Sandy Hook Families Meet With Advisory Commission, Say Not All Needs Being Met

Parents of Newtown shooting victims told a state commission that millions in donations aren’t being properly directed to help support victims’ families.

Parents of victims Ana Grace Marquez-Greene and Avielle Richman expressed frustration now that it’s been nearly two years since the shooting and that needs aren’t being met.

Nelba Marquez-Greene, mother of victim Ana Grace Marquez-Greene said it was disheartening that not all family needs have been met nearly two years after the shooting.

“This is a tragedy that should not be happening,” she said. “Where is all the money going?”

For her family their private insurance company pays the majority of mental health needs.

Parents talked about a broad variety of topics, such as triage protocol after a disaster, media coverage and mental health.

Jennifer Hensel, mother of victim Avielle Richman said that segregating parents looking for children and the media could’ve been done better in the initial aftermath of the shooting. She recommended that boundaries be set with the media so members of the press know where they can and cannot go in the aftermath of a disaster. She also said that some members of the press were respectful while others were not.

“This will go a long way to help victim families who are under extreme duress from unknowingly stepping into the midst of a media frenzy,” she said.

She added that many things were done right the day of the shooting, including assigning a personal state trooper to each family.

Jeremy Richman, father of Avielle Richman, encouraged people who wish to donate to research the variety of charities out there.

Many families have set-up their own memorial funds with a variety of goals.

The meeting was broadcast live on CT-N. View below for the entire recorded broadcast.