WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren OhioMurder victim's mother wants to turn tragedy in to something positive and help others

Murder victim's mother wants to turn tragedy in to something positive and help others

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Melissa Floyd is a mother on a mission in Youngstown, fighting for justice for her daughter and hoping to join forces with the families of other victims in Mahoning County.

It's been 10-months since Floyd's daughter, 20-year-old Melesia Day, was shot in the neck while inside her third floor apartment on the city's west side.

Day's boyfriend, Patrell Scott, is set to go on trial on May 14th charged with felonious assault, involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence in her death.

"I've not only lost a child, I've lost the most important person to me," Floyd said.

But as Melissa Floyd waits for some form of justice in her daughter's killing, she's hoping to turn her tragedy in to something positive by using her daughter's story to help others. "I don't want my daughter's death to be for nothing, and I don't want her to be forgotten."

Floyd's plans include a support group for the families of murder victims. She hopes to hold a rally at the Mahoning County Courthouse to fight for tougher laws to keep killers behind bars with longer sentences.

She also wants to provide another form of support for battered women, a shelter and non-profit she plans to name Lee Lee's Safe Place in memory of her daughter. Lee Lee was her daughter's nickname.

The Youngstown mother says her daughter was allegedly a victim of abuse, and she hopes she can do something in an effort to save lives.

"This has been a cycle that has gone down in both sides of our family and we've all been through it. And this has just made such an impact that God has said to me look, you need to make a difference, and it's going to take you to help people," Floyd said.

Floyd says she's already working with a number of organizations and churches, including Mt. Calvery Baptist Church on Cohasset in Youngstown, where one day a week she plans to hold support group meetings for battered women.

"I want other women to understand that this is something that's real. And I'm going to use my daughter's story and my life experiences to try and reach out to other women and say don't think it can't happen to you, because it can," Floyd said.

Floyd wants to make sure that another mother doesn't lose a daughter to violence and another child doesn't lose her mother.

If you would like to contact Melissa Floyd regarding the support groups you can reach her on Facebook at Melesia Day's Gift Page. You can also contact Floyd by email at: LeeLeeml20@gmail.com.