RTN victims Memorial in Colorado Springs

UPDATE 5/8/24: I've changed our cover photo to reflect the beautiful area that our memorial bench will be located in Bear Creek Park in Colorado Springs, CO. This is a beautiful, relaxing spot amongst the trees with the creek running behind. I've been told that planting Aspen trees here would be problematic and they probably wouldn't survive (they were speaking from experience) so happily we will take this location amongst established trees. This area is going to be reconfigured and have new landscaping as well. Our goal is to host an event, maybe a picnic or a BBQ when the work is done and our memorial bench is ready. The stone memorial to be placed by the bench to honor our loved ones is in the works.

Thank you for all of your continued support!

This is a view of behind where our memorial will be. The amount of trees is glorious!

UPDATE 12/2/23: Word just came down that the EPA is going to demolish the building in Penrose. This is wonderful news!

The Hallfords are in jail in Colorado Springs, each with a $2 million dollar bond. Their first in person court appearance is 12/5, and I will be there. Thank you for continuing to share this fundraiser.

UPDATE 11/17: The Hallfords are still in jail in Oklahoma awaiting extradition to Colorado where they will be formally charged. There are so many families still in limbo - waiting for identification of their loved one. The EPA was in Penrose this week looking at the facility to plan its tear down - this is good news for all of us. The trees will land there in good time. Thank you all for donating and please continue to share <3

UPDATE 11/8: We received notice today that the HALLFORDS WERE ARRESTED in Oklahoma, with multiple law enforcement agencies involved. They have federal charges pending for attempting to flee. There was a press conference this morning, and they have been charged with multiple felonies and are being held on two million dollar cash bonds.The victim count is up to 190 now, and from limited information the Hallfords have been at this since 2019. The FBI is encouraging anyone who has worked with RTN since 2019 to contact them - I have the link if you need it. Please keep sharing, our loved ones will get their trees! Thank you all.

UPDATE 10/25: Families are being notified by the CBI, FBI, and the Fremont County Coroner as their loved ones are identified. My family has received confirmation, and for that we are grateful. We are in the process of setting up a LEGITIMATE cremation and service. Many other families are still waiting for answers, so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers, as well as the first responders and our law enforcement officials handling this matter.

In talking with other people who are also victims of this crime, they too would love to see the building - where our loved ones were stored like merchandise - torn down, a memorial placed, and our beautiful grove of Aspen trees planted there. I promise to keep you updated as things progress - as you can imagine, this is a slow process.

Thank you all for your donations. If you can, please continue to share this fundraiser.

With love,

Abby

UPDATE 10/14: Go Fund Me wants me to tell you who is handling your donations and how they will be spent. I am in charge of the money, no one else. My mother was a victim of these so-called funeral directors, and after being in contact with so many other families who were promised a tree to be planted in honor of their loved ones by Return to Nature, I wanted to be sure they got their trees.

Plan: I am going to buy as many trees as I possibly can with the funds that are raised. In a perfect world, this "funeral home" would be torn down and a monument/treed area would be planted in honor of our loved ones. I have been in contact with the State of Colorado Forestry Department also. I don't yet know WHERE the trees will be planted, but they will be and I will be happy to keep you updated. I've been on both Channel 7 news in Denver and KKTV Channel 11 in Colorado Springs, so you can see that I am legitimate and trying to raise not only funds for trees, but awareness. Colorado is the only state in the union that does not require licensure and education for funeral directors. My email address is [email redacted] so feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Your donations are so appreciated.

UPDATE 10/12: Thank you so much to all who have donated. It means more than you can ever know.

There is a candlelight vigil this Saturday in Penrose for families impacted by this tragedy. If you can keep sharing and getting the word out, we can buy more trees!

Hi, my name is Abby. I am starting this Go Fund Me with the hope that we, as families impacted by the horrible mismanagement of our loved ones by Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado, are able to plant trees and create a memorial in their honor.

When I and so many other families decided to use Return to Nature for the handling of our deceased loved ones, we were promised that they would plant a tree in their honor. This was deciding factor for so many families. Last week we found out that this funeral home had been improperly storing bodies in their Penrose, Colorado location. This was discovered by virtue of neighbors reporting a horrible smell. Many of us also found out that our loved ones death certificates contained falsified information. We are devastated, mad, grieving, and beyond anything, horrified.

I wanted to try to channel these negative feelings in to something positive for our loved ones. They WILL get their trees. Each and every loved one. And in that regard, I need your help. Please help us to raise the money to buy seedling trees and a memorial for our loved ones. <3