A 16-year-old Missouri girl was fatally shot and left inside her home for hours before her mother came back and found her body, authorities said. Three juveniles are now facing criminal charges in connection with the case.
Jefferson County deputies were called Saturday afternoon to a residence on Tower Road near Hillsboro, roughly 45 minutes southwest of St. Louis. Inside, they found Gabbriana Boyster suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said they believe the shooting occurred Friday evening while three juveniles who knew Boyster were in the home.
The Jefferson County Juvenile Office said one juvenile has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon resulting in death, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse. Two other juveniles were each charged with abandonment of a corpse and later released. Because the suspects are minors, authorities have not released their names.
Gabbriana Boyster, 16, was found dead after her mother returned home. (Facebook/ Candy G’sell)
Boyster’s mother, Candy G’Sell, was not home when the shooting took place, the sheriff’s office said. Speaking with KSDK, she said her final conversation with her daughter happened Friday night.
“She told me she was staying home. I told her to lock the door,” G’Sell told the station.
G’Sell returned Saturday afternoon and discovered her daughter’s body, then called 911, according to the sheriff’s office. Emergency medical personnel pronounced Boyster dead at the scene.
Gabbriana Boyster, 16, pictured with her mother, Candy G’sell. (Facebook/ Candy G’sell)
“I walked in the room and she was laying there … sitting up,” G’Sell said. “In the blink of an eye, you know. She didn’t deserve that.”
Investigators have not said what led to the shooting, though they say Boyster and the three suspects knew one another. G’Sell told the outlet that the boys were all friends of her daughter.
“It’s not a game. Guns are not toys,” G’Sell said.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Grant Bissell said the case has left multiple families grieving.
“There’s no getting around the loss of life,” Bissell told KTVI. “You’ve got one family who is torn apart by the loss of their loved one. You’ve got three other families that are now potentially going to be torn apart by the consequences [of the] actions of these young people. It’s a no-win situation for anybody.”
The teens mother remembered her as a kind-hearted teenager who loved her family, cared deeply about her friends and dreamed of becoming an ultrasound technician. (Facebook/ Candy G’sell)
G’Sell remembered her daughter, known to friends as “Gabby,” as a kind-hearted teenager who loved her family, cared deeply about her friends and dreamed of becoming an ultrasound technician, according to KSDK. Instead of getting ready for her daughter’s junior year at Hillsboro High School, G’Sell said she spent the week planning her daughter’s funeral.
“There’s no relief. My baby is gone,” G’Sell told the outlet. “What mother wants to bury their baby?”
The Hillsboro School District said grief counselors will be available for students and families following Boyster’s death.
“Our hearts are with the student’s family, friends, and everyone impacted by this unimaginable loss,” Superintendent Dr. Jon Isaacson said in a statement obtained by KMOV. “While words cannot take away the pain of this tragedy, we want our students, staff, and families to know they are not alone. We are committed to providing support and care for everyone who is grieving during this difficult time.”
