An Ottawa mother of four is being remembered as a sweet and caring person whose violent death left the local community in shock and mourning.

Brkti Berhe, 36 years old, was attacked around 11:30 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of Uplands and Paul Anka, according to Ottawa police, south of downtown and near the international airport.

During Friday’s police media availability, Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson confirmed that two of Berhe’s children were with her at Paul Landry Park when she was stabbed to death.

A 36-year-old Montreal man, Fsha Tekhle, has been charged with first-degree murder in her death. Police labeled the killing a femicide.

Berhe knew Tekhle because her aunt had recently left a relationship with him, according to close family friend Helen Kibade.

STOP | Man charged after Ottawa woman stabbed to death in front of her children:

1st degree charge after Ottawa woman stabbed to death in front of her children

Montreal man Fsha Tekhle has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Brkti Berhe of Ottawa, who was stabbed repeatedly in front of her children in a city park. Ottawa police refer to the killing as a femicide, meaning when a woman or girl is killed because of their gender.

Community members and sources have confirmed that images on a Facebook account depict Tekhle. The account, which CBC/Radio-Canada reporters saw, uses a different name.

Minutes after Thursday’s murder, the account posted a word in Amharic, an Ethiopian Semitic language. Translated into English, the word means “finished”.

The post was timestamped at 11:40 a.m., about 10 minutes after Berhe was killed.

The Facebook account became unavailable Friday morning before Tekhle made his first court appearance on the first-degree murder charge. According to Facebook, content can become unavailable if someone changes who can see it or deletes it.

CBC could not verify whether Tekhle owns or operates that Facebook account, whether he wrote or published the Thursday morning post himself, or whether he had anything to do with the account’s disappearance.

Kibade said she and Berhe often played with their children at the park where her friend was attacked.

“She’s a very sweet girl. She broke my heart. It’s very, very sad. I don’t understand,” Kibade said, adding that Berhe had a “very beautiful life (and) marriage.”

Tanya Pomeranz lives nearby and spoke to the CBC while visiting the growing memorial in the park to lay flowers.

“I saw parents and children playing and having fun here. Chances are you’ve seen her and her kids just the way we walk around,” Pomeranz said.

“This is a place now that has such a sadness and a somber quality. My heart aches.”

“Just awful”

Trauma professionals were dispatched to a nearby community center Friday afternoon, according to a social media post by River ward Coun. Riley Brockington, who represents the area.

“I am very saddened to learn of yesterday’s horrific and tragic event. The children lost their mother, brutally murdered in broad daylight in a well-used park that many, many of our local families use and enjoy.” , Brockington said. in an interview on Friday with Radio-Canada.

“It’s just terrible news to hear. All murders are unnecessary in this city, but yesterday’s was particularly brutal and difficult for the community to understand and absorb. And many people are suffering now.”

Brockington said they hope to hold a community vigil next week on Oct. 29.