Estranged Husband Was Out on Bond When He Killed Wife and Her Family, Then Later Turned Gun on Himself

Mar. 15, 2025

A photo of the deceased: John F. Childs; Adrienne Seay; John A. Childs.Photo:National Gun Violence Memorial (3)

National Gun Violence Memorial (3)

A South Carolina family is asking for help in caring for a child whose family members were killed in a shooting two days after Christmas.

Darius had been arrested on an assault and battery charge the night before the incident, but was released on a $10,000 bond,the Post and Courierreported. After the fatal shooting, the 44-year-old took his son to another home, per the outlets.

Police responded to the scene, and Darius surrendered the child before shooting himself with an AR-15-style rifle, North Charleston police toldthe Post and Courier. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

In aGoFundMeset up for the family, the organizer, Rebecca Cleavenger, added that “the traumatic events this boy witnessed are unbelievably devastating.” She also noted that Kim’s brother David Childs and his wife Kaeley have taken custody of the boy and will care for him “indefinitely.”

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“The Childs family will need physical and emotional help,” stated the GoFundMe, which has raised nearly $42,000, as of Jan. 3. “Please consider helping this loving family in their desperate time of need!”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com