A Utah mom and author is facing murder charges in connection with the death of her husband, in a case that paints her latest children's book in a whole new light.
This article contains content that may be upsetting to some of our readers.
Kouri Richins, 33, was arrested Monday on murder and drug charges following the death of her husband Eric Richins, who was found dead from a fentanyl overdose in March 2022. A medical examiner found that he had five times the lethal dosage of fentanyl in his system, the Associated Press reports.
Kouri Richins now stands accused of aggravated murder and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, according to court documents obtained by KUTV.
Richins actually published her own picture book about grief earlier this year to coincide with the anniversary of her husband's death. That led to an appearance on ABC4's Good Morning Utah, in a promotional interview that's sure to raise eyebrows given the latest developments.
"My husband passed away unexpectedly last year," she said in that interview, which was posted online in early April 2023. “He was 39. It completely took us all by shock and we have three little boys, 10, 9 and 6."
She went on to explain that her picture book, titled Are You With Me?, urges kids to keep the deceased person's memories alive, carry on with routine and affirm whatever they're feeling related to that death. Richins added that her kids needed the book to help them "cope at night" with their father's loss.
"It’s — you know — explaining to my kids just because he’s not present here with us physically, doesn’t mean his presence isn’t here with us," she said on Good Morning Utah.
Now, prosecutors allege that Kouri Richins planned her husband's death and even asked a prescription drug supplier for fentanyl, which she described as "some of the Michael Jackson stuff."
Three days after Kouri allegedly obtained the fentanyl, Eric "became very ill" and told a friend that he thought his wife had poisoned him, according to a probable cause statement obtained by KUTV.
Her attorney declined to comment to the Associated Press.
Richins' book has since been pulled from the Amazon store, although you can still find a cached version on the site and her Facebook page for it is still live.
"Written by a loving mother who personally faced this challenge, this book is designed to offer comfort and solace to young minds in a way that is both accessible and engaging," the description reads.
Richins' book had 39 ratings and 4.1 stars on Amazon before it was pulled amid the murder investigation.
The case has yet to be tried in court.
An Author Is Accused Of Killing Her Husband & She Wrote A Kids’ Book On Grief After He Died
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