It has been nearly three years since the night that changed everything for four young children in Ocala, Florida. On June 2, 2023, Ajike "AJ" Owens was shot and killed through a locked door by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz. Today, the headlines have mostly faded, but for Isaac, Israel, Afrika, and Titus, the "after" is a permanent state of being.
Honestly, when you look at the Ajike Owens kids today, you aren’t just looking at the faces of a viral news story. You're looking at four kids growing up under the care of their grandmother, Pamela Dias, trying to navigate a world that feels a lot less safe than it used to.
Where the Kids Are Now
Life doesn’t stop, even when your heart does. The children are now being raised by their grandmother in a home where AJ’s presence is kept alive through photos, stories, and the values she instilled. Isaac, the oldest, is now a teenager. Israel, Afrika, and little Titus—who was just a toddler when the shooting happened—are all in school.
It's a full house. It's loud, it's busy, and it's heavy.
Pamela Dias has been incredibly vocal about the struggle. She’s mentioned in various interviews that the boys, especially, have carried a weight no child should touch. Isaac and Israel have dealt with intense survivor's guilt. Israel was literally standing next to his mother when the bullet came through that door. Isaac was the one who ran to neighbors gasping for air, trying to explain that "the lady shot my mom."
Basically, their childhood was split into "before" and "after" in a matter of seconds.
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The Mental Health Battle
Healing isn't linear. You've probably heard that before, but for these kids, it’s a daily reality. The family has been open about the fact that the children have been in trauma therapy.
- Isaac (the eldest) started trauma therapy shortly after the incident.
- Israel has had to work through the specific trauma of being the one whose lost tablet sparked the initial confrontation.
- Afrika has used dance as a way to express her grief, often performing "praise dances" at memorials for her mother.
- Titus, the youngest, struggled for a long time with being "inconsolable," simply too young to understand why his mother never came home.
Grandmother Pamela Dias recently shared that while the kids show amazing resilience, the "pain in their eyes" is still there, even when they’re smiling. They are learning to live with the loss, but they aren't "over" it. Who would be?
The Legal Resolution and Closure
For a long time, the family was stuck in a holding pattern. The trial for Susan Lorincz was delayed multiple times, which Dias said made it impossible for the children to truly begin healing. They were terrified she might somehow get out of jail.
That changed in November 2024.
Lorincz was sentenced to 25 years in prison for manslaughter with a firearm. The judge in the case, Robert Hodges, was pretty blunt about it. He noted that Lorincz acted out of anger, not fear, when she fired that shot. For the Owens family, 25 years doesn't bring AJ back, but it does mean the person who took her is behind bars for a very long time.
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The kids didn't end up testifying in the trial, which was a relief to the family, though they were prepared to if it meant getting justice.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
AJ Owens was known as the "Team Mom." She was a restaurant manager, a volunteer, and a woman with big dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. Today, her kids and mother are making sure those dreams don't die with her.
The family founded the Standing in the Gap Fund. It’s a nonprofit designed to help other families who have been impacted by racial violence and trauma. They want to turn a senseless tragedy into a "pathway toward justice."
It's kinda beautiful to see how they've taken that pain and turned it into advocacy. They’ve also been involved in pushing for changes to "Stand Your Ground" laws, arguing that the law shouldn't be a shield for people who shoot through locked doors at unarmed mothers.
What Most People Get Wrong
There’s a misconception that because there was a "neighborhood feud," the blame was shared.
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The investigation cleared that up pretty quickly. This wasn't a "mutual" fight. This was a situation where a woman harassed children, called them names, and then escalated a verbal confrontation into a fatal shooting. The kids weren't "thugs"—they were children playing in a field.
Today, the kids are focusing on school and sports. They are trying to be normal kids in a very abnormal situation. They have the support of a global community that donated over $300,000 to their GoFundMe, ensuring their education and mental health needs are covered for the foreseeable future.
How You Can Help
If you’re looking for ways to support the family or children in similar situations, there are a few concrete steps you can take:
- Support the Standing in the Gap Fund: This is the family's official nonprofit. Donating or sharing their mission helps provide resources for trauma counseling for other families.
- Advocate for Mental Health in Schools: The Owens children benefited immensely from early intervention. Supporting programs that bring trauma-informed care into public schools makes a massive difference for kids in high-stress environments.
- Stay Informed on Local Legislation: Keep an eye on how your state handles self-defense laws. Understanding the nuance between "protection" and "escalation" is key to preventing future tragedies like this one.
The story of Ajike Owens' children isn't over. It's just entered a new chapter—one defined by survival, memory, and a very long road to peace.