An eight-year-old girl has died after her babysitter’s 11-year-old son allegedly shot her in the head with a gun he stole from a relative’s safe.
Jenesis Dockery was shot dead in Fayetteville, North Carolina on July 23, just an hour after her father took her to the nanny’s home with her five-year-old sister.
The babysitter’s son reportedly got his hands on a gun and shot her in the head. She was hospitalized but died two days later.
Jenesis has been described as an energetic young girl who loved making dance videos and “loved everyone”. Her family is heartbroken by her death and is committed to justice.
According to ABC 11, the boy is currently in custody and investigators said there was enough evidence to charge him with manslaughter.
Eight-year-old Jenesis Dockery died after her babysitter’s 11-year-old son allegedly shot her in the head with a gun he stole from a relative’s safe
Heartbroken by her death on July 25, her parents Fon and Kimberly Dockery (pictured centre) are campaigning for justice
Jenesis’ father, Fon Dockery, said her life came to an abrupt end after he dropped her and her younger sister at the home of a babysitter who had often looked after them.
About an hour later, he received word that she was shot and died in hospital two days later.
“My daughter’s life was tragically taken,” he told WNCN. “It pained my heart to think that I would find myself in a situation where I would have to comfort my youngest daughter.”
“Losing a child is definitely a whole different pain,” said her mother, Kimberly Dockery.
“And of course no one understands it unless they’ve lost a child. It is definitely a pain that cannot even be described.”
Fon described Jenesis as a kid who “just loved everyone.” He said, ‘She wanted to dance and just live life man.’ She loved making TikTok videos.’
Her parents got tattooed in her memory and said the loss of their daughter left them with an “immeasurable” absence.
“It was a terrible nightmare, it still doesn’t feel real,” Fon said during a press conference on Thursday.
“It’s hard to put into words how we’re preparing to do something three weeks later.”
The family campaigns for justice for Jenesis and for gun violence education.
Jenesis Dockery was shot dead on July 23, just an hour after her father took her to the nanny’s house with her five-year-old sister (second from left).
The babysitter’s son reportedly got his hands on a gun and shot her in the head. She was hospitalized but died two days later
“We wore orange pins the day we buried our daughter – to raise awareness of gun violence,” her father said.
“Because as much as we want justice for our daughter, no parent should ever have to.”
“We thank the community and ask for your continued support and assistance until the full hand of the law is enforced with justice for our Jenesis.”
The family lawyer said the babysitter’s 11-year-old son was accused of shooting the young girl.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office of Victims’ Special Victims Unit filed filings with the Juvenile Justice Department on Thursday to encourage them to charge the boy with manslaughter and double count of theft of a firearm.
The investigators are trying to obtain a secured custody order for him as well.
A spokesman for the state’s Juvenile Justice Department said it could not provide details on specific cases.
“However, when making decisions related to safe custody, staff at the Department of Juvenile Justice and Crime Prevention take any information about whether a juvenile poses a threat to public safety very seriously and respond accordingly,” the spokesman added.
“DJJDP’s mission is to consider the potential risk to public safety, the individual needs of youth and their risk of recidivism when making decisions about how best to deal with crime.”
Jenesis’ funeral was held on Wednesday, and a donation page on GoFundMe has raised more than $23,000 for her family
Family lawyer Harry Daniels wants those who gave the child access to guns to be held accountable
Lawyer Harry Daniels wants those who gave the child access to guns to be held accountable.
“If they had been more diligent and paid more attention to the 11-year-old, they would have known for sure that he had (a) fantasy about owning guns and posting them on social media,” he said.
Daniels claimed there were multiple posts on social media showing the 11-year-old had access to guns.
He said two of the guns involved in the case were stolen from a relative’s safe.
Investigators are awaiting an autopsy and other evidence before deciding whether to press charges.
Jenesis’ funeral was held on Wednesday, and a donation page on GoFundMe has raised more than $23,000 for her family.