An 11-year-old boy is being investigated for allegedly shooting and killing an eight-year-old girl his mother was babysitting.
The incident occurred in Fayetteville, North Carolina on July 25, when Jenesis Dockery and her younger sister were dropped off at a babysitter’s home. The babysitter was a longtime friend of the family and had cared for Jenesis and her sister many times in the past without a problem. About an hour later, Jenesis sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head and passed away two days later while receiving medical care.
Although formal charges have not yet been brought against the boy, authorities are considering charging him with manslaughter and larceny of a firearm.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is pursuing action and seeking secure custody arrangements for the boy. He was taken into custody on Friday, August 11, and is being held at the Department of Juvenile Detention.
The firearm used in the incident was reportedly taken from an unlocked safe at the babysitter’s house, a safe with which the boy was familiar. Notably, the boy had shared images on social media where he posed with firearms before the incident occurred.
The family’s attorney, Harry Daniels, confirmed that the accessible safe contained the firearm involved in the incident.
Jenesis Dockery’s family remembers her as a lively child who enjoyed dancing and creating TikTok videos. In honor of her memory, they wore orange pins at her funeral as a symbol of gun violence awareness.
As investigations continue, questions have emerged about potential legal repercussions for those who entrusted the children to the 11-year-old boy’s supervision.
