Kouri Richins: A Children's Book of Grief or Guilt?

Serial Napper

In March 2022, married couple Eric and Kouri Richins were celebrating at their Utah home. Kouri, a real estate agent, had closed on a house that she had planned to flip for her business. They put their three young boys to bed and had a few drinks, including a Moscow mule that Kouri made for Eric to enjoy in bed. The couple then fell asleep, with Eric sleeping in the master bedroom and Kouri sleeping in one of the boy’s rooms because he often had night terrors. Around 3 am, the child woke up from a nightmare. According to Kouri, she soothed him back to sleep and then she returned to her bedroom, where she found Eric unresponsive at the foot of their bed. In a panic, she called 911, however, it was too late and he was pronounced deceased on the scene.

It was a shocking situation, Eric had not yet even turned 40 years old. An autopsy revealed he had died from a fentanyl overdose and his wife believed he may have consumed a fentanyl-laced gummy. The family was devastated, particularly their children, who were only between five and nine years old when their father passed.

About a year after his death, Kouri published a children’s book called “Are You With Me”, which she had written in collaboration with their three sons. It was said to be a book written to "create peace and comfort for children who have lost a loved one”. Kouri promoted the book on her local news station, speaking about the grief her children had experienced and how she hoped this book would help other children process their grief.

Which is why you can imagine the shock felt amongst their family and community when Kouri Richins was arrested and charged with her husband Eric’s murder in in May 2023.

Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/timeline-utah-mom-kouri-richins-husband-death-fentanyl-rcna85787

https://www.walker-mortuary.com/obituaries/Eric-Richins

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65885789

https://ksltv.com/647638/kamas-woman-charged-with-murdering-husband-is-found-guilty-of-assaulting-sister-in-law/ https://www.kpcw.org/summit-county/2024-05-08/court-to-decide-if-kouri-richins-goes-to-trial-a-year-after-her-arrest

https://www.nytimes.com/article/kouri-richins-husband-murder-trial.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1TNfHAm8e4

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