April Lyda GoFundMe raises over $10,000 as Oklahoma mother speaks out months after 12-year-old stabs brother 

A GoFundMe launched to render financial support to April Lyda, the devastated mother of the 9-year-old son, Zander, who was stabbed to death by his 12-year-old sister, has raised over $10,000.

The incident that occurred on January 5, 2023, was not highly publicized until Tulsa police released the bodycam video last month. Shortly after, the tragic and equally shocking case turned into a national story, as the video showed an audibly terrified 12-year-old repeatedly apologizing to the arresting officers as she was being led away in handcuffs.

In the video, the unidentified sobbing 12-year-old confessed to the officers that shortly before midnight on January 5, she stabbed her 9-year-old brother in Tulsa’s St. Thomas Square neighborhood. As the girl is being led away, we hear her mother, April Lyda, following closely behind, yelling at her daughter, who profusely apologizes for her actions.

Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the case due to the girl’s age. While they have yet to disclose a motive for the murder, the girl in the video appeared equally perplexed as she said:

“I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened! It’s some demonic s**t!”

As of yet, police have not disclosed if the girl was charged in the death. However, a GoFundMe launched weeks after the incident provided an insight into April Lyda’s family’s home life. It also briefly delved into the mental health of the 12-year-old girl.

---

April Lyda speaks out in defense of her family

The Fundraiser launched by close family friends described April Lyda as a strong single mother of three children who fiercely loves all her kids. The page said that the recent incident where her son was murdered at her daughter's hands has left her family “devastated and confused.”

The page revealed that the girl was a good kid who did not exhibit any behavioral issues until the night of the incident. Shortly after the incident went viral, on May 27, 2023, April Lyda put out a statement on the GoFundMe page, defending her family against online hate. The single mother of three also defended her daughter, shooting down conjecture that she is mentally ill.

Lyda explained that her daughter did not exhibit any behavioral issues until she was put on medication. However, Lyda did not go into the specifics of the details or the reason behind prescribing the medication, seemingly due to the ongoing litigation.

She said:

“They were raised as God-fearing children & never had behavioral issues until she was put back on a medication she was off for over a year, no it wasn’t psych meds, and I can’t get into details because I’m not sure what all I’m allowed to share just yet.”

The page also said that her daughter only began cutting herself two months after she was put on that medication. Shortly after, Lyda reportedly took her daughter off the pills but noted that it appeared she was too late.

“I want to clarify something, my daughter was not a cutter! She had old cuts from two months prior from when she was first put back on her meds and everyone agreed to take her off immediately and so I did and unfortunately, it was too late the damage was done.”

---

The page also stated that she loved her now-deceased son and regretted that she couldn't protect him from harm. She also implored people to not believe everything they see and hear online.

Lyda added that her daughter was now in treatment. The page said that she also has a 3-year-old son. The page added the funds raised would go toward the family paying their medical and legal bills as they grapple with the horrifying situation. The family also plans to move houses so they can begin to heal from the recent events.