Victim's rights week remembers

a nonprofit organization for children's rights

From the Boca Raton News

Victim's rights week remembers Boca tragedies

April 3, 2004

by Ashley Harrell

A 9-year-old girl killed by a drunk driver who fled to Europe to evade punishment. A high school student stomped to death by six classmates, and only one who was charged with battery. A young girl ejected from the windshield of a sport utility vehicle after her mother sped around a curve almost 20 miles over the speed limit.
These nightmares are realities for some Boca Raton families who observed a very personal Victim’s Rights Week alongside the rest of the nation from April 18 through 24.
Although the victim’s families say they remember their loved ones with every day that passes, this week – Victim’s Right’s Week – is time set aside for the whole community to feel the impact of crime and victimization.
This year’s theme is “Victims’ Rights: American Values,” stressing the principals behind our justice system and ensuring that crime victims are treated with dignity and respect.
“Victims rights week is extremely important because as a community we often focus on the crime and the conviction of an offender,” said Boca Raton Police victims’ rights advocate Nikki Woller.
Woller and her partner Maureen Francois review all domestic violence reports in Palm Beach County and proactively intervene in any situation that invokes a traumatic response. During Victim’s Rights Week, Woller and Francois, attend the Palm Beach County events throughout the week.
Francois attended the Candlelight Vigil, held at First Baptist Church Chapel by the Lake in West Palm Beach Tuesday night. The ceremony, attended by more than 100 people, honored victims of homicide by setting wreaths afloat in the lake, placing a dove on the dove tree and saying the name of each victim aloud.
“It was a beautiful ceremony – very poignant,” said Francois.
Palm Beach County events also included opening ceremonies, a presentation on stalking, the 24th annual awards luncheon, a multimedia art and writing exhibit, a DUI and traffic fatality presentation and a presentation on escaping violent situations.
Although family members of victims in Boca said they appreciate the efforts made during the week, their pain is not confined to any time period.
“We’re the ones still hurting,” said Gail Schroeder. “The world goes on and you are just left with your sorrow.”
Police believe Schroeder’s daughter Engel was hit by drunk driver Brigitte Hartwig, 57, almost four years ago.
Hartwig is suspected to have run the red light on Military and Verde Trails on May 8, 2000 and crashed into the Schroeder van, injuring Gail and causing fatal injuries to Engel, who died the next day.
Charges were not immediately filed against Hartwig while investigators gathered information. When she was informed in late 2000 that she was charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter, she fled the country, police believe.
The Schroeders have appeared on three national television shows and put up a $10,000 reward for information leading to Hartwig’s arrest.
“We’ll never get closure on the loss of our daughter, but it really irks us that she (Hartwig) is living a life, knowing what she’s done,” Walter Schroeder said.
Father Jacques Bobrowsky did not attend this year’s ceremonies, but as far as he’s concerned, every week is Victim’s Rights Week.
After his daughter Haley was killed in a traffic accident on the way to school, the Boca Raton man created Haley’s Right’s, a nonprofit organization dedicated to investigating criminal cases and advocating children’s rights in the court system.
“There have been several instances where we have found that a child victim’s rights have been violated. We ordered court transcripts and sent complaints to Tallahassee.”
Bobrowsky believes the court system failed his daughter – in life and in death – and he is trying to change the system for other children, he said.
“This is the right thing for me to do and it’s what I enjoy,” he said. “You never, ever, ever get over the death of a child.”
Wes and Tina Jones know the feeling. Their son Adam was beaten to death after a party in Lake Rogers Isle neighborhood four years ago.
Police say a fight broke out, and Jones was knocked to the ground, beaten, and kicked unconscious by as many as six young men. The assault took place in front of dozens of teenagers.
To date, Derrick Acklin, 20, of Boca Raton is the only person to be arrested in connection with the beating. He was convicted of felony beating and assault two years ago.
“It doesn’t seem fair that the four other boys who participated in the beating were able to walk away scot-free,” said Adam’s mother. “We felt there was plenty of evidence to convict them.”
Although they still grieve for lost loved ones, victim’s family members do say that observing Victim’s Rights Week helps them feel like part of the community again, said Wallor.
“We sometimes forget to look at the victims and the impact that the crime leaves,” she said. “This is a week to show that we haven’t forgotten.”

Back to News Archives

Privacy Policy, Terms of Use