ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--WHEN CHERYL CHIANESE-CAVALLI WAS GRANTED AN ORDER OF PROTECTION FROM HER EX-BOYFRIEND, WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FELONY, SHE ALSO APPLIED TO GET AN ORDER OF PROTECTION FOR HER DAUGHTER MELANIE AND HER GRANDSON MILES.

MILES WAS GRANTED THE ORDER OF PROTECTION BECAUSE HE IS A MINOR-- BUT MELANIE WAS DENIED.  

SHE WAS LATER KILLED BY HER MOTHER’S ABUSER.  

This week CHIANSESE-CAVALLI ADVOCATES FOR legislation TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHER FAMILIES.  

“Melanie didn’t die your normal murder, she died because of who she was. She died because she was my daughter,” she said. 

LAWMAKERS SAid THERE IS A LOOPHOLE IN THE CURRENT LAW PREVENTING FAMILY MEMBERS OVER THE AGE OF 18 FROM GETTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTION.

THE LEGISLATION—NAMED AFTER MELANIE—WILL ALLOW COURTS TO ISSUE ORDERS OF PROTECTION FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE.

“Melanie would be here today if it had not been for this law not being passed. So, I’m urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring this vote to the floor and to make sure this year is a year that we bring justice to Melanie once and for all and make sure that this never happens again in the state of New York,” said Assembly Member Brian Cunningham (D-Assembly District 43).

CHIANESE-CAVALLI EMPHASIZEd IF PASSED, THIS LEGISLATION WOULD NOT ONLY HELP BRING JUSTICE TO HER FAMILY BUT PROTECT OTHER FAMILIES.  

“Abusers want nothing more than to see their abusees suffer a lifetime of pain and suffering. In my case, my offender knew a lifetime of pain and suffering for me would have been to take the most important person in my life away from me and that was my daughter,” she said.