A pretrial hearing for the man accused of killing his 11-month-old daughter, Willow Clare, has been postponed until early this January. Stephen Clare, a 50-year-old father, faces charges for the death of his daughter following a horrific attack last April, as reported by KENS 5. Clare, who also stands accused of attacking his baby's mother and sister, was later indicted by a grand jury in June.
At the recent court proceeding in the 437th District Court, the judge set around Jan. 10 as the return date for both the defense and prosecution to allow more time for the evidence-gathering process to be finalized. Following Tuesday's appearance, charged with gathering additional records before the trial could start, the judge asserted their necessity. Simultaneously, a testament to the impact of the tragedy on the community, Willow's mother, Mariah Gardner, has been organizing a memorial walk to pay tribute to her daughter while shining a light on the broader scourge of domestic violence.
She has persistently called for decisive action against her ex-husband. "What I went through and what my children have had to survive, no one should ever have to go through this again," Gardner told KENS 5 in a poignant statement. The Bexar County district attorney has yet to determine whether to seek the death penalty in Clare's case, noting earlier this year that it was too early to make that decision, as highlighted by a court clerk on Tuesday before the trial preparations.
The community-driven "Walk for Willow," intentionally retracing the route Clare allegedly took the night of the attack, will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday at 1507 Haskin Drive. The procession is slated to proceed to 547 Robinhood Place for a vigil, according to details shared with MSN. A following candlelight vigil will take place, with attendees being asked to don purple, the color symbolizing Domestic Violence Awareness.
