๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง
- Austin
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐
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๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐
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. ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
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ย On July 7, 2026, officers from the Columbia Police Department were dispatched to take a report of domestic violence. A child, Victim 1, reported Kimberly Bray-Lester came downstairs with a knife in her hand, causing Victim 1 to run upstairs and outside the residence. Victim 1 reported being frightened because of statements Bray-Lester allegedly made on July 6 while they were driving back from Branson.
According to Victim 1, Bray-Lester stated during the vehicle ride that she would kill Victim 1 and Victim 2 before anyone else could have them. Victim 1 stated that after she ran outside the residence, Bray-Lester began counting down from five to one, prompting Victim 1 to run back inside and downstairs. Victim 1 said Bray-Lester then pulled her off a bed by her hair, using both hands. Victim 1 reported that when Witness 1 entered the room and she was able to escape, she ran outside the residence and down the road to a friend's house.
Victim 1 stated she armed herself with a lighter and spray for self-defense while inside the room with Bray-Lester. Victim 1 also stated, โI donโt want to die, Iโm only [age redacted].โ Victim 1 described the knife as orange and white.
Victim 2 stated Bray-Lester said during the vehicle ride, โIf Iโm going to kill myself then yโall are going with me.โ Victim 2 reported that Bray-Lester made Victim 1 and Victim 2 go into a bedroom with her and had a knife in her hand before they entered the room. Bray-Lester later placed the knife on a bar in the downstairs area outside the bedroom. Victim 2 stated that when Victim 1 ran outside, he told Victim 1, โJust come back she is not going to kill you, just come back.โ
Victim 1 stated Victim 2 ran out of the residence saying, โIโm not about to die.โ Victim 2 stated Bray-Lester grabbed Victim 1 by the hair, pulled Victim 1 onto the ground and said, โYouโre going to die first.โ, which is why Victim 1 had run out of the house earlier. Victim 2 described the knife as having a yellow handle with an orange blade.
Witness 1 stated Bray-Lester says โhorrible thingsโ that he tunes out most of the time, but he felt certain people should not hear those statements. Witness 1 also stated Bray-Lester had made statements about hurting herself and others. Witness 1 stated Bray-Lester said, โNo one can take care of [redacted] like I can take care of [redacted].โ
Bray-Lester stated she and Witness 1 had been arguing for multiple days. Bray-Lester stated that during an argument, Witness 1 talked about taking her [redacted] from her. According to the probable cause statement, Bray-Lester stated she told Witness 1 she would kill her [redacted] and herself before she let Witness 1 take them.
The probable cause statement notes that Bray-Lester has a conviction for resisting a peace officer. Bray-Lester is now charged with domestic assault in the third degree, unlawful use of a weapon by exhibiting, domestic assault in the fourth degree, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk.
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