Bill Aims To Take Domestic Abuse Seriously In Honor Of Slain Boy

ILLINOIS — State lawmakers approved a new task force on Sunday that will investigate gaps in domestic violence laws after a Joliet toddler was shot despite please from his mother for protection against the child's abusive father.

In addition to reconsidering existing domestic abuse protocols, the task force will establish a panel that increases protective networks and safe houses for victims, propose treatment options for offenders and give more resources to specialty courts such as restorative justice.

According to the bill's primary sponsor, Republican Rep. David Welter, domestic violence laws are written in pieces across many law enforcement branches. This bill, he said, will put everything under one umbrella.

Colton's Task Force honors 18-month-old Colton Miller, who was shot and killed in September of 2019 by his father, who then took his own life. The group will be made up of over 20 members, including domestic abuse survivors like Colton's mother, Cassandra Tanner-Miller.

Tanner-Miller separated from Colton's father a year before the shooting. The man, who Tanner-Miller said was a violent drug user, ignored requirements to relinquish his firearms while facing felony charges in Cook and DuPage counties. Tanner-Miller said she tried to warn DuPage prosecutors about the weapons, but was referred to police, who referred her back to the courts.

Tanner-Miller told the Chicago Tribune that she's been able to find peace in knowing her son's memory will help others in similar situations.

"It's a beautiful tragedy," Tanner-Miller said after the bill's passage. "I created a legacy for Colton. I did what any mother would do and made sure her child's life had meaning."