Iyla Briner
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CANDID ID: IN_23_2080
AGE
6   years
STATE
Indiana
DATE OF DEATH
12/12/2023
STATE REPORTS
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On December 12, 2023, six-year-old Iyla Briner was killed by her biological mother, Naomi Briner (age 35), at their home on Telegraph Hill Road in rural Jefferson County, Indiana. Naomi shot all three of her children — Adelia (12), Leland (8), and Iyla (6) — then set the home on fire before fatally shooting herself. The mother shot herself while on a virtual call with the father of two of the children, who contacted law enforcement. When emergency personnel arrived shortly after 4 p.m., the house was engulfed in flames. All four individuals were pronounced deceased at the scene. Iyla's cause of death was determined to be acute smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning along with a single gunshot wound to the left eye, and her manner of death was ruled homicide. The Jefferson County Prosecutor concluded that Naomi Briner was responsible for the deaths of all three children and herself.
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?

All three documents describe a firearm incident. The medical examiner report lists cause of death as including "SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE LEFT EYE" and ICD code X95 (assault by firearm discharge). The DCS report states "the mother shot the children." The news article states "all three children sustained gunshot wounds."

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 (INME_2023_IB.pdf) lists the cause of death as including "SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE LEFT EYE." The DCS fatality report (INDCS_2023_IB.pdf) states "the mother shot the children" and the news article confirms "all three children sustained gunshot wounds, which were contributing factors in their deaths." This constitutes inflicted injury by gunshot.

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 DCS fatality report states: "the mother shot the children, started a fire in the home, and then shot herself." The news article confirms: "the Jefferson County Coroner's Officer ruled the manner of death of the three children to be homicide" and "the coroner's office listed the manner and cause of death of Naomi Briner to be from a self-inflicted gunshot wound." The prosecutor found "Naomi Briner was responsible for the deaths of the three children and herself." This is explicitly 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?

The DCS fatality report identifies the perpetrator as "Mother" and states "the mother shot the children, started a fire in the home, and then shot herself." The news article identifies the mother as Naomi Briner, 35, who was "the biological mother of the three children." The prosecutor found "Naomi Briner was responsible for the deaths of the three children and herself."

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)

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 DCS fatality report states: "Number of previous substantiated assessments for victim: 1, for the 12-year-old girl." This indicates a prior child protection report that resulted in a substantiated assessment concerning the 12-year-old sibling. Additionally, the perpetrator (mother) had "0" history of substantiated assessments and the victim had "0" previous unsubstantiated assessments, but the existence of the one substantiated assessment for the sibling establishes a history of CPS involvement for the family.

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?

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?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

Several notable details not fully addressed by the preceding questions are present. First, the DCS fatality report (INDCS_2023_IB.pdf) misidentifies the child's sex as male ("6-year-old boy"), which the document itself corrects with an appended note: "*Note that sex is reported incorrectly vs. what is available through the medical examiner report." Second, the DCS report states that "the mother shot herself while on a virtual call with the father of two of the children," indicating the father witnessed at least part of the event remotely. Third, two siblings — Adelia Briner (12) and Leland Briner (8) — were also killed in the same incident. Fourth, the mother deliberately set the home on fire after shooting the children, which contributed to the child's cause of death ("ACUTE SMOKE INHALATION AND CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING") in addition to the gunshot wound.

Lives Cut Short