Milwaukee homicide: Daughter accused of killing mother with rock
Daughter accused of killing mother with rock
A Milwaukee woman was beaten to death with a rock by her own daughter, prosecutors said Tuesday.
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee woman was beaten to death with a rock by her own daughter, prosecutors said Tuesday, Oct. 14, in a case that neighbors and family friends say was years in the making.
What we know:
Lauren Spors, 29, made her initial court appearance on Tuesday, on charges of first-degree intentional homicide with a domestic abuse threat modifier. Prosecutors allege she killed her mother, 64-year-old Carrie Zettel, outside a home near 23rd Street and Ramsey Avenue on Sunday afternoon.
Lauren Spors
According to the criminal complaint, a neighbor called police and saw Spors standing over her mom, beating her with an object she was holding in both hands, multiple times.
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Investigators say they found Zettel’s body under a blanket, with a bloody rock weighing about four pounds nearby. Spors was covered in blood when officers arrived.
Milwaukee woman killed; daughter arrested, friends say signs were missed
Court records show a history of domestic violence calls to the home of Carrie Zettel, a Milwaukee woman who was beaten to death with a stone Sunday, Oct. 12.
Search warrants say Zettel had called police earlier that day to report her daughter was being violent.
What they're saying:
Neighbors told FOX6 News this comes after years of domestic violence incidents.
"The system has failed," said Carmen Pitre, CEO of Sojourner Family Peace Center. "It does sound like she did everything we would suggest she do, and that’s what makes it even more painful."
Carrie Zettel
Per the complaint, friends said Zettel had told people her daughter suffered from schizophrenia.
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Studies show the majority of mental health cases do not result in violence, but Pitre said domestic abuse situations are complicated.
"We don’t have systems in place that are 100% all the time that can guarantee safety," Pitre said. "The challenging thing is you cannot force an adult, right, into anything. So it’s hard to address mental health issues when the person can’t address it themselves."
What's next:
Zettel’s family and friends plan to hold a vigil Thursday night outside her home.
The Source: FOX6 obtained the criminal complaint and used public records, as well as prior coverage.