POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida father is speaking publicly for the first time about the tragic loss of his daughter. He and his family turned their pain into purpose by fighting for a law in her honor.
“It will play in my mind over and over again, throughout everyday and so many memories,” said Miya’s father Marlon Marcano.
There has not been one day that Marcano has not thought about his daughter Miya.
“Not at all, every single day,” said Marcano.
Miya vanished from her apartment last fall, and her body was found a week later. Sheriff’s deputies said the man who was responsible for her death was a maintenance man at her apartment complex.
They said he had killed himself soon after Miya’s disappearance, but they learned that he used a master key to open her unit.
Five months later, the Florida Legislature has passed a law that will tighten procedures, called Miya’s law.
“I think it’s going to make a big impact not only for young women, for just as many vulnerable populations, like for populations we necessarily wouldn’t think of before,” said Miya’s cousin, Caili Sue.
“And because of this bill, more than 2 million Floridians are going to feel safer when they put their head on their pillows tonight,” said Rep. Robin Bartleman (D), Weston.
The law will require:
- Criminal background checks that require all 50 states and DC.
- Allow complexes to deny employment under certain conditions.
- 24-Hour notice for entering unit for repairs.
- Complexes must maintain a log for who has master keys and when.
- No Complex must charge hourly rates.
That’s to crackdown on human trafficking.
Miya’s family said that she would be proud.
“I think she would be happy to see that there are so many lives that could be saved by this,” said Sue.
“She would be super proud. I mean, that’s who she is. She would love for her name to be all over everything,” said Marcano. “She would love that. She would enjoy that.”
Even though it has been months since her passing, the family is still experiencing a roller coaster of emotions, but they said at least they were able to focus on the law in hopes of making it safer for other people.
It is still unclear when exactly Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be signing the law, although it did pass without any oppositions. Once DeSantis signs, it will officially become law in July.
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