Sade Robinson's mother backs bill addressing violence against Black women

Sade Robinson's mother backs bill addressing violence against Black women

The FOX6 News team and defense attorney Julius Kim weigh in.

MADISON, Wis. - A bill at the Wisconsin State Capitol aims to confront a deadly reality facing Black women and girls, as lawmakers and families living with the pain of losing loved ones push for change.

What we know:

Turning her pain into purpose, the mother of slain teen Sade Robinson is using her voice in hopes of sparing other families from the same tragedy.

"This has been very draining spiritually mentally for your soul for your spirit to lose your child," said Sheena Scarbrough, Robinson’s mother.

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Robinson was found dead and dismembered in April 2024, forcing her family to endure a disturbing criminal investigation and later face her now-convicted killer in court.

"I learned in these past 20 months about the criminal justice system about everything with how a lot of things move," said Scarbrough.

Dig deeper:

On Tuesday, Scarbrough spoke during a Senate committee public hearing in support of a bill proposed by State Rep. Sheila Stubbs (D-Madison).

"The people of Wisconsin have realized that we cannot wait one more time for another African American woman to go missing or be murdered," said Stubbs.

The legislation would create a 17-member task force to investigate the root causes of disproportionately high levels of violence against Black women and girls. Stubbs has been pushing the issue since 2021.

"Today, I am proud to report that this bill has received 11 letters of support, the momentum across the nation for this legislation is growing," said Stubbs.

Law enforcement leaders also voiced support for the proposal.

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Local perspective:

"The creation of this task force should not be considered as a criticism on law enforcement, it is an investment in better outcomes and continuous improvement must be a virtue of every one of our police agencies in our state," said Madison Police Chief John Patterson.

Other states, including Minnesota and Illinois, have already created similar task forces. The bill must clear several more steps in the Legislature before it could reach the governor’s desk.