Police are searching for answers after a mother of three was shot and killed in Kansas as she slept early Tuesday morning (Aug. 31.)
According to Fox4, Natasha Hayes was pronounced dead after a gunman shot into her bedroom multiple times around 3:45 a.m. Her children ages 18, 16, and 14, found her just moments after the shooting. Hayes, a caregiver at Life Care Center of Kansas City, was beloved by her children, many community members and friends. Candice Berger, Hays’ cousin, opened up to reporters about the shooting. ‘They just took her life … I mean, it’s just wrong, it’s just wrong, in a cowardly way,” she said. “She was a mother, a true mother. Some mothers like we don’t have out here. It’s just so sad.”
She was also the cousin of singer and activist, Janelle Monáe. The singer took to Twitter to mourn her loss and call for the end of gun violence.
Gun violence has struck home. My beautiful 1st cousin was murdered. She was a mother of 3. Loved by her community. #NatashaHays #sayhername
— Janelle Monáe, Cindi Mayweather????? (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
#KansasCity #Gunviolence is still keeping our city in a dark place. The fear of "who is next?" never leaves. Praying4more light. Help us.
— Janelle Monáe, Cindi Mayweather????? (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
Nobody deserves to lose their mother, sister, cousin, friend, etc to the hands of evil. Evil has no race. #Gunviolence #NatashaHays
— Janelle Monáe, Cindi Mayweather????? (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
Hearing your uncle on the phone while he tries to make sense of his daughter being murdered is the most helpless feeling in the entire world
— Janelle Monáe, Cindi Mayweather????? (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
Monae has used her star power to stand with Black Lives Matter by protesting against police brutality and gun violence. Last year, the singer released the single “Hell You Talmbout,” in honor of Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and Natasha McKenna.
So far, no suspects have been arrested in connection to the shooting.