RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A Richmond mother is grieving the loss of her daughter, after deadly gunshots were fired into their Southside home Sunday morning.
Family have identified the victim as 17-year-old Samiyah Yellardy, a beloved George Wythe High School student, friend and daughter.
“That was my love child,” Akeyia Pernell, the victim’s mother said. “Her birthday was Valentine’s Day. She was created out of love.”
Pernell said she called her daughter ‘the chosen one,’ and said the community adored her.
“She was special. She was always special. To know her was to love her,” Pernell said. “They hurt the world with this one.”
Richmond police responded to the 2200 block of Afton Avenue for reports of shots fired at 2:24 a.m. Sunday morning. When officers arrived, they found the teen suffering from a gunshot wound inside a building. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
The teen’s mother says her daughter heard noise outside and went to check it out. She says that’s when someone opened fire inside the home.
Pernell calls this a total senseless act of violence.
“This wasn’t a drive-by shooting outside. They went in my house and they killed my baby,” she said. “Total senseless.”
As of Wednesday, police have not released any suspect information or a motive; however, the investigation is ongoing.
Pernell says in the meantime, she and her family will remain strong for Samiyah.
“It hurts. It really does hurt,” she said. “It’s nothing in this world I can’t get through. Yeah I’m hurt, I’m broken but I’ma get through it. As long as I got breath in my body, my baby knows that.”
Anyone with information on this homicide investigation is encouraged to contact Major Crimes, Detective A. Coates, at 804-646-0729. For anonymous tips, call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 or use the P3 Tips app for smartphones.
