In Memory of Briana and Her Beautiful Girls

In Loving Memory of Briana Payne and Her Three Beautiful Daughters

Last night, on February 21st, 2025, our community suffered a tragedy that’s left us all reeling. Briana Payne, a loving mother and incredible caregiver, along with her three amazing daughters—Aurorah Tatiana (7), nicknamed “Twinkle,” Ava Denise (6), lovingly known as “Chocolate Drop,” and Alayna Jai (4), beloved “Bubbles”—were taken from us in a devastating act of domestic violence. Briana’s husband, the father of these beautiful girls, committed this senseless act before taking his own life. It’s a loss that’s shaken us to the core, leaving behind grief we’re still trying to process.

Briana was a special part of our team at Sandra Lee’s In-Home Care. She brought so much kindness and dedication to her work, as the primary caregiver for her mother, Lili Parker-Owens, with warmth and a sense of selflessness that touched everyone around her. But nothing meant more to Briana than her girls. Aurorah, Ava, and Alayna were her heart and soul—her reason for everything. She raised them with endless love, warmth and laughter, and a fierce devotion that defined her as a mother.

Lili Parker-Owens, Briana’s mom, holds onto the sweetest memories of her granddaughters. She says, “Aurorah was my Twinkle—the twinkle in my eye.” Ava had a magic all her own: “She smelled of chocolate as a baby, it was just her natural scent” - just so sweet and special. And Alayna? She was Bubbles—"She had such bubbly personality.” These girls weren’t just Briana’s pride—they were treasures to everyone they touched, each one leaving a mark in their own way.

Losing Briana and her daughters feels like losing a piece of our hearts. There’s an emptiness now in our community where their light and energy used to be. It’s hard to imagine moving forward without them. They deserved so much more time, so many more days to laugh and grow.

That’s why we’re reaching out to you—our friends, neighbors, and anyone who’s moved by their story. We want to give Briana, Aurorah, Ava, and Alayna a proper goodbye, something that honors the light they brought into our lives. Funeral and memorial costs are piling up for the family who are already overcome with such great grief from the loss - and it’s more than they can handle alone right now. Every donation, no matter how small, will go straight to covering those expenses—helping us create a service that reflects their love and spirit.

If you can’t give, please share their story. Speak their names—Briana, Aurorah, Ava, Alayna—and let the world know they were here, they were loved, and they will never be forgotten. Your prayers, your thoughts, your tears shed alongside ours—they all mean more than words can convey. In this time of unbearable darkness, your support is a flicker of light, a reminder that even in the face of such cruelty, love endures.

Together, let’s hold their memory high and give them the goodbye they deserve. For Briana, who gave so much to others. For Aurorah, Ava, and Alayna, whose stars burned bright and brief. For Lili, who loved them beyond measure. Thank you, from the depths of our aching hearts, for standing with us.

With endless gratitude,

The Sandra Lee’s In-Home Care Family