A birthday celebration turned into an unimaginable heartbreak for a Georgia family when a young girl never made it to her grandfather’s party. Instead, she was found dead, killed by the very person who was meant to keep her safe, leaving family and friends trying to cope with a grief that’s impossible to put into words.
On May 28, 2025, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) confirmed that it was working alongside the Brooklet Police Department to look into the deaths of a father and daughter in Bulloch County. The tragedy unfolded the previous evening.
Around 7:45 p.m. on May 27, officers responded to a call about an unresponsive child in a car at Brooklet City Park. When police and sheriff’s deputies arrived, they discovered a harrowing scene. Inside the car was nine-year-old Emily Grace Mayo in the backseat, dead from an apparent gunshot wound. In the front seat was her father, 37-year-old James Lee Mayo, who had also died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A handgun was found on his lap.
Both were transported to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsies. While the investigation continues, the shock and pain are deeply felt by those who loved Emily.
Emily’s aunt, Amber Healy, started a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral expenses, setting a goal of $10,000. Within days, the fundraiser had raised over $29,000. In her message, Amber shared how Emily was full of life and joy, lighting up every room she entered. She loved dancing, singing, playing outside, animals, her cousins, Roblox, and her friends. “She had a heart full of love and a smile that could brighten anyone’s day,” Amber wrote. “We can’t put into words how much we loved her. The world has lost a shining light.”
Emily had just finished third grade and was excited to start fourth grade in the fall. Her aunt described her as a child brimming with energy and determination, but her dreams were cut short by the one she trusted most.
Amber later posted an emotional update, thanking the community for their overwhelming support while clarifying that Emily should not be defined by her father’s name. “He didn’t deserve her,” she wrote. “He was supposed to bring her home to celebrate my dad’s birthday. Instead, he took her away from us at that park.”
On social media, Amber shared photos of Emily throughout her life, remembering the day of the tragedy. She wrote about being on the phone with her sister Courtney, Emily’s mother, as she arrived at the scene and faced the horrific reality.
“I had to hold my 12-year-old daughter as she cried for her cousin all night,” Amber shared. “They were inseparable, even though they lived far apart.”
Amber made it clear she did not grieve for James. “He was selfish and evil,” she wrote. “He alone is responsible for this. We do not mourn him. We mourn Emily, the bright and loving girl he stole from us.”
The loss has reached beyond the family. Emily’s music teacher, Tasheina Canty-White, shared her sorrow online, posting memories of Emily in her class. She remembered how Emily’s joy lifted her spirits, how she once posed for a photo with a necklace Emily had made. Just days earlier, Emily had sung “Party in the USA” during school karaoke—no one knew it would be the last time.
“She was an angel,” Tasheina wrote. “She left a mark on my heart, and I will carry her with me always.”
Emily’s obituary, lovingly written by her aunt, tells the story of a girl who was born on October 20, 2015, in Statesboro, and was known for her warmth, humor, and kindness. She was a fourth grader at Brooklet Elementary School, where she earned academic honors and was recognized as a “Future Influencer” for her positivity. Her favorite color was blue, and her favorite word was “slay.”
Emily leaves behind her mother, Courtney Badgett; younger sister, Addilyn Williams; grandparents Frank and Pam Badgett and Wayne and Carrie Mayo; great-grandmother Joby Snelling; and a large family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She also leaves behind her pets, Tank and Ozzie.
She was preceded in death by her great-grandfather Ron Snelling and cousins Grayson and Gabriel Mayo.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory in Statesboro. A candlelight vigil is being planned at Brooklet City Park to honor Emily’s memory.
The GBI investigation into this heartbreaking incident is still ongoing.
