Mother Commits Murder-Suicide Against Her 2 Young Boys

Jamie Kopp was quoted in a Feb 2012 news article about a murder-suicide that occurred in St Johns County, FL involving a mother and her two young boys. Sadly, this story serves as a tragic example as to why it is so important to seek treatment for mental health issues, and how early intervention could possibly save lives. Jamie was advising on grief counseling for other children who attended the affected school, and who might be affected by the loss.

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. –Children at Julington Creek Elementary did not have a normal school day following the deaths of two schoolmates whom the St.Johns County Sheriff’s Office says were shot by their mother. William Rashley, 7, and his 8-year-old brother, Daniel, along with their mother, Donna McCulloch, were found dead in their Durbin Creek home on Thursday. Friday afternoon Sheriff David Shoar says an investigation shows the mother shot her sons and then turned a gun on herself.

Seven grief counselors spent the day at Julington Creek Elementary to comfort students and answer their questions.

Mental health counselor Jamie Kopp, who once was a teacher, says “Children have questions and parents should not ignore them. You don’t want them to come to their own conclusions,” said Kopp, “A murder- suicide”, she says,” does make the discussion with children a little more complex. We need to explain to them that the mother needed help, and that sometimes adults do things that are not the best thing to do or the right thing to do,” said Kopp.

The Rashley brothers, according to the school district, were not in school Thursday, the day they were found dead in their home. The young boys were in the first and second grade.