Fundraiser for girls whose mom was killed
An online fundraising campaign has been launched for girls whose 36-year-old mother was recently murdered in east Hamilton.
Natasha Thompson’s death comes five years after her partner was killed in a police shooting in 2012.
The tragedies have left Hana, 16, and Miyoko, 11, without parents.
The GoFundMe campaign has been started by Lits Boonhajit-Kong, who identifies herself as the girls’ aunt.
“Many admired Natasha because she was independent, strong and resilient but also kind hearted, sweet and compassionate,” she writes on the webpage.
Boonhajit-Kong says the girls have gone through “great heartaches” after losing their dad, Phonesay Chanthachack, and then their mother on Monday.
Mark Joseph Champagne, 41, who was Thompson’s boyfriend, is charged with second-degree murder. He’s accused of shooting her outside her 17 Lang St. townhouse unit in what police have described as a “domestic-related homicide.”
“Both girls have inherited their mother’s resiliency, but they are heartbroken. It is undeniable that these two little girls will need the support of their family, as well as community,” Boonhajit-Kong writes.
The fundraiser — called 4Hana&Miyoka Memry Natasha Thompson — is to provide the girls with financial support. Family is setting up a trust account, from where donations will be forwarded to the girls’ bank accounts, she says.
The goal is to raise $10,000. As of Friday afternoon $1,780 had been raised.