Family remembers teacher from Kokomo stabbed more than 50 times
KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — Family and friends are remembering a teacher from Kokomo after she was stabbed more than 50 times by her estranged husband in July.
They said her estranged husband tied up her 10-year-old daughter and made her watch the attack before he killed himself.
It happened at a home on Courtland Avenue in Kokomo.
Jessica Roberts was recovering when family said she suddenly collapsed and died last week.
“It’s just been a roller coaster you know,” said Nathan Roberts, brother. “We just dealt with the first incident and we were starting to make the climb and then we bottomed out again.”
Nathan spent Wednesday evening finalizing his older sister’s funeral on Thursday. He described Jessica as a caring, strong, and independent person.
“She was rebuilding her life and taking care what she needed to, not asking anybody for help,” he said.
He said she was always positive and put others before herself.
“She saw the good in everybody and obviously we may not, but she never gave up on anybody,” he said.
Jessica survived after being stabbed more than 50 times by her estranged husband. She shared an update on Facebook from her hospital bed last month.
In her post she wrote, “What is done is done. We will prevail through this tragedy.”
“She didn’t want nobody to feel sorry you know make a big deal of everything,” Nathan said. “She just wanted to do her thing get better and go about her life.”
Nathan said she was eager to get back to work. She was an English teacher at Carroll High School in Flora and recently accepted a new teaching job in Marion.
“She was all about teaching, she loved her students,” Nathan said. “I mean she was always there for them stay in touch with them.”
Nathan knows there’s nothing he could do to bring his sister back, but said she’s now in a better place.
“God got a good one,” he said.
Nathan said the family is now focusing on caring for her 10-year-old daughter. She was not hurt.
The community has helped raised more than $2,000 for Roberts family on GoFundMe.
A motorcycle ride is scheduled for September in honor of Jessica and to raise money for her daughter.
