Family of Westchester woman killed her girlfriend says warning signs were missed
Concetta Morton's sister says her family tried to alert the New Rochelle Police Deparment about the abuse several times.
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The family of a Westchester woman is breaking their silence after the woman's girlfriend was convicted of torturing and killing her.
Grief and gratitude, that's how Joanne Dunn, the sister of the late Concetta Morton, says she's felt since Friday, when a jury found Kenya Tilford guilty of torturing and killing Morton in 2023.
"You celebrate in regard to that justice has been served in the courtroom, but then the weight of grief that sits on you knowing how she died. It just haunts you," Dunn says.
As a participant in the trial, Dunn says she felt responsible for humanizing her 27-year-old sister, who had developmental disabilities, but, at the same time, had a deep desire for love and a romantic relationship with Tilford.
"They met in April in 2023, and by September of 2023, the hunt for love took her life," Dunn says.
Despite the torture, Dunn says Morton wasn't aware that she was that was being abused.
Dunn says multiple family members tried to help Morton and alert the New Rochelle Police Department, but their concerns weren't always taken seriously by the officers.
"Originally, my mom and myself, we were hung up on. We were told she was 27 and that they couldn't do nothing about it. They also told us for a while that they met with Chetta and they saw that she was OK. So, in July of 2023, they closed the case," Dunn says.
While Dunn appreciates the department's work during the death investigation, she says she believes warning signs were missed while Morton was still alive.
"If we would have just took a little bit more effort to make sure she was OK, not a one-and-done, not just a check the box, but really as we started to navigate this to see that she was in danger, we could have saved her life," Dunn says.
New Rochelle police say their hearts go out to the family and that they're committed to thoroughly investigating all crimes.
Dunn says her focus is now on raising awareness about domestic violence, especially for people living with disabilities.
"We've been doing a couple of workshops called 'Chetta's Love.' You know, understanding that, 'What is love' and love shouldn't hurt," Dunn says.
Dunn says her family also plans to advocate for a law in Morton's honor to help protect vulnerable adults from abuse.
