Six members of a family in suburban Spring who were shot to death last week will be laid to rest today in a private ceremony. Katie and Stephen Stay, and their four youngest children died in the attack. The couple's 15-year-old daughter Cassidy survived, called police, and identified her uncle, Ronald Lee Haskell, as the gunman.
Haskell had been divorced from Katie Stay's sister. Records show he had a history of domestic violence, and a protective order had been taken out against him.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office says protective orders offer one tool for domestic violence victims to seek to keep themselves and their families safe. On this edition of Houston Matters, we learn more about protective orders, what they're meant to do, what effect they have, how far they extend, and what misconceptions may exist about them. We also discuss other steps that someone trying to get out of an abusive relationship can take.
We welcome your questions for Jennifer Varela, Director of Family Violence Services for the Harris County District Attorney's Office, and Leticia Manzano, Manager of Counseling Services at the Houston Area Women's Center.
