Young mother remembered for being ‘infectious with her energy and joy’
At 19, Haley Powell wanted to be a teacher and was raising a 15-month-old son.
Powell died Friday in a suspected murder-suicide that Derby police think was a domestic violence case, Derby police chief Robert Lee said.
Powell’s former elementary school teacher, Nicole Biery, says Powell was her favorite student.
“She was amazing and always my go-to person. As a teacher, you always try to identify a couple of kids that can help in situations that you’re going to need help in. If I needed anything, she was so responsible, helpful and happy,” Biery said. “The girl was infectious with her energy and joy.”
Biery was Powell’s fifth-grade teacher at Earhart Environmental Magnet School in 2013. She and Powell made contact again when Powell was in high school, Biery says.
The last time she talked with Powell was right before her high school graduation, Biery said.
“The last real conversation we had together was very nice, because it was during the pandemic, and I couldn’t go to her graduation party, but I wanted her to know that I was so proud of her,” Biery said.
Powell told Biery that she wanted to attend a teaching program and become a teacher one day. She credited Biery for being a big part of her life, Biery said over the phone.
Her death came as a shock.
“I think that kids in general get themselves in these situations, and they can’t see a way out of it — and I just hate that. She did not deserve that. ... It’s just not fair,” Biery said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover Powell’s funeral cost. Based on information from the GoFundMe page and Facebook posts, the money will also help take care of Powell’s son, Lincoln.
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 3:45 PM.
CORRECTION: An early version of this story had incorrect information about Powell’s high school graduation. She graduated from the Wichita school district’s Education Imagine Academy in fall 2020.