Community Remembers Sisters as River Falls Days Begins

Community members in River Falls are leaning on each other as they try to come to terms with the loss of three little girls.

Flowers and stuffed animals are part of a growing memorial at Greenwood Elementary, where 11-year-old Amara Schaffhausen and her sister, 8-year-old Sophie, attended school. They, along with their 5-year-old sister Cecelia, were found dead in their River Falls home Tuesday afternoon.

The sisters attended Unitarian Universalist Society Church, where Rev. Nancy Holden remembers them as beautiful, happy girls who clearly loved each other.

"I can't help thinking about the future that cannot be now," Holden said. "We would have had three more perky teenagers in our youth group, three more beautiful women. We've been robbed."

The girls' deaths come just as the community is preparing for River Falls Days. Teammates of Amara Schaffhausen, an avid soccer player, will be selling wristbands throughout the weekend, with the proceeds going to the girls' mother.

On Thursday, Jessica Schaffhausen released a statement saying the family is thankful for the support of the community. The family has approved the bracelet sales by the River Falls Wildcat soccer team, as well as a memorial fund at First National Bank of River Falls. The fund is titled, "Benefit Account for Schaffhausen Children."

"When the time is right, the family will use the generosity and support to honor and memorialize the girls in the best way possible," Schaffhausen said.

Click here to read the full statement.

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