DOTHAN, Ala. — With 2020 coming to a close, multiple violent crime cases are still open due to COVID-19 obstacles.
“There’s just a lot of emotions going around right now, and it is really hard,” Wiregrass Angel House Outreach Advocate Katy Lewis said.
The Wiregrass Angel House helps victims and families through the process of violent crime cases, from the original hearing to the verdict.
Now with COVID-19, it has become more difficult for those people as the courts have to follow all the new precautions and guidelines set to combat the pandemic.
“I do think that we’ve had a lot more families come to our counselor and maybe not necessarily just because of the courts and COVID, but right now is it’s a very lonely time,” Lewis said.
Dothan police explained that not only the courts have changed, but the way they meet with victims, their families, and how they run a case has changed due to the virus.
“The complications this year just made it that much worse so we don’t know what next year going to do,” Dothan Police Captain Will Glover said. “But I would say it’s possible to start the year off with more frustrations and not knowing what the future holds so I can see how that can be worse too.”
While next year is no guarantee, the Wiregrass Angel House has continued their memorial events and is always there to help victims and families through difficult times.
“That is where Angel House and all of our families that we serve come together and lift each other up and offer that support for everyone,” Lewis added.
