Family of Sir Romeo, 4, persistently attempts to change the law
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's been a year, since a then four-year-old boy was shot by a stray bullet in Sunnyside. Houston Police are still looking for the shooter.
The boy, Sir Romeo, was left fighting for his life and has had countless surgeries since.
"He was shot and fell backwards, and you know, eyes rolling in his head and it just scared us to death," said Lori Ann Milam, Sir Romeo's grandmother.
He spent half a year in the hospital recovering. He's back home but still life isn't the same.
"I didn't know a human body that little could take so many surgeries," said Milam.
Sir Romeo has had to re-learn how to walk.
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As he works to overcome his physical injuries, his grandmother is also concerned about the emotional ones, including the fact that he had to return to the very home where he was shot.
"He's been scared because they still have shootings out here," said Milam.
She wanted to move but didn't have the means to do it. She took that concern to Andy Kahan of Crime Stoppers.
"Obviously putting them back in the same place where the shots came in aren't going to be conducive to his well-being," Kahan said.
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He took the concern to legislators in attempt to develop the Sir Romeo Bill.
It would provide up to $2,000 in relocation expenses or moving expenses and $1,800 in housing rental expenses for a child who is a victim of a murder attempt. Right now, the law permits relocation assistance for victims of sexual assault, stalking, family violence or trafficking victims.
It's funded through the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund, which is funded by fees and court costs in felony cases.
"We took something negative and turned it into a positive, and his name will last for eternity because guess what? We're calling it the Sir Romeo Bill," said Kahan.
Sir Romeo's grandmother hopes it passes so other victims don't have to worry about returning to a place they don't feel safe.
"If they happened to have to go through it, they will actually have funds to help them get out of places like this," said Milam.
While it's not retroactive, she is glad other families will have some relief if it becomes a law.
In the meantime, Romeo's mother and grandmother are still trying to leave the apartment complex where he was shot, but they're hopeful that will happen soon.
"Just going to keep it in God's hands, if he can bring Romeo through all this here, I know he can get us out of here," said Milam.
