Beaudesert cafe owner’s grieving mum warns of dangers of small-town bullies

The grieving mother of a well-known cafe owner has issued a warning on the dangers of small-town bullies after her daughter’s sudden death this month.

Karlie Cassidy died on July 6. The family will hold a private memorial service.

The grieving mother of a Beaudesert cafe owner has issued a warning on the dangers of small-town bullies after her daughter’s sudden death this month.

Sharene Cassidy said her daughter Karlie Cassidy, who owned the popular Teaspoons and Aprons cafe, had been subjected to bullying.

The tormenting started about two years ago when she set up her business inside the Beaudesert Fair shopping centre.

Teaspoons and Aprons owner Karlie Cassidy was well-known in Beaudesert for her scrumptious cakes and coffee.

The busy mum of three was so traumatised she took a week off working in her own business to stay away from her tormentors.

“This town holds three people, who bullied her, gossiped about her and … trampled her heart and soul,” she wrote on social media.

“She trusted them and befriended them and helped them and, yes, probably argued with them, but they broke her.

“Please beautiful people of this town, be careful who you trust and who you talk to as they will be looking for their next victim.

“My beautiful daughter now has peace and yes they are still bullying her but now she has peace from them.”

Karlie Cassidy with her coffee van delivered free coffees and sandwiches to fire fighters during the 2019 bushfires.

Mrs Cassidy told of the anguish her daughter faced building up her popular cafe serving homemade cakes and coffee in the heart of Beaudesert during the pandemic lockdowns.

The coffee van was a firm fixture at a range of sites throughout the Scenic Rim and at the region’s main shopping mall, Beaudesert Fair.

The 32-year-old quickly built up her clientele which included an elderly man who often got a peck on the cheek and a free coffee while he waited outside for his wife to finish shopping.

Another customer, a lonely elderly woman, would always get a hug and a hot coffee from Ms Cassidy whenever she visited the cafe.

Others told of the fun-loving cafe owner’s antics including throwing hot chips at the local Lion’s charity volunteers.

Parents Sharene and Dave Cassidy are devastated with the loss of their daughter.

Her parents Sharene and husband Dave, paid tribute to their daughter, who “was fun loving and always ready with a smile, a cheeky grin and sometimes a little pinch on the bottom”.

“While I worked in an aged care facility, Karlie would often send me photos from the cafe,” Mrs Cassidy said.

Karlie Cassidy’s three sons.

“Once she even sent me one of her picking her nose – which was a surprise.

“She was, and always will be, a light in our hearts and memories,” her mother said.

“I don’t want another mother to experience this — we are so broken and people should be mindful of how they treat others and people should call out small-town gossiping.”

Ms Cassidy’s three young boys are being cared for by the Cassidy family.

Customers also posted condolences.

Best friend Shinade Harper, who was “like a sister”, set up a Go Fund Me account to raise money for the boys aged 2, 4, and 9.

Lifeline is a non-profit organisation that provides free, 24-hour telephone crisis support service in Australia. Volunteer crisis supporters provide mental health support and emotional assistance. Phone 13 11 14.