2 days ago
Minneapolis mother witnesses tragic murder-suicide involving 2-year-old
The Brief
Just after midnight Monday, 2-year-old Kinsley was shot and killed by her father. He then turned the gun on himself.
Kinsley's mother, Trisha Prinsen, says her boyfriend struggled with mental health, but Sunday had a crisis and behavior she had never seen before.
Prinsen says she and her daughter were held hostage in their own home, unable to call for help before the shooting.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis mother is dealing with tragedy after her 2-year-old daughter was shot and killed by her father, who then turned the gun on himself.
What we know
Police were called to the family's home on the 2900 block of Colfax Avenue North just after midnight Monday. They arrived to find the 2-year-old girl and her father both deceased.
Trisha Prinsen says she and her daughter were not allowed to leave the home, and essentially held hostage. Her boyfriend was armed and having a mental crisis. She was able to text two friends to call police, but nothing happened. She did not know you can text 911 for help.
What they're saying
Trisha Prinsen says although she is angry and sad, her daughter loved her father very much, and that she loved him too.
Prinsen says, "I still love him. It's gonna take me a while to forgive him but I still love him."
At the height of the crisis, Kinsley went to hug her father, and that's when he shot her and turned the gun on himself. This happened right in front of Prinsen.
"Really he just went into a mental psychosis thought people were living under the house, people were watching him. I can't explain it. I couldn't understand where his thinking had gone, he had never been like this before." Prinsen said.
Prinsen went onto say, "I'll never be able to take away the images losing her, watching him do that in front of me. I'll never be able to take those images out of my head."
Big picture view
Prinsen hopes by sharing her story, it will help to raise mental health awareness. She hopes if someone is going through a crisis, or a loved one is struggling they will go get help.
She also wants to spread the word that you can text 911, as she didn't know that and it may have helped to prevent such a horrible tragedy.
What you can do
Trisha is hoping to get help for funeral expenses through a GoFundMe.
