Deepra Sarkar
CBS’ ’48 Hours: Storm of Suspicion’ and NBC’s ‘Dateline: Before the Storm’ investigated the mysterious disappearance and death of Crystal McDowell in 2017. It turned out her former husband, Steve McDowell, had brutally murdered her before disposing of her remains in a wooded area. This once-couple had two children at the time: son Madden and daughter Maui.
Crystal McDowell’s Kids Were Both Under 10 When She Passed Away
At the time of Crystal’s death in 2017, her children, Madden and Maui, were 8 and 5 years old, respectively. On the day of the murder, they were actually asleep in their bedrooms upstairs in the house. Their mother had gone over to her ex’s residence to pick them up before work since they shared custody, only to never return. When the police began suspecting her ex, Steve McDowell, of her murder, they became concerned for their well-being. So, the Department of Family and Protective Services preemptively removed them from their father’s home and looked after them, even after he confessed.
According to an officer, there had been a history of Steve possibly putting the children in danger by threatening to harm them. They were thus later temporarily placed with their aunt, who also lived in the area. It was then that the kids asked to testify against their father during his trial, which they were allowed to do by video. That’s when Maui asserted that when she had briefly gotten up that fateful morning to go to the bathroom, she had seen her parents arguing and then heard terrible noises.
Maui then detailed how she had heard her father express his resentment about her mother being with another man before pushing her onto the bed. She also added that she had seen him hit her. She continued, she’d even seen Steve strangle Crystal, but he stopped once he looked up and saw her standing there. Her mother had apparently tried to say, “Help,” but Maui “couldn’t hear her. She looked at me sadly.” Steve then warned her to go to her room and not tell anyone, not even her brother, what she’d seen.
Crystal McDowell’s Kids Now Seem to be Doing Well
After Crystal’s death, the community poured in their support for her two kids. A Facebook page dedicated to her even posted about the various funding initiatives organized for them, as well as their future. A local restaurant called Cakes by Retta also launched a promotion with Crystal’s aunt’s permission. They announced the sale of an item called Crystal Special, with proceeds donated to a fund for Madden and Maui’s college tuition. The promotion ran throughout October 2017. The children’s family also held an online fundraiser to help them.
According to the last reports, Madden and Maui are currently living with their mother’s school friend, Mandy Avalos. She’d once said, “I am going to adopt them as soon as I can get the paperwork signed. It’s almost like they have always been mine. Crystal always referred to them as ‘our babies.'” Although it is unclear whether this adoption has officially gone through, it seems like Mandy has genuinely and happily taken on the children’s responsibility, and they are also happy to stay with her in her Las Vegas, Nevada, home. Still minors, they now consider her mom.
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