KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers Kansas City, Missouri. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
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A teenager could face up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering 11-year-old Kourtney Freeman.
Re'Mori Roath shot into Freeman's home, killing her in April 2024.
In the past year, KSHB 41 anchor/reporter Alyssa Jackson has met with Kourtney's mother and classmates at Ewing Marion Kauffman School.
Jackson called Teresa Filger, Kourtney's former teacher, to hear her perspective on Roath's plea.
Filger invited Jackson back to sit in their after-school leadership program, "Kauffman Cares."
When Freeman's classmates were told that Roath would go to prison, they expressed joy.
"I feel good that they got him," said Kourtney's friend, Aviyonna Kelly. "It makes me feel happy that he’s gonna go to jail, but It also makes me sad he took her life away."
Kelly described Freeman as her closest friend and "sister."
Filger told Jackson she'd never lost a student to violence before.
"I remember when I found out," she said. "I was just stunned at first, but then when it hit me I just screamed. I had just talked to her mom that night."
Freeman was a part of Kauffman Cares. Before her death, she was helping the class create an anti-violence workshop to present to the community.
Kauffman School still had that workshop a week after her death.
"It's just sad to see very young people get their life taken away," Kelly said.
The anti-violence conversations haven't stopped at Kauffman. The class wanted to keep the solutions-oriented discussions going because of Kourtney.
Moving forward, they will host an annual anti-violence workshop and dedicate it to Kourtney.
"I see it as this is our responsibility," Filger said. "They don’t have to wait for someone else to do it — you can do it."
For some of the students, Kourtney wasn't their first loss.
Some students expressed witnessing domestic violence and losing someone to suicide.
Filger said, "I had another student just sobbing. He said, 'My mom's boyfriend was killed…who is gonna teach me how to tie a tie now? Who's gonna throw the football with me? Who am I gonna talk with about my grades?"'
The school officials realize teaching can't just be about curriculum when students are already learning survival.
In their classrooms, the cycle of violence stops at the door.
"How are we going to start addressing this issue as a community, as neighbors, as individuals?" Filger said. "We've got to do something."
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