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A 4-year-old girl in Texas was fatally shot by her mother shortly after the girl’s father was awarded primary custody.
The family’s attorney announced in a statement that the victim has been identified as Vivian Savella.
The incident took place on the evening of Tuesday, September 29, at a home in Houston. Officers reported to the residence around 5:45 p.m. after they received a report of a shooting. Vivian was dead upon their arrival, and police said that other people were in the house at the time of the shooting, according to KHOU.
“After that custody hearing they came home,” a police department spokesperson said of the incident. “The stepfather and a babysitter were downstairs. They heard gunshots upstairs. Went upstairs and found the victims.”
The stepfather reportedly attempted to perform CPR on Vivian, but was unsuccessful in reviving her.
The mother – who has not yet been identified – attempted to die by suicide and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Authorities said she’s expected to survive.
The fatal shooting occurred shortly after a court judge overseeing the custody dispute granted Vivian’s father custody, according to KTRK. The mother, who was ordered to have “possession of the child only when continuously supervised,” shot Vivian on the same night she was supposed to turn the girl over to her father.
Law enforcement said that investigators have since spoken to the stepfather and the babysitter about the shooting as they work to piece together what happened.
It is not currently clear if the mother has been charged in connection to Vivian’s death. The Houston Police Department did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the case.
In addition to confirming the victim’s identity, the attorney also released a statement on behalf of the family, saying they were “devastated” by the tragedy. “Vivian was 4 years old. She was loved without limit by her father, Aaron, and by everyone whose life she touched. There are no words for what has been taken from us,” the attorney said.
“Aaron did everything the law asks of a parent who is trying to protect his child,” the statement said, according to KPRC. “He trusted the courts. He followed every order. He waited for the process to work. On Tuesday, a judge placed Vivian in his primary care, and she was supposed to come home to him that evening. She never did.”
The attorney went on to say that they were asking “the public to remember that there are fathers everywhere who fight quietly, patiently, and within the law to protect their children.”
“Their stories are rarely told, and they should be. We are grateful to everyone who has reached out with kindness. We ask for privacy as we grieve,” the statement concluded.
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