2 Teenagers In Custody After Fatal Christmas Eve Shooting Of Sister

Two Florida teenagers have been arrested after the shooting death of their sister on Christmas Eve.

Two Florida teenagers have been taken into custody following the murder of their older sister on Christmas Eve, the Washington Post reports, an incident that stemmed from a dispute between the two brothers over who had received the most gifts.

While Christmas shopping with their family on Sunday, the boys began arguing, which continued as they arrived at their grandmother’s house in Largo, Florida, later that day, according to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who spoke at a Dec. 26 press conference.

At one point, the younger brother, 14, drew a gun he owned and claimed that he was going to shoot his brother, 15, in the head, Gualtieri said. The older brother attempted to deescalate the situation, telling the 14-year-old that he did not want to fight and suggested he go for a walk.

Their uncle and older sister, Abrielle Baldwin, 23, also tried to intervene. “You all need to leave that stuff alone … . It’s Christmas,” Baldwin told them, according to Gualtieri.

Gualtieri said the 14-year-old then turned his weapon to her and shot her directly in the chest as she held her baby. Baldwin was pronounced dead at the hospital. Her baby was uninjured.

According to the sheriff, immediately after the shooting, the 15-year-old brother shot his younger brother in the stomach with his own handgun before disposing the weapon in a nearby yard and fleeing the scene. He was found at a relative’s house and taken into custody. The 14-year-old is reportedly in stable condition at a hospital.

“They’re not old enough to understand and have the right coping me mechanisms to deal with the stuff when they are upset,” said Gualtieri. “I mean the fact that two 14-year olds and 15-year-olds get upset with each other because one got more, I mean that happens. That’s just kid stuff but not with guns.”

The 15-year-old is facing charges of attempted first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. He is currently being held at a mental health facility after discussing harming himself.