Kristin Settles

From the moment that Kristin Settles came into this world, her mother knew she was going to be a handful. "After all, it took 22 hours to deliver her!” With blonde hair, blue eyes, and a smile that could melt your heart, Kristin was a ray of sunshine. She loved to sing, perform skits, and choreograph dances to her favorite songs. She also loved to write poems and short stories. At every family function, she would perform, and she made everyone laugh. Kristin was very intelligent child. When she was to enter middle school, she was offered advanced placement, but she opted for the honors program instead so she could stay with her friends.

On October 14, 2000, when she was ten years old, her father, at the age of 37, committed suicide. Kristin received counseling and was encouraged to communicate her feelings, but she continued to search for answers and blame herself for her father’s death. Throughout middle school, Kristin remained an honor student, but as time passed, she became moody and withdrawn.

In April 2003, Kristin, her mom Tina and her sister Brittney moved to Mt. Washington, KY, a small community on the outskirts of Louisville. Her mother thought the move would be good for Kristin and her sister, Brittney. Kristen was still receiving counseling on and off during this time, but her grades were beginning to drop and she had begun refusing to ride the bus to school.

In the summer of 2005, Kristin threatened to commit suicide when her mother wouldn’t let her leave the house. She was taken to Kosair Hospital where she was evaluated and admitted to Wellstone for treatment. After one week she was released. Tina was told Kristin was “self-medicating herself with marijuana.” Kristin was given counseling and started taking drug tests. She also was placed on anti-depressant medication, but refused to take it. She did not mention suicide again, but her mother said, “She would sway from funny and smart to shy and withdrawn.”

In 2006, Kristin became truant from school and received 30 days in juvenile detention for disobeying a court order to attend school. After being released from detention, Kristin’s school work and attitude improved. By March 2007, her grades were up and she was attending school on time, everyday. The last week of March, Kristin attended court, and the judge complimented her on her grades and effort.

On April 1, 2007, Kristin and a friend were left at her house because Tina had paperwork to do. Later that evening, Brittany tried to call Kristin, but she got no answer.

Kristin had killed herself. She was just 16 years old.