Fundraiser Started For Children Of Victim Of Murder-Suicide In Minnesota
Domestic violence in Minnesota is a significant public health issue, with 1 in 2 women reporting intimate partner sexual violence and 1 in 4 reporting physical violence. In 2023, the state recorded 34 to 40 intimate partner homicides, marking some of the highest numbers in decades.
Those shocking statistics also don't tell the whole story, considering that an estimated 80% of all domestic assaults in Minnesota are not reported to law enforcement.
Now, tragedy has struck in International Falls, Minnesota, as a 35-year-old mother of three has become the victim of a murder-suicide, leaving a community in shock as they rally to help her young children.
Tragedy Strikes In International Falls
According to multiple reports, authorities are now investigating after finding two people dead of apparent gunshot wounds.
At around 4:40 a.m. on Friday, March 6, a Koochiching County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol drove past a home on the 4100 block of Highway 11 in International Falls when they noticed a running vehicle in the driveway.
The vehicle was known to the deputy, as there was a protection order in place between its owner and the home’s resident, 35-year-old Ashley E. Kittelson.
Authorities unsuccessfully tried to contact Ashley, so they forced their way into the residence, where they discovered her, along with 44-year-old Nicholas D. Kittelson, dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Nicholas Kittelson’s wounds are believed to have been self-inflicted.
Fundraiser Started To Support Ashley's Children
Now, a GoFundMe has been started for the children of a "beloved mother gone too soon" in an act voilence that has shaken the community.
"Our small community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of a truly wonderful woman, taken far too soon," it reads, going on to praise Ashley as "a devoted mother of three young children, a compassionate nurse, and a friend to so many."
Her young children were her world, and now they are facing an unimaginable loss. The funds raised will be directed to and handled by the immediate family.
Funds donated will be directed to and handled by the immediate family. They will be used for the immediate and long-term needs of the children, including counseling, daily living expenses, education, clothing, and other essentials that will help support them now and in the future.
You can also call the Day One Crisis Hotline at 1-866-223-1111.
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