KANSAS CITY, Mo. — During their time of grief, family members of Andrea Latrice Ford Dean want to make sure she's remembered as much more than a victim of gun violence.
The 32-year-old mother of three was shot and killed Sunday near the 4300 block of East Linwood Boulevard.
33-year-old Christopher Spears faces second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges in Dean's death.
Dean's sister, Chaquala Ford, said she and her family are shocked and heartbroken about the death of Dean.
"I still feel like it’s fake right now, like she’s at work and we were just watching her kids on a normal day," Ford said.
Ford said Dean, who often went by 'Trice,' comes from a large family with five siblings. All of them came out Monday to speak with 41 Action News about Dean, who they say would give someone the shirt off her back.
"I don’t have a big sister to lean on anymore, it’s just hard, and it’s only been 24 hours, but it’s still hard, it’s going to be harder tomorrow, it’s going to be harder next week," Ford said.
Ford said Dean worked as a local nursing assistant and was loved by all of her clients.
"When they see her picture on the news, they are going to be so sad because my sister loved them like they were her people," Ford said.
Dean leaves behind a 9-year-old, 8-year-old and 5-year-old who say she was "the best mom in the world."
"I don’t know what my nieces and nephews are going to do without their mom," Ford said.
Ford is heartbroken for the kids who will grow up without their mom, but she said family members will make sure they're loved and cared for while leaning on each other.
"My brothers and sisters we got it, we’re going to work it out just like she would want us to," Ford said.
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For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the 41 Action News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the 41 Action News Mug Shot Policy.
