The Georgia mother of a 2-year-old accidentally shot and killed with her gun as the family began a summer vacation in Osceola County now faces a charge of aggravated manslaughter because the firearm was left out in the family’s car.
The charge could carry up to a 30-year prison sentence for Shakelia Tennyson, 37, the mother of Brayden Tennyson. Brayden was shot July 12 by his 4-year-old cousin inside the car. The family had just arrived at a vacation rental near Kissimmee for a trip that was to include a celebration of Brayden’s third birthday.
The boy’s parents were away from the car with the children unsupervised inside, but they had not even entered the rental when the shot rang out.
Tennyson was indicted Oct. 27 and was booked into the Osceola County Jail on Monday, according to court records. She has pleaded not guilty and was since released on a $25,000 bond.
In a statement, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell said her office brought the case to a grand jury, which “was not a decision we made lightly.”
“At the center of this case is a mother who has lost her son,” she said. “The pain and grief she is experiencing is unfathomable and nothing about this prosecution diminishes it. … Another young child must also now carry the trauma of what happened, a painful reminder of how far the harm of a single moment can reach.”
The criminal case had been looming since the incident. Under Florida law, the death of a minor due to culpable negligence merits a charge of aggravated manslaughter.
“It was laid out, it was literally in the open,” Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said of the gun while speaking to reporters the day after the shooting. The Sheriff’s Office offers free locks to gun owners who need them.
After her son’s death, Tennyson was allowed to return to Georgia, where her home is listed in Louisville, though she was told she faced possible criminal charges.
Her attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.
The shooting prompted national media coverage, with news outlets in Georgia describing Brayden as an outgoing child and a fan of Spider-Man who loved playing as the superhero by pretending to shoot webs and jump around.
On the Gofundme page set up to raise money to cover the costs of his funeral and returning his body to Georgia, a relative wrote, “Tomorrow should have been filled with birthday candles, laughter, hugs, and happy memories. Instead, those who love Brayden are left mourning the loss of a beautiful little boy whose life was taken far too soon.”
The Gun Violence Archive, a national database documenting shootings, recorded 524 children under 11 killed or injured by gunfire in 2026 as of Thursday. There were 39 instances in Florida, with 18 of them ending in children’s deaths.