A murder is always an incredibly tragic situation. Regardless of what the other person did or didn’t do to provoke the other person doesn’t matter – it’s sad. A tragedy occurred last week in Florida when a 10-year-old girl shot and killed a woman who was fighting with her mother. This murder is incomprehensibly sad, both for the family of the victim but also for that of the little girl.
10-Year-Old Girl Murders Woman In Florida
Just as parents can be fiercely protective of their children, so can children of their parents. While this loyalty can be a beautiful thing, it can also turn ugly quite quickly. That is exactly what happened in Orlando, Florida on the night of May 30. (1)
The little girl’s mom, 31-year-old Lakrisha Isaac got into some kind of argument with another resident of their building complex. That resident was 41-year-old Lashun Denise Rodgers. The fight started just before midnight in the barbecue area of their complex on Memorial Day. (2)
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The Fight
Isaac’s boyfriend witnessed the event. He explained that they were having a barbecue when Isaac saw Rodgers and decided to confront her over a past dispute. She approached the older woman, began arguing with her, and then threw the first punch. Rodgers then also punched Isaac back. Allegedly they were fighting over a post on social media. (3)
The boyfriend then grabbed Isaac and tried to pull her away before the fight escalated more. Isaac, however, pulled away from him and went back to re-engage with Rodgers. Other witnesses then say they saw Isaac hand her backpack to her 10-year-old daughter. They say they saw the little girl “rummaging through the backpack” before producing the gun. She then fired two shots, which hit Rodgers in the back of the head.
Witnesses say the little girl followed up the two shots by saying “She shouldn’t have hit my momma!”. Others say they heard her say “she shouldn’t have messed with my mother”. Either way, the little girl shot the woman. Authorities arrived and rushed Rodgers to the hospital, however, she died from her injuries there.
Immediately After
Isaac’s boyfriend also told the police that quickly after, the mother grabbed the gun from her daughter and pointed it at her boyfriend. Staring down the barrel of a firearm, he raised his hands in the air and then ran away. He feared for his life.
The Charges
Both mother and daughter have been arrested. The police took the little girl into the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families. They arrested Isaac on charges of manslaughter by culpable negligence, aggravated assault with a firearm, negligent storage of a firearm, and child neglect. As of now, both mother and daughter still remain in custody.
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A Tragic Case
State Attorney Monique H. Worrell released a statement regarding the arrest of the 10-year-old little girl. In the statement, which she published on June 7, she called the situation a tragic one. She said that this was one of the saddest situations she has seen in her career.
“Today, following an investigation, the Orlando Police Department took a 10-year-old child, accused of using her mother’s gun to shoot and kill Ms. Lashun Rodgers on Memorial Day into custody. This is one of the most tragic cases I have seen in my 22-year career,” she wrote in the statement. “Our office has started the process of reviewing this case and will consider all of the facts, including the age of the child, and all of the surrounding circumstances, when making a charging decision. We want to be clear in stating that no charging decision has been made by our office. However, we anticipate that whatever charges we eventually file, if any, will ensure she receives the interventions necessary to address her behavior, help her change and grow, and ensure the public’s safety going forward.” (4)
The attorney continued by encouraging the public to remember that this is a child, just a little girl. Whatever their feelings are on the situation, they must remember that the suspect is just a child. For this reason, they will not be discussing any identifying information about the little girl.
“This shooting is an unimaginable tragedy that defies easy solutions. Our office will proceed with care, and our primary focus will be on doing whatever we can to support Ms. Rodgers’s family, protect the public, and improve the health of this child going forward. My deepest sympathies and prayers are with Ms. Rodger’s family, her loved ones, and our entire community, as we cope with this unimaginable loss,” she wrote. “There will be no further comment or any interviews on this active and ongoing case.”
We will have to wait and see what happens in the following months regarding this horrible incident.
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Sources
- “A 10-year-old girl was arrested after police say she fatally shot a woman arguing with her mom.” CNN. Amanda Musa. June 8, 2022.
- “10-year-old Florida girl arrested, accused of fatally shooting woman.” WGN TV. Zachary Winiecki. June 8, 2022.
- “10-year-old Florida girl accused of fatally shooting woman who was in fight with her mother.” NBC News. Dennis Romero. June 7, 2022.
- SAO9