In the quiet community of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, a tragic event unfolded on March 29, 2020, that claimed the lives of a young girl and her parents. Nine-year-old Teagan Faythe Brady, a female described as a free spirit with a kind heart who loved all things bright and sparkly, was found deceased in her home from an apparent gunshot wound. The incident, which occurred on what was tragically her ninth birthday, also resulted in the deaths of her father, 47-year-old Brian Brady, and her
mother, 42-year-old Krista Brady, both of whom also died from gunshot wounds.
Horry County police responded to a reported shooting on Drake Lane in the late afternoon. Upon arrival, officers discovered the three family members deceased. Neighbors reported hearing several gunshots. In the ensuing investigation, authorities indicated that there was no ongoing threat to the public, leading to speculation about the circumstances of the deaths.
Subsequent reports from the Horry County Police Department identified Krista Brady as the 'primary aggressor' in the incident. Friends of the family revealed that Krista had been struggling with mental health issues in the weeks leading up to the tragic event, expressing beliefs that people were out to get her. Neighbors who called 911 reportedly identified her as the shooter.
The family had relocated to the Myrtle Beach area from West Virginia, where Brian Brady had worked in various fields, including as an accountant and in coal mines. In South Carolina, he was working in landscaping. Friends remembered Teagan as a 'sweetheart' and described her mother, in better times, as being entirely devoted to her daughter and family. The investigation into the deaths of Teagan, Brian, and Krista Brady concluded it was a murder-suicide.
