Summary: Kerri Rawson, daughter of BTK killer Dennis Rader and a victims' advocate, is subject to a temporary domestic violence injunction after her ex-husband alleged she warned that he and their children would be murdered. A Florida judge granted temporary full custody to Darian Rawson and limited Kerri's contact with the children to electronic messages. Authorities say a Jan. 5, 2025 911 call and a subsequent hospital admission led to a Baker Act mental-health evaluation; police found the family safe. The allegations are drawn from court records and media reports.
BTK Killer's Daughter Kerri Rawson Faces Temporary Domestic Violence Injunction, Court Records Say
Kerri Rawson, daughter of convicted BTK serial killer Dennis Rader, in a portrait
Kerri Rawson, the daughter of convicted BTK serial killer Dennis Rader and a public victims' advocate and author, is the subject of a temporary domestic violence injunction after her ex-husband filed a petition alleging repeated threats and warnings that he and their children were in danger, according to court records first reported by the New York Post.
Kerri Rawson, daughter of convicted BTK serial killer Dennis Rader, became a bestselling author and victims' advocate after her father's 2005 arrest.
Legal Order And Custody: A Florida judge granted the injunction following a petition by Darian Rawson. The temporary order awarded Darian full custody of the couple's two teenage children and limited Kerri Rawson's contact with them to electronic communications only. The order also barred her from coming near the family home or the children’s school and prohibited contact with the family pets.
Dennis Rader, known as the BTK serial killer, was arrested in 2005 and later pleaded guilty to murdering 10 people in the Wichita, Kansas, area.
Alleged Jan. 5 Incident: The petition alleges that on Jan. 5, 2025, Rawson summoned her former husband to an Altamonte Springs police station and told him she had psychic warnings that their children would be murdered that morning. The filing says she later called 911 reporting shots fired, multiple active shooters at an apartment complex, and three fatalities; officers who responded found the family safe, according to a police report cited by the Post.
Dennis Rader enters court to plead guilty to 10 murders in the Wichita, Kansas, area on June 27, 2005.
Law enforcement later located Rawson at Orlando International Airport and transported her to a hospital, where she voluntarily admitted herself. The records indicate she was subsequently held under Florida's Baker Act, which allows temporary detention for a mental health evaluation when authorities believe a person may pose a danger to themselves or others.
An incident report obtained by the Post described Rawson as "an individual known to make inaccurate and fabricated statements about incidents that did not actually occur, due to mental health issues." The Post also reported that Darian Rawson later alleged Rawson violated the injunction by contacting him multiple times despite the no-contact order.
Background: Rawson authored the 2019 memoir A Serial Killer's Daughter and has appeared in documentaries and on television discussing her father's crimes while advocating for victims of violent crime. Her father, Dennis Rader—nicknamed "BTK" for "bind, torture, kill"—pleaded guilty in 2005 to 10 murders in the Wichita, Kansas, area and is serving 10 consecutive life sentences without parole.
Reporting And Status: These allegations are drawn from court records and media reports. A representative for Rawson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The injunction described in court filings is temporary; further hearings or legal actions may alter custody or contact restrictions.
Note: The matter involves mental-health evaluations and ongoing legal proceedings. Reporting reflects allegations in public records and does not constitute a finding of criminal guilt by Rawson.
Help us improve.
