COLUMBIA, S.C. — The family of 31-year-old Chandreka Graham is speaking out just days after the pregnant mother was found dead in her northeast Richland County home.
Graham's father, Harold White of Tallahassee, Florida was understandably heartbroken as he described getting the call from the Richland County coroner.
"The coroner introduced themself, and that’s when they proceeded to tell me that she was deceased," White said. "I literally was on the highway and had to pull over. That’s a call that no parent in life should ever get."
Chandreka's stepmother, Cathy White, said the young mom loved motherhood.
“She absolutely loved being a mom," she said. "More than anything, she loved being a mom. And she was a great mom."
Adding to the family’s pain is the fact that Chandreka was seven months pregnant with what would have been her first daughter. She had already chosen a name, Tegan, for the little girl. Now, the family is making plans to raise Chandreka's two-year-old son.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department announced Friday that Chandreka's husband, 35-year-old Jerrod Graham, has been arrested for the murder of his wife and her unborn child. He also has outstanding charges for unlawful possession of a weapon from May 2023.
As the family prepares for Chandreka's funeral, her grandmother, Yvonne Louden, said the family will move forward together in love.
“So what we do is, we as a family come together and love,” Louden said.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is available. Visit the National Domestic Violence Center online, text "START" to 88788, or call 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233).