The tragic death of a 16-year-old Missouri girl has left a community in shock and grief. Gabbriana Boyster was shot dead and left inside her home for hours before her mother returned and discovered her body, leading to criminal charges against three juveniles.
Deputies responded to a home on Tower Road near Hillsboro, about 45 minutes southwest of St. Louis, where they found Boyster with a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators believe she was shot Friday evening while three juveniles who knew her were inside the home.
One suspect has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon resulting in death, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse. Two others were each charged with abandonment of a corpse and later released. Authorities have not identified the suspects because they are minors.
Boyster's mother, Candy G'Sell, was away when the shooting happened. She told authorities that the last conversation she had with her daughter came Friday night, and that her daughter had told her she was staying home and to lock the door.
When G'Sell returned home Saturday afternoon, she found her daughter's body and called 911. Paramedics pronounced the teen dead at the scene. G'Sell described the moment she discovered her daughter's body, saying, "I walked in the room and she was laying there ... sitting up."
Investigators have not said what led to the shooting, though they say Boyster and the three suspects knew one another. G'Sell remembered her daughter as a kind-hearted teenager who loved her family, cared deeply about her friends, and dreamed of becoming an ultrasound technician.
The Hillsboro School District has offered support to students and families following Boyster's death. Superintendent Dr. Jon Isaacson said, "Our hearts are with the student's family, friends, and everyone impacted by this unimaginable loss." Grief counselors will be available for those who need them.
Boyster's mother, G'Sell, is still trying to come to terms with the loss of her daughter. She said, "There's no relief. My baby is gone." The community is mourning the loss of a young life, and the consequences of the actions of the three juveniles involved.
