Durham murder draws attention to teen domestic violence issues
DURHAM (WTVD) -- The arrest of 17-year-old Kelton Fox is bringing to the forefront questions of domestic violence among teenagers.
Durham police say Fox is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend, 17-year-old Tierra Hall.
Hall was last seen by her mother last Friday and found dead behind a vacant home in Durham on Saturday.
This tragedy is shedding light on the domestic violence many teenagers are facing right now. Numbers from Interact in Raleigh show one in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of some type of abuse from someone they're dating.
That fact is a reality for the family of Danielle Locklear. Just two-and-a-half weeks ago, her family marked the one year anniversary of when she was taken from them. The Hope Mills teen was found strangled and dumped in the South River. Her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend confessed the crime.
This past weekend a very similar nightmare played out for a mother in Durham when Koteya Hall's daughter did not come home after school on Friday.
The next day, 17-year-old Tierra Hall would be found dead with stab wounds behind a vacant home in Durham. Hall's ex-boyfriend, Fox, is now behind bars charged with the murder.
"I think a lot of people are surprised it happens," said Stephanie Francis, the Director of Education Training and Engagement in domestic violence at Interact in Raleigh.
She says while tragedies like these bring this type of violence among teens to the forefront, it's not rare,
"Really this is happening in silence," said Francis.
That silence, she says, is much larger than the 33 percent of teens in the U.S. who actually report the abuse and the age you can start seeing the signs is alarming,
"I believe most of the teen dating statistics start looking at kids as young as 12," said Francis.
That proves it is never too early to talk to your child about situation that can result in very tragic and deadly outcomes.
Some warning signs to watch out for include excessive texting or calling, asking for passwords to email or social media accounts, isolation from friends and family, and, of course, any violence.
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