On May 24, 2023, in Jacksonville, Florida, a routine video session resulted in the death of a young participant. During the recording of a TikTok video, 19-year-old Aniyah Womack was collaborating with 20-year-old Mariah Clayton. The video featured a rifle as a prop.
Per witness accounts, the recording took place inside a bathroom. Clayton, having just exited the shower, held the rifle, with Womack capturing the scene. Another man in the room endeavored to alert the duo about the rifle’s potential hazards. In his attempt to remove the rifle from Clayton, it discharged, striking Womack in the stomach.
Subsequent to the event, Womack was driven to a hospital in the vicinity and left outside alone. Her injuries were grave, and she was declared dead at approximately 4 am. The incident prompted an official inquiry by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, with attention directed towards Clayton.
In her initial statement, Clayton suggested that she came across an injured Womack by the roadside and endeavored to assist her. However, this version was countered by the individual who drove Womack to the medical facility. He disclosed that he was at the apartment prior to the event and was later alerted about the injury.
On October 6, following information from the Mad Dads community group, Clayton was placed under arrest. She is being held with a bond requirement of $250,000. The core of the charges she faces pertains to the alleged negligent handling of the rifle, culminating in Womack’s death. As a result, Clayton has been charged with manslaughter.
