Mother of pregnant woman killed by boyfriend advocates for domestic violence victims in court

From a small office building in Redford, Karen Lewis has been operating the Angel House for the past few years, helping victims of domestic violence leave their abusers, even relocate out of state and learn to thrive. It's the help she wishes her own daughter would have had. 

Karen's daughter, Tracy Renee Anderson and her unborn baby girl, were brutally murdered by Tracy's boyfriend in March of 2014.

"When my youngest one turned 27, she lived in Texas and she was 8 months pregnant and her abuser stabbed her 56 times," Anderson said.

Karen paused, trying to hold back tears.

"Which caused me to lose my daughter and what would have been my first grandchild," she said. "This is something you never get over. I now know what a parent feels like when they lose a child."

Tracy's boyfriend, Robert Atlas, was sentenced to life in prison. Now Karen is dedicating her life to saving people like her daugther.

"I don't ever in life want to see another mother go through what I had to go through, to see their child holding their grandbaby in their arms in a casket," she said. "My thing is to help every victim I can get through domestic violence."

Which is why she's now taking on a new role in addition to the Angel House, as a victim advocate at 32A District Court in Harper Woods, where Judge Daniel Palmer asked her to assist . Karen is now volunteering her time and expertise to do so.

"It gives the victim someone to support them at the courthouse - know that they're safe here and they can tell the truth here and hopefully diffuse a situation that could be made worse," said Judge Daniel Palmer.

"You - in that courtroom - you should be able to feel comfortable because you won't be in there by yourself - you will have me as an advocate standing right there with you," she said.

Standing strong for all of those victims who can't, victims Karen hopes will survive and thrive. Her own grief fuels her passion to help others.

"I'll probably grieve for the rest of my life, but during my grieving I will be out here to assist victims of domestic violence for the rest of my life," she said. 

The Angel House is collecting donations to continue to help victims of domestic violence. To donate, visit theangelhouse.org.