A teenager in the US state of Georgia has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the November 2024 killing of her mother. The 16-year-old pleaded guilty to felony murder and aggravated assault, with the sentencing announced on Monday.
Teen's confession reveals planned attack
The teen was 14 years old when she shot her mother in the back of the head at their home. In a handwritten confession, she explained that she chose to kill her mother instead of committing a mass shooting. She wrote: "This whole thing was a last-minute choice. I was going to commit a school shooting at my old middle school but chose this instead."
An investigation into the death of Rachel Wagner found that the teenager was "obsessed with school shooters and mass shootings," had an extensive social media presence, and was "interested" in planning a mass casualty event. Investigators also found evidence that she had communicated with anonymous individuals online who encouraged her to plan and commit acts of violence.
Discovery and investigation
Police first made contact with the teen after she was involved in a car crash in November of the same year. Authorities learned she lived with her mother, who had not shown up for work that day and was not answering her phone, prompting a wellness check. Inside the home, police found the mother dead in her bed from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head.
According to US media reports, the mother had purchased the firearm at a pawn shop in Valdosta about a month before the murder. The teenager was allowed to keep the pistol and ammunition in her bedroom.
Prosecutor's warning
In a press release, Tifton Judicial Circuit District Attorney Patrick Warren said: "I urge you to never underestimate the influence that exists behind your child's screen."
He added: "It is your duty to know who is influencing your child, and it is your duty to know what they are being taught to believe is acceptable.
"Most importantly, please keep the door open for them to come to you as the best time to intervene is before an online influence becomes a criminal record."
