Mom of murder victim helps find children

10th April 2012   ·   0 Comments

By J. Kojo Livingston
Contributing Writer

When Tavia Sills was murdered in Shreveport in September of 2008, her mother Vickie Britton experienced everything Black mothers are subjected to when their children are missing. First, the Shreveport police department did not want to investigate or consider her missing until community activists complained to elected officials. Because law en­forcement did not take the case seriously, local media also refused to put her picture up until days later.

Britton remembered watching a TV report the same week where two local white teens were missing and dogs and helicopters were sent to search for them the same day. Sitting in her living room in the M.L. King area she was in tears when she asked, “Why couldn’t they do that for my child?” Later that week, the body of Tavia Sills was found. She and her unborn child had been murdered on the very first day she contacted police. A suspect was found, confessed and even showed police where the weapon was hidden.

Britton’s nightmare was far from over. There was a lengthy trial, death threats and the never-ending question as to why she had to lose her child.

But help and healing came from an unexpected source when Britton was contacted by Peas in Their Pods, a group formed and dedicated to helping locate Black missing children. “They contacted me and offered their condolences. They had already found Tavia’s picture and had put it up on their Facebook page for missing children. I kept up with their page and their work and began following other cases.”

Britton was in a unique position to help other parents of missing children, knowing not just the pain of the loss but also the frustration of dealing with authorities and a media that consistently treats Black missing persons, including children differently.

A 2005 study by Scripps Howard News Service found that about half of missing children are white. However they received more than two-thirds of reports on the Associated Press national news wire during the last five years and three-fourths of missing-children coverage on CNN.

“Historically, the perfect victim is a young female who is Caucasian and considered cute as a button and if there’s a sketchy family history, it feeds into the formula,” says Gaetane Borders, president of Peas In Their Pods which is non-profit and based in Snellville, Ga.

Borders has been on CNN and faced off with Nancy Grace before a national audience, “She asked Nancy, ‘Why do you give white children a whole hour of your show but flash Black children up as if they don’t have a story?’ Nancy has been doing better now like we want it.” Peas also works with TVOne and other networks to get stories out.

According to Borders, “We do not take the place of the Amber Alert System. We simply pick up where they leave off or never engage due to program criteria. Peas In Their Pods takes pride in helping to find missing children of color, fight against child abuse, and provide information to the public.”

When Borders contacted Britton it helped give her a sense of purpose and a way dealing with her own pain. She was no longer just a victim but a committed worker and fighter, “Recently they gave me 10 children to look up for updates. Now that’s what I do daily. One of mine has been found; she’s at home, safe with her parents. Every time we find one we take that picture down and put up another one.”

Peas in their Pods also addresses domestic violence sexual abuse with their Peas Breaking News. “We want to expose and stop the violence against our children,” says Britton. The program was founded to compensate for the media’s refusal to help find missing children, however they will help any family in need find their child, regardless of race.

They work with the families to make sure that the proper reports are filed and that all practical steps are taken to find the missing loved ones. Their researchers and contact people are located across the nation and communicate through the internet and by phone conference.

Britton is the only advocate in the Louisiana region. “I cover parts of Texas, Arkansas and all of Louisiana,” she says. “I want them to know that there is a voice for them. Somebody has answers. Some of these children have been missing for years. Their families are still waiting for answers. I know their hurt and their pain. I believe that this is a ministry that God has called me to,” she added.

In some cases Peas will put alerts out on runaways, if they have medical needs or if police have reason to believe their lives may be in danger. According Britton, many Black missing children have been overlooked and many died that nobody has claimed.

Borders formed Peas in the Pod in 2001 when the case of Rilya Wilson came to her attention. Rilya was placed in foster care and was missing for 16 months. Foster care workers never made the mandatory visits to the home but falsified reports claiming that they did. The workers and the foster parent went to jail. Rilya has never been found. Borders was determined to ensure that Black children who were missing got the appropriate attention from media.

Today Britton is on the staff of Peas and spends her days helping others to find their missing children. “Some of the stories are a bit hard because these are our children. I was determined to help other people go through this. I love the work that I do helping people find their children. A lot of the children are found deceased—that’s the most hurtful part of the job. We all feel it. A lot of times on phone conferences we cry. You have to have a passion for the job. But it’s hard to get the media attention for missing children of color.”

This article was originally published in the April 9, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper