On April 11, 2023, 12-year-old Sakenya Syretha Steele was shot and killed by her mother, Ethel Syretha Steele (age 40), inside their home at 3140 Brookhill Drive in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The mother, while on a FaceTime call witnessed by another person (likely the children's father), shot and killed all three of her children sequentially — first Sakendra (age 9), then Sakenya (age 12), then Sakenlo Jr. (age 14) — before fatally shooting herself. Evidence indicates Sakenya may have witnessed her younger sister's murder, as she reportedly jumped up and screamed before being shot twice. The children were homeschooled by their single mother, who was described as reclusive by neighbors. The family had just returned from a vacation in Florida prior to the incident.
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 (NC_23_974.pdf) lists the cause of death as "Gun." The Winston-Salem Journal article describes the mother shooting her three children. The Daily Mail article states: "Cops said the elder Steele died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and that her children were shot dead as well."
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 Winston-Salem Journal article states: "the older girl jumped up and screamed before she was shot twice." The hsinvisiblechildren.org source further states: "Responding officers determined that Steele shot and killed each of the children sequentially before killing herself. Evidence indicates Sakenya may have witnessed the murder of her little sister." The child was shot to death by her mother.
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 Winston-Salem Journal article headline reads "Mother kills three children, then herself in murder-suicide in Winston-Salem." The hsinvisiblechildren.org source states the children "were shot to death as part of a murder-suicide by their mother, Ethel Steele." The Daily Mail article also explicitly refers to a "suspected 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?
Multiple sources confirm the biological mother, Ethel Syretha Steele, killed her children. The Winston-Salem Journal states: "A mother shot her three children inside a home on the south side of Winston-Salem while on a Facetime call on Tuesday." The hsinvisiblechildren.org source states the children "were shot to death as part of a murder-suicide by their mother, Ethel Steele."
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?
The hsinvisiblechildren.org source explicitly states: "The children were homeschooled." It further notes that the mother's relatives described her as "a single mother who homeschooled her three kids."
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?
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 covered by preceding questions are present. First, the murder was witnessed in real-time via FaceTime by someone likely the children's father, who then called 911. The Winston-Salem Journal states: "A mother shot her three children inside a home on the south side of Winston-Salem while on a Facetime call on Tuesday... The person at the other end of the call witnessed the shootings." The hsinvisiblechildren.org source adds: "A man on FaceTime with Steele at the time of the murders, likely the children's father, called 911." Second, the children were homeschooled by a single mother described as "reclusive" by neighbors, with limited community contact, which may be relevant to broader child safety policy discussions. Third, evidence indicates the mother shot each child sequentially, and Sakenya may have witnessed the murder of her younger sister before being killed herself. Fourth, the murders occurred immediately after the family returned from a vacation in Florida, per the children's godfather. Finally, the articles place this event in a broader statistical context of rising gun-related murder-suicides in North Carolina and nationally.
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.