Your kids are scared of you, Kouri Richins.

So here's the thing about Utah — we don't often see the kind of true crime drama that grips the national attention, not like this anyway. But the Kouri Richins case, the Kamas woman accused and convicted of murdering her husband Eric, then writing a children's book about grief, has been a whole different kind of wild ride. Now, on the eve of her sentencing, we're getting insight into the absolute heartbreaking impact this has had on her own children.

### A Community Stunned

The prosecution is asking for life without parole, and part of their argument includes statements from Richins' three young sons. And, yeah no, these aren't just statements from kids who miss their dad. These are statements from kids who are genuinely afraid of their mother. One son said he will "not feel safe" if she ever gets out of prison. Another, even more starkly, expressed that "once she is gone, I will feel happy." That's a gut punch, even for those of us who have followed this case from the beginning, from the initial shock in Kamas, just a quick drive up into the mountains from Park City, to the bizarre book release, and now, to this.

* **The Conviction:** Kouri Richins was convicted of poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, in their Kamas home.

* **The Book:** She then published a children's book, "Are You With Me?", aimed at helping children cope with the loss of a parent.

* **The Sentencing:** She faces 25 years to life, or life without parole.

* **The Children's Statements:** Her sons' fears are now a significant factor in the sentencing phase.

It just really puts a fine point on the tragedy of this whole thing. This isn't just about Kouri Richins' future; it's about the future of her children, who are now left with no father and a mother they fear. It's a heavy reminder that even in our quiet mountain communities, tucked away from the chaos of the big cities, some truly dark stories can unfold. This will certainly ripple through the minds of folks from Kamas to the avenues of Salt Lake City for a long time.

That's the Crossroads, friends — greatest snow on earth and the weirdest liquor laws.

You know, the team on the Morning Wire dives into these local stories every day. You can catch them live at mornings.live.