After Mo. Honor Student, 13, Is Fatally Shot by Boyfriend, Victim's Relative Says It Was Accident

Mar. 16, 2025

Nevaeh Smallwood.Photo: Facebook

Nevaeh Smallwood

St. Louis County Police said in a press release that they responded to a call around 3:51 p.m. Tuesday and found Nevaeh Smallwood suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A juvenile suspect was taken into custody and is now with Family Court, police said. Police said they were still investigating the relationship between the teens.

Nevaeh’s great-aunt Princess Portis told theSt. Louis Post-Dispatchthat she believed the shooting was accidental. “This was just so, so unexpected,” she said. “It’s a tough situation. I am at a loss for words.”

“I’m really fed up with it. This has really hit home and I’m devastated,” she said,KMOV4reports. “I really wish that these young men and women would put the guns down. They mean us no good. If you’re not hunting for food, we don’t need them. If you’re not protecting yourself, we don’t need them.”

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Portis described Nevaeh as a “really good kid,” she said, according to thePost-Dispatch. “She was a girly girl. She was a TikTok queen.”

According to thePost-Dispatch, Nevaeh was an honor roll student.

AGoFundMe pagehas been set up to help pay for funeral expenses.

St. Louis County Police Department urges anyone with information about the incident to call 636-529-8210. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).

source: people.com