She was the kind of person who never met a stranger.
The sister of Gaskin, De’Airra Switzer, said, “She treated everyone as if they were part of her family.” “She was just a nice person.”
Gaskin, who was 23 years old, was shot and killed on June 26 at the Emerson Manor Apartments in Kansas City during what police say was a domestic argument. A GoFundMe set up to pay for Gaskin’s funeral says that she was six months pregnant when she died.
Switzer said, “Just because she was a mom, we knew she was going to rock that.” “She was going to be a wonderful mom.” She was very happy. We were happy for her because that’s all she would talk about.
Switzer said that Gaskin, who was born and raised in Kansas City, has worked at several local daycares and helped at church programs where she worked with kids. Because Gaskin loved Switzer’s kids and her own younger sister so much, Switzer’s family knew she would have been a great mom.
Travon Oliver, a 22-year-old from Kansas City, is accused of shooting and killing Gaskin. The police think that the two were dating before.
Switzer said, “She would want us to forgive Oliver and move forward.” “She didn’t hold grudges, that’s another thing about her.”
The family of Gaskin knew Oliver and were shocked when they learned he was a suspect in her death.
“Shocked” wasn’t strong enough, Switzer said. “We wish she had reached out.”
There was talk of abuse in the relationship, and Switzer said that “a lot of things have come out” about Gaskin and Oliver’s connection since she died. She said Gaskin “didn’t like a lot of drama” and that she thought Gaskin was being tough on her own.
It’s too bad she wasn’t able to keep a lid on it. “It just boiled over, and now we’re here,” Switzer said.
Gaskin’s death was the 100th murder in the Kansas City area in 2024.
Switzer said that her sister was a nice woman who liked church music, the colors burgundy and purple, being outside, and being a cosmetologist. Gaskin had just finished Transformed Barber & Cosmetology Academy, and Switzer said she was excited to follow her long-held dream of becoming a hairstylist.
Switzer said that Gaskin used to carry a dummy head doll around with her as a child so she could style its hair.
“Even as a little girl, you know, she was always just into making things look nice and giving them love,” Switzer said.
Gaskin wanted to own her salon and maybe even a chain one day.
The woman always said, “I want to be bigger than Kansas City and just be known in the hair business,” Switzer said. “That was what she loved.”
Switzer said that Gaskin “put her passions first” and spent a lot of time “perfecting her craft.”
Before going to cosmetology school, Gaskin finished Northeast High School, where her sister said she got good grades and was liked by everyone who worked there.
Switzer said, “She kept in touch with so many of her old teachers, principals, and other people, and everyone just loved her.” “I haven’t met anyone who said Chestina was a problem for them or something like that.”
Gaskin “would go the extra mile” to get along with others, according to Switzer.
Switzer said, “And it was just love with her.” “It was just real love,” she said.
The death of Gaskin has made a hole in her family’s lives, her sister said.
Switzer said, “It’s just such a deep, deep gaping hole, and we don’t even know where to go now that she’s gone.” “She held everything together, made us laugh, and brought us happiness.”
The GoFundMe page says that Gaskins’ burial will be held on Sunday.
Her sister said, “I know bad things happen to good people all the time, but it’s just like… she was such a joy.”