Mother Grieves For Daughter After Apparent Domestic Violence Killing

As she reads handwritten messages to her daughter, Christine Simpson is planning her funeral on Tuesday.

Charney Watt, 18, was a track star and cheerleader at Olympic High School and was just accepted to college. Now a victim of domestic violence.

• VIDEO: Mother Grieves For Daughter After Domestic Violence Murder

“This lets me know that she was loved,” Simpson said.

In a pounding rain on Sunday afternoon, police found her shot to death inside the North Charlotte home of Gary Lavan Daniels, who is now charged with her murder.

Charney’s family said they had dated but broken up and were arguing about getting back together.

“It’s not a cause. It’s not a reason. It’s just that we need to learn how to deal and cope,” Simpson said.

Ironically, that’s one suggestion in the report on domestic violence which will soon be presented to city and county leaders.

Marage Blakeney from the Domestic Violence Advisory Council said, “Actually one of the highest ratings of domestic violence are between teens.”

Although Blakeney said that too often teens aren’t included in the conversation. “A lot of people think it’s really cute to say ‘my boyfriend or girlfriend is very jealous and don’t want me to talk to other people.’ But that is the beginning stage of domestic violence,” she said.

Grief counselors were on campus Tuesday at Olympic High School where Charney was set to graduate this spring.

Outside her home a small spray of flowers and inside the stirrings of grief and purpose together aimed squarely at the reality of domestic violence.

“My mom went through it. I myself went through it. And now my daughter has just been taken from me about it. This gives me so much more reason. So much more of a cause to fight,” said Simpson.

• RELATED:Counselors At School After Alleged Domestic Violence Homicide