WACO, Texas – The mother of 21-year-old Sakyra Young, who was murdered in Waco last Friday evening, is speaking out.

Latoya Wells says it’s been easier to process her daughter’s death because this is not new to her. She says her daughter was taken away since 2017, both emotionally and physically by her abusive boyfriend.

Wells says 20-year-old Michael Howard killed her daughter a long time ago from the inside out – she says she noticed it when she would lose herself by no longer doing the things she liked to do or look the way she wanted to. Now she’s raising awareness against domestic violence.

“When it gets to a point to where you are not even caring about your daily needs and what you need, you know that you got in too far. Please get out. If you can’t do it for yourself, love your family enough to get out because you’re not the only one in that relationship. You are the one who is in it as far as the physical part. But we all have to suffer because of that,” says Wells.

Right now Howard is being charged with murder after they say he shot young multiple times. Sakyra’s family say she will be laid to rest this Saturday.

For more information, you can view our previous story here.