San Antonio may consider safe haven drop-off boxes to surrender newborn babies
A San Antonio City councilman wants to explore the installation of “baby boxes” at safe havens like fire stations and hospitals where a newborn child can be surrendered anonymously. Texas’ “baby Moses law” allows a parent to surrender their newborn child in-person at a fire station or hospital. The council consideration request presented by northside […]
Domestic violence murders decline in Bexar County, while calls and cases increase
In August 2021, the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence launched a domestic violence navigation hotline, one of several efforts to combat family violence. Bexar County District Judge Monique Diaz remembers when and why area leaders decided curbing domestic violence trends needed to be a collaborative effort. In 2019, the Texas Council of Family Violence reported […]
Bexar County Children’s Court continuing to see success with reunification of families
Innovative specialty courts are continuing to see success in reunifying children with their parents after the completion of court-supervised programs. 150th District Court Judge Monique Diaz took over the Early Childhood Court and the Family Drug Court after Judge Peter Sakai retired last year and has continued his work in reunifying families. “We have great […]
Corte 150 distrital del condado de Bexar logra la reunificación de mil niños con sus familias
Monique Díaz, juez civil de la corte 150 distrital, explica que el programa trabaja con padres de familia y menores extraídos por CPS para lograr los requisitos que legales que faciliten su reunificación.
TPR: SA’s CCDV Continues Goal to Help Survivors – quoted
If you are in need of support, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District has a special 24/7 hotline at 210-207-1878. The National Domestic Hotline is also available at 800-799-7233. When San Antonio and Bexar County’s Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence was created in 2019, the goal was to coordinate separate yet otherwise effective services in providing aid to […]
SA Report: Love and fear should never coexist – quoted
Local leaders and advocates chose Valentine’s Day to remind the community that domestic violence continues to plague San Antonio, but also to tout some recent successes. “I know it might seem a little strange to meet on Valentine’s Day to discuss domestic violence, but we know that domestic violence occurs inside relationships that often start […]
KSAT: Open Court: Jury trials on hold again, plus get to know Judge Monique Diaz – profile
Bexar County Courts saw another setback this week as omicron has caused in-person jury trials to be put on hold until March 1. This is the third time the courts have had to stop jury trials because of COVID-19. We are still awaiting several high-profile trials to take place in the first half of the year […]
TPR: YWCA purchases St Andrews Convent, will turn into housing, women’s center
The YWCA has purchased a former convent on San Antonio’s West Side and hopes to use it for women’s economic self-sufficiency. The former St Andrews Convent will be transformed into a campus dedicated to helping women out of poverty. The 24 apartments will center women under the poverty line. They will be focusing on women […]
San Antonio Express News: ‘We need to do something’ — Bexar County DA, county judge move to combat family violence after E-N series
A month after an Express-News investigation put a spotlight on the problem, Bexar County officials unveiled proposals to spend up to $6.3 million to counter a surge in domestic violence by hiring more prosecutors and using tracking technology to protect victims from being ambushed by their abusers. The money would allow the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office […]
When Home is Not Safe: Judge Diaz Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Domestic Violence,” The San Antonio Sentinel
On Monday, 150th District Court Judge Monique Diaz hosted a virtual roundtable discussion with members of the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence. Diaz’s panelists were San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, Bexar County First Assistant District Attorney Philip Kazen, and Marta Pelaez, CEO and president of Family Violence Prevention Services. Diaz, who hopes to bring […]