Zykee Ryans, a 4-year-old boy from Augusta, Georgia, died on November 25, 2023, at Wellstar MCG hospital from a gunshot wound to the head, approximately two weeks after accidentally shooting himself with an unsecured firearm on November 12, 2023, at the family's residence in the 1900 block of Murphy Road in Richmond County. The manner of death was ruled homicide. Two family members, Brittany Ryans (35) and Ladarian Ryans (19), were arrested and initially charged with five counts of cruelty to children in the second degree each; after the child died, both were additionally charged with second-degree murder. Brittany Ryans had a prior 2018 criminal history involving charges of deprivation of a minor and contributing to the deprivation of a minor.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The GBI fatality report states the cause of death was "Gunshot wound of the head." The news article reports that the child "died after shooting himself with an unsecured gun" and that "Deputies were called to investigate a report of a child with a self-inflicted gunshot wound."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The news article states the 4-year-old boy "died after shooting himself with an unsecured gun" while "playing with gun." A 4-year-old having access to a loaded, unsecured firearm strongly implies inappropriate supervision. This is further supported by the arrest of two family members on charges of "cruelty to children in the second degree" and later "murder in the second degree," indicating the adults failed to properly supervise the child and secure the weapon.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The news article identifies Brittany Ryans, 35, as one of two arrested family members. She shares the child's last name (Ryans), was at the residence ("the Ryans' residence in the 1900 block of Murphy Road"), is of an appropriate age to be the mother of a 4-year-old, was charged with five counts of cruelty to children, and has a prior 2018 criminal history for "deprivation of a minor" and "contributing to the deprivation of a minor." While the text does not explicitly state she is Zykee's biological mother, the totality of these facts strongly implies she is.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
The news article identifies Ladarian Ryans, 19, as a family member who was arrested and charged in connection with the death. At 19 years of age, he is an adult but too young to plausibly be Zykee's biological father (he would have been approximately 14-15 at the time of conception). The text only describes him and Brittany as "family members" without specifying his exact relationship to the child. He could be an older sibling, a cousin, an uncle, or another type of relative. His involvement is clear from the charges, but his precise relationship is ambiguous, making it uncertain whether he fits the "another adult relative" category versus the "sibling" category.
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The news article states that Brittany Ryans "was charged in 2018 with one count of deprivation of a minor and six counts of contributing to the deprivation of a minor and sentenced to a combination of confinement and probation." While these are criminal charges rather than CPS reports per se, criminal charges of child deprivation strongly imply prior child protection system involvement. Additionally, the five counts of cruelty to children in the second degree brought against her for this incident suggest multiple children were in the home, and the 2018 charges indicate a prior pattern of child welfare concerns involving children under her care.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The news article states that "Brittany Ryans, 35, was previously arrested on five counts of cruelty to children in the second degree" and that "On Monday, deputies obtained additional warrants on both Brittany Ryans and Ladarian Ryans on charges of murder in the second degree." Additionally, "Ladarian Ryans, 19, who'd been at-large, was taken into custody." Both adults were arrested and charged in connection with the child's death.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The news article explicitly states: "Brittany Ryans has a criminal history, according to court records. She was charged in 2018 with one count of deprivation of a minor and six counts of contributing to the deprivation of a minor and sentenced to a combination of confinement and probation." These 2018 charges predate and are separate from the current fatal incident in 2023.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The news article reveals several notable systemic concerns. Brittany Ryans had a prior 2018 criminal history involving "one count of deprivation of a minor and six counts of contributing to the deprivation of a minor" for which she was "sentenced to a combination of confinement and probation," yet she apparently retained custody of children. Additionally, the five counts of cruelty to children in the second degree charged against each adult suggest that there were multiple children (likely five) in the home exposed to the unsecured firearm. The charges were also escalated from cruelty to children to second-degree murder after the child died following approximately two weeks in the hospital. This case raises questions about whether adequate post-conviction monitoring of Brittany Ryans' access to and supervision of children was in place following her 2018 conviction.
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