backpack Project. The Backpack Project strives to provide Baraboo School District students who are financially challenged to enter the school doors on the first day ‘just like everyone else’ and to show these children the community supports and encourages them to learn and do their best. If interested in donating towards this project, please contact Becky Hovde at 608-963-8230 or Hivebiz65@gmail.com.

Domestic Violence

• Thermostats, Locks and Lights: Digital Tools of Domestic Abuse: “The people who called into the help hotlines and domestic violence shelters said they felt as if they were going crazy. One woman had turned on her air-conditioner, but said it then switched off without her touching it. Another said the code numbers of the digital lock at her front door changed every day and she could not figure out why. Still another told an abuse help line that she kept hearing the doorbell ring, but no one was there. Their stories are part of a new pattern of behavior in domestic abuse cases tied to the rise of smart home technology. Internet-connected locks, speakers, thermostats, lights and cameras that have been marketed as the newest conveniences are now also being used as a means for harassment, monitoring, revenge and control”…Read more
• Domestic Violence Still Counts: NNEDV’s 12th Annual National Census: “Today, the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) released results from the National Census of Domestic Violence Services (Census) in its 12th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Report. For 24 hours, the Census surveys domestic violence programs across the United States and territories to create a one-day snapshot of the services provided to survivors and their children…On this year’s Census Day, 11,441 requests for services could not be met due to a lack of funding”…Read more
• Attorney General Further Jeopardizes the Lives of Domestic Violence Victims: “‘This heartbreaking decision further jeopardizes already vulnerable victims of horrific domestic violence who have nowhere else to turn,’ said NNEDV President and CEO, Kim Gandy. ‘I hope individual immigration judges will use their own discretion to take these factors into account, and provide humanitarian relief to these survivors and their children.’ ‘Asylum in the United States is, for many victims of domestic violence, literally lifesaving. Those affected by today’s decision have already faced extreme violence, and this decision will send them back to horrific abuse, or even death. In some countries, abusers are injuring and maiming their victims with impunity, and asylum seekers have nowhere else to turn,’ continued Gandy. While this ruling does not definitively prevent all domestic violence survivors from seeking asylum, the increased barriers may be insurmountable for the most vulnerable victims, many whom have no access to an attorney”…Read more...Read related article: Sessions Says Domestic and Gang Violence Are Not Grounds for Asylum
• Domestic Violence Expert Resigns From NFL Players Association Commission: “‘The Player's Association contacts that I have would welcome those ideas, tell me they were eminently doable, but that they had to get kicked down the road because 'It was the Super Bowl, it was the draft, it was the season,' she says. ‘And I would come back and reiterate my suggestions, and eventually I found that communication would just die on the vine.’ ‘I realized very little, if anything, was going to happen’”…Read more​

Miscellaneous

• Today’s Masculinity Is Stifling: “While society is chipping away at giving girls broader access to life’s possibilities, it isn’t presenting boys with a full continuum of how they can be in the world. To carve out a masculine identity requires whittling away everything that falls outside the norms of boyhood. At the earliest ages, it’s about external signifiers like favorite colors, TV shows, and clothes. But later, the paring knife cuts away intimate friendships, emotional range, and open communication”…Read more
• Hands off my data! 15 more default privacy settings you should change on your TV, cellphone plan, LinkedIn and more: “It’s not just Google and Facebook that are spying on you. Your TV, your cellphone provider and even your LinkedIn account have side hustles in your data. But, in many cases, you can opt out — if you know where to look. I dug into a bunch of popular products and services you might not think of as data vacuums or security risks and found their default privacy settings often aren’t very private. So I collected here some common settings you can change to stop giving away so much”…Read more
• Want To End Sexual Harassment? Landmark Study Finds Ousting ‘Bad Men’ Isn’t Enough: “But a major study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine outlines a more comprehensive way of looking at sexual harassment within organizations and identifies the strongest predictor of such behavior. Surprisingly, it has little to do with individual perpetrators. The study finds that the strongest, most potent predictor of sexual harassment is essentially the culture of the company ― what the researchers call ‘organizational climate.’ If employees believe that their organization takes harassment seriously, then harassment is less likely to happen, according to the 311-page report released Tuesday. That faith in fair treatment acts as a deterrent against bad actors and encourages workers to speak up about harassment ― key to keeping bad behavior at bay”…Read more
• Rashida Jones Made A PSA For Time's Up About Workplace Sexual Harassment: “They wanted to make something, she said, that was ‘not ultra didactic, not going to be necessarily just for women, something that could travel on the internet, something that's filled with facts, and hopefully a little bit entertaining that could help educate people a tiny bit’”…Watch it here​

Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities. 

May 26th, 2018, Michael Neal, Age 40, Milwaukee, WI
​


A 21-year-old man has been charged in connection to a fatal shooting that happened near 26th and Roosevelt Saturday, May 26.

Investigators say the shooting occurred during an altercation between Charles Richard and his ex-girlfriend's father, 41-year-old Michael Neal.

The victim's wife told investigators, Neal went to Richard's house to speak with him shortly after 10 p.m..
Officials spoke with Richard, who told investigators his sister told him that a car -- driven by Neal -- had done a U-turn and was parked outside their home near 26th and Roosevelt. Richard said he was scared so he "grabbed a black gun from the kitchen and went outside."

The complaint says Richard went outside and yelled, "What do you want?" or "What are you doing here?" To which Neal yelled back, "You said come over so we could talk."

According to a the criminal complaint, Neal was then shot in the head inside his vehicle.

Richard told investigators he was trying to scare Neal away by shooting the gun, but he "wasn't trying to hit the car or anyone inside."

After the shooting, Richard told investigators he gave the gun to his mother. He also wrote an apology letter to the victim's family.

Richard has been charged with first degree reckless homicide, use of a dangerous weapon.

Welcome to the June 2018 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!​

2017-2018 School Year Presentation Total
May 31 was the last day of school presentations for Hope House's education team. For the 2017-2018 school year, they facilitated 530 presentations to K-12 youth at 42 elementary, middle, and high schools in 19 school districts as well as to teens at the Boys & Girls Club in Baraboo, a group of Girls Scouts in Baraboo, the Sauk County Teens N Theater group, and to teens participating in a Shanty Town event in Lodi. Many thanks to our school and after-school partners in helping us reach so many students with presentation topics, such as respect, protective behaviors, healthy relationships, anti-bullying, internet safety, sexual harassment, consent and sexual assault, dating violence, childhood domestic violence, bystander intervention, gender roles and violence, media literacy, and more.

​If you'd like to learn more about or schedule Hope House's youth presentations for the school year or the summer or presentations offered to adults, please contact the Hope House Resource Center at 608-356-9123 or send us an email. 

Here are just a few quotes from high school students on their presentation evaluations:

• "I really liked the activity we did with the song lyrics. I didn't realize just how bad some of the lyrics are. It really opened my mind."
• "This really did help me understand what I should do as an individual to help others going through stuff like this if and when they come and talk to me."​
• "I liked how [the presenter] was very open with us and spoke at our age level."
• "I think that seeing the messages in songs was a really good way to show how the media portrays unhealthy relationships. I also think that talking about consent is really important and that [the presenter] did a really wonderful job on teaching about consent."
• "I thought the presentation was very helpful and it really made me feel comfortable to ask questions and to take in new information."
• "[The presenter] was an amazing person that showed me many things I never knew before like illegal things with sex and how you should help a friend, or just how to create a healthy relationship."
• ​"​thank you for this, as i've never been in a relationship this has given me a some tips and help to when that time does come around."

Hope House Donation Needs
Monetary donations are most needed.  Individuals have the option of donating ​online.  Please note that a portion of your online donation will go towards PayPal fees.  Donations can be mailed to Hope House, P.O. Box 557, Baraboo, WI 53913. We also appreciate gas cards, gift cards (Walmart, Kwik Trip, Walgreens, Kohl’s), taxi vouchers from Baraboo Taxi, and used cell phones, iPods and iPads.  Please note that we are not accepting used stuffed animals/plush toys, used toys, clothes (except for new sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, used books, furniture, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include the following:

• Food: Juice Boxes, Bottled Water, Granola/Protein Bars, Canned Food (tuna, chicken, fruit), Single-Serving Snacks
• Cleaning Supplies: Disinfectant Spray
• Clothing: Women's Underwear (size 5 to 8, new in package), Men's Underwear (all sizes, new in package)
• Personal Care Items: Deodorant (for men), Hand sanitizer
• Program Supplies: Mosquito Repellent, Sunscreen, Bubbles, Tomato Plants and Soil

​Special Note about Travel-Size Items: We encourage those looking to donate travel-size items to donate them to the Backpack Project. The Backpack Project strives to provide Baraboo School District students who are financially challenged to enter the school doors on the first day ‘just like everyone else’ and to show these children the community supports and encourages them to learn and do their best. If interested in donating towards this project, please contact Becky Hovde at 608-963-8230 or Hivebiz65@gmail.com.

Domestic Violence

• Four Women Accuse New York’s Attorney General of Physical Abuse: “As his prominence as a voice against sexual misconduct has risen, so, too, has the distress of four women with whom he has had romantic relationships or encounters. They accuse Schneiderman of having subjected them to nonconsensual physical violence. All have been reluctant to speak out, fearing reprisal. But two of the women, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, have talked to The New Yorker on the record, because they feel that doing so could protect other women. They allege that he repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent. Manning Barish and Selvaratnam categorize the abuse he inflicted on them as ‘assault.’ They did not report their allegations to the police at the time, but both say that they eventually sought medical attention after having been slapped hard across the ear and face, and also choked. Selvaratnam says that Schneiderman warned her he could have her followed and her phones tapped, and both say that he threatened to kill them if they broke up with him”…Read more
• Hundreds of Apps Can Empower Stalkers to Track Their Victims: “Digital monitoring of a spouse or partner can constitute illegal stalking, wiretapping or hacking. But laws and law enforcement have struggled to keep up with technological changes, even though stalking is a top warning sign for attempted homicide in domestic violence cases”…Read more

Children & Youth

• Texas school shooter killed girl who turned down his advances and embarrassed him in class, her mother says: “One of Pagourtzis' classmates who died in the attack, Shana Fisher, ‘had 4 months of problems from this boy,’ her mother, Sadie Rodriguez, wrote in a private message to the Los Angeles Times on Facebook. ‘He kept making advances on her and she repeatedly told him no.’ Pagourtzis continued to get more aggressive, and she finally stood up to him and embarrassed him in class, Rodriguez said. ‘A week later he opens fire on everyone he didn't like,’ she wrote”…Read more

Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section

• New, Free NSVRC E-Learning Course: One Caring Adult: "Trauma impacts how students learn and how they interact with adults and peers. However, when educators understand how to care for these students, they can help minimize the impact of trauma and foster resiliency. Our new e-learning course, One Caring Adult, trains educators on how to do just that. This three-part course consists of seven videos featuring experts such as a trauma specialist, teacher, psychologist, and sexual assault advocate. The goal of the course is to help teachers learn how to make their classrooms a safe and comforting space for all students. We know that youth who experience sexual violence are more likely to be revictimized in adulthood, which is why it's critical advocates share this course with educators they work with. The course is free and just requires you create an account our online campus. Learn more about the course and find additional resources on children and trauma here. 
• 10 Conversations to Have with Your Teens After "13 Reasons Why" (Season 2): “The second season of 13 Reasons Why is nearly as packed with controversial content as its popular first season. As the Liberty High kids cope with life in the aftermath of Hannah Baker's suicide, they also have a lot coming up in their future: a major trial, a potential school shooting, hard-drug abuse, and more blackmail, drama, and mystery. (Parents can also be aware that Netflix account holders are able to set a PIN code to this or any show that will be required before others can view.) Teens and parents who watch the show together can talk about any number of issues the show addresses; here are some questions to help get the conversation started”…Read more
• The Future of Healing: Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement: "A healing centered approach to addressing trauma requires a different question that moves beyond 'what happened to you' to 'what’s right with you' and views those exposed to trauma as agents in the creation of their own well-being rather than victims of traumatic events"...Read more
• 'Show Dogs' removes 2 scenes thought to portray sexual abuse after backlash: “The National Center for Sexual Exploitation called for the movie to halt distribution on its website. ‘Children’s movies must be held to a higher standard, and must teach children bodily autonomy, the ability to say ‘no’ and safety, not confusing messages endorsing unwanted genital touching,’”…Read more

Welcome to the May 2018 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!​

Thank You for Raising Awareness This April
Thank you to everyone that got involved and helped us raise awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. Pictured here are just some of the events and activities that we and/or our community partners were involved with. We so appreciate your support! Let's keep the conversations and awareness going all year long!

​Did you see Hope House staff's weekly guest columns in the Capital Newspapers in April? If you missed any, please take a minute to read them:

• Berry column: Teach your children about consent
• Lawton column: Responses to sex assault are important
  • ​Also see the follow-up article: Advocates encourage community to 'Start by Believing' victims​
• Kaehny column: Wear denim to raise sex assault issues​
• Theis column: Use your voice to stand up for what is right ​

Thank You for Participating in Denim Day
Thank you to all the businesses, agencies, schools, and churches that participated in Denim Day. Denim Day is in honor of a young woman whose rapist was let free in his appeal case because judges ruled her jeans were so tight that she must've helped him take them off and thus, in their eyes, was giving consent. Sounds outrageous and yet survivors nationally and locally are often not believed or are blamed. It's great to see so many community members that are working to change that and that want to demonstrate their support of survivors, protest victim-blaming, and educate others on consent.

​Pictured here are just a few examples of groups that participated in our service area. Photos and donations continue to come to Hope House. So far Denim Day participants have raised over $1,600 to help support Hope House's free sexual assault advocacy services to survivors in Sauk, Columbia, Adams, Juneau, and Marquette Counties. 

 To All Our Facebook Followers
Thank you for liking our page! How exciting that on Denim Day we reached
over 1,000 likes. Please continue to like, comment, and share our posts so that
we can continue to reach more people: www.facebook.com/hopehousescw.

Hope House Donation Needs
Monetary donations are most needed.  Individuals have the option of donating ​online.  Please note that a portion of your online donation will go towards PayPal fees.  Donations can be mailed to Hope House, P.O. Box 557, Baraboo, WI 53913. We also appreciate gas cards, gift cards (Walmart, Kwik Trip, Walgreens, Kohl’s), taxi vouchers from Baraboo Taxi, and used cell phones, iPods and iPads.  Please note that we are not accepting used stuffed animals/plush toys, used toys, clothes (except for new sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, used books, furniture, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include the following:

• Food: Juice, Bottled Water, Ready-to-Eat Food, Granola/Protein Bars, Individual Snack Bags of Crackers
• Cleaning Supplies: Dishwasher Detergent, Toilet Bowl Cleaner
• Clothing: Flip flops, Women's Underwear (size 5 to 8, new in package), Men's Underwear (all sizes, new in package)
• Personal Care Items: Deodorant (for men and women), Hair brushes, Hand sanitizer
• Housewares: Paper Towels 
• Program Supplies: CD and DVD cleaner, Electric Pencil Sharpener

​Special Note about Travel-Size Items: We encourage those looking to donate travel-size items to donate them to the Backpack Project. The Backpack Project strives to provide Baraboo School District students who are financially challenged to enter the school doors on the first day ‘just like everyone else’ and to show these children the community supports and encourages them to learn and do their best. If interested in donating towards this project, please contact Becky Hovde at 608-963-8230 or Hivebiz65@gmail.com.

News & Research

Domestic Violence

• Local: DOJ: Man dead in Columbus home following domestic violence incident, police standoff
• ‘Lovesick’ Is A Sick Excuse For A Young Woman’s Death: “Austin Rollins was not lovesick; he was dangerously, homicidally entitled. He was a young man who believed he had the right to take the life of a young woman who did not want him. And like many who have killed the people they ‘love,’ Rollins had no known history of mental illness. No wonder people who knew him said they were shocked by what he did. But none of these things ― the rage, the gun, the violence, the death ― should be surprising. Even the professed shock isn’t surprising…Our collective refusal to talk about how often school shootings are fueled by young men’s anger towards their female peers is insidious”…Read more
• The Trial of Noor Salman and Its Shocking Disregard for Survivors of Domestic Violence: “Salman was being tried for obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting her husband, Omar Mateen, who murdered forty-nine people at Pulse night club before being shot dead by police…Salman’s defense attorneys used very little of her history of abuse in their arguments, because the larger point for them was to convince jurors that she did not know of his plans before the attack unfolded. But from my viewpoint her victimhood was both entirely pertinent and shockingly disregarded”…Read more
• Domestic abuse is the new realm of concussion studies: “If a significant injury were to occur during puberty, it could fundamentally change the path to adulthood. Zieman also said some research has found that injuries sustained at different points in a woman’s menstrual cycle can alter symptoms and recovery time. Concussions can cause loss of consciousness, nausea, dizziness, memory loss, and long-term neurological problems that can cloud judgment and hinder speech…‘You can imagine what a trial looks like,’ he said. ‘If the assailant says she has a history of drinking and now she gets on the stand and it sounds like she’s drunk, the jury’s not going to listen to her,’ even though a brain injury caused the slurred speech”…Read more​

Parents' and Youth Service Providers' Section

• What #MeToo Means to Teenagers: “Girls, for example, are often taught to be modest and may feel flattered when boys tease them. Boys are more likely to be taught to hold in their feelings, and to be aggressive in the pursuit of a crush and push boundaries. This kind of gender stereotyping can become an indirect link to more problematic behaviors like sexual harassment, said Dr. Jeglic, and be harmful for kids of all ages and genders. If parents, teachers or other guardians suspect that children in their care are experiencing sexual harassment, bullying or abuse from their peers, she said, it’s important to validate their experience, listen to what they have to say and help them understand what happened”…Read more
• ​Why girls can be boyish but boys can't be girlish: “Girls have been told that they can do anything, be anything, and they largely can, without judgment. However -- and here's the catch -- that's true only if they are physically strong and career-oriented and eschew most of the traditional trappings of femininity. In short, they will gain respect if they act like boys. ‘It's about mobility. Girls who act like boys are moving up the social ladder. Boys who are acting like anything but masculine are moving down and risk losing their status,’ Kimmel said”…Read more
• After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools, Second Edition: “After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools assists schools in implementing a coordinated response to the suicide death of a student. Originally developed in 2011, the second edition includes new information and tools that middle and high schools can use to help the school community cope and reduce suicide risk. The toolkit was developed in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and in consultation with national experts, including school-based administrators and staff, clinicians, researchers, and crisis response professionals”…Learn more
• Parents Explain The Me Too Movement To Their Kids In Emotional Video: “The video, “Parents Explain #MeToo,” was published Monday and features three parents discussing the Me Too movement with their respective children”…Watch it here

Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities.

May 1st 2018, David Heth, Age 51, Columbus

Article
Obituary pending

A neighbor close to a volatile incident in Columbus on Sunday confirmed the identity of the man authorities found dead in the house at 505 S. Birdsey St.

The body of David J. Heth, 51, was found by authorities in the home after a lengthy standoff with police. The state Department of Criminal Investigation has not released the cause of death or said whether any other people were in the home during the standoff. The Columbia County Medical Examiner, who is assisting with the investigation, declined to comment Tuesday.

Lt. Dennis Weiner from the Columbus Police Department released a brief press release Sunday morning stating law enforcement was investigating a “critical situation” along the 500 block of South Birdsey Street. The standoff did not end until later that afternoon.

On Tuesday, Weiner said the investigation is being handled by DCI.

“There is not much we can say on our end as the case had been turned over to DCI,” Weiner said. “They typically do not comment on ongoing investigations they are involved in. I wouldn’t want to say something and possibly jeopardize the investigation.”

Neighbor Paul Genco said he did not know Heth well, but was surprised by what transpired Sunday.
“They just moved in during the winter and no one was seen outside much until this spring,” Genco said.

According to Columbia County tax records, Heth purchased the home where the standoff took place in November 2017.
Police blocked off several streets near the residence and cordoned off a section near the home with police tape. Heth allegedly barricaded himself inside the home following a domestic dispute. His girlfriend ran to a neighbor’s home to call authorities for help.

Weiner said he was not aware of any prior incidents at Heth’s residence before Sunday’s standoff. Based on court records, Heth pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges – battery/domestic abuse and criminal damage to property/domestic abuse in 2013. He was found guilty of disorderly conduct in a 2014 case and pleaded no contest to another disorderly conduct charge in 2017. Each case was in Dane County.

Despite the tense scene Sunday, Genco said he believed police had the situation under control. Residents were told to avoid the area and neighbors were encouraged to stay inside their homes.

“I never felt like we were in any danger,” Genco said. “We stayed inside our house until we were told it was OK to go back outside. The police really did an excellent job.”

Genco said it is “back to normal” in a section of Columbus which is typically quiet and peaceful.

Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities.

Article
Obituary



After Mani's parents, whom she lived with, drove to Neal's residence in their search for their daughter, Neal told them he had not seen her that day, the complaint said.

Waukesha police subsequently contacted Neal by phone. According to the complaint, he again denied having seen her on April 13. Neal said his last contact with her had been the previous afternoon and that she had not responded to subsequent text messages. But in a subsequent in-person interview with Waukesha police, Neal changed his story, indicating he had exchanged a text message with her on April 13, the complaint said.

Through her phone records, Waukesha police also determined Mani's cellphone had last been active at about 1:30 p.m. April 13 in the area of Neal's residence, the complaint said.

Her parents also brought Mani's Apple Watch to Waukesha police, who eventually accessed its data and which revealed a text conversation shortly before noon April 13 between Mani and Neal. In that conversation, Neal asked if she still planned on coming to his residence, as previously planned, and she indicated she was already nearby.

With that, Milwaukee police picked up the investigation.

While Milwaukee police were interviewing Neal elsewhere, authorities executed a search warrant at his residence. Using a forensic bloodstain agent, police found traces of blood in six locations, mostly in the basement but also at the top of the stairs leading to the basement, according to the complaint.

Milwaukee police, who were still interviewing Neal, confronted him with the bloodstain evidence.

According to the complaint, Neal acknowledged at that point that Mani had been inside his house on April 13 and said they had gotten into an argument. During that argument, Neal said Mani grabbed a gun he had told her he had obtained for his protection, and she also grabbed a kitchen knife. Neal said she tried to shoot him with the gun, but it didn't fire because the safety was still in place.

Neal reportedly told police he then shot her twice in the head, causing her to fall down the basement stairs, then tried to attack him again, so he cut her with the knife, the complaint said.

He also allegedly admitted putting her body in a garbage bag in a suitcase and taking it to his storage locker on Tower Street. He also moved her car to a parking lot in Wauwatosa, and disposed of her cellphone in a cemetery pond and her purse in a garbage bin.

When police opened the storage locker, they found Mani's frozen body. Police said her head was wrapped in a black bag, her eyes had been covered with duct tape and both her ankles and wrists had been bound with duct tape. Inside of the suitcase, they also found bloody towels, duct tape, a knife handle and a knife blade, the complaint said.

In a subsequent autopsy, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office observed multiple stab wounds to Mani's face and neck as well as two gunshot wounds to her head. The report listed the manner of death to be homicide.
There was no mention about a motive in the complaint.

Neal remained in custody pending bail considerations. He made his first court appearance on Tuesday.

Article
Obituary Pending



Bail was set at $500,000 on Monday for a western Wisconsin man who prosecutors say killed his 19-year-old son last weekend.

St. Croix County District Attorney Michael Nieskes said during the bail hearing that first-degree intentional homicide charges were expected to be filed Tuesday against 42-year-old Kayle Alan Fleischauer of New Richmond in the shooting death of his son, St. Paul resident Chase Alan Fleischauer, who also had attended college in Brainerd.

St. Croix County Circuit Court Judge Michael Waterman ordered the cash bond amount for Kayle Fleischauer, who was being held in St. Croix County jail on an investigations hold and on suspicion of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Nieskes said investigators removed eight guns from Fleischauer’s home after the Saturday shooting.

Defense attorney Katie Bosworth argued for a lower cash bond at the hearing, saying her client’s felony conviction was from nearly 25 years ago and “there is no indication that he’s a danger to the public.”

Nieskes contended the opposite was true, telling Waterman “the allegation is homicide of a family member — his son.”

“He is a danger to himself and the public,” Nieskes said.

The judge said he agreed with Nieskes.

The St. Croix County sheriff’s office on Sunday identified Chase Alan Fleischauer as the victim of a fatal gunshot wound to the head. According to a news release, the incident was domestic-related and an adult male — identified in court as Kayle Fleischauer — was taken into custody.

The incident was first reported at 4:11 a.m. in Richmond.

According to the sheriff’s office:
Deputies and New Richmond police responded to a 911 caller who requested assistance for a man with a gunshot wound. One person at the scene unsuccessfully attempted lifesaving efforts before EMS crews arrived, according to deputies.
Fleischauer was pronounced dead by the St. Croix County medical examiner at 6:37 a.m. The Ramsey County medical examiner’s office on Sunday ruled the death a homicide.

“Initial investigation found this was a domestic-related incident and there is no threat to the public,” the news release states.
Nieskes said at the hearing that Kayle Fleischauer was “highly intoxicated” when officers arrived
 

Lantern Project: Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities. We know the list of stories we post here is incomplete. We strive to learn about and share these stories but know that there are some that we and the media miss. If you see a news story of a death in WI related to domestic violence and don't see it posted here, please feel free to let us know about it here. Thank you.

March 22nd, 2018, Alexander Woodworth, 24, Eau Claire

Obituary
News Article

The Eau Claire man whose body was found in a car in rural Dunn County last Friday, was stabbed to death.

That's one of many new details News 18 learned Wednesday at a bond hearing held for the woman suspected of killing him.

Ezra McCandless, from Stanley, appeared in court via video conference from the Dunn County Jail on Wednesday. She's held on possible first degree murder charges for the death of a man officials called "her significant other," Alexander Woodworth.

"The provisional autopsy report indicates that the deceased victim was stabbed 16 different times," said Dunn County District Attorney Andrea Nodolf. "The information that we have from the defendant in this case is that she is claiming that the deceased victim attacked her, but then also informed law enforcement after she wanted it to stop she carved the word "boy" into her arm." Nodolf requested McCandless be held on a $750,000 cash bond given the severity of the crime, saying she believes McCandless is a threat to others due to concerns about her mental stability.

Defense attorney Aaron Nelson argued against the high bond, calling it 'ridiculous. '"She has ties to the community, she has lived here basically her entire life," Nelson argued. "Her family is there, she has no prior record, no prior arrests. I think the amount that was proposed is, unnecessary." Ultimately, the judge set bond at $250,000.

News 18 did some digging, and learned other information. According to a search warrant we obtained, this case started last Thursday night (March 22),  when a man called 911 to report that McCandless, who was distraught, showed up at his house near the crime scene. She was described as cold, barefoot and disheveled, with some blood around her mouth, and asked that he take her to see a doctor.

No charges have officially been filed against McCandless yet, but the DA anticipates a charge that carries mandatory life in prison.

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office is looking for anyone that may have information about this case.

If you live near, or were traveling on, CTH E between Hwy 12 on Thursday, March 22nd between 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm and saw something out of the ordinary such as a vehicle, people walking or biking that you  don’t normally see in the area, you should call police.

There may also be people that know the victim and/or suspect in this case that may have information that has not been relayed to law enforcement yet. Anyone having information they feel may be relevant to this homicide investigation is encouraged to call the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office at 715-232-1348 to speak with Sgt. Todd Kurtzhals or Investigator Rod Dicus. Information may also be relayed to the Sheriff’s Office through Dunn County Crime Stoppers at dunncocrimestoppers.com.

March 24th, 2018 , Christopher Race, Age 39, Wisconsin Rapids


Obituary
News Article

A 39-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man shot to death in a coffee shop March 24 had his two young children with him when he was killed, according to court documents filed l ate Thursday afternoon in Wood County Circuit Court.A charge of first-degree intentional homicide was filed Thursday against Gary E. Bohman, 59, in the shooting death of Christopher M. Race. According to court documents: Wisconsin Rapids officers responded to Higher Grounds Bakery and Coffee Shop, 4231 Eighth St. S., Wisconsin Rapids on March 24 after the Wood County Dispatch received a 911 call with an open line.

When officers arrived at the scene, a neighboring business owner was standing outside with a 7-year-old boy, one of Race's sons. The man told officers the boy's dad was shot while standing behind the counter of the coffee shop.
The man said the boy ran over to his business and said his father was shot. The boy told an officer he tried to call 911 from the bakery, but he was not sure whether the call went through.

Officers found Race on the floor behind the counter. He had a wound to his upper abdomen and appeared to be dead.
Another officer saw Bohman walking toward the coffee shop holding Race's 11-month-old son. Bohman told the officer he had called 911. Bohman said he arrived at the bakery to get a coffee and found Race on the floor.
The 7-year-old boy told an officer that he, his 11-month-old brother, his father and another man were inside the bakery when the 7-year-old heard a gunshot. The boy said Bohman was the man in the coffee shop.

A Wood County Sheriff's Department lieutenant found a gun in Bohman's pocket. Officers examined the 9mm pistol and found one round in the chamber. The 9mm round matched an empty shell casing found inside the bakery.
A detective watched surveillance footage from inside the bakery. The footage showed Race working in the bakery with his 11-month-old and 7-year-old sons.

The footage showed two customers, one of them Bohman, inside the bakery. One customer left and Bohman got up and went to the counter. It appeared Bohman asked Race for an item inside the bakery case. Bohman is then seen raising a pistol with his right hand and firing one shot, hitting Race, and Race fell to the ground.
Bohman then is seen picking up the 11-month-old child and carrying him around the store for some time before leaving with the child.

Employees at Applebee's Restaurant reported a man carrying a child came into the restaurant, said someone had been hurt and asked employees to call 911.
Police showed Race's wife a still frame shot of Bohman sitting in the cafe. Race's wife recognized Bohman as her ex-husband.

Bohman is scheduled to make a court appearance Monday morning. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

March 26th, 2018 , Kiara Brown Age 18, Milwaukee

Obituary
News Article

The ex-boyfriend of a Milwaukee teen shot and killed earlier this week now faces criminal charges.

Kiara Brown was found shot to death in a car outside her home near N. 98th St. and W. Carmen Ave. Monday.
The next day, 19-year-old Marvin Patterson turned himself into police, according to a criminal complaint. He initially told officers that Brown tried grabbing a gun he had placed in the cup holder of the car. When he tried to grab it from her, the gun accidentally went off, the complaint says.

Patterson quickly changed his story, telling police he "decided to point the gun at her head," and when he did so "the gun went off and shot [Kiara]."

According to the complaint, Patterson says "he did not intend to kill [Kiara]," and drove the car into an alley and left her inside after the crime because "he freaked out."

Patterson faces one count of first degree reckless homicide. If convicted, he faces up to 65 years in prison.

Kiara's mother Kenisha says her daughter had been worried about picking out the right prom dress and finishing her senior year. Kenisha will instead get to plan her daughter’s funeral.

“He took my baby,” said Kenisha Brown. “He turned himself in, but it’s not going to make me feel better. It’s not going to take the pain away.”

She said Patterson lured her out of the house Sunday saying he had something to show her. The two had broken up a year ago but he had recently gotten back in touch.

“This is someone who clearly let jealously play a huge role,” said Trinity Brown, Kiara’s aunt.

The head of Milwaukee’s Domestic Violence Commission Karin Tyler said any violence in a relationship, no matter the age, should not be ignored.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 12 percent of high school girls report physical violence from a partner. But the commission said the numbers are much higher.

"It's one in three youth have experienced that. That's quite a bit and it can be very volatile,” said Tyler.

Kiara’s family now wants to know if someone saw their daughter being abused in the past. But her mom said that does not bring back their daughter.

“Even if I get answers that won’t be enough. That won’t be enough,” said Kenisha Brown.

April 1st, 2018 , Andrew T. Thorland -  Age 33, Madison

Obituary Pending
News Article

The homicide victim and suspect in the shooting on Meadowlark Drive have been identified.

Andrew T. Thorland, age 33, has been confirmed the victim of a gun related homicide. He was brought to a local hospital, but died shortly after arriving.

Timothy A. Thorland, age 58, has been confirmed as the suspect in the gun related homicide. He was also brought to a local hospital after a self-inflicted gun injury, but died shortly after arriving.

Madison Police responded to the 600 block of Meadowlark Drive for reports of shots fired early Sunday morning.

"Madison apparently has its first official homicide of the year," Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said in a press conference Sunday evening. "This has all the tell-tale signs of a murder-suicide."

The call in came in at 6:08 a.m. at 614 Meadowlark Drive that two people were down with gunshot wounds, according to Madison Police Chief Mike Koval.

When officers arrived, they were contacted by a 61-year-old woman who directed them to a bedroom of a residential single-family dwelling. Koval says the "very distraught" mother and wife of the men reported the shooting.

"The room was first tactically cleared and officers located two individuals, a 58-year-old white male as well as a 33-year-old white male who were both found with gunshot wounds to their bodies," Chief Koval said.

MFD responded once the scene was deemed stable and attempted life-saving resuscitation and aid. Both men were taken to a local trauma hospital. Both individuals were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

"Given the fact our investigation thus far would indicate that the men were known to one another, they were in a domestic relationship in the context of a father and a son," Chief Koval said.

MPD recovered the semi-automatic gun and four casings from the incident.

Authorities haven't yet released the men's names. Koval says authorities have a "good working supposition" about which man fired the shots.

There had also been a friend, an acquaintance of the 33-year-old who had spent the night in anticipation of having to go to work early in Madison, according to Chief Koval.

"He has already been interviewed and suffice to say that we have nothing that would suggest that there was any precipitating event which would have occurred hours just prior to this, as everybody was seemingly was getting on with their normal order of business watching movies and there was nothing that would have given any tell tale sign that this was going to happen this morning," Chief Koval said.

There was still a smell of remnant gun powder when officer arrived, according to Koval.

"That’s how quickly it was contained, there’s absolutely no indications in terms of any forced entry to the home or anything beyond what occurred in that isolated family dwelling this morning," Chief Koval said.

Koval added that the capacities of the incidents over the course of the last week are something that he's concerned about.

"Acknowledging that we these officers and firefighters that are rendering aid and care, what they are seeing is not the norm, not the human condition, as we all typically will experience it. The first responders who have a unique role in stewarding are vulnerable, but also have to be looked at as how we’re vulnerable as well to those repeated onsets. This week has been particularly compelling," Chief Koval said.

An investigation is ongoing.

Welcome to the April 2018 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!​

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) & Child Abuse Prevention Month
Want to know what Hope House is doing this April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month? We're planning things like Denim Day (see below), Supporting Survivors Panel, SAAM-themed adult coloring pages at the River Arts Center, community displays and booths, proclamations and resolutions, poster distribution, radio PSAs, newspaper articles, school announcements, and more. Learn more here and on our Facebook page including ways you can get involved! Please visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center's SAAM page to learn more about this year's theme, "Embrace Your Voice."

Wear Jeans with a Purpose on Denim Day, April 25
​Join Hope House and a multitude of other agencies, schools, businesses, churches, and elected officials by participating in Denim Day on April 25. This international campaign started when a rapist was let free in his appeal case because the judges ruled that the woman’s jeans were so tight that she must’ve helped him get them off and thus, in the judges’ eyes, was giving consent. We ask that people wear jeans to show your support of survivors, to help end victim-blaming, and to raise awareness of what consent really looks like. In exchange for wearing jeans, employees could make a small donation to Hope House. If you’d like to participate in Denim Day, please let us know at 608-356-9123. We’d greatly appreciate it if you sent us a photo or tagged us on Facebook of your employees wearing jeans on April 25 so we can promote it on our Facebook page and e-bulletin. Thank you!

Hope House Donation Needs
​Monetary donations are most needed.  Individuals have the option of donating ​online.  Please note that a portion of your online donation will go towards PayPal fees.  Donations can be mailed to Hope House, P.O. Box 557, Baraboo, WI 53913. We also appreciate gas cards, gift cards (Walmart, Kwik Trip, Walgreens, Kohl’s), taxi vouchers from Baraboo Taxi, and used cell phones, iPods and iPads.  Please note that we are not accepting used stuffed animals/plush toys, used toys, clothes (except for new sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, used books, furniture, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include the following:

• Shelter Supplies: pillows, hand sanitizer, tissues
• Food: milk, produce, bottled water
• Baby Items: size 6 diapers
• Cleaning Supplies: floor cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, dishwasher detergent, disinfecting sprays/wipes
• Kitchen: tall garbage bags
• Program Supplies: whiteboard markers, highlighters, 2-pocket plastic folders
• New Clothing for Adults and Children: new women's underwear (size 5-8), yoga pants (size medium and large)

Special Note about Travel-Size Items: We encourage those looking to donate travel-size items to donate them to the Backpack Project. The Backpack Project strives to provide Baraboo School District students who are financially challenged to enter the school doors on the first day ‘just like everyone else’ and to show these children the community supports and encourages them to learn and do their best. If interested in donating towards this project, please contact Becky Hovde at 608-963-8230 or Hivebiz65@gmail.com.

Domestic Violence

• Rihanna Protests Ad on Snapchat That Mocks Domestic Violence: “Snapchat users noticed an ad that asked whether they would rather ‘slap Rihanna’ or ‘punch Chris Brown.’ On Thursday, the pop star took to Instagram, a direct competitor for Snapchat, to criticize the ad for making light of domestic violence. Stock prices for Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, sank by 4 percent”…Read more
• There’s Nothing Romantic About Love Bombing: “‘Things like saying, ‘I think I might be falling in love with you,’ or ‘I want to take you to Paris this weekend’ or ‘Here’s a $200 bottle of perfume’ on the first date,’ Virginia Gilbert, a marriage and family therapist who specializes in high-conflict divorce, told HuffPost. ‘The gestures imply a level of commitment that’s out of proportion to the length of time two people have known each other’…‘Love bombing, unlike real love, is a self-centered, anxious pursuit, with the singular goal of acquiring someone because it boosts the bomber’s ego,’ Craig Malkin, clinical psychologist and author of Rethinking Narcissism, told HuffPost. ‘It’s not about care or compassion or tenderness. For the love bomber, you’re no different than a shiny new toy that captures their attention for the moment’”…Read more
• Teen Dating Violence Is an Indicator of Gun Violence: “This behavior on the part of Cruz and Rollins is part of a much larger and systemic issue that's not getting as much attention: teen dating violence. And more importantly, would the U.S. be able to partially prevent violent incidents like mass shooting if signs of teen dating violence, especially violence against women, was taken more seriously?”…Read more

Miscellaneous News

• How to Raise a Boy: “‘Many fathers emphasize competition and achievement with their boys,’ he said. ‘How much emphasis is put on compassion?’ ‘One thing we still manufacture in the United States is media,’ Susan McPherson, a communications consultant, said. ‘Can we show men in a more compassionate way?’ ‘PAW Patrol’ doesn’t really explore emotional development,’ Simon Isaacs, Fatherly’s chief content officer, said. Esther Perel, a Belgian couples counsellor and ted Talks star, saw a bigger problem: ‘the fragility of male identity.’ She said, ‘When we make a girl play with a truck, we don’t think it’s going to make her less of a girl. But, when we think of a boy playing with a doll, we think it’s going to weaken his essence as a man.’ The room murmured in agreement. ‘There’s this photo book for girls, ‘Strong Is the New Pretty,’ but there’s no ‘Soft Is the New Handsome,’”…Read more

Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section​

Faith Communities' Section
#ChurchToo: Let's Talk About Change: “Join us [April 11 at 6:30pm] for a live online conversation about the impact of the #ChurchToo movement on faith communities. The stories from #ChurchToo are challenging many people's understanding of sexual harassment and abuse. Let's talk about how we address victim blaming, denial, cultural silencing, and religious roadblocks. How can we use this movement to create safer, more transparent spiritual communities?”…Learn more

​April 17: Trauma Stewardship Book Discussion: “As essential book for anyone in the 'helping professions.' Trauma Stewardship addresses the impact that secondary (vicarious) trauma has on those whose work or calling involves caring for those who are suffering…Join us online on April 17 to discuss Trauma Stewardship! Registration information to come. Participants include Dr. Sally MacNichol of CONNECT and Emily Cohen, MDiv., of FaithTrust Institute”…Learn more about this and other book club books here

Training & Resources

• Workplaces Respond to Domestic & Sexual Violence: “The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements demonstrate the overdue need for employers to shift toward prevention and culture change to make safer, more respectful, and more equitable workplace environments in which all employees can thrive. In solidarity with these movements, Workplaces Respond is pleased to enhance its prevention-oriented resources to help employers, survivors, coworkers, and advocates change workplace culture to better prevent and respond to sexual harassment and violence. The new National Resource Hub interactive tools include: Referrals to supportive services and legal resources; Fact sheets and research on the prevalence and impacts of workplace sexual harassment and violence; Access to ‘Top Ten’ lists to help victims, employers, unions, and men address sexual harassment in the workplace; ‘Decision Trees’ to help guide victims and coworkers through important initial considerations when confronting sexual harassment in the workplace; Model Workplace Training modules that adopt cutting-edge adult learning approaches to shift the training paradigm away from liability prevention and toward workplace equity and accountability; and A ‘How-To’ guide to help employers develop workplace climate surveys in order to assess their workplace and employee’s experiences and needs”…Check it out here
• 60 Minutes Episode: Treating Childhood Trauma: “Oprah Winfrey reports on how trauma plays a role in childhood development and what new methods are being used to help kids who have experienced it”…Watch it here
• Free On-Demand Webinar: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study: Identify, Intervene and Interrupt: “The ACE study is the largest study investigating the health and social effects of negative childhood experiences. Now that we have the research, what can we do about it? The cycle of violence, generational poverty and abuse, homelessness, substance abuse, incarceration, perpetration and victimization of violence are all related to ACE’s. Strategies such as identification and assessment, reducing risk and exposure and nurturing resiliency and skill building are effective interventions. Changing the negative course that many children are on is our best way to prevent abuse in future generations. This presentation will increase your knowledge of trauma and provide ways to work with children, families and communities to reduce the impact of trauma”…Watch it here
• National Human Trafficking Hotline 2017 Statistics: The Polaris Project has published 2017 statistics from their National Human Trafficking Hotline. There’s a great fact sheet and Infographic that you can view here.