Children Watch As Mother Gunned Down In Attempted Carjacking

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO — Porsha Owens, a 28-year-old mother of three, was gunned down Monday in an attempted carjacking as her children watched, authorities said this week. The attack happened in the Castle Point neighborhood of north St. Louis County.

Owens' accused killer, 18-year-old Mark L. Haywood, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and two counts of armed criminal action. He is currently being held on $1 million cash bail.

"This is one of the most heart-breaking scenarios I've seen in a long, long time, maybe forever," said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch, explaining that Owens had been preparing to take her children to daycare before going to work as a security officer for the Riverview Gardens School District.

Owens was in uniform and armed, he said, when Haywood allegedly approached her from behind and demanded her keys. When she turned to confront her attacker, the man fired two shots. As Owens lay bleeding on the sidewalk, her attacker took her weapon, purse and keys. He was unable to start the car, so he ran away on foot.

Owens managed to cross the street in an attempt to find help, and her 8-year-old son eventually flagged down a police officer, while also watching over his 4-year-old sister and 3-year-old brother. Owens was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.

"The children witnessed this and they watched their mother essentially bleed to death," McCulloch said. “You just want to cry when you think about it.”

Owens' cousin, Keon King, told WFMY News 2 that Owens told her children she was sorry and she thought she was about to die as she waited for help to arrive.

“She was a devoted mom," King said. "She loved her family."

Riverview Gardens School District posted a message to Facebook Wednesday morning with funeral details:

Owens' family has also set up a GoFundMe page to support her children. So far, the page has raised about $140,000 — almost three times the original goal.

Editor's Note: GoFundMe is a Patch partner.

Image via GoFundMe