Shivangi Sinha
In August 2019, Lauren Kanarek was shot in the chest while living on a farm in Long Valley, New Jersey. She and her partner, Rob Goodwin, had been staying on the property owned by Michael Barisone for some time. When police arrived, all three individuals were present at the scene. Lauren was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. After recovering, she chose to pursue legal action against the person responsible, only to find that the process would be far more complex than expected. Her perspective is featured in Netflix’s ‘Untold: The Shooting at Hawthorne Hill,’ where she shares her side of a case that has remained widely discussed.
Lauren Kanarek Started Posting on Facebook While Living on Michael Barisone’s Farm
Lauren Kanarek was raised in New Jersey by her parents, Jon Kanarek, a Wall Street attorney, and Kirby Kanarek, who was a data center expert. Around the age of five or six, Lauren developed a deep love for horses, and it became one of her greatest joys. Eager to learn, she immersed herself in the sport, and as her skills grew, she began competing in equestrian events. Her dedication paid off with notable achievements, including a bronze medal at the United States Dressage Federation and the USEF Silver Stirrup National Grand Champion title in 2016. Inspired by the reputation and success of Michael Barisone, an Olympian, she aspired to train under him and further advance her career.
In 2018, Lauren first connected with Barisone, and when he offered her the opportunity to train with him, she accepted. At the time, she and her boyfriend, Rob Goodwin, were living in North Carolina, but they decided to relocate to his farm, Hawthorne Hill, in New Jersey to begin working under his guidance. Also present at the farm were Justin Hardin, Barisone’s right-hand man, and Mary Haskins Gray, a rider and his then-girlfriend. Lauren brought some of her own horses with her, though the farm was already home to several highly trained ones. At one point, she was given the chance to ride one of Barisone’s horses and felt an immediate connection, believing it was the right fit for her. She began riding that horse in competitions, but that reportedly made Barisone uncomfortable.
Barisone reportedly believed that Lauren’s riding skills were not suited to the horse she had been competing with and felt that her performances were affecting its rankings. This became a major source of tension between them. Lauren later claimed that during one competition, just minutes before her turn, Barisone stopped her from riding the horse. Despite the growing conflict, the two reached an agreement that allowed her to continue training at the farm while staying in a two-story house on the property. During this period, Lauren made several posts on Facebook suggesting her dissatisfaction with the situation. She accused Barisone and his team of undermining her reputation and, at times, appeared to hint at wanting retaliation, which further strained the relationship.
Lauren Kanarek Reported Michael Borisone to SafeSport
Lauren Kanarek went on to file a complaint with the US Center for SafeSport, alleging that Michael Barisone had harassed her and behaved in a sexist manner. She later said that when she was asked whether any minors were present at the property, she mentioned Mary Haskins Gray’s children, believing it to be a routine question. Throughout this period, she continued posting on Facebook, expressing fear and claiming she was being “bullied.” According to court testimony, much of her training was conducted by Justin Hardin and Gray, with whom she reportedly had a strained relationship. Tensions escalated further after flooding damaged the farm, when Barisone allegedly asked Lauren and Rob Goodwin to vacate the two-story house they were living in, but that did not happen.
Following the complaint Lauren filed, a Child Protective Services worker was sent to Barisone’s home to assess the safety of the children on the property. By that time, he had also made several 911 calls, alleging that he was being threatened, stalked, and harassed by Lauren. Shortly after this visit, Barisone arrived at the house where Lauren was staying and shot her twice in the chest. He also reportedly attempted to shoot Goodwin but missed. Despite her injuries, Lauren managed to call 911. When police arrived, she was in critical condition and was immediately rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment at the Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, New Jersey.
Lauren Kanarek is Following Her Passion as an Equesterian Today
Lauren Kanarek later shared that when she regained consciousness, she initially struggled to remember what had happened, though the details gradually came back to her. She had been placed in a medically induced coma for four days and spent nearly three weeks in the ICU. Due to the severity of her injuries, she underwent surgery to repair her left lung, which had been damaged in the shooting.
At the time, she believed the case against Michael Barisone would be straightforward, given that she had survived the attack. In October 2019, she filed a civil lawsuit alleging a prolonged campaign of harassment against both her and her fiancé, Rob Goodwin, seeking damages for her injuries. She sued Sweet Grass LLC, a partner entity associated with the farm, as well as Barisone individually in a separate case. The matter involving Sweet Grass LLC was later resolved through a confidential settlement. Barisone also filed countersuits, but by late 2022, both parties had dropped their respective individual claims against each other.
In March 2022, when Barisone’s trial began, Lauren appeared as a witness. She defended her Facebook posts and said that they were being taken out of context. She testified that she did not believe his insanity defense was genuine and suggested it was an act. Despite her testimony, Barisone was ultimately found not guilty by reason of insanity. Following the trial, Lauren stated that she would not allow the incident to stop her from riding, which remains her long-standing passion. She continues to stay connected to horses and is known to care for six horses and two dogs. Although she generally keeps her personal life private, she is believed to be living in North Carolina and continues to focus on her recovery, animals, and equestrian pursuits.
Read More: Devin Langford: Where is the Shooting Survivor Today?
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