SAN ANTONIO — Family violence homicides are up sharply this year, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Across the state, the outlook is also grim. The Texas Council on Family Violence reports more than 200 people were killed by intimate partner violence in 2023. A firearm was used in 75% of those murders, with the victims ranging from 15 years old to 88 years old.
A local survivor of a deadly attack is honoring her daughter through advocacy. At the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Mariah Gardner launched the 'Willow Grace Foundation.'
“The sacrifice that Willow made for me and her siblings so that way we could be free from abuse is something she should have never been in the position to do,” said Gardner. “So, the least I can do is honor her for that and ensure her life makes an impact.”
In April of 2023, police say Stephen Clare brutally attacked his ex-wife, Mariah Gardner, and two of their children, Willow and Rosalie. Gardner’s sons were able to escape through a window.
Gardner was shot five times, and her daughters stabbed. Gardner and Rosalie miraculously survived, but Willow, who was just 2-days shy of her first birthday, was killed. Willow has now been gone longer than she’s been alive.
“I’m so thankful for the moments that I did have for her, and then comes the waves of sadness,” Gardner said.
The new nonprofit aims to fill gaps in the city’s response to domestic violence.
“If I had the tools to get out of that situation safety, I can only hope that things would have ended different,” said Gardner. “It’s not like I didn’t reach out. It’s almost like the stars have to align; you have to get the right police officer, or you have to get the right person on the phone at whatever crisis center you call. It shouldn’t be like that. We can’t let people fall through the cracks. That’s why I feel like we need more survivors in this space.”
Gardner hopes to start a first-of-its-kind flexible funding initiative in Texas. It will provide financial support to domestic violence victims who are in the process of escaping a dangerous situation, even if they are not staying at a shelter.
“I am not going to ask a bunch of questions, I don’t need receipts,” she said. “I want to give them access to what they need; if it’s medication for their family, or a tank of gas, whatever it is to fight for their freedom.”
One of the biggest undertakings, though, will be educating the public about the different signs of domestic violence and providing information on how to create an escape plan.
“Mariah Gardner will make sure that the laws change,” she said. “The Willow Grace Foundation will make sure there is safety that’s accessible for those who need it. They don’t have to beg; the help is there when they need it.”
To learn more about the Willow Grace Foundation, click HERE. If you or someone you know is being abused, please call the 24-hour crisis hotline at 210-733-8810.
The trial for Stephen Clare has been pushed back and is expected to start sometime next year. If convicted, Clare faces the death penalty.