"If You See The Signs, Don't Ignore It" 17-Year-Old Dayton Girl Posts Just Days Before
17-year-old Lashonda Childs had everything going for her. She was a up and coming beautician, nail tech and had a knack for all things beauty. She had clientele lined up for her services and she was well loved both in her family and her community.
She appeared to have her whole life ahead of her with nothing but prosperity until it was cut short by a man that once claimed to love her.
Trendell Goodwin, the man who shot Lashonda, was no stranger to the system either! Earlier this year he was arrested for assaulting her. According to WHIO TV 7 "On Feb. 19, 2018, Goodwin was arrested after Childs told police Goodwin hit her in the face and bit her left shoulder during an argument about text messages involving another woman.
“Childs had a fresh bite mark on her left shoulder,” a Dayton police officer wrote. “The left side of her face was swollen where she claimed Goodwin hit her. She also had had abrasions on the right side of her neck and her nose was bleeding at one point.”
Childs' mother, Nina Childs, says that the two started dating in September of last year but things went south after Lashonda learned that Goodwin was 28 and not 20, like he initially let on. When Lashonda tried to break it off with him, things escalated and took a horrible turn for the worse.
Childs made several posts to social media expressing her concern over her ex-boyfriend and telling others to get help if they, too, were in a similar situation.
Via Dayton Daily News:
“He was the type of guy who would call you 70 times a day,” Nina said. “Nonstop. It was aggravating as well as annoying and scary.”
Even after they broke up, Goodwin continued to reach out to LaShonda.
“She was really in the process of leaving,” said her brother, Jaylon Childs.
LaShonda filed for a protection order, but Nina said it was never served because Goodwin kept avoiding it.
Nina also said that her daughter eventually confided in her about how Goodwin treated her.
“LaShonda told me, ‘You know mom he made me walk from our house to his house with a gun pointed at my back. I was scared for my life as well as my family’s life,’” Nina said. "
“I just want to tell all the young girls, all the females, families, friends, if you see the signs, don’t ignore them,” Jaylon said. “Do what you got to do. Use the resources. There’s too many out here not to.”
These cases are becoming all too familiar in the news lately and, somehow, it's got to stop. We can't stress this enough, if you, or someone you know, needs help, please reach out to The National Domestic Violence Hotline. They are there to help you 24/7.
