Police: 19-Year-Old Trans Woman Kathryn Newhouse Killed by Father

A young trans woman was shot and killed by her father in Georgia last week, according to Cherokee County Police. Authorities say the father then died by suicide.

Officers were called to a home in Cherokee County, Ga., on Saturday, March 19. They found Kathryn "Katie" Newhouse, 19, and her father Howard Newhouse, 57, dead in the home.

Kathryn's mother was at the house at the time of the shooting, but authorities told local TV station WAGA she was uninjured.

"A native of Illinois, Kathryn was most recently living with her family in Canton, Georgia. Kathryn was a Minecraft and UberSpire enthusiast, an advocate for trans rights, had a bright smile, enjoyed changing up her hairstyles, and attentive to world events," Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents reported.

"She enjoyed hiking and sightseeing. She was proud of her AAPI heritage; she was of Filipino heritage. She believed the credo 'Model best behavior in your own sphere, break down stereotypes, and speak out,'" the website added.

The site reported that Kathryn was autistic and was living with mental health challenges.

Authorities accused Howard Newhouse of "holding [Kathryn] down on a bed by her throat" in 2019, according to court records reported by WXIA. The misdemeanor charge was resolved before trial. The next year Kathryn allegedly hit a cup Howard had been holding, causing it to strike his face. That case was also dismissed.

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents noted that the two cases were regarded as similar. "Equating a grown man holding a teenage girl on her bed by her throat with a teenage girl knocking a glass out of his hand as comparable examples of domestic violence is appalling," the site stated.

In an interview with local media, Kathryn's brother said his sister had to leave a mental health facility before the pandemic to live with her parents. He said the situation led to stressful situations.

Kathryn is the eighth known victim of fatal violence against trans people this year.