Kerri and Kayla Allen.
Posted on 05/16/2012 1:38:06 AM PDT by Las Vegas Dave
Kayla Allen, the 10-year-old who was the lone survivor of the April 12 shooting at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Brooklyn, died Tuesday afternoon at her home in Strongsville.
Jane Van Bergen, spokeswoman for Hospice of the Western Reserve, said Kayla died in the arms of an aunt at 3:40 p.m. surrounded by her family and friends.
In a statement released Tuesday, the family said, "(We are) appreciative and grateful for the support and prayers of so many during this journey. Kayla has died peacefully at home. She has been surrounded by family and friends for the past few days, comfortable and serene. This time has been most meaningful to us as we held her and loved her, prayed for her and said our good-byes.
"We have been heartened by the hopes and outpouring of concern of friends as well as strangers, and this has given us comfort in a most difficult time."
Kayla's father went on a rampage inside the restaurant, killing Kayla's mom and sister with a shotgun and shooting Kayla in the face.
The incident spurred an outpouring of support for Kayla, with groups raising money for her medical care.
Van Bergen said the family will issue a follow-up statement, likely today, regarding funeral arrangements.
A message posted 5 p.m. Tuesday on the Kayla Allen Benefit Fund on Facebook read "Kayla, in a perfect body, with no pain or sadness, is in heaven with her mother, sister and our Lord Jesus Christ. Her suffering is over. She is in an eternal paradise."
There were 26 Facebook posts in a 45-minute span following Kayla's death.
One from Amanda Taylor said, "Breaks my heart that I will no longer have you in my class. But I rejoice that you are no longer in pain and that you can join your sister Kerri and your mother in heaven."
Of the many moving and heartfelt posts, Debbie Moore Clarke wrote, "Kayla, your purpose was fulfilled by all the lessons you, your mom and sister taught us all on earth. Even through tragedy you were able to bring people together and out of it emerged so much compassion, love and caring...such beautiful gifts that you allowed others to experience as a result of your examples.
"Praying to God to help guide (family and friends) through their grief and focus on all the good the girls did in their lives and the joy they brought to others."
Kayla's father, Kevin, 51, and her mother, Katie, 42, and sister, Kerri, were at the Cracker Barrel celebrating Kerri's 10th birthday. During the gathering, Kayla's mother told Kevin Allen she was leaving him. He then went to his truck and got a shotgun.
When Kevin Allen returned, he killed his wife in the lobby and hunted down the two girls. He shot and killed Kerri and wounded Kayla, who were both hiding in a bathroom stall. Kayla was shot in the face.
Brooklyn police killed Kevin Allen as he left the restaurant.
Kayla's condition at MetroHealth, where she was taken that night, went from critical to serious to fair, and back to critical in the four weeks she was there.
Last Friday the family said Kayla's condition had worsened and she was released to hospice care.
Ohio pings..
The rage in a man, who can shoot his innocent young daughter in the face with a shotgun. Vile animal.
Her life was probably hell with this creep, and the reason her mother was trying to exit in the first place. The mother probably thought she was somewhat safe, telling him at a huge party. But I’ll bet she never thought he would so viciously hurt his own kids.
I’m so sorry this man didn’t live to experience some pain.
Correction - I meant in front of a large party of people. Like in a restaurant. No idea if there was a real “party”.
First: Life isn't fair,
Second: Nothing’s Easy and It's always something.
Third: Improvise, Adapt, Persevere and Overcome)
I hate seeing these photos of joyful cute kids and knowing that they are now dead. May they RIP.
There are monsters loose in this world, there really is.
How sad! May we all pray for this family, and may we all pray for our nation!
May I share these verses:
“If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 1:14)
“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17)
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” (Psalm 116:15)
“For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:17)
“For He[God]hath made Him[Jesus]to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Some people make the mistake of believing what they swear to in the marriage ceremony. They never fully appreciate that the marriage license is actually a state contract which can be terminated by either party at any time without cause with forfeiture of half the property and income garnishment levied upon the non-custodial party.
Is it any surprise tradgedies like this occur more frequently during a poor economy? Nope.
I hear where you are coming from - but I don’t think this huge departure from rational action on the sake of this “man” was due to that. As others have posted, his irrationality probably was manifest in other ways which prompted the wife for a divorce.
I have seen my sister fleece her ex for tons of money. It is a disgrace to him, and I take it as a disgrace to my parents. I know other guys that will never dig themselves out of the debt of child support and alimony.
I probably am a fool for believing what I swore to in marriage. But after almost 20 years we have still stuck together “through better or worse”. Of course if she did leave me, and after seeing the bank account drain and my hope dwindle I wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility that I might have an accident and miss a turn on one of the many mountain roads I find myself on.
I’m so sorry this man didn’t live to experience some pain.
His pain is just beginning and will last for eternity!
I condemn this man for killing his child, it was an insane thing to do, but I haven’t walked a mile in his shoes.
I have seen what women can do.
Guys in this position know their life is over, and they act accordingly. There is no defense for this act, but hopefully it will focus on the plight of someone who in the space of minutes realizes 1) they’re homeless, 2) they will be working to support the ex-wife (and the children as that ex-wife sees fit), and 3) their children will probably be raised more by some strange man than by them.
If something isn’t done to change those outcomes, then you may expect to see this final outcome with increasing frequency as we remove faith from the public square.
“but I haven’t walked a mile in his shoes.”
Because if you had, you might kill your 2 10yr old daughters too? Is there anything that could have happened in his life that would justify doing that?
Evil is out there.
I know it exists.
Here is the proof.
Nothing could justify killing his daughters.
I am not interested in justifying his actions. I only say not all people have strong minds. Things enter into their lives that cause them to become mentally ill.Only a mentally ill person would do such a thing.
We do not know what drove him to it.
Perhaps he was just weak minded to begin with.
Perhaps his wife was driving the trainwreck.
The best thing for you to do in this case is attack me for voicing an opinion.
>>Because if you had, you might kill your 2 10yr old daughters too? Is there anything that could have happened in his life that would justify doing that?<<
Nothing, but people snap.
It’s not an excuse, it’s an explanation.
Really?
A divorce, something that happens every day in every state to hundreds of couples, caused this jackass to MURDER his wife and shoot his children?
This guy was a first class jerk that probably terrorized his family on a daily basis. There is NO excuse for what he did.
NONE.
I understand what you are saying.
White men are dirt in our society and some are not as sane as others.
>>A divorce, something that happens every day in every state to hundreds of couples, caused this jackass to MURDER his wife and shoot his children?<<
It’s not an excuse, it’s an explanation. Some people are not sane.
“If it was me finding out my wife was leaving I would probably feel like killing myself.”
Me too. Drinking with my fraternity brothers and playing golf to death.
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