Nov 30, 2012 our daughter, Constantina Brittany Grosse, was murdered by a co-worker. Brittany worked at Big Daddy's Sports Grill in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Big Daddy's employed work release personnel from local halfway houses and the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Facility. One of the work release inmates, Dustin Pleasant, walked away from his work assignment and brutally murdered our daughter.

Brittany was a vibrant twenty-one-year-old who was attending McNeese State University in Lake Charles. She was studying to become a Child Psychologist. Brittany had a passion for helping others and was always willing to lend a shoulder to cry on or give advice. She never judged a book by its cover and always gave people second chances. Brittany had a smile that would light up the darkest of hearts, she was always willing to help others and would give someone her last dollar. She was loved deeply by all of her friends and family, her murder has created a hole in so many peoples lives.

After the murder, we found out that he was a violent inmate, his original charges that ended up with him being incarcerated were attempted first degree murder of a police officer. He accepted a plea deal for a lesser non-violent offense. After completing a portion of his sentence he was eligible for assignment to a work release program. He was transferred to the Lake Charles area; however he was originally from the New Orleans area. He was hired by Big Daddy's through the work release program.

During his employment at Big Daddy's he violated the work release program rules for an act of violence against another work release person. He was removed from the work release program and sent to a correctional facility for a period. Upon completion of his time in the correctional facility, he was transferred back to Lake Charles to reenter the work release program. Big Daddy's hired him again and he resumed work at the restaurant as a cook.

There were very loose controls in place at Big Daddy's Sports Grill when it came to monitoring the work release personnel. Work release personnel were allowed to come and go as they wanted, including being allowed to walk down to the convenient store on the corner of Nelson Road and Sale. Dustin had a girlfriend that lived near the restaurant that he would go and visit during his work shifts. There were times that work release personnel were left outside the restaurant without supervision after closing while they waited to be picked up and transported back to their facility.

The work release program is in need of reform. The major issue that we would like to see addressed and enacted into a bill or law is: Mandatory ankle monitors for any inmate in the work release program. The inmate/work release participant would be required to pay for the monthly monitoring fees from their income. This would ensure that their whereabouts can be tracked. 

Dianna and I are going to push to have "Brittany's Law" enacted in the state of Louisiana. We want to make sure that this NEVER happens to anyone else's child. Your support in this endeavor would be greatly appreciated.

Please sign our petition and encourage your friends as well.

Thank you!

David & Dianna Slade