Help Mom and 3 kids hiding fleeing domestic abuse
Donation protected
Earlier this month at about 8 pm on our way back from Disney with my wife, 5 month old and 2 year old In the car I saw a smoking car rolling to a stop on a Georgia highway as I got closer I saw children running out of the vehicle smoke everywhere and crying, not making it a habit to stop for strangers in the middle of the night I couldn’t NOT stop with kids crying.... a I saw another 2 ladies had also stopped and gotten out. We ran towards the 3 children and their mother who were crying as the car smoked. I ran into the car to make sure it was off and in park, then made sure nobody was physically hurt and THAT’S when I first met Kristie and her 3 beautiful children 10 yr Gabriella 7 yr Giavonte and 5 yr Carmalita. Over the next 10 minutes as we waited for police to show up we got to talking and found out that as we were driving through the night leaving behind a dream vacation Kristie and her children had been driving all night escaping a nightmare...
Kristie and her children were victims fleeing an abusive domestic violence. At first she didn’t really want to say too much but one of the ladies there looked at her dead in the eyes and pointed to me and said “he is a good person” I awkwardly thanked her as Kristie asked her “how do you know he’s a good person? “I just know” it was a touching sentiment but now how to live up to a “good person” She nervously and quietly through tears told me she didn’t know what she was going to do or how she was going to do it as everything she owned was in that car and the ONLY money she had was enough for gas to get them to their destination (which for their safety I will not share as the abusive partner has yet to be apprehended and on the run from police) but was still about 12 hours away where she had someone who could help her at-least with a temporary room while she got on her feet. One of the good Samaritan’s there Hannah called her boyfriend who had contact with a tow truck company who could get the car off the highway for free. Kristie didn’t know where she would go or what they would do so I offered to get them a hotel for the night since it was getting late we exchanged numbers so that I could help in any way I could.
As I got in my SUV and drove away eyes watery I couldn’t help but think how tired and broken Kristie looked and what a dire situation this was for them. That night I stayed in touch through calls and text to make sure they got to the hotel I booked safely and they confirmed the car had been towed to the parking lot. The next day they found out the car was a total loss and the ONLY thing she could do was sell it for junk. They had found a junk yard who would take possession of the car and give them $600 BUT they weren’t able to do it until the following day. Not having any money we offered to cover an additional night at the hotel so the kids and Kristie at least had a warm bed and free breakfast.
After the 2 night stay in a hotel in the middle of an unknown Georgia town they were able to sell the car for junk and with the $600 she was able to rent a one way U-haul and cram the 4 of them in with the rest of their belongings and head to their new “hiding location” as she puts it Over the following days I have found out that Kristie had been in a few year relationship with this person and this was the FIRST time she had garnered the courage to flee. Not only did she leave him without ANY certainty of what she would do or the means to do it BUT she filed charges and this man now has a warrant for his arrest but is on the run. I have included below (blacking out all personal information) a letter from the State Attorney of Florida which corroborates everything Im saying and shows she and her children were victims of a violent crime this man is being sought for 1st Degree Criminal Mischief 1st Degree child abuse and 3rd Degree Battery ALL against Kristie and her beautiful children.
Through our communication Kristie opened up and told me she felt embarrassed for being in a position where she's in “need” She told me about the guilt and shame for not being able to provide for her children expressed she felt she wasn’t woman enough. This just breaks my heart because what she has done, as hard as it was, HAS been to protect her children and in my eyes that’s the definition of a good strong mother… I have expressed and assured her that ANY woman who is brave enough to do what she did for herself and her children not only should NOT feel embarrassed but should feel proud and stand up tall as it takes an immeasurable amount of strength to do what she’s doing.
It goes without saying this encounter has broken my heart but it also gave me hope for humanity as I saw firsthand how a couple strangers jumped in to help a fellow human being in need without first checking political affiliation, background, ethnicity or self interest … I am trying to raise 5 thousand dollars to help Kristie get a car so she can drive herself to find a job in her new city and have safe and secure transportation for her and the kids who are currently being enrolled into their new school. I am also trying to use some of the money so that her and the kids can get warm clothing as coming from Florida to where they are now in the Midwest (where it gets to the negatives more often than not in the winter) Any additional funds will be used to secure housing in their new city. I have never tried to raise funds publicly like this before BUT I just can’t not do anything SO I thank every single one of you for taking the time to read this and encourage to give any amount you can and IF you can’t give please forward this story and help us reach this goal. The thought of my children not having something as simple as warm clothes or a safe way to get to school is unfathomable not to mention the stress and worry of the perpetrator not being apprehended yet so I ask your help in giving them some security and assistance as they escape this nightmare...
Kristie and her children were victims fleeing an abusive domestic violence. At first she didn’t really want to say too much but one of the ladies there looked at her dead in the eyes and pointed to me and said “he is a good person” I awkwardly thanked her as Kristie asked her “how do you know he’s a good person? “I just know” it was a touching sentiment but now how to live up to a “good person” She nervously and quietly through tears told me she didn’t know what she was going to do or how she was going to do it as everything she owned was in that car and the ONLY money she had was enough for gas to get them to their destination (which for their safety I will not share as the abusive partner has yet to be apprehended and on the run from police) but was still about 12 hours away where she had someone who could help her at-least with a temporary room while she got on her feet. One of the good Samaritan’s there Hannah called her boyfriend who had contact with a tow truck company who could get the car off the highway for free. Kristie didn’t know where she would go or what they would do so I offered to get them a hotel for the night since it was getting late we exchanged numbers so that I could help in any way I could.
As I got in my SUV and drove away eyes watery I couldn’t help but think how tired and broken Kristie looked and what a dire situation this was for them. That night I stayed in touch through calls and text to make sure they got to the hotel I booked safely and they confirmed the car had been towed to the parking lot. The next day they found out the car was a total loss and the ONLY thing she could do was sell it for junk. They had found a junk yard who would take possession of the car and give them $600 BUT they weren’t able to do it until the following day. Not having any money we offered to cover an additional night at the hotel so the kids and Kristie at least had a warm bed and free breakfast.
After the 2 night stay in a hotel in the middle of an unknown Georgia town they were able to sell the car for junk and with the $600 she was able to rent a one way U-haul and cram the 4 of them in with the rest of their belongings and head to their new “hiding location” as she puts it Over the following days I have found out that Kristie had been in a few year relationship with this person and this was the FIRST time she had garnered the courage to flee. Not only did she leave him without ANY certainty of what she would do or the means to do it BUT she filed charges and this man now has a warrant for his arrest but is on the run. I have included below (blacking out all personal information) a letter from the State Attorney of Florida which corroborates everything Im saying and shows she and her children were victims of a violent crime this man is being sought for 1st Degree Criminal Mischief 1st Degree child abuse and 3rd Degree Battery ALL against Kristie and her beautiful children.
Through our communication Kristie opened up and told me she felt embarrassed for being in a position where she's in “need” She told me about the guilt and shame for not being able to provide for her children expressed she felt she wasn’t woman enough. This just breaks my heart because what she has done, as hard as it was, HAS been to protect her children and in my eyes that’s the definition of a good strong mother… I have expressed and assured her that ANY woman who is brave enough to do what she did for herself and her children not only should NOT feel embarrassed but should feel proud and stand up tall as it takes an immeasurable amount of strength to do what she’s doing.
It goes without saying this encounter has broken my heart but it also gave me hope for humanity as I saw firsthand how a couple strangers jumped in to help a fellow human being in need without first checking political affiliation, background, ethnicity or self interest … I am trying to raise 5 thousand dollars to help Kristie get a car so she can drive herself to find a job in her new city and have safe and secure transportation for her and the kids who are currently being enrolled into their new school. I am also trying to use some of the money so that her and the kids can get warm clothing as coming from Florida to where they are now in the Midwest (where it gets to the negatives more often than not in the winter) Any additional funds will be used to secure housing in their new city. I have never tried to raise funds publicly like this before BUT I just can’t not do anything SO I thank every single one of you for taking the time to read this and encourage to give any amount you can and IF you can’t give please forward this story and help us reach this goal. The thought of my children not having something as simple as warm clothes or a safe way to get to school is unfathomable not to mention the stress and worry of the perpetrator not being apprehended yet so I ask your help in giving them some security and assistance as they escape this nightmare...
Organizer
David LaMoureaux
Organizer
Indian Trail, NC
