Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
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In a state where more than two dozen people a year on average die at the hands of a domestic abuser, the developments in Madeline Kingsbury's disappearance followed a heartbreakingly predictable pattern:
A young woman is separating from her partner. She goes missing. Her body is found. The partner is charged with her murder. The complaint filed by law enforcement alleges shocking abuse and violent threats the victim suffered during their relationship.
Kingsbury's former boyfriend, Adam Fravel, 29, is now in jail and facing two counts of second-degree murder. The act of violence that caused the Winona woman's death has tragic ripple effects.
Two children are without their mother and, if Fravel is convicted, will be without their father for some time. Kingsbury's family and friends are left to grieve and ask why this hardworking young mom had her life cut short, allegedly at the hands of someone she once cared deeply about.
Minnesotans join Kingsbury's loved ones in mourning her loss and grappling with that question. The facts about her death made available by law enforcement are a painful reminder of the persistently grim toll that domestic violence continues to take in Minnesota and elsewhere. Nearly three decades after Congress passed the landmark 1994 Violence Against Women Act — which bolstered resources to combat abuse and protect survivors — hard work and innovation are still needed to save lives.
About 25 people a year, on average, die in the state from "intimate partner violence," according to Violence Free Minnesota, an advocacy group. The victims are overwhelmingly women, though the figure includes the deaths of bystanders, children and "interveners," such as police officers or others attempting to help.