A California man has been arrested and charged with murdering his pregnant girlfriend and their preborn child, and the horrific crime was discovered by the woman’s 10-year-old child.
Police say Kirsten Castle was strangled to death by Andrew Coleman, her live-in boyfriend and the father of her preborn child. Castle’s 10-year-old daughter reported the murder after she was dropped off at the home and found her mother’s lifeless body. Castle has now been charged with two counts of murder in the first degree.
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A GoFundMe page was created by Darryl Harvey, Castle’s estranged husband and father to her four surviving children.
“Kirsten was very self-driven and focused. She was a great mother to her four children and a strong, resilient woman,” Harvey wrote. “This devastating loss has left our family, friends, and neighbors reeling. While we cannot erase the pain of this unimaginable event, we can come together to support those left behind. This fundraiser aims to assist the victim’s family with expenses and provide financial support during this difficult time. The lives lost were precious and full of promise. As we remember the mother-to-be and her child, let us honor their memory through acts of kindness and generosity.”
After allegedly killing Castle, Coleman stole her car and a safe containing $37,000 and fled to southern California, where he was apprehended. He is currently being held without bail and will have a court hearing on September 4. Coleman did not enter a plea during his first court appearance. If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Pregnant women are at a disturbingly high risk of becoming victims of violence. Homicide is one of the leading causes of death for pregnant women, with women more likely to be murdered during pregnancy than they are to die from the three leading obstetric causes of death: high blood pressure disorders, hemorrhage, and sepsis.
Editor’s Note: If you are a victim of domestic violence, please visit thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-SAFE.
