TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office has launched an online crime victims tool this week during National Crime Victim Week.
The online tool will put important courtroom and community resources in one place for crime victim survivors after a sudden loss or tragedy, and ensuing legal process.
What You Need To Know
- Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office has launched an online crime victims tool
- The online tool will put important courtroom and community resources in one place for crime victim survivors after a sudden loss or tragedy
- View more information on the new crime victim online tool
Sparkle Negron has been on that long road since 2022 when her 22-year-old son Justin Burks was shot and killed during a dispute on South Howard Avenue in Tampa.
“The person that did this to my son, that took my son’s life, I’ve had to walk past him and I have to walk through his crowd of family and support and we are new from out of state, we have little family that is here,” said Negron. I had to go through that and walk through it alone. It would have been that much more difficult for me.”
Negron has been to court almost 30 times in three years as her son’s murder case has moved forward.
State Attorney Susan Lopez says the online crime victims tool will help link crime victims to important financial, legal and emotional resources in the community.
“These are things that families never think that they will need until they are thrust into this position,” said Lopez. “Compensation, paying for funeral expenses, there are resources out there that people who are put into this position that often times with the sudden loss of a loved one can’t anticipate, we’ve been able to anticipate that.”
