A 13-year-old Florida girl who witnessed her stepfather fatally shoot her mother on Dec. 22 is speaking from her hospital bed after surviving two gunshot wounds — to the shoulder and the face. She described begging Jason Kenney not to shoot before he fired; the bullet entered the bridge of her nose and exited the top of her head. Sheriff Grady Judd said Kenney later died by suicide after barricading himself on family property. The three children are now cared for by their maternal grandmother and a GoFundMe has been set up to assist them.
13-Year-Old Survivor Describes Watching Stepfather Kill Her Mother — Then Being Shot in the Face
Jason Kenney/Facebook;Inside EditionCrystal Kenney and her children
A 13-year-old Florida girl is speaking for the first time from her hospital bed after surviving two gunshot wounds — one to the shoulder and one to the face — in a murder-suicide that claimed her mother’s life on Dec. 22.
What Happened
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, an argument over television programming escalated in the family home. The teen told Inside Edition that her mother, Crystal Kenney, refused to change the channel from an episode of Percy Jackson so her stepfather, Jason Kenney, could watch the final quarter of a San Francisco 49ers game.
Inside EditionA 13-year-old girl who was shot in the face by her stepfather is speaking out
Sheriff Judd said Jason had been watching the game in a shed outside before coming into the house. As the dispute grew heated, Crystal instructed her 12-year-old son to run next door and call for help. The 13-year-old stayed behind and witnessed the shooting.
"I begged him, 'Don't shoot me, don't shoot me,'" the teen told Inside Edition, describing the seconds before the gunfire.
She said Jason shot her mother and then turned the gun on her, firing first into her shoulder and then into her face. Miraculously, the bullet struck the bridge of her nose, traveled upward and exited through the top of her head. Sheriff Judd called her survival "a Christmas miracle." The girl is currently hospitalized and recovering.
Jason Kenney/FacebookJason and Crystal Kenney
Aftermath
Following the shooting, Jason Kenney fled in a vehicle to his late father’s property, barricaded himself in a shed, and died by suicide as deputies closed in. Sheriff Judd said Jason called his sister while driving and admitted he had done "something very, very bad," warning, "the next time you see me will be on the news."
The family’s 12-year-old son and an infant who shared a bedroom with Crystal and Jason were not injured. All three children are now in the care of their maternal grandmother. A GoFundMe has been established to support the children and their recovery.
Sources and Context
This account is based on the teen’s interview with Inside Edition and statements from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, with an original report summarized by People.
