13-year-old Girl Killed When Gun In Mother’s Purse Unintentionally Discharges

Dearria Radley, a 13-year-old middle schooler in Nashville, Tennessee, was accidentally shot and killed by a loaded gun that was in her mother’s purse. Her mother was searching for keys in the purse when the .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol unintentionally fired. Dearria died at the hospital from a single gunshot wound. No charges have yet been filed in this continuing investigation.

The school system is providing grief counselors to students, and the family set up a GoFundMe site to help with funeral expenses. Her mother described how loving her daughter was and how much she loved to sing and dance. “Losing her….No parent wants to bury their child and this is hard; it is hard and my heart is broken in a million pieces,” said her mother.

Sources:

Sandy Mazza, “Nashville Police Investigating Teen Girl’s ‘Accidental’ Shooting Death in Edgehill Home,” tennessean.com (March 24, 2024).

Mye Owens, “‘My World is Falling Apart’: Mom Opens Up in Emotional Interview After Daughter Killed in ‘Accidental Shooting’,” wkrn.co (March 25, 2024).