BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. – Loved ones gathered to remember the lives of three women killed in early March in Bradford County.
RELATED: Viewing Friday for 2 of 3 women killed in Bradford County shooting; funeral for all 3 Saturday
Quinqune “Cat” Robinson and her two adult daughters, Denesha Sims, and Winshay Roddey were found shot to death at home.
Robinson’s longtime partner Johnnie Bernard was arrested and charged in connection to the deaths after Robinson’s granddaughter called 911.
People said they never expected anything like this to happen, especially to their family.
One family member said he’s still trying to understand why the shooting happened.
“It’s been rocky because that is my cousins, so it’s been like dealing with it but trying to be strong,” Jeremy Foster, a family member said.
Foster said he was informed of his cousins’ deaths one day before his birthday.
Foster is cousins with Sims through his father’s side. He remembered the good times he shared with his family.
“Growing up as kids, we used to go to church together, like we used to hang out, go to school together,” Foster said.
He added that the family will be leaning on the community and their faith to get through this difficult time.
“Living for God, believing and standing on faith,” Foster said.
Many of the people attending the funeral wore purple because it was Robinson’s favorite color. Support like that is what Starke City Commissioner Janice D. Mortimer said proves what Bradford County is all about.
“There’s just been an outpouring of folk that’s been coming by,” Mortimer said.
Mortimer said she’s known the family for a long time and is going to miss the woman she called “Cat” dearly.
“Cat was just a down-home country girl,” Mortimer said. “She wasn’t fancy at all. She didn’t like all the frills and all the fancy stuff she just liked to be with her family, her children, her grandchildren she loved them.”
Foster said although these three women won’t have a physical presence here on earth anymore, they’ll always live on in his heart and others’ hearts.
The family created a GoFundMe to help them during this time.