Custody battle ends in tragedy as Texas mum, 35, kills 4-year-old daughter before taking her own life
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Texas mum Cibelle Savella died after allegedly shooting her 4-year-old daughter following a custody ruling.
Vivian Savella was expected to return to her father after a court awarded him primary custody hours before the fatal shooting.
Police found 4-year-old Vivian dead inside her Houston home after responding to reports of a shooting on Monday evening.
The shooting happened in Houston on Monday, September 28, just hours after a family court judge awarded Vivian’s primary custody to her father, Aaron Savella.
According to the Houston Police Department, officers responded to a shooting call at about 5:45 p.m. at a home in west Houston.
Witnesses inside the house told police they heard gunshots coming from the third floor before forcing their way into the little girl’s room.
When officers arrived, they found Vivian suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her mother was also found with a gunshot wound and was detained and taken to hospital in critical condition.
Police initially said Savella was expected to survive, but the Houston Police Department later confirmed that she died in hospital on Wednesday.
The tragedy came hours after a family court hearing involving Vivian’s parents. According to reports, the judge had ruled that Vivian would be placed primarily in her father’s care.
The father’s attorney said the court did not specify how the handover would happen, but was set for Tuesday
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