$73K Pours In For Funeral Of Slain Union County Mother, 2 Children

LINDEN, NJ — Heartbroken family members are planning a memorial for a mother and two children who were shot and killed in their Linden home on Sunday in a murder-suicide.

The Union County Prosecutor's Office said 41-year-old Kryzstof Nieroda shot his wife Justyna (41) and his children Sebastian (14) and Natalia (13) early the morning of Feb. 19. Officials have not mentioned any potential motive for why he did so. Original article — NJ Man Shot Wife, 2 Children Before Killing Himself: Prosecutor

Justyna's sister, Julita Laskowska, organized a GoFundMe to help surviving family members plan the funerals of Justyna, Sebastian, and Natalia. It raised $72,901 dollars within the first day it was online, with 699 people donating. New donations are currently disabled by the organizer.

Julita said she was lucky to have called Justyna her sister "because she was caring, thoughtful, honest, and full of life." She was godmother to Sebastian, and described him and his sister as a joy to everyone around them, with a bright future ahead.

"I will always cherish them and the beautiful memories will live through us forever," she wrote.

The date, time, and location of their memorial service is yet to be announced.

Grief support resources have been made available at Linden Public Schools, and the district's crisis team has mobilized, officials said.

Sebastian and Natalia were both students at McManus Middle School, said interim Linden Public Schools superintendent Dr. Rocco G. Tomazic. They previously attended Elementary School #10.

"Any student death affects us all," Tomazic said. "But we will never become so accustomed to loss like this that we can’t respond with empathy, understanding and care."

Mayor Derek Armstead and the health department also encourage residents to reach out to local grief groups and hotlines if they are struggling with this or any loss.

"In tragedies of this magnitude, there are no words that can heal, nor explanations that can serve to make sense of them to the public," Armstead said on Wednesday. "May this unfortunate time bring us together to help heal the family, friends and community."

Police said the shooting was reported on Chatham Place at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Kryzstof Nieroda told a family member on the telephone that he had shot and killed his wife and children before he turned the gun on himself, said Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Linden Police Chief David Hart in a news release.

Medical officials pronounced Kryzstof, Justyna, and Natalie dead at the scene, according to officials.

Sebastian was in critical condition when first responders arrived, the prosecutor's office said. He died at Newark University Hospital.

Authorities found the weapon in his hand when they arrived, said officials.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, there are resources available to help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by calling 988. Its website offers services including a live chat.

Patch's Nicole Rosenthal contributed to this report.