Victims unit gets name

KYLE — Following a special meeting where Mayor Travis Mitchell and District 2 city council member Robert Rizo were sworn in, Kyle City Council approved new names for the victims unit at the Public Safety Center on Nov. 14.

Samantha Dean was 29 when she was found shot to death in Bastrop in 2015. As the first victim services coordinator at the Kyle Police Department, she was known to be compassionate and loving. Her life, along with the life of her unborn daughter Madeline, was taken too soon at the hands of Freddie Lee Smith and Kevin Leo Watson, hired by her former boyfriend and then-Austin Police officer VonTrey Clark.

More than a year after the final suspect was sentenced, KPD Chief Jeff Barnett brought forth the item to name the soft interview room Sam’s Space and the waiting area for children and other victims Maddie’s Corner.

“Samantha was the first victim services coordinator for the Kyle Police Department and during her time at the department, she made a difference in many lives, both within the department and within the community. Though she is no longer with us, Samantha continues to have an impact on the community. She has been described as being a trailblazer, as she built positive relationships with many community-based resources and other departments that continue today,” said Barnett.

According to Barnett, the soft interview room has a couch, soft lighting and serves as a space for victims to feel comfortable when telling their story, while Maddie’s Corner is an area where children can play and family members can wait prior to going into the interview room. This is a vast difference from the old department.

“At our old department, we had to take victims either into the patrol room or into the suspect interview room and it was never a very comfortable place for victims. It was somewhat intimidating.” said Kelly Barron, victim services coordinator. “We’ve actually used [the new room] already for some victims and having it be comfortable for them, so that they do feel safe and they do feel comfortable talking about what has happened to them is super important.”

Prior to council approval, Dean’s mother, Kimberly Dean, spoke of her daughter: “My daughter, Samantha, took her role in doing her job as a victims advocate very seriously. [The position] was a grant [and] it meant that it was not a guaranteed job … As a mom, I said, ‘Do you think that’s a good idea to take on this job because you know you have a lot of bills and we can help, but I don’t know.’ But she insisted because she believed that she could make a difference.”

“This was her home and it was her job to make sure that she took care of each and every person that needed her assistance, so this dedication, if approved, would be greatly appreciated,” continued Dean. “I’m sure that she’s smiling down and thanking each of you for being able to do this, and Maddie, too.”

Mitchell motioned to approve and the item passed unanimously.