Where Are Kouri Richins’ Kids Now? Their Lives As Mother Faces Life Sentence For Husband’s Murder

The Kouri Richins murder trial has been one of the most-watched trials on Court TV, and the internet has labelled her a “black widow” after the court found her guilty of killing her husband, Eric, in what is popularly being called the ‘cocktail murder.’ After the March 2026 hearing, the Utah-based mom returned to the court on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. The children’s book author, who once spoke about grief and healing after her husband’s death, is now serving a life sentence without parole for murdering him with a fentanyl-laced cocktail.

With the Grief Author Murder Trial finally concluding four years after Eric’s death, attention quickly shifted toward the couple’s three children. All three were reportedly under 10 years old when their dad was killed, and here’s everything we know about their whereabouts now.

Kouri Richins and Eric Richins had three sons together

When Eric died in March 2022, he and Kouri had been married for nine years and had three sons together. According to Eric’s obituary and statements from family members, he was known as an attentive father who coached his sons’ sports teams and remained heavily involved in their lives. Kouri’s mother, Lisa Darden, previously described Eric as someone the boys “idolised”, one who was deeply devoted to his kids. She said on a 2024 episode of 48 Hours:

“He was very good to the boys, and he taught those boys so much. They idolised their father, and he idolised the boys as well.”

However, everything changed after Eric was found dead in his bedroom in what initially appeared to be a tragic overdose. Just months after the tragedy, Kouri published a children’s book on grief.

Kouri Richins published a book after Eric Richins’ mysterious passing

On March 4, 2022, 39-year-old Eric Richins was found dead at his and Kouri’s home near Park City, Utah. His untimely death raised red flags, and officials later found fentanyl in his system when they investigated him. With his untimely death, his widow and mother of three young boys, Kouri Richins, garnered national sympathy, especially when she published a children’s book, Are You With Me?, to help children deal with losing a parent.  

Kouri’s book, featuring a little boy coping with the loss of his father, racked up impressive reactions, with many readers and parents sympathizing with the then-32-year-old soccer mom. But the public perception changed dramatically just months later when she was arrested and accused of orchestrating Eric’s death. At the time, several of Kouri’s friends defended her innocence.

However, the story took a horrifying turn when prosecutors later accused her of murdering Eric by poisoning him with fentanyl. On March 16, 2026, a jury found Richins guilty of aggravated murder, attempted murder, fraud, and forgery, concluding that Eric’s death was part of a calculated plan rather than an accident. Prosecutors argued that she spiked her husband’s cocktail with fentanyl before he went to sleep and later called emergency officials after he became unresponsive. 

Richins allegedly laced Eric’s drink with five times the lethal dose of fentanyl. Prosecutors also claimed this may not have been the first alleged attempt on his life, citing an earlier incident in which Eric reportedly became severely ill after eating food allegedly prepared by Kouri. Her 911 call, played during her trial on Court TV, became a major focus for prosecutors, who claimed her reaction did not sound like genuine panic. Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth cited Richin’s 911 clip and stated:

“That’s not ‘the sound of a wife becoming a widow,’ it’s the sound of a wife becoming a black widow.”

Where are Kouri Richins’ kids now?

Following Kouri’s arrest in May 2023, the custody of all three boys was handed over to Eric Richins’ family. Court reports and later updates revealed that the children have been living with Eric’s relatives ever since. The family also received the official custody rights in 2024, while Kouri remained behind bars. While the exact ages of the boys were kept undisclosed, it is known that they were all under the age of 10. 

Four years later, the Richins siblings are entering their teenage years, and they still reportedly live in a loving and stable environment with Eric’s family. After the court found Kouri guilty in March 2026, a cousin of Eric told reporters:

“They’re just loved. We have a lot of love surrounding them… They’re great boys, and they’re going to be fine.”

What Kouri Richins’ sons said in court about their mother’s punishment

One of the most heartbreaking moments in the trial came during Kouri Richins sentencing hearing in the May 13 session. All three boys submitted heartbreaking victim impact statements, asking the judge to impose the harshest punishment possible for their killer mother. They expressed fear for their own safety if Kouri were released from prison. In a sentencing memo obtained by PEOPLE, Kouri’s eldest son said:

“I’m afraid if she gets out, she will come after me and my brothers, my whole family. I think she would come and take us and not do good things to us, like hurt us.”

Photos: Facebook/Kouri Richins, AP Photo, Amazon (book cover)

The other two boys also expressed a similar fear, and their statements reportedly played a key role in the judge’s decision to sentence Kouri to life without parole, meaning no possibility of release in the future.

Despite the conviction, Kouri Richins has continued to insist she did not murder her husband. With Kouri now sentenced to life in prison without parole, the boys’ future will likely continue away from their mother.

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