April 10, 2026 – Longmeadow, Massachusetts – Staff from the Hampden District Attorney’s Office recently visited Longmeadow High School to present to sophomores about dating violence prevention.

More than 200 students and educators packed the auditorium for an hour-long presentation that included a documentary in memory of Kathryn Mauke, a Springfield teen who was tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2015.

The Hampden District Attorney’s Office Community Safety & Outreach (CSO) Unit was joined by the office’s Domestic Violence Victim Services Director Tina Simmons to talk with students about domestic violence.

The presentation is part of the “1 in 11: Preventing Dating Violence” program the Hampden District Attorney’s Office offers.

“Nearly one in 11 female high school students, and one in 14 male high school students have reported experiencing physical dating violence. There is no doubt that teens are at a high risk, and that abuse happens more often than we’d like to believe. However, if you know the warning signs, you’re better equipped to protect yourself, and those around you from abuse,” Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni states at the start of the documentary.

In the film, Kathryn’s family remembered her as a “spitfire.” She was a dedicated member of the Oxbow Water Ski Show team, where she performed at the top of a four-tier pyramid. Kathryn was also deeply interested in politics, and through her involvement in the Model Congress at American International College through Sabis International Charter School, she earned a full scholarship to attend AIC. Her mother described her as outgoing, charismatic, and intentional in both her academics and extracurriculars.

Throughout high school, Kathryn was in an on-and-off relationship with someone a few years older than her.

“I knew he was into things that I didn’t want my sister getting into. Not terrible things, but just like, smoking weed and doing extracurriculars that weren’t something I did and weren’t something I wanted my sister to do. For those reasons, I told her to stay away from him right off the bat, but who’s going to listen to their older sister? Especially when it’s about a guy,” Kathryn’s sister Ashley Mauke shared in the film.

Kathryn eventually ended that relationship and began seeing someone else. She told a friend that her ex-boyfriend was struggling to handle the new relationship. She also confided in her mother, explaining that while she didn’t want to be with him anymore, she still wanted him to be happy.

“I really don’t want to be with him, but I don’t want to hurt him,” her mother, Jennifer Mauke, recalled Kathryn saying.

Even after friends reached out to the ex-boyfriend asking him to stop calling and texting Kathryn, he persisted and escalated, and exhibited emotionally controlling behavior toward his ex-girlfriend.

Feeling under the weather, on Feb. 11, 2015, Kathryn decided to stay home from school. Her ex-boyfriend attempted to contact her from his workplace, upon which time Kathryn told him she was staying home sick that day, and that the relationship was over.

Later that day, Kathryn’s sister Mariah Mauke came home from school, and found Kathryn in a pool of blood, stabbed 32 times.

In partnership with the Mauke family, the devastating passing of Kathryn serves as an opportunity for the Hampden District Attorney’s office to educate students about dating violence and prevent future tragedies.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Mauke family for allowing us to share Kathryn’s story. Their courage in turning such a devastating loss into a powerful message is helping educate young people about the realities of dating violence and, ultimately, saving lives,” said District Attorney Gulluni.

For more information about the “1 in 11: Preventing Dating Violence” presentation, or to request a presentation at your school, contact Hampden District Attorney’s Office Deputy Director of Community Safety & Outreach Gina Anselmo at gina.anselmo@mass.gov.