A foster mom in Cincinnati was killed alongside her adult disabled son and 11-year-old daughter, both of whom she adopted, in what authorities say was a murder-suicide.
Pat McCollum, 78, who was known within the community for fostering dozens of children in need, was found stabbed death Thursday inside a home in the College Hill neighborhood, reported the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Kaydence McCollum, 11, and 32-year-old DJ McCollum were also found stabbed inside the home and pronounced dead on the scene, said Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge.
The tragic discovery came after a standoff involving local authorities and a SWAT team, who spent hours attempting to negotiate with a suspect inside the residence.
Once law enforcement eventually entered the home, they found the suspect, 66-year-old Anthony Mathis, also suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he later died from what police said were self-inflicted wounds.
Authorities have not provided further details, including Pat McCollum’s relationship with Mathis. However, court records cited by the Enquirer show Mathis to be her son-in-law. The motive behind the murder-suicide remains unclear.
Per court documents, Mathis was charged in April with felony strangulation and domestic violence, with Patricia McCollum listed as the victim. Mathis later filed motions in the case stating he was acting in self-defense at the time.
The domestic violence charge, a misdemeanor, was reportedly dismissed for want of prosecution.
Members of the community remembered Pat for her generous heart in the aftermath of her tragic death. Rosemary Oglesby-Henry — founder and CEO of Rosemary’s Babies Co., who had also been friends with McCollum since childhood — remembered her as a “hero” and an “icon.”
She said the victim took more than 70 children into her home over the last 20 years, including DJ, who suffered from severe disabilities after he was burned on over 85% of his body in a fire as a baby. McCollum eventually adopted him, her friend said.
“I fell in love in the 13 days [I was fostering him] and couldn’t give him up,” McCollum told WCPO in a 2015 interview.
The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners declared her death “a loss for all” members of the community.
“Pat was a champion for children and a foster mother to more than 70 kids. She adopted seven,” they wrote in a social media post on Friday. “Few people live as invested in their community as Pat did. … She created a program that paired newly licensed foster parents with more experienced ones. The program helped countless foster families learn how to advocate for all kids like she did.”