GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) — Kristine Young knows how devastating it is to lose a child.

“She was so kind and so giving,” she said of her daughter, 31-year- old Ashley Young. “If more people were like Ashley, our world would be such a better… such a better place.”

Ashley Young was murdered in December.

For Kristine Young, the pain is magnified by the violent nature of her daughter’s death and the cruel coverup by those who know what happened.

“I want him put away for the rest of his life. He does not belong in society. And neither do his parents,” she said.

On Friday, Kristine Young and Ashley’s stepmother, Dana Nelson, spoke publicly for the first time since Jared Chance was convicted of murdering Ashley Young and dismembering her body. A jury last week found Chance guilty on all counts, which also included tampering with evidence and concealing the death of an individual.

“He’s a coward. He is a very big coward, to not tell and not to speak at trial and tell us where and why,” Nelson said.

The story began to unfold on Dec. 2 with a gruesome discovery at Chance’s Grand Rapids apartment.

Human remains, later identified as Ashley Young of Oshtemo Township, were found in the apartment located on Franklin Street SE.

Chance was arrested and eventually charged with murder, mutilation of a dead body and tampering with evidence. But he refused to tell investigators what he did with some of Young’s remains.

Kristine Young says that information would bring her family some level of closure.

“It’s accepting it fully… that she’s not coming back,” she explained.

Adding to the family’s frustration: Chance’s parents have been charged with perjury and as accessories after the fact of a crime. Investigators say there’s evidence the couple helped Chance dispose of Ashley Young’s remains.

When your child does something like this, you call the police and you tell them… you tell them what happened,” said Kristine Young.

On the eve of his trial, Chance rejected a plea agreement that promised him a lower minimum sentence in exchange for him saying exactly what happened to Young, 31. He now faces a minimum of 26 years to 87 years and a maximum of life in prison when he’s sentenced on Oct. 10.

Kristine Young says she wasn’t surprised by Chance’s decision.

“Because then he would have to admit that he did something, and he doesn’t own up to anything,” she said.

So Ashley Young’s family will raise money to entice someone to come forward with information about her remains — a question Chance could answer and end their heartache.

“I just want you to tell me where my daughter is,” said Kristine Young. “I just want her home.”

The Young family plans to raise the reward money to bring Ashley Young home through a Saturday poker run in Muskegon.

The run starts at 10 a.m. at the Lakes Mall. The fundraiser will end at Pat’s Roadhouse on Getty Street with a barbecue dinner, music, raffle and auctions, starting at 5:30 p.m.