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A Missouri teen was shot dead and left inside her home for hours before her mother returned and discovered her body, leading to criminal charges against three juveniles, authorities said.
Deputies responded Saturday afternoon to a home on Tower Road near Hillsboro, about 45 minutes southwest of St. Louis, where they found 16-year-old Gabbriana Boyster with a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators believe she was shot Friday evening while three juveniles who knew her were inside the home.
One suspect has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon resulting in death, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse, according to the Jefferson County Juvenile Office. Two others were each charged with abandonment of a corpse and later released. Authorities have not identified the suspects because they are minors.
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Boyster’s mother, Candy G’Sell, was away when the shooting happened, according to the sheriff’s office. She told KSDK the last conversation she had with her daughter came Friday night.
“She told me she was staying home. I told her to lock the door,” G’Sell told the outlet.
When G’Sell returned home Saturday afternoon, she found her daughter’s body and called 911, according to the sheriff’s office. Paramedics pronounced the teen dead at the scene.
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“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.”
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?”
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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.”
