On the evening of February 28, 2024, 11-year-old Maillyn (Mailyn) Turkes was fatally shot inside her home on Stansbury Lane in Landover, Maryland, by her stepfather, 38-year-old Curtis Brevard Lynch, in what police described as a domestic-related murder-suicide. Lynch also shot the child's mother, who was hospitalized in critical but stable condition and was expected to survive. Both the child and Lynch were pronounced dead at the scene. Lynch had been arrested in D.C. on February 12 on charges of threatening to kidnap or injure someone and had been released on February 16 on pretrial supervision with conditions including electronic monitoring and no gun possession. Sheriff's deputies had also responded to the home on February 21 for a reported argument but took no action. Lynch had a prior domestic conviction from 2015.
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 medical examiner report lists the cause of death as "Multiple gunshot wounds." The WTOP article states "a man shot his 11-year-old stepdaughter and then turned the gun on himself." The WUSA9 article describes the child as having been shot with a firearm. All sources confirm this was a firearm incident.
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The medical examiner report (MD_24_2117.pdf) states the cause of death as "Multiple gunshot wounds" with injury description "Subject shot." Multiple news articles confirm the child was shot by her stepfather.
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?
The WUSA9 article explicitly describes the incident as "a domestic-related murder/suicide." The WTOP article states Lynch "shot his 11-year-old stepdaughter and then turned the gun on himself." The WUSA9 article quotes Chief Aziz: "He then turned the gun on himself and took his own life." The NBC Washington article also describes the event as "a murder-suicide."
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?
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)?
Multiple sources identify the perpetrator as the child's stepfather. The WUSA9 article states: "The suspect is Mailyn's stepfather, according to police." The WTOP article says "a man shot his 11-year-old stepdaughter." The NBC Washington article confirms: "Her bright future was cut tragically short last night by her stepfather." The stepfather is identified as 38-year-old Curtis Brevard Lynch (WTOP) / Curtis Lynch (WUSA9, NBC).
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
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)?
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?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Multiple sources explicitly reference domestic violence by the parent/caregiver. The WTOP article states the county executive described the killing as part of "a growing epidemic of domestic violence" and noted that 6 of 11 killings in the county were domestic- or family-related. The NBC Washington article states: "Lynch was convicted in a domestic case in 2015, according to court documents." Additionally, the NBC article reports that on Feb. 21, "sheriff's deputies were called to a Landover home because of argument." The WTOP article notes that the Sheriff's Office "had responded to the home a few weeks ago."
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 NBC Washington article states: "D.C. police arrested Lynch Feb. 12. He was accused of threatening to kidnap or injure someone, according to court documents. He was released Feb. 16 on pretrial supervision." The WTOP article corroborates: "Lynch was arrested on Feb. 13 after he reportedly pulled a gun on a group of people in Southeast D.C." Additionally, the NBC article states: "Lynch was convicted in a domestic case in 2015, according to court documents." Both the D.C. arrest on Feb. 12/13 and the 2015 domestic conviction predate the fatal incident on Feb. 28, 2024.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable systemic details emerge from the text. The NBC Washington article reports that Lynch was arrested in D.C. on Feb. 12 for threatening to kidnap or injure someone and that "Prosecutors said they wanted him held without bond," but "He was released Feb. 16 on pretrial supervision. He was given a curfew, placed on electronic monitoring and told not to possess a gun." Just five days later, on Feb. 21, "sheriff's deputies were called to a Landover home because of argument" but "no action was taken by deputies other than to advise those involved with resources available to them." Lynch then killed the child on Feb. 28—only 12 days after his release. The WTOP article also notes that out of 11 killings in the county that year, 6 involved domestic- or family-related violence, with the county executive describing it as a "growing epidemic of domestic violence."
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