On a quiet morning in early May, a Louisiana family’s life was forever shattered by an unimaginable tragedy.
Kara Hanning never expected to bury her two-year-old daughter, Adalynn Mae – especially not under such heartbreaking circumstances.
Instead of celebrating Mother’s Day with her little girl, Kara faced the unimaginable pain of saying goodbye.
A gunshot echoed
At around 6:45 a.m. on May 5, 2025, officers from the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check at a home in Keithville, Louisiana. When deputies arrived, they tried to make contact with Leroy Sadler, 60, who refused to respond. Moments later, a gunshot echoed from inside the house.
Deputies used a drone to survey the scene and tragically discovered four bodies — Leroy Sadler, his wife Judy Sadler, their son James Sadler, and young Adalynn.
The victims were later confirmed by the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office, revealing the devastating loss of the family, including the innocent toddler caught in the middle. According to reports, Leroy Sadler took the lives of his wife, son, and granddaughter before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide.
Kara, Adalynn’s mother, was at work when she first heard something was wrong near her daughter’s grandparents’ home.
Friends reached out, asking if Adalynn was okay. Panic quickly set in as Kara called her daughter’s babysitter, only to learn Adalynn hadn’t been dropped off that morning. Reaching out to her husband James and then Leroy Sadler went unanswered. Fearful, Kara rushed to the Sadlers’ home, where detectives met her with a look that shattered her heart.
What caused the tragedy?
“And they just looked at me with the most saddest expression and I lost it, I did, because I don’t think anybody would want to lose their baby like that,” Kara told KSLA tearfully. She described Adalynn as a sweet, sassy toddler who loved playing outside and blowing bubbles, with “no” as her favorite word.
Trying to make sense of the tragedy, Kara shared that Leroy Sadler was under tremendous stress. Hanning says that Leroy had recently lost his stepdaughter, Jody, to cancer about six or seven months earlier. Not long ago, Leroy also learned that his wife was sick.
“I feel terrible because I wish he would’ve asked for help for whatever he was going through, and I dunno what pain he must’ve been going through,” she said.
Despite the horror of the situation, Kara does not harbor hatred toward Leroy.
”I’m completely at a loss for words for that, because he loved that baby so much,” Adalynn’s mother Kara Hanning told Fox8Live.
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“I can’t hate him — I will never be able to hate him. I forgive him for his actions,” she said. “I wish it never happened, but I have no hate in my heart for that man.”
An unimaginable pain
Kara’s cousin, Morgan McCarty, started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs, sharing the heartbreaking reality:
“Instead of spending this Mother’s Day weekend with her baby, she will be laying her to rest. No mother should ever have to feel that kind of pain.”
“It’s been a nightmare, but we’re all together and we’re all trying to be as supportive as possible,” McCarty said. “Kara has been so incredibly strong.”
This tragic story is a painful reminder of how fragile life is and the unseen struggles many face. Kara hopes her courage to speak out will spark more awareness about mental health, and bring comfort to others grappling with loss.
Adalynn’s life ended in the very place where she should have felt the safest — surrounded by family. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to even write those words. That sweet little girl didn’t deserve this. Not even close.
If you or someone you know is struggling, don’t hesitate to seek help — no one should face their darkest moments alone.
f you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
