KC Mothers in Charge founder has spent a decade helping families of homicide victims

By Steve Kraske,

Published October 15, 2024 at 4:00 AM CDT

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Following the death of her son, Rosilyn Temple founded KC Mothers in Charge. This year the nonprofit which supports families of homicide victims and advocates for violence prevention is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. — Following the death of her son, Rosilyn Temple founded KC Mothers in Charge. This year, the nonprofit, which supports families of homicide victims and advocates for violence prevention, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary.

Rosilyn Temple founded KC Mothers in Charge — a nonprofit that supports the families of homicide victims — 10 years ago, after the death of her own son. Through her grief, she found purpose by ensuring no family felt the confusion and loneliness she did standing at the crime scene.

When Rosilyn Temple's son was killed in 2011, she stood at the crime scene seemingly alone, struggling to process the information and grief.

"You know, it was Thanksgiving Eve, and basically destroyed me," Temple told KCUR's Up To Date. "But I had to get up, had to fight to live... to help someone else that was going to go through what I've been through."

The help came through the founding of the Kansas City chapter of Mothers in Charge, a nonprofit focused on supporting the families of homicide victims and advocating for violence prevention.

For 10 years, Temple has been on call day and night, responding to homicide crime scenes as a liaison between officers and family members.

"I'm there to pick them up, to let them know that I understand that pain," Temple said.

She said homicides have gotten worse since she founded the Kansas City chapter. Last year marked Kansas City's deadliest year on record.

"We allow this to happen in our community, because people know who is committing these violent acts in our community," Temple said. "They're living in your homes. If they're not in your homes, you know who they are."

Temple said that people shouldn't be scared to work with the police — they should be scared instead about perpetrators getting away.

Kansas City has recorded more than 1,400 homicides since KC Mothers in Charge was founded. And although Temple said she dreads the police phone calls, she's found healing through by providing the support she didn't have when her son was killed.

"We all have a purpose and a gift in life," Temple said. "When I leave this life, I stood for something."

Rosilyn Temple, founder and program director, KC Mothers in Charge

Purpose Through Pain: 10 Years of Serving Kansas City, 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Serenity Funeral Home, 1101 E Bannister Rd., Kansas City, Missouri 64131. Tickets are required.