Washington Must Ask the Hard Questions After My Daughter's Murder

By Taneika Tigner

Taneika Tigner, a Washington mother, grandmother, and community advocate who is working to establish Kiara Sewell Advocacy for Victims and Families of Violence (KSAVFV) after the murder of her daughter, Kiara Sewell.

Before my daughter became a headline, she was simply Kiara.

She was a devoted mother of four beautiful children. She loved telling corny jokes and laughing harder than anyone else at them. When she wasn't working, she wanted to be with her children—watching cartoons, making memories, and giving them the one thing she believed mattered most: her time. She dreamed of becoming a licensed esthetician and owning her own business so she could provide for her family while being present for every milestone in her children's lives.

That is the woman I want people to remember.

On June 10, 2025, my daughter was murdered.

In one unimaginable moment, four children lost their mother. I lost my daughter. My family lost the future we believed we still had ahead of us.

The headlines eventually faded.

Our grief did not.

Like many grieving parents, I wanted answers—not legal theories or political debates, just answers.

Before Kiara's murder, I knew very little about Washington's justice system because I never imagined I would need to understand it. I wasn't a lawyer. I wasn't a criminal justice expert. I was simply a mother.

Today, I'm still learning.

The truth is that I haven't spent my days reading legal textbooks or studying court opinions. I've spent them raising my grandchildren, collecting petition signatures across Washington, and working to build Kiara Sewell Advocacy for Victims and Families of Violence (KSAVFV)an organization I hope will one day provide support, advocacy, and resources for families like mine. Every day has been about surviving, healing, and trying to turn unimaginable loss into something that might help someone else.

Along the way, I've started asking questions.

Questions about accountability.

Questions about public safety.

Questions about whether our justice system can continue protecting constitutional rights while ensuring that victims and their families are not forgotten.

I know these questions are not easy.

I also know I'm not the only person asking them.

From where I stand as Kiara's mother, my family was left feeling that the justice system did not protect us. That is my lived experience, and it is what motivates me to ask whether there are ways our state can better protect families while respecting the constitutional rights that are fundamental to our legal system.

I'm not asking Washington to abandon criminal justice reform.

I'm asking Washington to continue improving it.

Can we strengthen victim notification?

Can we ensure that victims' families have a meaningful voice when decisions affecting public safety are made?

Can we continue evaluating whether our laws strike the right balance between constitutional rights, accountability, and community safety?

I don't pretend to have every answer.

In fact, one of the greatest lessons this journey has taught me is how much I still have to learn.

But I believe ordinary citizens have both the right and the responsibility to ask difficult questions when tragedy reveals concerns that deserve thoughtful discussion.

That belief is why I am working to establish KSAVFV. My hope is to create an organization that provides advocacy, education, and support for victims and families while encouraging meaningful conversations about public safety, accountability, and victims' rights throughout Washington.

No law can bring Kiara back.

No policy can restore four children to their mother.

But if my daughter's story encourages one legislator to ask one more question, one citizen to become involved, or one family to feel less alone, then her life will continue making a difference.

I cannot change what happened to my daughter.

I cannot erase my family's pain.

But I can continue speaking her name.

I can continue asking questions.

And I can continue believing that every victim deserves to be remembered—not only for how they died, but for how they lived.

My daughter's name is Kiara Sewell.

She was more than a headline.

She was a mother.

She was my daughter.

She mattered.

Now I am asking Washington to remember that every victim matters, every family matters, and every life deserves to be more than a case number.

Because I cannot change what happened to Kiara, I refuse to believe that her story cannot help change what happens next.

 In Loving Memory of Kiara Lashae Sewell

Kiara Lashae Sewell was a beloved daughter, devoted mother, cherished sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, and loyal friend whose love, strength, and compassion touched the lives of everyone who knew her. She was the kind of person who could make people smile even on difficult days, often with her corny jokes and playful sense of humor. Her laughter was contagious, her heart was genuine, and her love for her family was immeasurable.

More than anything, Kiara loved her children. They were the center of her world and the driving force behind her dreams. She treasured every opportunity to spend time with them, creating memories through everyday moments, laughter, and unconditional love. Her greatest hope was to build a brighter future for them and to show them they could accomplish anything through determination and perseverance.

Kiara had a passion for learning, especially about Black history. She appreciated the stories of resilience, achievement, and culture that shaped generations before her. She also loved music, with R&B and rap serving as the soundtrack to many of life's moments. Whether spending time with family, listening to music, or sharing a laugh, Kiara embraced life with authenticity and heart.

She dreamed of becoming a licensed esthetician and one day owning her own business. She wanted to build a career that allowed her to help others feel confident while creating opportunities for herself and her family. Like many entrepreneurs, she envisioned a future built on hard work, independence, and the desire to leave something meaningful behind.

Those who knew Kiara often describe her as incredibly strong-willed, especially when it came to matters of the heart. She loved deeply, stood firmly by the people she cared about, and never hesitated to defend those she loved. Loyalty was one of her greatest qualities. If you were part of her life, you knew she would stand beside you through good times and bad.

Kiara's generosity was remarkable. She would give you the shirt off her back or the last two dollars in her pocket if she believed you needed it more than she did. She wore her heart on her sleeve, sometimes putting others before herself, because helping people came naturally to her. Her kindness wasn't something she turned on for special occasions, it was simply who she was.

On June 10, 2025, Kiara's life was tragically taken in an act of violence, leaving behind a family whose lives would never be the same. While her absence is deeply felt every day, her love, strength, and spirit continue to inspire those who knew her.

Today, Kiara's legacy lives on through the work of Kiara Sewell Advocacy for Victims and Families of Violence (KSAVFV), the nonprofit organization her mother, Taneika Tigner, is building in her honor. Her life also inspires the proposed Kiara Sewell-Joiner Act, an effort to strengthen protection for victims and their families while promoting safer communities throughout Washington State.

• Taneika Tigner – Founder

  Taneika Tigner is the founder of Kiara Sewell Advocacy for Victims and Families of Violence (KSAVFV), a nonprofit organization currently being established to provide advocacy, education, support, and resources for victims and families impacted by violence throughout Washington State.

  Following the tragic loss of her daughter, Kiara Sewell, in 2025, Taneika committed herself to transforming unimaginable grief into meaningful action. Determined that Kiara's life would leave a lasting legacy, she began developing KSAVFV with the vision of creating an organization that supports victims and surviving families while promoting violence prevention, healing, accountability, and community education.

  As part of this mission, Taneika is leading an effort to place the Kiara Sewell-Joiner Act before Washington voters. The proposed ballot initiative seeks to strengthen victim protections and improve the review process for violent offenders seeking resentencing or early release, while supporting a justice system that prioritizes both fairness and public safety.

  Although KSAVFV is still in its development stage, Taneika is actively building the organization's foundation by developing programs, forming community partnerships, recruiting volunteers, seeking funding opportunities, and engaging with community leaders who share a commitment to supporting victims and preventing violence.

  In addition to her advocacy work, Taneika is a devoted mother, grandmother, and experienced caregiver who has spent years serving children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. Her personal and professional experiences have shaped her belief that compassion, accountability, and community involvement are essential to creating lasting change.

  Taneika's vision is to build an organization that not only helps families navigate the aftermath of violence but also works to prevent future tragedies through education, outreach, and advocacy. She believes every victim deserves to be remembered, every family deserves support, and every community deserves to be safe.

  Through determination, faith, and a commitment to service, Taneika is working to honor Kiara's legacy by building a nonprofit dedicated to hope, healing, justice, and lasting change for generations to come.