TikTok Star Kelsey Pumel's Daughter Kobe Lost Her Dad to Gun Violence

The Gist:

• On Oct. 23, 2023, TikTok star Kelsey Pumel shared the news that her daughter's dad had died.
• Reporting has since confirmed that Kobe's father was Devin Williams, who was shot in Indianapolis.
• Kelsey shared that she and her daughter are working through their grief following the news.

Thanks to her videos on parenting which often feature her five children, Kelsey Pumel, who uses the handle @growingwithkelsey, has become a popular influencer on TikTok with more than 2.5 million followers. Kelsey shares one of her daughters, Kobe, with a man whom she's no longer in a relationship with, and has explained in the past that co-parenting was a struggle.

Now, though, Kelsey has shared the news that Kobe's dad has died. Following the announcement, many wanted to learn more about who Kobe's dad was, and what kind of dynamic he had with Kelsey and Kobe.

In a video posted to TikTok on Oct. 23, 2023, Kelsey shared the news that Kobe's dad had died.

“Kobe’s dad died. So we’ve had a bit of a rough day," she said. She also said that she was in her "anger phase" and was "so mad" at him.

“I did everything right so [Kobe] wouldn’t have any trauma and he just left her with a lifetime full of it," she continued. She also said that Kobe knew her dad had died, and that she would be taking time off of school.

Kelsey also shared that Kobe was having a "yes day" where she would get anything she asked for. She also said that Kobe's grief was coming in waves, and she was glad to be with her so that they should be together when the waves hit. Kobe's stepdad Curtis Woods is also with them, and is supporting her through this.

Although Kelsey took pains not to reveal Kobe's dad's identity, the news has broken that his name is Devin Williams. Unfortunately, outside of the news around his death, not much is known about Devin.

Kelsey had discussed their strained relationship in the past but had suggested in recent months that they had come to a better understanding of how to parent Kobe together. Kelsey shared that Kobe always came away from her visits with her dad with good stories.

According to news reports, Devin's dad died in Indianapolis from a gunshot wound. While initial reports suggested that the wound had been self-inflicted, it has since been clarified that there was another person involved in the shooting.

“One person has been detained and IMPD is not actively looking for any additional people. Investigators believe all involved parties have been identified," the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police stated.

It's unclear what the motivation for Devin's death might have been, but it's clear why Kelsey may have been upset by the news and how it may affect the child they shared.