They are the collateral damage in the double shooting at a Glendale, Arizona high schooland are more desperate for answers than anyone.
The family of Dorothy "Dot" Dutiel is coming to grips with the fact their loved one took her girlfriend's life and then her own.
Dot's aunt, speaking on behalf of the family, says the teen's mother is grief stricken.
"She’s got double heartache. She's hurting very, very badly for the loss of her own child, but also somebody else’s child," said Julie Moore.
Moore, who lives out of state, says the family always talked about how goofy and sweet Dot was.
They didn't think she was any moodier than a typical 15-year-old girl. They knew she was gay and supported her relationship.
The family had gotten together the Sunday before the shooting and no one suspected anything out of the ordinary.
"She was in great spirits just being her goofy, silly self," Moore said, "There was absolutely no sign of her being depressed at that moment."
Dot's final Tweet suggests a drastic change by week's end, writing "goodbye" the night before shooting her girlfriend, May Kieu, then committing suicide.
Moore says a suicide note left by Dot released her mother from blame.
"She apologized to her mother and told her there was nothing she could've done to change the situation."
Moore has started a GoFundMe account to help pay for Dot's funeral costs and also to support her mother.
She hopes people will realize the family was an unintended victim of this tragedy and they need support.
"Dot was not an evil child by any means, I think she was a hurting child and for whatever reason she was in pain and felt this was the answer."
If you're hurting, feeling sad, or just need someone to talk to, know that it is OK to reach out for help. You can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 27/4 at 1-800-273-8255. You can also visit YouMatter.suicidepreventionlifetime.org.
