A Texas mother’s 6-year-old daughter was shot and killed while she was simultaneously finalizing the funeral for her 14-year-old son.
The child, identified as Ah ‘Laynah Modica-Ross, was a victim of a shooting that occurred at her home on Fitzhugh Avenue in Dallas on Wednesday, Jan. 10, NBCDFW reported. She was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The circumstances around the shooting are unclear, and police have yet to release any additional details.
However, according to the report, 19-year-old Damariya Sowels was detained and charged with tampering with evidence. He also had warrants for a separate case.
It’s alleged that Sowels told investigators that he bought two handguns, including one MAC-10, into the townhome. It has been reported that he admitted to placing the gun on top of a game system.
Officials claimed Sowels attempted to hide the weapons inside a backpack in the garage, which police ultimately found during their investigation, per CBS News.
Ross’ death comes shortly after the recent passing of her brother — another victim of gun violence.
“It’s a nightmare. We’re living in a nightmare right now,” the sibling’s grandfather, Michael Key, told NBCDFW. “Dealing with the loss of two grandbabies back-to-back. It’s hard right now, especially this little one. This was my heart.”
Their mother, Brittney, found out about the incident while planning the funeral for her son, Ah’bralen Rider, who was fatally wounded on Dec. 29. A teen was taken into custody in connection to his death.
“My daughter was out at Golden Gate Funeral Home getting my 14-year-old grandson dressed for a burial we’re going to have Saturday,” Key added. “She got a call from one of the kids here, and she dropped everything and flew here.”
Key said that Sowels, who police claimed also had a Glock 40 inside the bag, was his grandson’s friend. During an interview with CBS Texas, Brittney backed Sowels saying that he had the weapons in his possession for “protection” after receiving threats following Ah’bralen’s death. She also emphasized that Sowels didn’t intend to hurt her kids.
Now, the family is trying to figure out how to combine the sibling’s funeral while grappling with emotional turmoil. They created a GoFundMe to assist with the cost of their memorials and raised nearly $6,000 as of Tuesday.
Key told the news station that the gun shouldn’t have been in the home in the first place.
“When I think about it, it shouldn’t have been an accident because no gun should’ve been in this house, and no gun should’ve been in the sight of a 6-year-old child,” he said.
