LINKWOOD, MD - The family of a 5-year-old girl who was killed in a shooting at a home in the Linkwood community early Tuesday morning is hoping for justice in light of this tragic act of gun violence.
According to Maryland State Police, troopers were called to Rt. 50 on reports of a shooting around 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 11. Upon arrival, police say they found two victims who had been shot.
Na’Ryah Adams, five years old, died at the scene, according to family members present at the time. The other victim, a man in his thirties who the family has identified as her father, was flown to shock trauma for treatment.
Jolynn Adams, Na’Ryah’s grandmother, said the family home was always full of life, largely because of Na’Rayah.
"She just was a loving person and she loved her brothers and sisters,” Jolynn said. “Even though she might nag them a little bit."
Na’Ryah’s mother, Tamia Goslee, was in the home at the time of the incident. She told WBOC News she tried to shield her daughter and husband when the shots rang out.
"She was five … she was five,” Tamia said. “Everybody loved her, everybody knew her."
Multiplied bullet holes riddle the home. A reminder, Jolynn said, of Na’Ryah’s last moments.
"She took her last breath in my mouth while I was giving her CPR,” Jolynn said. “She refused to take her last breath. She gave it to me.”
Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit responded to the scene, along with Crime Scene Technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division, who processed the scene for evidence. MSP had not released any information regarding motive or suspects as of Wednesday.
"She's a sweet, innocent little girl. She was funny, playful,” Na’Ryah’s cousin Zamaya Paker said. “She did not deserve it, and I want justice for my uncle too."
Tamia said she hopes her daughter's death draws attention to the senselessness of gun violence.
The family is now focused on remembering Na’Rayah and keeping her spirit alive.
A balloon release is set for Saturday at 5 p.m. in Secretary Park. The balloons will be purple and blue, Na’Rayah's favorite colors.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 410-822-3101.
