Prosecutors say domestic violence cases are some of the most difficult to cases to investigate because often times it's a "he said, she said" case and investigators say injuries don't always tell the whole story.
The case of Angela Luke has raised new questions about when to charge or not.
Inside the Lighthouse shelter in Lancaster, newly delivered pillows are being unwrapped for the next wave of women who will come here for emergency housing after fleeing an abusive relationship.
"We've had people who have stayed her for five minutes we've had people who've stayed for six months," Executive Director Suzanne Pelletier-Capatini said.
The case of Angela Luke has raised eyebrows for those who work with domestic violence victims.
10TV obtained the court document filed by the sheriff's office stating why there was cause to charge Luke. It refers to the 911 call made by the couple's daughter.
In that call, the child can be heard saying "He's hitting my mom and he's pinning her to the ground! And he won't leave her alone, and he's yelling at her."
The document also refers to the interview with Luke where she says she and her husband fought, he was trying to keep her from leaving and holding onto the vehicle while she was driving away.
She heard a thump - and found Daniel Luke bleeding on the ground.
"Initially I was appalled...I thought, and still do, that this was a clear cut case of self-defense that she was trying to protect herself and her children," Pelletier-Capatini said.
The sheriff's department and the prosecutor aren't willing to elaborate about why Luke was charged because it remains under investigation.
Experts worry this case could impact other women who try to escape a violent relationship.
"I worry sometimes that people may be reticent to get help and I hope that's not the impact," Pelletier-Capatini said.
Anne Murray trains police on how to spot domestic violence.
She said these cases are difficult for detectives to solve because of the "he said she said" aspect.
"I think that's exactly it. Who is going to believe me?," Murray said.
Which is why, she says, properly trained detectives must go beyond the injuries.
"You want to go through and look at relative fear, the injury, self-defense, and the history," she said.
Experts say there's another concern about this case beyond dropping the charges.
They say in this case, Angela Luke was re-victimized, first by detectives, and secondly by the school that first suspended her without pay, then reinstated her after further investigation.