INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Independence police detectives say three young children spent the night in the same home as their mother, who was allegedly stabbed to death by the children’s father.

The Kansas City Star reports that authorities were alerted of the incident when two of the couple’s children told their teachers that their father stabbed their mother to death.

Officer Luis Virgil says authorities were moved by what the children endured and began filling a candy jar with donations. By Wednesday the police department employees chipped in more than $1,400.

The Independence community also contributed to the family. Best Buy donated three Android tablets for the children.

Vincente Roldan-Marron has been charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Yadira Gomez. Roldan-Marron told authorities he blacked out after drinking alcohol and taking pills and couldn’t remember what happened.