An Indy kindergarten loses its teacher. An infant loses her mother. An 'inspiration' gone.
This story contains mention of domestic violence. Abuse can be reported by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).
INDIANAPOLIS — Baby Audri will grow up without her mother. Six weeks ago, Amber Morgan was overjoyed with the birth of her daughter and being a new mother; but a violent encounter left Audri without her mom and a father accused of murder.
Audri turned exactly six weeks old Friday, the same date as her mother's memorial vigil co-hosted by Morgan's school connections, Victory College Prep and Marian University.
"Audri is doing wonderfully. She is in loving arms. Amber was raised in a village and Audri is immensely, wholeheartedly a part of that village now. She is surrounded by love and great care," Morgan's stepfather Matthew Officer said.
Morgan, 26, was a Victory College Prep kindergarten teacher working toward a Master of Arts in early childhood education and teaching from Marian University. She was set to graduate in 2025. IndyStar is using Morgan's maiden name at her family's request.
'I did something bad': Man arrested in wife's killing at north Indianapolis home
Morgan's husband told Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, according to court records, that he beat her to death before shooting her in the head and slicing her throat. Just after 7 a.m. June 1, 2024, officers responded to a residence in the 3000 block of Armory Drive, east of the White River near 30th Street.
There they found Robert Cooley, 25, exiting a garage door with blood on his clothing. When Cooley saw the officers he said, “I did something bad. I need to go to jail.” He provided no motive behind the attack, according to court records.
Morgan was found in an upstairs bedroom, where medics pronounced her dead. Police also found the baby Audri inside the home.
According to an arrest affidavit containing details of the case, detectives talked with a witness who said there were “ongoing domestic issues,” with the couple, and they had argued the day before. Cooley seemed “very upset,” and after the killing Facetimed the witness to say, “I just killed Amber, bro.”
Morgan's stepfather said the family did not see signs of abuse but were aware they argued "like a young couple going through issues."
"We were not aware of anything that would have led to this," Morgan's stepfather said. "Obviously there's going to be a certain amount of anger and frustration and regret for not being able to see something like this."
Kelly McBride with the Domestic Violence Network said domestic violence is often a learned behavior.
In Indiana, a little over 42% of Hoosier women report experiencing intimate partner violence. The rate amounts to the fifth-highest percentage in the country. Among men in the state, the rate is nearly 28%.
Firearms are the most commonly used method for domestic violence deaths — particularly in Indiana. From 2021 to 2022, the rate skyrocketed to 89%, according to the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In the United States, more than half of domestic violence killings are committed with a gun.
Keep in mind: Where victims of domestic violence can get help in Indianapolis
Friday evening was about celebrating Amber's spirit and legacy. Valerie Miller, the K-6 principal at Victory College Prep said Morgan came into work every day with a smile on her face.
"She took every step that it took to make sure that every kid succeeded. If she felt like a kid wasn't understanding or they were having a bad day, whether they were in kindergarten or sixth grade, she would reach out to them to see how she could make their day better," Miller said.
The family has created a website, AmberandAudri.com to say thank you to the community for remembering her and offer domestic violence resources.
"Amber had the heart of a champion. Amber was love personified. She made everything look easy. She will always be one of my biggest sources of inspiration just for her work ethic," Morgan's stepfather said.
Cooley remains behind bars with his jury trial tentatively set for July 29, 2024.
Anyone experiencing intimate partner violence or stalking is encouraged to create a safety plan. A template is available at thehotline.org. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Contact Jade Jackson at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis mother and teacher killed; family creates website to help others
