A purple tulip sprouted in Madisyn Murray-Sinicki’s Natrona lawn the day she decided to plant a rock garden for her daughter.
“I believe it was a sign,” said Murray-Sinicki, whose 3-year-old daughter, Karma, died in January at their Pine Street home.
“I have this idea — it’s a little silly — that if we get a nice big bunch of flowers going and all the pretty rocks, she’ll be able to see it from heaven.”
Allegheny County Police investigated Karma’s death, which happened in the morning hours of Jan. 28.
Jim Madalinsky, county public safety spokesman, said police had no comment while they wait for a final ruling from the county medical examiner’s office. That agency has not yet released the cause and manner of Karma’s death.
In the meantime, Murray-Sinicki and her husband, Benjamin, are trying to process the loss of their daughter, whom they called a smart and fun-loving girl who loved Halloween, bugs and the cartoon character Bluey. The toddler complimented everyone she met.
“We would have Girls Day Out every Wednesday, where we would go shopping and to Burger King — that was always her pick,” Murray-Sinicki said. “She loved to tell the waiters that they were doing a good job.
“There was no such thing as a stranger; she thought everyone was her friend.”
A rock and fairy garden, along with the patch of wildflowers, is a nod to Karma’s love of the outdoors, said her grandmother, Anna Bolcar.
“She loved picking tomatoes and banana peppers from the time she could walk,” Bolcar said.
“She was always running around, always making jokes. She would pick flowers and leaves, and give them to everyone as gifts.”
Now, the community is giving back to the family.
Already, multiple people and organizations have reached out to Murray-Sinicki to donate colorfully painted rocks and supplies for the garden.
A neighbor dropped off a large pink stone with Karma’s name and a few smaller rocks painted to reflect her passions — rainbows, ladybugs and flowers. Her pre-K classmates in Miss Chelsea’s room at the Tarentum Allegheny Intermediate Unit are painting rocks, too.
Rocks colored by Karma last summer will be placed in a special spot, Bolcar said.
“It’s gotten a little larger than I thought already,” Murray-Sinicki said. “It’s nice that she’ll know how much the community loves her.”
Madisyn and Benjamin Murray-Sinicki both grew up in New Kensington and graduated from Valley High School. They moved to Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood three years ago.
Although no official determination has been released, Madisyn said her daughter died from lack of oxygen related to a plastic bag. She said it was a terrible, tragic accident and thanked the police and county officials for their compassion on what was the hardest day of her life.
“That was my baby, and I didn’t want them to carry her out of here in a bag,” she said. “They held her in their arms and took her to the van and stayed that way for as long as they could. I’m very grateful for that.”
The family is comforted by all who have reached out about the memorial garden. They hope people will stop by and pick flowers once they bloom.
“Some days we feel very motivated to share her memory and some days we don’t want to get out of bed, but it’s my responsibility to spread her joy,” Madisyn said. “Karma always loved picking flowers, so if people come by and take some, it’s like she’s still doing that.”