A birthday trip ended in tragedy when 9-year-old Emily Grace Mayo was found dead in a car at Brooklet City Park.
On May 27, 2025. Her father, 37-year-old James Lee Mayo, was also found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. “He was supposed to bring her home to celebrate my dad’s birthday,” wrote Emily’s aunt, Amber Healy. “Instead, he pulled into that park and took her from us.”The Georgia Bureau of Investigation joined Brooklet Police to investigate. Inside the car, Emily was found in the backseat with a gunshot wound; a handgun lay in James’ lap. The deaths have left the family devastated and the community in shock.
Amber launched a GoFundMe, which quickly surpassed its \$10,000 goal. In it, she described Emily as “a bright, joyful soul… who loved dancing, singing, animals, and her cousins.” Amber made it clear: “We do not mourn him. He alone is responsible.”
Emily’s music teacher, Tasheina Canty-White, wrote: “She was an angel… she left a mark on me.”
Emily was remembered as kind, funny, and full of life. She had earned academic honors and loved the word “slay.” Her death is under ongoing investigation by the GBI.
