Girl, 16, shot in head by three other children who then abandoned her body, cops say

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 03:33, 16 July 2026 | Updated: 03:41, 16 July 2026 A heartbroken Missouri mom was horrified to discover her 16-year-old daughter's body after she was allegedly shot in the head and abandoned by three other children. Gabbriana 'Gabby' Boyster's body was found by her heartbroken mother in their home near Hillsboro on Saturday afternoon after the teen was shot in the head, according to police.  'I walked in the room and she was laying there...sitting up,' Boyster's mother, Candy G'Sell, told 5 On Your Side.  'There's no relief. My baby is gone. What mother wants to bury their baby?' G'Sell said she told her daughter to lock the door while she was away during their last conversation together on Friday night.  'She told me she was staying home. I told her to lock the door...In the blink of an eye, you know. She didn't deserve that,' the grieving mother continued.  Investigators said that three teenagers were inside the home when the shooting occurred. G'Sell told the outlet that her daughter had been friends with the three boys.   The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday that three juvenile suspects have been charged in Boyster's death.  Gabbriana 'Gabby' Boyster's body was discovered on Saturday afternoon by her heartbroken mother in their home near Hillsboro after the teen was shot in the head Boyster's mother, Candy G'Sell seen with Boyster, said she told her daughter to lock the door during their last conversation together on Friday night while she was away Investigators said three teenagers were inside the home when the shooting occurred. G'Sell, seen left with Boyster and her siblings, said her daughter was friends with the three boys Boyster is believed to have been shot on Friday evening and her body was then left in the home for hours before she was discovered the following day.  All three teens were charged with abandonment of a corpse, while one suspect was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action, the outlet reported.  The teen remains in custody while the other two were released, according to the sheriff's office. Authorities did not specify who owned the gun allegedly used in the shooting, according to Law & Crime.  'It's not fair. My daughter was sweet and innocent and kind,' G'Sell told 5 On Your Side.  'And she loved her friends.. for them, her friends, to just leave her...  'It's not a game. Guns are not toys.' G'Sell said Boyster was her youngest of her three children, kind-hearted and someone who loved her family and friends.  A GoFundMe created for Boyster's family, the teenager was described as 'the kind of person who would always make you smile.' All three teens were charged with abandonment of a corpse, while one suspect was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action Hailey McLain, the teenager's heartbroken sister, described Boyster as the 'sweetest kindest soul ever' and 'the best aunt you could ask for' 'She was beautiful inside and out, full of laughter, endless giggles, and a smile that made everyone around her feel at home. She loved deeply, cared fiercely, and brought joy everywhere she went,' the fundraiser continued.  'She was a daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, and friend who was cherished beyond words.' Boyster was set to enter into her junior year at Hillsboro High School.    'Our hearts are with the student’s family, friends, and everyone impacted by this unimaginable loss. While words cannot take away the pain of this tragedy, we want our students and staff and families to know they are not alone,' Superintendent Dr Jon Isaacson said in a statement obtained by KMOV.  'We are committed to providing support and care for everyone who is grieving during this difficult time.' Hailey McLain, the teenager's heartbroken sister, described Boyster as the 'sweetest kindest soul ever' and 'the best aunt you could ask for.' Boyster's cousin, Alicia Breann, wrote on Facebook: 'She was taken from us far too soon, and the pain we’re feeling is impossible to put into words. She deserved so much more than this.' Friends of the teenager were seen protesting outside of the Jefferson County Missouri Circuit Court and the Jefferson County Juvenile Detention Center, holding signs championing '#JusticeForGabby' G'Sell said Boyster was her youngest of her three children, kind-hearted and someone who loved her family and friends Friends of the teenager were seen protesting outside of the Jefferson County Missouri Circuit Court and the Jefferson County Juvenile Detention Center, holding signs championing '#JusticeForGabby.' A community member wrote online: 'Just saw a bunch of kids protesting outside of the Jefferson county courthouse. Screaming justice for Gabby. It is truly heartbreaking that this is what our world has come to. Teenagers crying outside the courthouse because their friend is dead.'  Her mother added: 'There's no reason for innocent lives to be taken away. She had so much life in front of her.'