“Finally there’s an opportunity for justice:” Mother of Midlands woman fatally shot speaks out following arrest in the case
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) -The mother of a Midlands woman who was fatally shot is speaking out.
This comes after Columbia police arrested a woman this weekend in connection with the case.
The victim is 31-year-old Brittany Scott. The incident happened on August 2, 2021 at the 2200 block of Waverly Street, which is off Two Notch Road.
On Sunday, Daveesha Baskerville, 29, turned herself in to police on charges of manslaughter and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
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Scott’s mother Terronda Nielson said she has mixed emotions following the arrest.
“I felt both angry and happy at the same time,” she said. “I was happy because I’m like finally there’s an opportunity for justice because we know the battle is just beginning. You know because she’s charged doesn’t mean she’s going to get convicted.”
Nielson said it was “a long time in the making,” as she and her husband have been very engaged on this case from the start.
“I was happy that they saw the evidence enough to say we need to take this to trial,” she said. “I was angry because it’s taken so long, this woman has had her freedom.”
The past six months have been emotionally draining, Nielson said. She said that she cries every day thinking about her daughter, whom she said was “always pouring herself out into other people.”
“The emotions have been overwhelming,” Nielson said. “A lot of anger, frustration and hurt. Just to know that it was such a senseless crime.”
Scott was six months pregnant when she was shot. In the aftermath, she was put on life support.
Her third child, Zion, was born prematurely on September 25. Scott died from her injuries the following day.
Nielson said Zion is doing well, despite being born weighing three and a half pounds. He has three Grade 1 brain bleeds that the family is monitoring, but she is hopeful that those will clear up by the time he is a year old.
“You think what he came from, he’s a fighter,” Nielson said. “And I really believe that he’s going to thrive and do great.”
Neilson said she wants the world to know that her daughter deserves justice.
“It’s for her, it’s for her kids, my grandkids, so that they can know that grandma is going to fight for justice for her daughter, for your mom,” she said. “That’s the least they can get, right?”
Nielson says for her, justice would be a conviction for the maximum sentence. Under South Carolina law, manslaughter is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
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