MARKHAM | In October 2004, Eunice Cross' daughter was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, 27-year-old Yarnale Thomas.

Two years later, Thomas was convicted and sentenced to 75 years in prison. For Eunice Cross, however, the sentencing provided little closure to her loss.

"Even though the trial is over, there's still an absence of her presence," Cross said. "You never get over that."

During the trial the confusing justice system compounded Cross' anguish over the loss of her daughter.

Fortunately, she was assisted by caseworkers with Cook County's Victim/Witness Assistance Unit. The unit, which was awarded the highest federal distinction by the U.S. attorney general in 1999, walked her though judicial procedures and invited her to a support group at the Cook County courthouse in Markham.

"No one (else) understood what I was going through," Cross said. "There's no getting through it, but it's great to have support."

But under Cook County Board President Todd Stroger's proposed budget, the nationally-recognized program faces a 20 percent cut in funding and would have the only such support group on the South Side eliminated.

The cut would hit Markham Courthouse even harder, according to Kim New, the program's director, crippling essential services to family members of victims.

"That translates into families," New said. "That courthouse has a high volume of cases coming through it."

Not only has Markham discontinued its support group, it also may lose one of its two specialists. There are only 75 specialists in the county and most of them work out of the Cook County Criminal Court at 26th Street and California Avenue.

If the budget passes, New would have to cut 12 to 15 positions.

One specialist working alone at Markham would not be able to provide the service that victims' family members need, said Bobbie King, a specialist who has worked at Markham for more than 15 years.

"I don't care how good you are but it's just not possible," she said.

King speaks with dozens of family members and witnesses each day, juggling 10 to 15 different cases. She writes letters, makes phone calls and assists those who have lost a loved one to understand the court system. Her duties range from making travel arrangements for victims who come from out of town to providing lunch for witnesses waiting to testify.

Of all the services Markham's division provides, the support group is the most important, giving victims' family members a space to share their grief, according to King.

If the budget passes as proposed, Cross will make the trip up to "26th and Cal" for the support group there, but she doubts many of the friends she's made at Markham will be able to.

"We had talked about the closing of the facility and (one woman) said, ‘No, I can't make that one,' and that she didn't know what she was going to do," Cross said.