Complicated Grief: Losing a Loved One to Homicide

Of the 322 murder victims this year in Baltimore City about 90 percent were African American. For the family and friends left behind, losing a loved one to homicide can color the grieving process with shame, blame, and stigma. Survivors may be reluctant to share what happened, fearing that people will assume the deceased was involved in criminal activity. But bottling up feelings of anger and sadness can lead to symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder and other health problems. We take a look a homicide and grief in the African American community with Tanya Sharpe, an associate professor for the University of Maryland School of Social Work, and Kim Holmes, a licensed clinical social worker with the Family Bereavement Center, a program of the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.