Girl, 13, Begged for Her Life After Watching Stepdad Murder Her Mom. He Shot Her in the Face — But She Survived

A 13-year-old Florida girl is recovering after surviving an attack that left her mother dead, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

The teen remains in critical but stable condition and is alert and talking, Judd said at a press conference. He also said he spoke with her beforehand, and she described pleading with her stepfather to stop.

“‘And he shot me anyway,’” Judd recounted.

Authorities say the girl and her siblings are now without parents after their mother, Crystal Kenney, was shot and killed by her husband, Jason Kenney, 47, who later took his own life just days before Christmas.

Judd said the 911 call came in just before midnight on Dec. 22. Investigators believe Jason had been watching Monday Night Football in a shed behind the house, then came back inside to watch the final minutes. Crystal objected when he took over the television, and the two began arguing.

As the dispute escalated, Judd said Crystal told her 12-year-old son to run next door and call 911.

“So the 12-year-old flees to the neighbor’s house in order to dial 911, and as he’s leaving the house, he hears a gunshot,” Judd said.

Deputies arrived within five minutes and entered the home, where they found Crystal fatally shot in the head, Judd said. In a bedroom, they also found Crystal’s 13-year-old daughter shot twice — once in the shoulder and once in the face.

“We later learned the bullet in the face hit her on the bridge of the nose, went straight up, and out the top of her head,” Judd said, adding: “That’s a Christmas miracle.”

The third child in the home — an infant daughter Crystal and Jason shared — was not injured.

Judd said Jason fled before deputies arrived and drove to the home of his recently deceased father, where he barricaded himself in a shed. During the drive, Judd said Jason contacted his sister and told her he had done “something very, very bad,” adding that “the next time you see me will be on the news.”

Deputies tracked Jason to the property, but as they surrounded the shed, Judd said they heard a single gunshot from inside. Jason was later pronounced dead at the scene.

All three children are now being cared for by their maternal grandparents.