“She shouldn’t have hit my momma”: 10-year-old girl who pulled a gun and fatally shot a woman who was engaged in physical altercation with her mother won’t face charges; mother sentenced
Florida – A Florida mother, L. Isaac, has been sentenced to five years in prison following a tragic incident where her 10-year-old daughter fatally shot a woman during a BBQ event. The incident took place in 2022, and the victim was identified as 41-year-old L. Rodgers.
The situation escalated from a verbal to a physical altercation between Isaac and Rodgers. According to reports, during the confrontation, Isaac handed her daughter a bag containing a gun. Amidst the physical altercation that ensued between Isaac and Rodgers, the young girl, influenced by the chaos, retrieved the gun and shot Rodgers, leading to her death. According to reports, the young girl yelled, “She shouldn’t have hit my momma,” after firing the fatal shot.
The distressing details emerged during the court proceedings, where Judge K. Weiss expressed his condolences to Rodgers’ family, acknowledging the deep emotional scars left by the incident. “Not a second, not a minute, not a day goes by without us living the hurt and devastation, the pain and fear you caused on the family,” said S. Rodgers, the victim’s sister, during the sentencing.
The police responded to the scene following 911 calls reporting the shooting at a residence. First responders found Rodgers with a gunshot wound to her head and promptly transported her to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries the following day.
The legal proceedings revealed a complex narrative involving intoxication, a dispute possibly fueled by social media, and poor judgment in handling the firearm. Isaac pleaded no contest to manslaughter and culpable negligence for storing or leaving an unloaded firearm within the reach of a minor. Alongside her prison term, Isaac will be under probation for three years following her release and is required to take a parenting class.
Witnesses provided critical testimony that shaped the case’s outcome. One witness described the initial altercation sparked by a confrontation over a social media post, which escalated rapidly. Isaac, reportedly the instigator of the physical confrontation, was also seen pointing the gun at Rodger’s boyfriend after the shooting. Rodgers’ boyfriend told authorities that Isaac then took the gun from her daughter and pointed it at him. He said that he put his hands in the air and then watched as Isaac returned to her apartment with her daughter.
Although the 10-year-old girl is still in the juvenile detention center, court documents indicate she will not face any charges. This case has stirred significant community and national conversation about the responsibilities of gun ownership and the impacts of gun violence. The involvement of a child in such a violent act adds a layer of tragedy and complexity to the discourse on preventing similar incidents in the future.
