Teenager Kills Abusive Father, Draws National Support; #FreeBresha Movement Gaining Traction

A teenager killed her abusive father, and many have been asking to release the girl from the detention center she is being held in custody. The #FreeBresha movement has been gaining traction, and the latest number of signatures for the petition has reached 13,000.

The teenager, identified as Bresha Meadows, 15, killed her father, and her family says it was due to self-defense. The teen is still being held in Ohio's Trumbull County Juvenile Detention Center, and many are asking for her to be freed. Aside from the signatures in the petition, vigils and rallies have also been held across the country in support of Meadow, the Huffington Post reported.

Although there are many supporters asking for the release of Meadows, her aunt, Martina Latessa, said that her niece continues to have a difficult time while in jail. She is reportedly on and off the suicide watch. "Usually when her court dates come up she gets all freaked out. She's just really scared she's going to spend the rest of her life in prison," Latessa added.

Meadows was charged with aggravated murder in July after fatally shooting her father. Accordingly, the father has had a long history of domestic violence. The pre-trial hearing for Meadows has been delayed because of the large amount of evidence being exchanged, according to the attorney of Meadows, Ian Friedman.

Meadows reportedly walked into her parents' room and killed her sleeping father using a 45-caliber, semi-automatic handgun. She endured years of emotional, mental and physical abuse. Bresha, her mother, and the entire family lived in constant fear, leading to the events that eventually killed her father. Two months before she shot him, she ran away from home and told relatives she was afraid of her life. She also told relatives that her father was beating her mother and threatening to kill the whole family, The Root reported.

A total of 16 cities will be hosting events to support Meadows as per the announcement of the Free Bresha Meadows Campaign. The "#FreeBresha" hashtag has also been trending on Twitter.

The advocacy surrounding the call for the freedom of Meadows also has something to do with stopping mass incarceration of young black people. Meadows' next hearing will be this Thursday.