Flowers on the Lake 2025: Bringing Awareness to Domestic Violence

CONROE, TX -- Each year, Judge Echo Hutson of the County Court at Law No. 4 in Montgomery County, The Montgomery District Women’s Center, and the District Attorney’s office, team up to bring awareness to survivors of domestic violence. This year’s ceremony on October 14th, the event was much more tolerable weather-wise on the terrace, in the shade and lower highway volumes granted by the protection of the new Honored Mission Hall, to be dedicated in November as part of the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park. Judge Jimmie C. Edwards III, Chairman of the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission, welcomed all who attended the ceremony, and in typical Judge Jimmie humor, tried to corral everyone in the back to find a seat. Judge Echo is a tour de force in combating domestic violence in Montgomery County, and in holding The Sixth Annual ‘Flowers On The Lake’ ceremony, she recognized domestic violence survivors, victim advocates, first responders, law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and community leaders; all dedicated to stopping domestic cruelty that no one deserves thrust upon them. Flowers on The Lake is a tribute to the survivors of domestic violence, and also acts as a memorial to those who did not survive their abusers.

“Each flower that touches the water this evening represents a life,” said Judge Hutson. “The flowers are each stories of courage and hope.”

Hutson, a previous prosecutor, has worked with Domestic Violence survivors, and sees the hurt in the victims in her court, their homes, and in faces of the women and children seeking a safe place from their abusers. Domestic violence numbers across the nation are troubling to her, and the same can be said of Montgomery County. She noted that 1 in 3 women, and 1 in 4 men, will experience domestic violence at the hands of a partner in their lifetime.

“In Our State, 205 Texans lost their lives to domestic violence in the last year, 179 women and 26 men,” said Hutson. “Each of those numbers represents a person, with dreams, families, and futures that mattered.”

Judge Hutson went on to say that we not only remember the loss, but about the courage, and communities standing together to quell the violent threats that go on behind closed doors. She praised the first responders who are on the front lines to establish order and safety for those who need it, for the police investigators, victim advocates, and service providers who harbor domestic violence victims, and assist them in restarting their lives free from harm.

Jason Smith, Deputy Chief of Staff to County Judge Mark Keough, led the group in the invocation, while Cindy Heiser, The Woodlands Township Director, led the group in pledges to The US and Texas Flags.

Judge Hutson, set a great formula in her remembrance for the ceremony, in presenting a victims advocate, a law enforcement officer, and a victim of domestic violence. She first introduced and rightfully praised Victoria ‘Vicki’ Tompkins, a US Navy Veteran and former New York City beat cop, with an impressive resume, now a victims advocate with the Precinct 3 Constable’s office. Tompkins after 5 years with the NYPD, started working with domestic violence victims, and was shocked by what she witnessed with the 75th Precinct in East New York Brooklyn, as the Domestic Violence Precinct Officer.

“Domestic violence in any shape or form is never ever about love,” said Tompkins. “It is about power and control.”

Tompkins conducted countless interviews with victims, speaking with them, comforting, and essentially begging them to leave their abusers. In the toughest of times, she would have to leave the interview room out of anger and frustration, when victims of terrible violence refused to depart from the exposed violence. Most of the excuses for remaining subjects to the abusers were lack of potential homes, work experience, pennilessness, or the insistence that their abuser “was really a good person,” coupled with promises that the abuse would not happen again. Tompkins argued that there is no mutual love between a victim and their abuser.

Tompkins has seen it all. She spoke on child abuse, where a young boy less than a year old, had his arm broken by his mother, was abusive to her daughter and husband as well. And in many cases, the abuse is multi-generational, so with Tompkins’ work, the aim is always to break the cycle. Following her retirement in 2007 from the NYPD, Vicki moved to Montgomery County, and has been working with the Pct. 3 Constables office as their Victim Assistance Liaison for 13 years now..

“I work as a bridge between the Constables office, and the agencies and services offered to the victims and their families,” said Tompkins, who volunteers for Constable Gable’s office. “I get to do this because this place, this county, cares.”

Ms. Tompkins noted that those who are ready to stop the cycle, it will not be easy, but at the same time, those who come forward will not be abandoned. It takes faith, courage, and an inner strength to get help before it's too late.

The next speaker, Montgomery County Pct. 3 Constable's Office, Lt. Ken Washington, the PIO and Community Engagement Officer, and he works quite often with Judge Hutson's office in working with domestic violence victims. Washington has been in law enforcement for 22 years, spent two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has seen a lot of different situations, with the Department of Public Safety, the Pflugerville Police Department, and now with the Pct. 3 Constables. He loves his job, and just wants to help the citizenry, not wanting to see anyone hurt, sad, or angry, but that’s not the case.

Lt. Washington’s personal life and the things he has witnessed on the job, requires a separation, and the walls he has built, constantly maintains a professional attitude and self discipline to remain a strong family man to his wife and three daughters, and to be an effective leader with the Constable’s office. His law enforcement and military background has influenced him in his way of being driven to protect and serve citizens of Montgomery County.

Washington works to maintain healthy relationships with the county’s non-profit organizations that provide services to domestic violence victims, most notably the Women’s Center, Interfaith, and Mosaic Family Services. He lauded them for being there at all hours of the day and night to help not only victims of domestic violence, but women who have few resources due to job loss, eviction, or other circumstances; all goaled with the aim to get the victims back on track.

The Lieutenant spoke on his own episode with domestic violence in his own family, which he witnessed as a six-year old boy. He woke up to hearing screams and glass breaking, then seeing one family member choking another, having an uncle drag the person aside. The incident was traumatic for Washington, and he was very emotional in his description.

“I’ve never forgotten that day,” said Lt. Washington as he paused in reflection to the point of tears building. “When I saw my parents fighting when I was six, it really bothered me.”

His family did recover. Washington had a strong family support network, with a strong grandmother, uncles and aunts, and older siblings who were supportive. His local church was also a source of outreach which brought hope to the young boy.

“That cycle of my life never started, because people were there for me,” he said. “And after experiencing that, I knew I wanted to help people.”

For Washington, it was an epiphany, and has driven his motivation to help others in his career. He loves those he runs across, striving to be compassionate, and put an end to their suffering. He strives to be the lighthouse for a victim to move forward in life, and finds that educating the public in his community outreach is very important to show the organizations he visits that the resources are out there for use.

“Know that you are not alone, know that there is someone to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Lt. Washington, as he spoke of no atheists in a foxhole, speaking on his Faith in God. “If you are in your foxhole, I’m right there with you.”

Judge Hutson then introduced a woman, a victim of domestic violence, whom she fought for in the courtroom in 2017 as a prosecutor. Jessica Osborn, has been an inspiration to Echo, and admires her greatly for speaking out for those who are still in violent homes. The ceremony was the first time that Osborn has shared her story with the public.

Ms. Osborn became a victim of domestic violence in October 2017. She had been in drug court for several months, and sober for only three months when the incident happened. Her husband at the time did not drink or do drugs, but was easily angered by petty issues, and one day he beat her repeatedly in and out of consciousness.

“For all intents and purposes I should have been dead that day,” said Osborn of the dreadful episode. “If my daughter had not been with me, I would not be here today.”

Osborn’s case of survival was one of the worst that Montgomery County has ever seen. She thanked the officers who helped her survive, especially Conroe Police Department’s Officer Melchor, whom Osborn described as ‘being her strength at a time when she had none.’ She thanked the emergency medical personnel, Montgomery County Women’s Center, Rebecca Smith, Judge Hamilton, as well as the prosecutor and support staff of the District Attorney’s office. She praised Judge Hutson for never giving up on her case, helping her recover, being “The Angel I pray for to stand beside me and give me strength.”

As she closed, Osborn mentioned her friend Kaitlyn, who lost her life at the hands of her husband, noting that there are still so many being abused, trying to make the decision to leave their tormentors. She encourages those still facing the struggle to make the right choice and leave their abusers.

Following the ceremony, the crowd took the flowers down to the lake in the flag park to remember each life lost to domestic violence. Montgomery County takes a proactive stance towards domestic violence. Flowers on The Lake projects to the community that there are resources out there for those suffering abuse, that there are people who are ready to help victims that are suffering in silence.

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