On March 12, 2022, six-year-old Alyssa Whitfield and her eleven-year-old cousin Makayla Martin were fatally shot at a home in the 400 block of West Vega Lane in Killeen, Texas. During a domestic argument, Kendrick Donnell Gaines, 39, allegedly retrieved a firearm and shot his wife Danielle Gaines and the two children. Makayla died at the scene, and Alyssa was airlifted to McLane Children's Hospital but did not survive. Danielle Gaines sustained a gunshot wound to her neck but survived. A neighbor physically restrained Gaines after he exited the home with the gun, and Gaines was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with bond set at $2.5 million.
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?
Multiple sources confirm a firearm was used. The kdhnews.com article states Kendrick Gaines "retrieved a firearm and shot her and the two children." The fox44news.com article quotes a neighbor: "A lady that lives two doors down for me said I've been shot. My husband shot me, and I think my kids probably got shot too." The kxxv.com article identifies the charge as "Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon." The whenhomeisthedanger.org listing categorizes Alyssa Whitfield's cause of death as "Shot."
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 kdhnews.com article states: "During an argument Saturday with Danielle Gaines, husband Kendrick Gaines allegedly 'retrieved a firearm and shot her' and the two children." The fox44news.com article adds that "Officers found the children, two girls, ages six and eleven, both with gunshot wounds." Alyssa Whitfield was shot, constituting an inflicted injury.
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?
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)
Kendrick Gaines is the perpetrator who shot Alyssa Whitfield. He is the husband of Danielle Gaines, who is Makayla Martin's mother. The kdhnews.com article states that Makayla and Alyssa are "cousins" and that "Christina Whitfield" is identified as "Danielle Gaines' cousin." This establishes that Kendrick Gaines is a relative of Alyssa by marriage — essentially an uncle-like figure (spouse of a cousin's parent). He is not Alyssa's biological parent, stepfather, or paramour, but rather an adult relative by marriage. The fox44news.com article confirms "It was determined that all parties involved are related."
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?
Multiple sources confirm the arrest and charges. The kxxv.com article states: "Gaines is being charged with Capital Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and remains in custody." The kdhnews.com article provides further detail: "Kendrick Gaines, 39, was booked into the Bell County Jail charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Justice of the Peace Bill Cooke set Gaines' bond at $2.5 million."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The kdhnews.com article states: "During an argument Saturday with Danielle Gaines, husband Kendrick Gaines allegedly 'retrieved a firearm and shot her' and the two children." The fox44news.com article confirms: "According to the Killeen police department, the woman was fighting with her husband when shots were fired." A neighbor quotes the victim: "My husband shot me, and I think my kids probably got shot too." This is a clear instance of domestic violence by an adult who was functionally acting as a caregiver for the children in the home at the time.
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 emerge. First, a second child — Alyssa's 11-year-old cousin Makayla Martin — was also killed in the same shooting incident. Second, a neighbor, Jesse Davis, played a critical role in preventing further violence: according to the fox44news.com article, Davis stated, "I just held him, gave him the big old bear hug, and just held him from shooting or doing any more damage to anyone." Third, Alyssa was airlifted by helicopter to McLane Children's Hospital but did not survive, while the older child died at the scene. These details provide important context about the scale and circumstances of the incident.
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