It was another vigil for another life stolen on the streets of our city. Friday, Charmaine Wilson’s family held a vigil in her honor. As they remembered the happy times, the tears couldn't help but fall.
"I love her with all my heart and the last words she said to me were, 'Mama, I'll call you back.' I never got that call back Monday," said Wilson's mother, Willie Mae Brandford.
Several community leaders, friends and most of all family lit candles to shine a light on the 37-year-old mother of eight.
Brandford went on, "I feel empty, very empty inside. We never saw this coming, we never saw it coming."
Wilson was gunned down near her home along Gertrude Avenue in Southwest Baltimore after a dispute involving her kids and others in the neighborhood.
"We've become so adapted to this life and I think everybody thinks that this is normal and is supposed to happen," said Daphne Alston, of Moms of Murdered Sons and Daughters.
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Wilson leaves behind eight children. Community organizations like MOMS are now the family's advocates and say ending the violence starts with all of us.
"Be more proactive and trying to prevent this stuff from ever happening again and also start with our youth and young adults maybe our babies and start showing love and nurturing," Alston said.
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Wilson's mother had this to say to her killer.
"The more you run, the worse it's going to be," she said. "Turn yourself in. You took children away from their mother, family."
Baltimore Police detectives say they do have some leads but are asking for the public's help.
Anyone with information should call police or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP.
