Aniyah Womack, a 19-year-old woman from Jacksonville, Florida, died on May 24, 2023, due to a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. The incident occurred while she was filming TikTok videos with Mariah Clayton, then 20 years old, in the bathroom of an acquaintance’s apartment.
According to witness testimony, Clayton was holding an all-black rifle and Womack was filming her as she "popped out" of the shower with the gun.
Despite being told by others in the apartment not to play with the rifle, Clayton continued to handle it inappropriately. A man in the apartment attempted to take the gun from Clayton, advising them not to play with it. When the man said he wanted to check something and reached for the rifle, it discharged before he could touch it, striking Womack.
After the shooting, Womack was driven to Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville by the driver and Clayton, who initially claimed they had found Womack suffering from a gunshot wound on the sidewalk. However, they later admitted that the incident occurred at the apartment complex. Womack died hours after being dropped off at the hospital.
The investigation into Womack's death lasted for 135 days before Mariah Clayton was identified as the suspect and arrested on October 6, 2023. Clayton was charged with manslaughter and held on a $250,000 bond. She later pleaded guilty to the charges on March 8, 2024, and was sentenced to 5 years in prison followed by 5 years of probation.
Womack’s family expressed deep grief and a desire for justice following her death. They criticized the actions of those involved, particularly for leaving Womack at the hospital alone. The family encouraged other families who have experienced similar tragedies to seek support from advocacy groups like MAD DADS and Silent Women Speaking.
Clayton expressed regret for the incident, describing it as "truly an accident" in a letter shared in court. She stated, "I wake up every morning wishing I did everything different," reflecting on the culpably negligent actions that led to Womack's death.
