A tragic confluence of violence has shaken College Hill after three members of a family were fatally stabbed in their home on Springbrook Drive. The perpetrator, 66-year-old Anthony Mathis, had a history of domestic violence and was related to one of the victims, Patricia McCollum, as her son-in-law. After an hours-long standoff with the Cincinnati police, Mathis succumbed to self-inflicted stab wounds at UC Medical Center. McCollum, a longtime foster mom and community advocate, was found murdered alongside two of her adopted children, DJ McCollum and Kaydence McCollum, on Thursday, according to WLWT.
Last April, Mathis faced charges for an assault against McCollum, where he reportedly "choked her, causing her pain to her neck and lifting her off the ground at the same time," in a statement obtained by WCPO. These charges were later dismissed for want of prosecution. Mathis's criminal record included past incidents involving a gun and a machete, serving jail time for both, according to WLWT & Local 12.
Patricia McCollum is remembered for her advocacy for foster children, individuals with disabilities, and teen parents. She was a founding board member of Rosemary's Babies Company and a licensed social worker. As reported by WLWT, McCollum ran for Cincinnati City Council and was celebrated for her commitment to social service.
Strangulation, an element of the domestic violence Mathis was accused of against McCollum, became a felony in Ohio in 2023. Maria York, the policy director for the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, emphasized the lethal potential of strangulation, stating, "If it’s not lethal at that first incident, it’s going to happen again, and it could be fatal," in a statement to WCPO. Community resources and education on the signs and dangers of this type of violence are being emphasized by advocates in the region.
The unresolved tensions of domestic violence loomed large in the backdrop of this incident. Kristin Shrimplin, president & CEO of Women Helping Women, highlighted the importance of survivors reaching out at any stage of abuse for support, whether it is "emotional abuse, financial exploitation, physical violence, sexual violence or other threats." Women Helping Women advocates are available 24/7 to respond to domestic violence calls, a model of support that Shrimplin described as "unique in this state and in most of the nation," in a statement to WCPO.
