Two Florida sisters were charged with murder after allegedly shooting their 16-year-old brother while their parents were out of town.
Columbia County Sheriff’s Office arrested 15-year-old Ariel Kornegay and her 11-year-old sister Nicole Kornegay and charged them with premeditated murder of their older brother Damien Kornegay.
At approximately 10 p.m. Monday, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the Kornegay’s home in reference to a report of a person being shot. The deputies discovered the 16-year-old male deceased with a gunshot wound on the living room floor.
Police believe Ariel retrieved a handgun from their parent’s bedroom and used it to shoot her older brother. Police also determined that Nicole assisted in the killing of her brother and she was arrested as well.
Ariel told police she had been beaten by her brother earlier in the night and was locked in her bedroom. When Nicole unlocked the door, Ariel went to her parent’s room to get the gun and shoot Damien, Fox30Jax.com reports.
The two sisters then left the home and proceeded to Dollar General. Nicole called a friend’s mother and told her that she ran away. When the mother arrived to the Dollar General and found Ariel with Nicole, she alerted the police.
Ariel initially told officers her parents kicked her out, but then confessed to the shooting moments later.
There was also a 3-year-old at the home during the time of the shooting, but was not a witness to the shooting. The child was placed in the custody of Florida Department of Children and Families.
"At first we didn't know what had happened," Detective Cecil Brownfield told Fox30Jax.com, "so the officer was very compassionate with the girls. They had put them in the break room at the Dollar General store to keep them comfortable. We were mainly worried about their safety."
Parents Keith Kornegay, 37, and Misty Kornegay, 33, were both arrested as well and charged with child neglect for failing to supervise their children.
The parents were three hours away when they were notified of the shooting in their home. Misty traveled with Keith that day as he made his rounds as a truck driver.
All four will make an appearance in court Wednesday.
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