On the morning of June 11, 2018, in the Castle Point neighborhood of St. Louis County, Missouri, 28-year-old Porsha Owens was preparing to take her three children, ages 8, 4, and 3, to daycare. While loading them into her car at about 7:15 a.m., she was approached by a man who attempted to carjack her. The assailant, identified as 18-year-old Mark L. Haywood, demanded her keys and money, had his shirt pulled up to obscure his face, and shot Owens in front of her children.

He then took her purse, keys, and weapon but could not start the car and fled on foot. Gravely wounded, Owens crossed the street seeking help before collapsing; her 8-year-old son flagged down a police officer. Owens was taken to a hospital where she died of her wounds. Haywood was arrested, charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and two counts of armed criminal action, later admitted to the robbery and shooting, pleaded guilty in 2020, and received a 25-year prison sentence.

A GoFundMe campaign for Owens’ children drew broad donations.