Milwaukee officials have decided to put a heartbreaking plan on hold: a memorial for a young woman whose life was tragically cut short after a first date.
Nineteen-year-old Sade Carleena Robinson went missing last April after meeting up with someone for the first time. Her friends and family grew concerned when she didn’t come home, and their worst fears came true when authorities found parts of her dismembered body scattered in Milwaukee and a nearby town over the next week.
Just two weeks after she vanished, police arrested 33-year-old Maxwell Anderson and charged him with homicide and arson.
Sade’s grieving mother, Sheena Scarbrough, was desperate to create a space to remember her daughter, especially since the family never got to bury her properly. They didn’t have all of her remains, making a traditional gravesite impossible. She asked Milwaukee County to help fund a $7,000 memorial in her honor. But as soon as officials started planning it, they were flooded with hateful, racist messages.
County Board Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez revealed that they received a wave of nasty emails attacking the idea of using taxpayer money for the memorial. Another official, Supervisor Felesia Martin, called it “unfortunate” that people were being so openly prejudiced and hateful.
Despite wanting to help the family, Martinez ultimately pulled the proposal last week, saying he didn’t want Sade’s loved ones to endure more pain. “People should be ashamed of how they’ve treated Ms. Scarbrough,” he said, criticizing those who turned the tragedy into something ugly. “This grieving mother is being treated as less than human, and it’s absolutely unnecessary and unethical.”
The racial aspect of the case has been a sensitive topic—Anderson, the suspect, is white, while Sade was Black. Authorities have not officially linked the crime to race, but the backlash against the memorial has stirred strong emotions.
Since the proposal was withdrawn, however, support for Sade’s family has been growing. Omar Sheikh, who owns a popular local steakhouse called Carnevor, announced on social media that he’s stepping in to help raise the remaining $4,000 needed for the memorial.
“I don’t understand why this is being made into a racial issue,” Sheikh wrote. “I’ve heard how amazing Sade was—she was one of Pizza Shuttle’s best employees for years. I’m going to host a fundraiser dinner and make sure this memorial happens. I can’t imagine what her family is going through.”
Sade’s disappearance was horrifying from the start. Authorities found her burned-out car and, over several days, discovered several of her body parts. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said Anderson had “intentionally killed Sade C. Robinson, mutilated her remains, and set fire to her car to destroy evidence.” He has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, arson, and mutilating a corpse. In court, he has pleaded not guilty.
While the official memorial plans may have been halted for now, Sade’s family is not alone. The community is rallying behind them, determined to honor her memory no matter what.
