89 too many: Nonprofit responds to domestic death reportby Jason Futch Domestic violence is often difficult to talk about, particularly in rural communities where the issue can remain hidden behind closed doors. Now, following the release of state data on domestic abuse-related fatalities, a Dodge County nonprofit dedicated to helping victims is hoping the numbers will bring the issue into the open and start a conversation.
The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office initiated the Domestic Abuse Death Review Team following legislative action in 2022 in memory of two Nebraska women who were victims of domestic abuse-related homicide. It is a multidisciplinary team that works to provide recommendations for public, private, community and system improvements to enhance victim safety and prevent future domestic abuse fatalities. As a result of the team’s formation, 89 domestic abuse-related deaths were identified throughout Nebraska from July 21, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2025. The team completed 41 comprehensive case reviews involving 46 victims. In 2025 alone, 30 deaths were identified, and the state experienced more intimate partner murder-suicides than in 2023 and 2024 combined. Since the data was released, Fremont-area nonprofit The Bridge aims to raise awareness to the grim facts and also solicit help from the community to come together to help victims. The organization provides services to domestic violence survivors across five counties. Executive director Cathi Sampson said the report by DADRT represents the reality that domestic violence deaths also happen in communities throughout Nebraska and is not just a national crisis. “It is a local crisis that impacts our neighbors, our coworkers and our friends,” she said. Revealing numbers When the data was released to the public in early August, it showed a sharp statewide rise in domestic abuse-related deaths over the course of DADRT’s review. “Seeing the numbers honestly made me think that there were too many people this past year,” she said. “It made me reflect on the news we see in our homes.” Sampson said the numbers reported by DADRT created a sense of urgency for her to ask what more The Bridge can do to help connect people, be a resource and prevent things such as domestic violence from happening. She said that of the 30 homicides recorded last year, one was from North Bend. In April 2025, 40-year-old Bryan Jeselink, a Texas native, shot and killed 24-year-old Billie Meadows of Georgia near U.S. 30 and County Road 5 following a single-vehicle crash.According to previous news reports, both he and Meadows had known each other for approximately one year and had lived in Nebraska for a few weeks for work. Jeselink recently pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and will be sentenced on Oct. 22. Sampson added that a domestic abuse-related death had also occurred in Washington County within the last few years, which is one of the five counties The Bridge provides services for. “We see those numbers within our service area,” Sampson said. “Our job is to prevent that.” Another statistic in the statewide numbers showed that only one of the 46 victims whose cases were comprehensively reviewed had contact with a domestic violence program prior to their death. Sampson said that lack of education about domestic violence resources possibly played a role in why the other victims did not come forward prior to their deaths, but also understood that many victims may not come forward due to fear of retaliation. Children and domestic violence Then there is the child factor. The DADRT reported that there was a significant impact on children, especially when it came to witnessing the abuse and/or murder of their loved one. The report indicated that 32 Children were present when their parent or caregiver was murdered, 10 children were killed by a family member during a domestic abuse incident, and over 80 children were directly impacted by a domestic abuse death. The report also noted that surviving families often face additional complications following a domestic abuse-related death, including disputes over custody, property and debt where no clear wills or final wishes are in place. Families may also lack knowledge about how to navigate probate or juvenile court systems while coping with the tragic loss of a loved one. Decrease in funding Funding shortages have also made it more difficult for domestic violence organizations to promote their services and maintain staffing. The federal Victims of Crime Act also provides a source of funding for advocacy organizations to help pay for staffing wages and program support, but even that source has been drastically reduced over the years. According to the DADRT report, there has been a 56 percent decrease in VOCA funding since 2021. It further stated that feedback from victim service providers and law enforcement agencies indicated that not only has the demand for victim services increased, but the severity and lethality of domestic violence incidents have also escalated in both rural and metropolitan areas as funding continues to decrease. Helping victims The Bridge works with survivors of domestic abuse in multiple ways. One service involves creating a safety plan to help victims safely remove themselves from a situation involving domestic abuse. They also assist with the court process if requested. “If (the victim) decides that the best thing is a protection order, then we are going to assist them with that,” Sampson said. “If they just need a safe place to stay, then we coordinate and facilitate that for them. Our goal is to prevent another domestic abuse-related death.” Read the full story in the print or e-edition. <<Back to the front page |
