- Gabbriana Boyster, a 16-year-old girl, was shot and killed in her Hillsboro home while friends were present but did not call for help.
- Her mother discovered Gabbriana's body the next day after the shooting; paramedics confirmed she had been dead for hours.
- Three boys present during the incident were taken into custody, with one charged with involuntary manslaughter and other offenses related to the shooting.
HILLSBORO, MISSOURI — Just over a month after a Syracuse father was sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his own 11-year-old son in a case where even the judge said the sentence was not long enough, another devastating case involving a child's death and a grieving mother is making headlines. This time, a 16-year-old girl was shot and killed inside her own home while spending time with friends who left her there without calling for help. Her mother found her the next day.
A Friday Night That Never Should Have Ended This Way
On the evening of July 11, Gabbriana Boyster was at her Hillsboro home with three boys she considered her friends. At some point that night, she was shot in the head.
What happened after is what makes this case even harder to process. The three boys did not call 911. They did not call her mother. They left.
Gabbriana remained inside the home through the night and into the next afternoon. Nobody came for her.
On Saturday, July 12, Candy G'Sell arrived at the home. She walked into the room and found her daughter.
"I walked in the room and she was laying there… sitting up," G'Sell told KSDK.
She called 911 immediately. But by the time paramedics arrived, Gabbriana had already been dead for hours.
What Investigators Found
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office took over the investigation and confirmed that Boyster had been shot Friday evening and that her body had remained inside the home for hours before her mother's discovery.
Three boys who were present at the time of the shooting were taken into custody. All three are juveniles and their identities have not been released.
One of the three has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon resulting in death, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse.
The other two were charged with abandonment of a corpse and have since been released from custody.
Investigators have not disclosed what led to the shooting or who owned the gun that was used.
A Mother's Grief
G'Sell did not hold back when she spoke to reporters about what happened to her daughter and about the friends who left her behind.
"It's not fair. My daughter was sweet and innocent and kind. And she loved her friends… for them, her friends, to just leave her," she said.
She also said something that no parent should ever have to say.
"There's no relief. My baby is gone. What mother wants to bury their baby?"
Who Gabby Was
Gabbriana Boyster went by Gabby to the people who loved her. She was 16 years old, the youngest of three siblings, and was getting ready to start her junior year at Hillsboro High School in the fall. She had already been thinking about her future. She wanted to become an ultrasound technician after graduation.
People who knew her described her as someone who took time to warm up but lit up a room once she did.
"Although she could be quiet at first, once she opened up, her vibrant personality and gift for conversation quickly shined through," her online obituary read. "Her kind heart, playful spirit, and the joy she brought to others will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered."
The School Community Responds
Hillsboro School District superintendent Dr. Jon Isaacson released a statement addressing the loss of one of their own.
"Our hearts are with the student's family, friends, and everyone impacted by this unimaginable loss," Isaacson said. "While words cannot take away the pain of this tragedy, we want our students, staff, and families to know they are not alone. We are committed to providing support and care for everyone who is grieving during this difficult time."
The investigation into what exactly happened inside that Hillsboro home on the night of July 11 remains active. For Candy G'Sell, the answers will never be enough to fill the silence her daughter left behind.
To view more cases of heartbreaking crimes and the families left behind, check out our video here:
