A Dallas family is living a nightmare after losing two of their children to gun violence. Brittney Ross was at a funeral home planning the service for her 14-year-old son, Ah'bralen Rider, when she got the devastating news that her 6-year-old daughter, Ah'Laynah Modica-Ross, had been fatally shot.
In both incidents, the alleged shooters were teenagers. Ross, a mother of six, now must bury two of her children and try to understand why.
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The first shooting occurred in late December.
Per Fox 4, Rider and another 14-year-old were shot by a 16-year-old suspect just before 5 a.m. December 29. The teens were rushed to the hospital, where Rider died on December 31. The other teen was expected to survive.
The alleged shooter, whose name was not released because of his age, was charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of manslaughter in connection with Rider's death.
Ross was at the funeral home when she received shocking news.
Ross was getting her son dressed for his funeral service on January 10 when she received "a horrible heart breaking phone call with breath taking news that 6 yr old Ah'Laynah was being rushed to the hospital due to gun trauma to the head minutes after arriving the hospital was pronounced deceased as well," according to a GoFundMe page.
According to Dallas Police, Ah'Laynah was at a home in East Dallas with other children and an unsecured weapon, per Fox 4. She reportedly died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Police arrested a teen in connection with the second shooting.
Damariya Sowels, 19, reportedly witnessed the East Dallas shooting and was arrested on charges related to tampering with evidence, Fox 4 reported. He allegedly brought the MAC-10 reportedly used in the shooting and placed it in a bedroom on January 9.
The next day, after the shooting, he allegedly took the gun out of the home and hid it in a backpack in the garage. Police arrested Sowels and booked him in Dallas County Jail on a $104,000 bond.
The shootings have left the community heartbroken.
News of the two deadly shootings in such a short period of time shocked neighbors. Markia Boyd, whose children had played with Ah'Laynah in the past, told Fox 4 she couldn't believe what had happened.
"I'm trying to not cry, actually; I'm not. I'm trying to hold it in. I'm shaking right now," she said. "God has the strong power over all of this. It's a plan behind all of this."
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The mother of six is trying to pick up the pieces from her shattered life.
Ross posted multiple photos and videos to social media remembering her children. She wrote about her son:
"HE JUST TURNED 14 IN JUNE COLD PART BOUT IT THEY TOOK HIM TO HIS EX GIRL FLOP HOUSE HEA MAAM ME DIDNT GAF IN MURDER MY BABY DECEMBER 29 between 3:30 am-4:00am MY LAST TIME HOLDING LAYING IN THE BED KISSING ALL OVER HIS FACE CLEANING BLOOD FROM MY BABY MOUTH RUBBING IT ON MY FACE PUTTING THE TOWEL IN MY DRESS BLOODY SCREAMING PRAYING READING SCRIPTURE FROM THE BIBLE TALKN TO MY BABY BEGGING HIM BEGGING GOD KEEPING MY FAITH KUZ IM STRONG BUT IT BROKE ME WHAT ABOUT YO TWIN BRA WHAT ABOUT US YOU WAS HARD BODY I JUST KNEW BRATHEY DID MY BABY BAD HE WASNT NO TROUBLE KID."
So far, a GoFundMe account for the family has raised $1,045 of a $10,000 goal.
