Kada Scott’s family honors her life with a balloon release
A walk to increase awareness of domestic violence began shortly after the balloon release.
The family of Kada Scott honored her life Sunday morning by releasing balloons on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.
Organizers described the event as a vigil to honor the life and memory of Scott, the 23-year-old Mount Airy woman who police say was murdered earlier this month. Police found Scott’s body Oct. 18 after a two-week search, buried in the woods behind the vacant Ada H.H. Lewis Middle School.
Scott family members who attended Sunday’s vigil included her mother, Kim Matthews, who held a sign saying “RIP Kada” with her daughter’s photo on it, and her father, Kevin Scott.
The event was held immediately before a walk to increase awareness of domestic violence.
Philadelphia native and reality TV actress Sundy Carter, who authored a book on her own experiences with domestic violence, said she and other walk organizers were already planning an event when Scott was found dead.
“When the unfortunate situation happened with Kada, we knew that this was so much bigger than us,” Carter said.
Police have said they are still determining the relationship between Scott and her accused killer, Keon King. But Carter emphasized that violence can occur even when people know each other but are not in a relationship.
Carter said the event offered a chance for Scott’s family and friends to share their stories with others.
“We just loved on each other, encouraged one another, and we turned today into something so powerful and positive,” Carter said.
Walk participants carried that feeling forward, she said.
“There were so many other domestic violence foundations and support groups that were out there and just there to give resources and everybody was just very much hands-on,” Carter said. “I think this is what the city needed.”
Carter said organizers plan to hold similar walks at least once a year.
King has been charged with murder, illegal gun possession, abuse of a corpse, robbery, and additional crimes. He was denied bail and will appear in court Nov. 3 for the first of three preliminary hearings.