The family of Takara Hightower, a mother of six who was shot and killed by her Navy recruiter husband while holding her one-year-old baby, has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Navy, alleging it failed to protect her from domestic violence despite clear warning signs.
Takara was inside her home in Sept. 2022, speaking with a Naval investigator about abuse allegations, when her husband, Gregory Hightower, forced his way in and fatally shot her.
He then engaged in a shootout with an NCIS officer before being killed by law enforcement during a standoff later that evening.
Now, her family is seeking justice, arguing that the Navy’s failure to act led to her tragic death.
‘They Failed to Protect Her’
According to Chinetha Glenn, Takara’s mother, the warning signs were there:
In July 2022, Takara reported the abuse to local law enforcement, but no criminal charges were filed. A week before her death, she filed an abuse complaint with the Navy, which led to the couple being separated for one week while the investigation was ongoing.
“They failed to remove the guns, they failed to provide protection to her, and even while she had officers with her, he was allowed to access the home and came in and shot her,” said Laurie Higginbotham, the family’s attorney toid ABC 13.
A Family Left to Pick Up the Pieces
Takara’s six children are now being raised by Chinetha Glenn, who moved from Illinois to Texas after her daughter’s death. Five children are still at home, while the eldest is in college.
“I try to stay focused, mainly on the kids, because that keeps me going,” Glenn said, holding back tears.
Takara’s older sister, Tamra Glenn, hopes the lawsuit will help raise awareness for other domestic violence victims:
“It won’t bring her back, but I wanted to bring awareness to anybody dealing with something like this.”
Legal Action Against the Navy
The family’s lawsuit against the United States Navy alleges that the military failed to protect Takara despite knowing she was in immediate danger. “Other families like Takara’s need help,” Higginbotham said. “When they’re seeking help from the Navy and Army, we need to hold them accountable.”
The Navy’s Public Affairs Office has not commented on the lawsuit.
