The staggering amount of money raised for AJ Owens’ family, and a legacy that could help millions

The devastating story of Ajike Owens, and the GoFundMe set up in her name, has recieved new attention thanks to Netflix’s new documentary about her death at the hands of Susan Lorincz, The Perfect Neighbor.

As shown in Netflix’s documentary, on June 2, 2023, the mum-of-four was fatally shot by Susan through a locked door. One of her sons was standing next to her, and though emergency services did everything they could, Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens was pronounced dead. Susan Lorincz, who had been terrorising the neighbourhood kids for months at this point, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Though AJ’s family are still grappling with her death – her kids now in therapy – her mum, Pamela Dias, has sought to help other victims of race-based violence with a dedicated fund.

A GoFundMe was launched in Ajike Owens’ name, and it’s raised half a million

In a GoFundMe entitled “Justice for Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens and Her Children”, Pamela detailed how her daughter was a “devoted and loving mother of four.”

“She excelled professionally as a manager in the Restaurant/Hospitality industry. She was a devoted Christian who believed in bringing her kids up in a supportive Christian environment,” she wrote.

“After being a devoted mother, she was a devoted friend who took friendships to heart. There wasn’t anything that she wouldn’t do for those near and dear to her heart. She often would give to other single mothers who were in similar situations that she’d been in.”

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There have now been nearly 10k donations to the fund, which was initially set up to cover AJ’s funeral and memorial expenses. Since then, its purpose has changed to fund AJ’s kids’ education, living expenses, and rent.

At the time of writing, Ajike Owens’ GoFundMe had raised $447k – and it’s still going strong with hundreds of donations an hour.

“Just finished watching the documentary, and my heart goes out to AJ’s four children. She was a mom who cared for her kids and showed them how she loved them and would stand up for them. To her son’s keep shining her light every day. Love from a mother of 5 in Texas,” one person wrote after donating.

Another said: “I wish I knew about this before I saw the documentary last night. My heart broke so profoundly for this family and this entire community. I pray for peace for you all and with all the hope in my heart may these 4 beautiful babies grow past this horrific trauma and live lives full of love and happiness.”

Her mother also started a fund to support victims of race-based violence

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Alongside the GoFundMe, Pamela also launched the Standing in the Gap Fund, a direct response “to the trauma of race-based violence.”

“In honour of Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens, a mother of four and victim to racial violence- The Standing In The Gap Fund was created to support families like AJ’s who are suffering from loss and unsure of how to navigate the aftermath. Funds from the Standing in the Gap Fund support families and organisers in the most critical spaces of healing as they navigate their journeys,” the website reads.

The group has a 2030 fundraising goal of £3.5 million, which will be used to fund Black arts programmes, “proactive” stances against inequality, and access to resources for victims of racial violence.

The Perfect Neighbor is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.

Featured image credit: GoFundMe