Support the McFadden Family

After receiving a disturbing phone call from the Ventura County Sheriff’s office, Hannah and Matthew McFadden immediately left work only to find a sea of law enforcement surrounding their apartment, including armored vehicles, SWAT, negotiators, and a helicopter circling overhead. They learned their home was where a male suspect, a complete stranger, had barricaded himself inside, after a high-speed pursuit, with the intention to kill himself.

Imagine receiving a call from the police to find out that your home is now an uninhabitable crime scene. This is the first place where you and your spouse began building a future together, where you created a warm and loving nursery for your first child together, where that same baby took his first steps, where you enjoy a late-night movie while your dogs sleep at your feet, and the place you long for after a rotten day. Imagine walking through the front door of what’s supposed to be your haven, only to find those feelings of safety, peace, and tranquility have suddenly been ripped from you and all memories made behind those walls have been soiled.

This is the reality that Hannah and Matt are living. Their baby’s toys were covered in glass and blood, this man had flooded their home with gallons and gallons of laundry detergent, destroyed furniture, he drank their milk, he went through their keepsakes, scattered wedding photos all over the floor, he used precious, irreplaceable family heirlooms to barricade the door which was eventually breached and mowed over by law enforcement. He violated their home and simultaneously robbed them of so much more than just “things”.

It's not about the things. In the end, the McFadden family and their loved ones are grateful that they weren’t home when the unthinkable happened and that their two dogs were left unharmed in the process. Hannah and Matt are now in the process of trying to pick up the pieces, literally and figuratively, by cleaning and erasing any evidence that an intruder violated their home, replacing what can be replaced, and attempting to reestablish some sense of security and peace after such unnerving events unfolded under their roof.

My name is Shelbee Keller, a long-time friend of Hannah McFadden. I know Hannah and Matt to be incredibly kind, generous, loving, and unquestionably deserving of support during times such as these. No one really plans on something horrible happening to them, but Hannah and Matt did the next best thing you can do, which is to have insurance. However, after filing claims, their insurance “will not cover damages from violent crimes”.

As ludicrous and criminal as that might be, the reality is that the McFadden family has been placed in an unimaginable scenario and, in the span of a few hours, now have a home filled with “things” that simply need to be replaced. We are talking about couches, beds, playpens, toys, food, detergent, etc. Without financial support from insurance, Hannah and Matt are left with a massive burden with the holiday season just around the corner.

I have started this GoFundMe to provide a way for Hannah, Matt, and their 11-month-old son to receive some financial support to help make their burdens lighter. Every dollar helps. If you are in a position to do so, please donate. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing the McFadden family's story in the hopes that someone else can feel inspired to do so.

Thank you.

Click the link below for the news article regarding this incident:

VCStar News Report