2-year-old boy shoots, kills father in Orange County home, sheriff says

Marie Rose Ayala arrested, faces charges

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A 2-year-old boy shot and killed his father in an Orange County home last month, according to the sheriff.

Sheriff John Mina said on Monday deputies responded to the home on Tobie Court on May 26 and found 26-year-old Reggie Mabry suffering from gunshot wounds.

Mina said the man’s wife, Marie Rose Ayala, was performing CPR before he was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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There were three children in the home at the time of the shooting — a 5-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old, an arrest report said. Mina said based on the evidence, it was initially thought to be a suicide, but the 2-year-old’s older sibling told authorities the toddler shot their father.

The parents left the gun in the room in a bag where the children were in, Mina said. He said Ayala was in the room at the time of the shooting.

According to an arrest warrant, Mabry was in a room playing a video game on the computer when the gun was fired.

Ayala was arrested and is facing charges of manslaughter by culpable negligence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and violation of probation.

She appeared in court for her first appearance Monday where a judge denied her bond.


About the Author

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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