A family in Michigan is mourning a mother of three after she was allegedly shot twice by her boyfriend of 18 years.
On April 24, Shanae Clayton, 44, was allegedly shot twice by her boyfriend after trying to leave him, according to the Oakland Press, citing sheriff’s investigations.
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“Shanae was a strong woman. She survived breast cancer and Covid19, but in the end, she lost her life to domestic violence,” her family wrote on a a GoFundMe page.
Clayton was a mother of three and had two teenagers with her boyfriend, who was identified by police as Roderick Junior Brooks, the Oakland Press reports.
Brooks is currently behind bars in Oakland County Jail on murder and open firearm charges, according to jail records.
“Yes, she lived in fear, but was too afraid to try to get out. Her greatest fear was of him harming the kids. Shanae finally decided enough was enough,” the family wrote on the GoFundMe page.
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Moments before Clayton’s alleged murder, her family said, she and Brooks had gotten into an argument in her car. Police told the Press that Brooks allegedly turned himself into authorities and admitted to shooting her twice.
Now, as Clayton’s family awaits justice, they are coming together to take care of her three children, as well as the grandchild she leaves behind.
“As a family, we are coming together to take care of the kids; doing our best to love and provide for them so that we don’t lose them to depression, suicide, or the streets,” the family wrote.
It’s unclear whether Brooks has an attorney to comment on his behalf. As of Friday, Clayton’s family raised almost $7,000.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.