Mother attributes rescue of her daughter after fatal accident to missing person report

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – A day after a domestic violence incident turned deadly in a Collierville neighborhood, a woman who says she is the mother of the domestic violence victim is speaking out.

The woman says she is just happy that her daughter is back home and safe.

She said she knew something was wrong when she hadn't heard from her daughter for days, which is why she filed a missing person report with Collierville police.

“I heard the bang and then I saw the smoke rising,” said Patricia Willman, a neighbor.

What began with the search for a missing woman ended with a dead man, destroyed cars and a break-in at a house.

On Saturday, Collierville police said they had received a missing person report for a woman who was involved in an incident of serious assault less than a week earlier.

“John had brought her into the house and would not let her out. She called 911. When the emergency number arrived, [John] said if you say anything I'll kill you,” said Gale Brooks, who says she is the mother of the woman in question.

Gale Brooks said the victim was her daughter.

“Well, I texted her and she responded and said, 'Mom, I'm OK.' Well, I called her and texted her. I didn't hear anything,” Brooks said.

She said she sensed impending danger after not hearing from her daughter for several days.

“I thank God every day that I went out there to do that, because I would have found her dead and I didn't want that,” Brooks said. “I didn't want them to call me and tell me my daughter was dead.”

Sunday Action News 5 met Brooks as she drove to the scene where police say a chase ended.

According to the CPD, officers found a car matching the description on Saturday and saw the victim and a man inside. The victim was able to get out of the car, but the man drove off and rammed a CPD unit, two other cars and then a nearby house.

The man was taken to hospital where, according to police, he succumbed to his injuries.

Brooks said she would have liked a different outcome but was glad her daughter was safe.

“I just thought, oh, did he destroy her, or I didn't know. I was just glad she was OK,” she said.

Brooks said her daughter was bruised and still in pain, but she was OK and back home with her family.

“She also has bruises on her arms. She has bruises all over,” she said. “She has a bump on her head and a black eye that she didn't have on Thursday.”

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