Sentencing Moment: Kouri Richins delivered a final message to her s0ns, but what they said back was far more haunting

(NewsNation) — In an emotional final statement before being sentenced to life in prison, Utah mom and children’s book author Kouri Richins spoke directly to her three sons, apologizing and urging them to “choose forgiveness and love.”

Flanked by her attorneys, Richins spoke publicly Wednesday for the first time since her trial began.

“I did not abandon you,” she said to her sons. “I did not just walk out your lives one day, never return to never call, never show up, regardless of what anyone tells you. I would never, ever, and I am so sorry.

“And one day, when this is all over, we can sit down and talk about all of this, sort it all out. I promise you, boys, one day it will be over.”

Richins was sentenced to life without parole for aggravated murder in the 2022 death of her husband, Eric Richins, who she was accused of giving five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in a drink.

Kouri Richins’ actions caused “the absolute tragedy that has befallen Eric Richins’ sons and family, and a person convicted of those things is simply too dangerous to ever be free,”  Judge Richard Mrazik said while delivering his decision.

Following her husband’s death, Richins published the children’s grief book, “Are You with Me?”

She promoted the book on local TV and radio stations, saying in interviews that the book was meant to help her sons process the death of their father.

Kouri Richins says she hasn’t seen children in 2 years

Richins claimed all contact with her sons was cut off by her husband’s family two years ago and that this courtroom statement was her only way to reach them.

“They have not allowed me to see or speak to you…please, please ask them for your cards, for your letters. If I tried calling you, please just ask them, whether it’s now or in 10 years,” she said.

Her sentencing fell on what would have been Eric Richins’ 44th birthday, his sister Katie Richins-Benson said during victim impact statements.
Amy Richins makes an impact statement during the sentencing of Kouri Richins in 3rd District Court in Park City, Utah, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool)

Kouri Richins tells sons she is innocent

Richins maintained that she is innocent and that her conviction was wrong.

“God did not put me in this world to take a life,” she said. “Just because someone may not be perfect, that’s a far reach for them to be capable of murder, to kill someone.”

The Utah mom said her conviction is “completely wrong.”

“As much as you’ve been influenced into thinking that dad was murdered, that I took your dad from you, that is completely wrong. An absolute lie,” she said.

“Just because someone may not be perfect, there’s a far reach for them to be capable of murder, to kill someone,” she said.

“Never apologize for something you didn’t do, never admit to something you didn’t feel and never beg for mercy for something you didn’t do,” she told her children.

Kouri Richins tells sons to ‘choose forgiveness, choose love’

Richins said she and Eric Richins were once “in love” and advised her children not to keep secrets from their spouse.

The mom told her kids that they need to “take care of one another” moving forward and that they should “choose forgiveness and choose love.”
FILE – Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three who wrote a children’s book about coping with grief after her husband’s death and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, looks on during a hearing on Aug. 26, 2024, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool, File)
She told her children never to give up on her and that one day she would “come home.”

The mother of three ended by telling her sons, “I will love you forever.”

Kouri Richins’ kids spoke of abuse, urged judge to send her to prison for life 

While Richins pined for her children, the three boys each made statements that were read aloud by three therapists.

Richins’ three sons were ages 9, 7, and 5 when their father was killed.

Two of the boys referred to their mother as “Kouri” and said they want her to be locked up “forever.”

“I don’t want you out of jail because I will not feel safe if you are out,” the middle child, identified as “A.R.,” wrote. “You have never said sorry for anything that you have done to me and my brothers. I don’t want you to hurt anyone again.”

“You took away my dad for no reason other than greed, and you only cared about yourself and your stupid boyfriends,” he continued.

The youngest son, referred to as “W.R.,” wrote that “you were not caring and watching over me and my brothers” and added that he wanted her to go to jail “forever.”

“She took away my dad,” he said. “It’s made me have a hard time trusting people.”

The oldest son, “C.R,” recalled memories of his mother being drunk.

“Kouri would lock me up if I told her she was drunk,” he wrote. “This happened pretty much daily.”

“I miss my dad, but I do not miss how my life used to be,” the boy said. “I don’t miss Kouri, I will tell you that.”