Community remembers Danvers mother, nurse killed in home

Family and friends remember Danvers’ mother and nurse were killed by a high school senior in a random attack last week, according to a GoFundMe that has raised thousands to support the family.

“Her kindness, presence, and love for her family left a lasting impact on everyone around her, and her loss has left an unimaginable hole in the hearts of those who loved her,” the GoFundMe description — which It had raised nearly $50,000 as of Sunday night – He said.

Janet Swallow, 68, was found dead in her home on Amherst Street in Danvers last Thursday afternoon, officials said last week. Anthony DiMaio, an 18-year-old student at Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody, faces murder charges.

“No family should have to face a tragedy like this, nor the emotional and financial burdens that can follow such a sudden loss,” said the fundraiser, which aims to raise $65,000.

Swallow, a longtime Danvers resident, worked as a nurse at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, the hospital confirmed in a statement.

“Janet Swallow was a beloved and valued member of the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center community and will be greatly missed,” Scott James, the hospital’s chief nursing officer, said in a statement. “We share our deepest condolences with her family, loved ones, and colleagues on the nursing floor and at the hospital. Our thoughts are with them during this extremely difficult time.”

DeMaio was found in Lynn with what appeared to be a blood-stained knife last Thursday, and police took him into custody and to Salem Hospital to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He allegedly told police that he “killed a woman in Danvers the night before,” prosecutors wrote in a court document.

The high school student allegedly told investigators that he “planned to commit this act for a long time, and wanted to kill someone for a long time.” He said he broke into a home under construction in Danvers and stabbed a woman while she was sleeping.

Danvers Police Chief James Lovell said last week that Swallow’s two sons had been notified of her death.

“Thank you for your kindness, compassion and support as we come together to honor the life of Janet Swallow and support the family who loved her so dearly,” the fundraiser said.

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime and more.