One of Ajike Owens's Kids Was Standing Next to Her When She Was Killed by Their Racist Neighbor

In the Netflix documentary The Perfect Neighbor, director Geeta Gandbhir examines the racial biases within Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law following the murder of her friend. Ajike "AJ" Owens was fatally shot by her neighbor in June 2023, on the heels of months of abusive interactions perpetrated by the woman who ended up killing her.

Owens is a Black woman whose four children, along with other neighborhood kids, were frequently on the receiving end of verbal insults by their neighbor, Susan Lorincz, who is white. Lorincz made countless calls to 911 in which she alleged that neighborhood children were harassing her. Owens was knocking on Lorincz's door when the older woman shot her from inside. One of Owens's children witnessed the murder. Where are her kids now? Here's what we know.

Owens had four children whose ages ranged from 3 to 7 at the time of her death. Her two oldest sons, Isaac and Israel, were almost called as witnesses during Lorincz's trial. Israel, age 9, was next to his mother when she was shot. Isaac was the one who told neighbors to call police. In the arrest affidavit, obtained by People, Lorincz admitted to calling the children racial slurs. On the night she was killed, Israel told his mother what Lorincz said. The two went over there to speak with Lorincz.

Owens’s mother, Pamela Dias, went on The View, where she discussed the guilt her grandsons feel. The children were playing in a public grassy area by Lorincz's home. Israel had left his tablet, and when he went back to get it, Lorincz verbally attacked him and threw a skate at him. The skate broke the tablet. He told his grandmother that if he hadn't forgotten the tablet, his mother would still be alive. Isaac started trauma therapy because he couldn't do anything to save his mother.

All four of Owens's children are now living with their grandmother. "It’s been very hard for the children. They were very young when they lost their mother, and it’s something no child should have to endure," Dias told CNN. "I can see the values my daughter instilled in them – her kindness, her love, her faith – and that means they carry a piece of her wherever they go."

Dias started a nonprofit organization to help families who were victims of racially motivated violence. Standing in the Gap Fund provides "grants to families grappling with the aftermath of racial violence, aiding their journey toward healing and stability." It helps people just like Dias, who, because of a horrific tragedy motivated by prejudice, need to navigate a system often steeped in inequality.

They help find mental health professionals for family members, especially children, suffering from the trauma that comes with significant emotional distress. There is also economic assistance for things like "medical bills, funeral costs, and potential legal fees if the family seeks justice." The folks from Standing in the Gap Fund also help families navigate the legal system.