A St. Louis mother was devastated to return home and find her 9-month-old daughter and the baby’s father dead in what authorities are calling a tragic murder-suicide.
Micah Lawery, the mother of young Ophelia Lawery-Daniels, walked into her apartment on February 28 to discover the unimaginable—her daughter’s lifeless body next to the child’s father, 21-year-old Zacchaeus Daniels, who had taken both their lives.
“It’s not something I can unsee,” Lawery told local news outlet KSDK, adding that the horrifying scene is forever etched into her memory. “Something that is burned into my brain. I don’t need to close my eyes to see it.”
Searching for Answers
Authorities with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed they are investigating the case as a murder-suicide, though they have not yet determined a motive. Lawery, 23, expressed her anguish over not knowing what could have led to such a tragedy.
“I don’t know why,” she admitted. “I’m pretty sure I’ll never know why, and with that, I’ll have to find closure in that.”
Lawery noted that while Daniels struggled with mental health issues, he had never been violent toward her, their daughter, or anyone else. Describing him, she recalled, “As a friend, he was a great friend. As a partner, a very loving and gentle partner to me. As a father, him trying his best and doing everything he can to be a good father.”
Grief and Heartache
Living in the apartment where the tragedy occurred has been overwhelmingly difficult for Lawery. “I describe it as like an eerie feeling, knowing that her life began here and it ended here as well,” she said. “Clothes that she didn’t get to wear and toys that she didn’t get to play with and just the silence that now takes over the house. It’s so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.”
A close family friend created a GoFundMe campaign to support Lawery in the wake of this tragedy. In the fundraiser description, they honored Ophelia’s memory, writing: “Our sweet angel baby’s life was taken in a senseless act of violence. Ophelia was a vibrant, happy, deeply loved daughter who stole the hearts of everyone who met her. May her love for Mrs. Rachel and Reese’s peanut butter cups always live on.”
This heartbreaking event serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and support. As Lawery and her loved ones navigate the pain of this unimaginable loss, the community has rallied behind her in an effort to provide comfort and assistance during this difficult time.
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