In Indianapolis, an 8-year-old girl named Kendrielle Brye died from a gunshot wound on March 24, 2019. The young female was brought to a local fire station by a parent before being transported to Riley Hospital for Children, where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
Initial investigations by the Indianapolis Metro Police Department led them to believe that Kendrielle did not shoot herself.
Her mother, Tiffany White, initially gave conflicting accounts of the incident to authorities. She reportedly first told a firefighter that she and her husband were awakened by 'pop, pop, pop' and found their daughter on the floor. Later, she claimed to have been in her car with her 3-year-old son when she heard gunshots and ran inside. Another version of her story suggested the gunfire came from outside the house. However, investigators found no evidence to support a shooting from outside the residence.
Surveillance footage from the family's home security system contradicted White's statements. The video showed that White had arrived home with her daughter earlier in the afternoon and had not been sitting in the car as she claimed. Hours later, the footage captured Kendrielle's father, Kendall Brye, carrying his injured daughter to their car. After White drove away with Kendrielle to seek help, Brye was seen leaving the house with a black bag and his son before driving away in a separate vehicle.
Both parents were subsequently arrested and faced charges in connection with their daughter's death. Tiffany White was charged with neglect of a dependent causing death, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, and possession of cocaine and a controlled substance. Kendall Brye also faced neglect charges. He was apprehended by the IMPD Violent Crimes Unit and United States Marshals after a search. While police were confident Kendrielle did not inflict the fatal wound herself, court documents did not immediately clarify who pulled the trigger. An attorney for Kendall Brye suggested the shooting may have been a tragic accident, speculating that a younger child in the home may have gotten ahold of the gun.
