Relatives and former classmates of a former South Grand Prairie High School student gathered on Monday to honor her legacy.
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed the Christine Blubaugh Act calling on schools to offer education on ways for students to recognize and escape dating or family violence. Christine was a 16-year-old student at SGP High School when she was killed by an ex-boyfriend in 2000.
"We need to prepare children to have the knowledge of what to do and how to handle certain situations," said Christine's twin sister, Dawn Blubaugh Inocencio. "There were things that I saw before my sister was murdered, and I didn't know that they were signs." She spoke with KRLD's John Liddle in 2021.
The bill passed, but was initially vetoed by Governor Greg Abbott. He later signed the measure after lawmakers made changes to the bill allowing parents to have their kids opt-out of the courses.
Officials from the Grand Prairie Police Department joined with State Senator Royce West, members of the GP ISD, and Christine's relatives and former classmates for an event at SGP High School on Monday to honor her memory and the impact of the law named after her.
"I was one of the officers that was on the scene of Christine's murder. It was one of those things in the career of a police officer that really has a large impact on your life and sticks with you," Grand Prairie Assistant Police Chief Chief Ronnie Morris said. He's glad students will be able to learn the signs of dating violence at school.
"Over 80 percent of parents in the state of Texas are not having this conversation with their kids because they don't believe that this is an issue or they don't know it's an issue," he said.
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