A 10-year-old Florida girl was arrested after she allegedly shot and killed a woman who was fighting with her mother at a Memorial Day barbecue, state authorities say.
The girl, whose identity has not been released, was taken into custody while the State Attorney's Office makes a charging decision.
Mother Charged with Multiple Felonies, Girl to Face Murder Charge
The girl's mother, 31-year-old Lakrisha S. Isaac, has already been charged with multiple felonies in connection with the death of 41-year-old Lushun D. Rodgers while the girl may face a murder charge.
According to court documents, officers with the Orlando Police Department at approximately 11:30 p.m. on May 30 responded to 911 calls about a possible shooting at a residence located in the 1400 block of Mercy Drive.
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders discovered a woman, later identified as Rodgers, lying on the sidewalk in the rear of the building with a gunshot wound to the head.
Officers reportedly performed CPR until the Orlando Fire Department rescue team reached the scene and transported Rodgers to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) where she was placed in critical care. Rodgers remained in critical condition before succumbing to her injuries the following day.
Dispute Over a Social Media Post
The arrest affidavit cited Rodgers' boyfriend as a witness and stated that he and Rodgers were grilling in the rear of the building when an intoxicated Isaac confronted Rodgers' "over a recent dispute between the two."
Another witness said the argument pertained to a previous social media post. Isaac was accompanied by her daughter, who was allegedly holding a beige purse at the start of the altercation.
"Isaac initiated a physical confrontation by punching [Rodgers]. After the first punch was thrown, [Rodgers] retaliated and punched Isaac," the affidavit states.
Rodgers' boyfriend then stepped in and tried to break up the fight and the two began walking away, while Isaac and her daughter "continued to verbally argue," authorities say. Rodgers then turned around and attempted to reengage with Isaac, the boyfriend told police.
'You Shouldn't Have Hit My Momma'
"As [Rodgers] turned around, [the boyfriend] observed [the 10-year-old] holding a black firearm and discharge one to two shots towards [Rodgers]. She immediately fell to the ground and [the boyfriend] attempted to tend to [Rodgers'] gunshot wound," the affidavit states. "While [the 10-year-old] was still holding the firearm, [the 10-year-old] yelled 'she shouldn't have hit my momma.' [The boyfriend] stated Isaac grabbed the firearm from [the 10-year-old] and Isaac pointed the firearm at the center of [his] chest."
The boyfriend "described looking into the barrel of the firearm as Isaac pointed it towards him," saying he raised his hands and backed away in fear of his life.
The witness who called 911 similarly told investigators that Isaac threw the first punch at Rodgers. She also noted that when Rodgers hit Isaac back, Isaac then took off her backpack and handed it to her daughter.
"[The witness] saw [the 10-year-old] rummaging through the backpack, but did not think anything of it. Isaac and Rodgers squared up for a fight and a few punches were exchanged. [The witness] then heard a gunshot and saw [Rodgers] fall to the ground," the affidavit states.
"[The 10-year-old] yelled, 'You fucking with my momma,' after shooting Rodgers," the documents continued. A third witness also said that she saw the 10-year-old shoot Rodgers before Isaac took the gun and pointed it at the boyfriend
Isaac in County Jail, Girl Placed in Juvenile Custody
Isaac is currently being held in an Orange County jail on $50,000 bond. She is facing one count each of manslaughter by culpable neglect, aggravated assault with a firearm, negligent storage of a firearm, and neglect of a child, all felonies.
The girl was placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families. She is currently in custody at the Orange County Juvenile Justice Center.
While police said the juvenile was taken into custody on suspicion of second-degree murder, State Attorney Monique H. Worrell on Tuesday said her office has not reached a final charging decision.
