A memorial is growing at the playground where 14-year-old Anaya Zachary was fatally shot while playing. Her family, including her godmother Sonya Stanford, are struggling to accept the heartbreaking loss.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Teenage boy allegedly shoots, kills girl at Baytown apartment complex playground following school bus altercation
“I’m not angry with you, I’m not upset with you, but I want you to know that I forgive you as of tonight and I put you into the hands of the Lord,” Stanford said, speaking directly to the 13-year-old boy accused of shooting Anaya.
Stanford, who had been taking care of Anaya for the past year, described her goddaughter as a sweet, honor-roll student with a kind heart. “She was a sweet kid, an honor roll student. Never had no problems yes ma’am, no ma’am. Thank you, no thank you. This was a sweet baby,” she recalled.
Anaya’s life was tragically cut short at the Village Lane apartment complex in Baytown. According to Baytown police, she was gunned down at a playground by a fellow classmate from Baytown Junior Middle School.
Stanford said she learned from her daughter that Anaya had never bullied the boy, but the two didn’t get along. “I asked Perez did Naya bully the little boy on the bus, she said no, but they never did get along,” Stanford shared.
What seemed like a small disagreement took a turn for the worse. “Her and the little boy got into it on the bus, and he got off the bus, he went home, he came back, he went home again. Anaya came in and asked me, ‘Tia, can I go outside?’”
Stanford says the boy returned later with a vengeance. “He went home, put on all black, put on a black mask, and came back and called my baby’s name and he shot my baby four times,” she said.
Anaya was rushed to the hospital, but she didn’t survive her injuries.
Stanford, in disbelief, said that had she known about the altercation, she would have gone to the boy’s parents with Anaya to resolve the issue before it escalated. “If I knew there was an altercation, me being who I am again, I would’ve went to the little boy’s parents with Anaya to see if we can get this resolved because stuff like this occurs all the time, but this does not make any sense at all,” she said.
Stanford also expressed deep frustration with the boy’s parents. “You should have put your weapon up so your 13-year-old son wouldn’t have gotten this gun and shot my child. I am very hurt, I am very disappointed,” she added.
The 13-year-old suspect has been taken into custody by Baytown police. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities will provide more details as they become available.
The tragic loss of Anaya has left her family devastated, but they continue to lean on their faith as they navigate through this painful time.
