‘It’s a nightmare’– mother still looking for closure one year after son’s murder

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - “It feels like yesterday to me,” said Nija Hill. “Today does mark a year of the most devastating, the worst day of my life.”

A year ago today, 16-year-old Chavan Scruggs was killed outside of Figures Park. His mother Nija Hill says she’s been dreading this day ever since.

“It’s something I think I won’t ever be able to get over,” said Hill. “They say time heals all wounds but it’s a wound that doesn’t feel like it can be healed.”

A year later there’s still tributes to Chavan at the site of his death which is also the place where he spent most of his time outside of school.

“He was a child at heart. Chavan loved to play basketball, he played baseball, he played football, he ran track,” said Hill.

Since his death, Mobile Police did arrest and charge a 15-year old with robbery and murder, but Hill says the case hasn’t moved forward in awhile.

“It’s a nightmare. You never really get healing in the waiting process because even in the event of waiting for that trial I’ll relive this all over again,” said Hill.

The 15-year-old is being charged as an adult and is still behind bars at Metro Jail, but Hill says until things move forward her and her family won’t truly have closure.

“This person gets to talk to their family, this person gets to visit their family and all I can do is look at pictures. All I can do is go to the graveyard,” said Hill.

In the meantime, Hill plans to honor her son by continuing to fight against gun violence. She says now she has a new reason to fight as well.

“My daughter had a baby last month and her baby’s name is Chavan so he still lives, and he looks a whole lot like Chavan,” said Hill.

The district attorney’s office says a motion was made back in march to lower the defendant’s bond but it was denied. The case files have been given to the grand jury.

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