CINCINNATI — It’s been almost two years since a series of horrific events left a mother and her three children dead. Now a surviving family member is working to prevent it from happening to another family.

What You Need To Know

  • Kathlene Grider started the DAR LA Foundation after her sister, niece and nephews died in two separate killings 

  • Grider said the killings all stemmed from ongoing domestic abuse 

  • Through the foundation, she hopes to bring awareness and support to domestic violence survivors 

Kathlene Grider is holding back tears thinking about what happened to her family.

“You know sometimes I'm like, how do I do this?” said Grider, “I just, I give it all to God like, God help me, help me, help me,” she said.

Her sister Darlene, her niece Iyla and two nephews, Rodrigo and Eric, all died in two separate killings.

“The first time it was when Iyla’s life was taken. I was actually — that's when my sister came to our family and came to me,” said Grider. 

She said her sister came to her about the abusive relationship that led to 6-year-old Iyla’s death. She said Iyla’s father killed Iyla and himself.

Six months later, it was her sister Darlene and her nephews.

“Her life was taken by my nephew, who also took his own life and his brother's life. so that leaves me,” said Grider. 

It left her to finish something she said she and Darlene started before the killings. It was a foundation to bring awareness to domestic violence.

“There's the domestic violence community, the people that work inside the shelter, they can help you plan and help you safely leave. And that's something that me and my sister weren't aware of," said Grider.

That’s why two years after her family was killed in Cincinnati, she made it her mission to prevent it from happening to another family.

“Right now, I'm doing mom walk events. My heart right now is for women and children. My sister suffered for 20 years and our family didn't know," said Grider.

She said she started doing the walks to show support and help domestic violence survivors as a part of a group she’s calling the "DAR LA Foundation."

“It's something that, you know, as a community that we can all come together and do our little piece to help bring awareness and just love on each other and let people know that they're not alone," said Grider. 

The next walk through the DAR LA Foundation is being planned for October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. If you or someone you know needs help and would like more information about the DAR LA Foundation, click here.