Tabitha Johnson stands for change in the aftermath of her 13-year-old daughter's death, the tragic casualty of a shooting at Alderwood Mall on July 3. A day that was supposed to be marked by the innocence of shopping and photography, as per a statement obtained by KING 5 News, has instead turned to a rallying cry for what is being termed 'Jayda’s Law.' Samuel L. Gizaw, a 16-year-old from Edmonds, was arrested and initially released on a $50,000 bond, before being rearrested and having his bail increased to $2 million as he was charged as an adult in the case, Jada's mother fervently argues for bail to be revoked, "Put yourself in our shoes," Johnson said, "What if this was your kid? Jada was so innocent, and this shouldn’t be her story."
At the core of the matter, is a petition quickly gathering signatures, amassing 2,544 signees in just two weeks, a number that breezes past its goal of 2,500 as reported by KOMO News, advocating for harsher consequences for juvenile offenders, and potentially leading to a ballot initiative.
Meanwhile, Johnson, in a statement given to FOX 13 Seattle, her family is struggling with the loss of Jada, who died by what she describes as more than a 'wrong place, wrong time' scenario, Gizaw's family had the luxury of togetherness; she urges for a reconsideration of the accountability held over such teen offenders, addressing the pain that accompanies each school year initiation, each routine, each holiday, and now, each campaign for the enactment of Jayda's Law, asserting, "These teens are committing these crimes and getting off so easily with just a slap on the wrist. At some point, these parents need to be held accountable for what their kids are doing and that's what we're pushing for. Jayda should be here and she's not."
The conversation surrounding Jayda’s Law gathers steam as it ushers discourse on juvenile justice reform and parental responsibility. As Johnson told KOMO News, she is spearheading the search for a cohesion, a unity in purpose, that seeks not only justice for her daughter but also protection for others in the future, "We don't know what that change looks like necessarily. I know we all need to work together, whatever that means rallying together," speaking to the compounded tragedies that family, community, and society now engages with, the teen shooter, the child victim, the mother's plight, all intertwine in the call for 'Jayda's Law.'
