Who is Angel Varner? Texas mother allegedly killed infant son, set up GoFundMe to create jewelry from his ashes
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
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AMARILLO, TEXAS: Angel Lynn Marine Varner, a 20-year-old mother from Amarillo, Texas, has been accused of murdering her seven-month-old son, Jackson Knight Blackmon.
The disturbing details surrounding this tragic incident come with a bizarre twist, with Varner apparently initiating a GoFundMe campaign to finance her son's funeral, cremation, and the creation of jewelry using his ashes.
A Texas woman killed her infant child, threw him on the floor, went to sleep – and then started a GoFundMe to raise money for his funeral and cremation, according to authorities in Amarillo. Angel Lynn Marine Varner, 20, stands accused of one count of murder. pic.twitter.com/UCa54CGmek
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) November 10, 2023
Varner is currently in custody, charged with one count of murder, according to the records of Potter County Jail as per Law&Crime.
The incident unfolded when officers responded to a call about an unresponsive infant at Varner's residence on Center Street around 11.30 am on Monday, November 6. On their arrival, the paramedics informed them that Blackmon had died.
Angel Varner allegedly started a GoFundMe campaign to create jewelry from Jackson Knight Blackmon's ashes
Angel Varner is said to have started a GoFundMe campaign the day after her son Jackson Knight Blackmon's death, seeking donations for his funeral, memorial, and cremation expenses.
"We are raising money for the funeral, memorial, and cremation of mine and Seans [sic] baby boy. He died at 7 months and 8 days. He was the light of our life, and soon we will know what happened," apparently read the description of the campaign.
It added, "Plus we need an urn to put his ashes in. And we want to get a few jewelry items that have his ashes in them so he will always be with us."
Following Varner's arrest on Wednesday, GoFundMe confirmed the removal of the fundraiser and emphasized that none of the raised funds reached the organizer.
Court documents provide a timeline of events leading to Jackson Knight Blackmon's death
Court documents obtained by local ABC and The CW Plus affiliate KVII provide a disturbing timeline of the events leading to Jackson Knight Blackmon's supposed murder.
One of Angel Varner's roommates alleged that she and the child were awake around 2.30 am, with the infant crying in his crib. The mother then reportedly picked up Blackmon and took him into her bedroom.
The roommate claimed to have heard a "thud" emanating from Varner's room, after which she returned to sleep.
Varner, in her interview with law enforcement, admitted to being violent with her son multiple times that night, including throwing him on the bed, applying pressure to his abdomen, and ultimately throwing him on the bedroom floor.
After realizing her child was no longer breathing, instead of seeking help or calling emergency services, she chose to go back to sleep. An autopsy performed on Blackmon revealed that the child died from blunt force trauma.
The infant also had a personal Facebook profile, where a message posted on Monday at 12.40 pm conveyed the heart-wrenching news. "My dear baby... He's no more among us... The specifics are unclear... But he has departed."
Judging from accessible contact details, it seems that Varner was overseeing the administration of the page.
