KENOSHA — Makayla Plaza spent her career helping people escape domestic violence. She was 28 years old, and she understood the danger better than most — working as an advocate at Women and Children's Horizons in Kenosha, helping others find safety.
But Women and Children's Horizons Director Sue Sippel says that understanding doesn't make anyone immune.
"She had the knowledge, she understood domestic violence, but knowledge and understanding doesn't make you immune to domestic violence. That can happen to anyone, including people who are employed or were employed in a domestic violence program," Sippel said.
Watch: Two domestic violence homicides in nine days shake Kenosha County community
Prosecutors have charged Marckus Plaza with first-degree intentional homicide, saying he stabbed Makayla to death on April 1. Their children were in the home. Marckus Plaza appeared in court, where a judge set his cash bond at $2 million. A competency hearing is scheduled for May.
Makayla's death came just nine days after another domestic violence homicide in Kenosha County.
Officers responded to the Tan Oak Apartments in Twin Lakes on March 23rd, where they found 37-year-old Amber Montana dead. Body camera video obtained by TMJ4 shows officers taking a child from the arms of the suspect before placing him under arrest. According to court records, Brandyn Hall, 35, faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide, recklessly endangering safety, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Sippel says the back-to-back tragedies are alarming.
"It is concerning that there have been multiple domestic violence homicides in a short period of time," she said.
Since the stories broke, Women and Children's Horizons has seen an uptick in calls — from people across Kenosha County and surrounding counties.
"We have seen definitely an uptick in calls, not only from Kenosha County but from some of the surrounding counties, because people have seen the stories on the media," Sippel said.
IF YOU NEED HELP:
Women and Children's Horizons offers free and confidential services to those affected by domestic violence, including:
• Emergency shelter
• Legal advocacy
• 24-hour crisis hotline: 262-652-9900
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