A young girl made a heartbreaking plea to her stepfather after he allegedly shot her in the face following the murder of her mother in a drunken rage.
Jason Kenney, aged 47, is accused of shooting his wife, Crystal, after she requested him to turn off the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts game on Sunday, as per Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd during a press briefing.
Kenney, who had been drinking, became agitated when his wife asked him to switch off the TV, leading to a heated argument that prompted Crystal to ask her 12-year-old son to call emergency services. As the son rushed to a neighbor’s house, he heard the alarming sound of gunfire.
Upon arrival, the police found Crystal deceased inside the residence, while her 13-year-old daughter had sustained gunshot wounds to her face and shoulder. According to Judd, the girl recounted pleading with her stepfather not to shoot her, but he did so regardless.
The injured girl was swiftly taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition and is currently in recovery. Sheriff Judd described the trajectory of the bullet that struck her face, noting it as a “Christmas miracle.”
The boy who sought help was unharmed, as was the couple’s one-year-old daughter, found asleep in her crib. Kenney fled the scene, confessing to his sister that he had committed a horrific act and severing ties with her before driving to his father’s residence, where he was located by the authorities.
Despite efforts to persuade him to surrender, Kenney tragically took his own life, as per Judd. During a search of the family home, a note penned by Crystal was discovered, urging her husband to address his substance abuse problems.
“The entire family has been devastated,” remarked Judd. “Our detectives are deeply affected. You walk in there, and there’s a beautiful Christmas tree with presents underneath, a picture of what a family should be.”
The children are now under the care of their grandparents.