Insets: Shakelia Tennyson and Brayden Tennyson. Background: The 2600 block of Scrapbook Street in Kissimmee, Florida, where Brayden was shot and killed (WOFL).
A Georgia woman is accused of leaving a loaded gun unsecured in a car, where her 4-year-old nephew found it and fatally shot her 2-year-old son just as the family was set to start a Florida vacation to celebrate her son's birthday.
Shakelia Tennyson was indicted on a charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child in the death of young Brayden Tennyson, according to the Ninth Judicial State Attorney's Office.
"At the center of this case is a mother who has lost her son," State Attorney Monique Worrell said. "The pain and grief she is experiencing is unfathomable and nothing about this prosecution diminishes it. Bringing this charge was not a decision we made lightly. Yet, it reflects our duty to the child whose life was lost and to every child who depends on the adults around them to keep them safe."
The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. July 12 on the 2600 block of Scrapbook Street in Kissimmee, Florida. Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon told reporters at a press conference the day after the shooting that the family had traveled from Georgia to Florida for a vacation. The adults were checking in at an Airbnb and had left the two boys alone in the car.
The 4-year-old found a gun in the car. He pulled the trigger, hitting and killing Brayden.
"It's literally laying out by itself, so it's easy to grab and pull the trigger," Blackmon said. "And you can't recall that. It's not a video game. Can't hit reset and start over. Once you pull that trigger, that projectile is going somewhere, and this one hit a two-year-old and killed him."
Worrell called the shooting a "heartbreaking tragedy" and noted that the 4-year-old now must "carry the trauma of what happened."
"No family should ever have to face a loss like this, and no child should ever be able to reach a loaded firearm," she said. "Securing weapons, especially around vulnerable children is one of the most important things any of us can do to protect the children in our care."
Prosecutors declined to release further details about the case. Tennyson appeared before a judge Tuesday, and her next court date is set for Dec. 9.
A GoFundMe page said the family was there to celebrate Brayden's upcoming third birthday.
"There are no words to describe the heartbreak our family is experiencing," it reads. "What was meant to be a joyful vacation to Orlando to celebrate sweet Brayden's 3rd birthday has turned into an unimaginable tragedy. Tomorrow should have been filled with birthday candles, laughter, hugs, and happy memories. Instead, those who love Brayden are left mourning the loss of a beautiful little boy whose life was taken far too soon."