2018 killing of Hazana Anderson highlighted at Every Victim Every Time conference

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Agencies and advocates from across the country came together to educate professionals who may encounter victims of violent crime during the annual Every Victim Every Time conference.

The conference is designed to help train professionals on a victim-centered approach to violent crime responses, bringing together several agencies such as law enforcement, prosecutors and social services.

Nearly 50 speakers covered a wide range of topics, including the 2018 killing of two-year-old Hazana Anderson. Hazana was beaten and her body was later found in a Galveston County bayou. Her mother, TiAundra Christon, and her mother’s boyfriend, Kenny Hewett were both convicted of crimes relating to her death.

“Every time we work one of these types of investigations, especially when it involves children, we want to try to do better than the next time,” Joshua Ray, a retired Texas Ranger and sheriff-elect in Guadalupe County, said.

Christon and Hewett were both sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of tampering with a corpse. Hewett pled guilty, while Christon opted for a jury trial. Her guilty verdict was decided in less than an hour.

The case is used as an example to educate first responders on handling these types of cases and crimes. Organizers of the conference said this kind of training is essential for tackling violent crimes.

“Bringing them together, actually having them hear from the voices of victims and their experiences, it helps us to figure out what we’re doing right and what we need to do better,” Alisa McDonald, a member of the Every Victim Every Time registration board, said.

Over two hours, law enforcement officials who worked on Hazana’s case laid out the course of the investigation, trial and eventual sentencing of Christon and Hewett.

The investigation spanned several counties, 168 individuals and 28 different agencies, according to the presentation.

“You have everything from CPS, law enforcement, prosecutors. Just everyone that works in the criminal justice system,” Rebekah Lovelace, a detective with the College Station Police Department, said.

Although they were unable to bring a murder charge against Christon and Hewett, the coordination of agencies allowed for the charges they were convicted under to be prosecuted successfully.

The presentation wasn’t just about looking at the facts of the case, but the lessons learned during it.

“The biggest takeaway that we took away from this investigation is how well we collaboratively work together to bring this case to the end, to some type of closure,” Ray said.

During the presentation, Lovelace added that recognizing the emotional challenges cases like this present is key to ensuring cases are properly handled.

“I mean, we’re officers and detectives, but we’re also human beings. So these kind of cases really hit home when they happen in our community,” she said.

Christon is eligible for release as early as 2027. Hewett is eligible for release as early as 2038.