Girl, 13, shot by drunk, NFL-crazed stepdad survived bullet going straight through her head: ‘Christmas miracle’
A 47‑year‑old man in Lakeland, Florida, who had been drinking, went on a shooting spree that killed his wife, shot his 13‑year‑old stepdaughter twice, and then took his own life. The incident unfolded late Monday night during a Monday Night Football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts.
Police say the violence started when the victim’s wife asked her husband to change the channel at about 11 p.m. His reaction was swift: after a heated quarrel, he pulled a gun, fatally shot his wife, and then fired two shots at his stepdaughter in her bedroom. The 13‑year‑old was hit in the head and shoulder. According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, one bullet struck the bridge of her nose, then ricocheted upward and exited her skull—an outcome he described as a “Christmas miracle.” The teen was rushed to emergency care in critical condition but is now alert and speaking, the sheriff reported.
The girl told investigators, “I begged him, ‘Don’t shoot me, don’t shoot me, don’t shoot me’ – and he shot me anyway.” She also gave harrowing details about how her mother was killed earlier that night.
At the scene, a 12‑year‑old son—also Kenney’s stepchild—was unharmed but called 911 after hearing the gunshots. A 1‑year‑old granddaughter was found asleep in her crib and remained safe. Jason Kenney—his name was on the police report—left the home in the dark and drove to his late father’s house, which was in probate. Once there, he called his sister in upstate New York, saying, “I did something terrible and this is the last time you’ll ever talk to me. You’ll see me on the news, but I am not going to jail,” according to the sheriff.
Police tracked him down, surrounded the property, and encouraged him to exit a shed where he was hiding. They heard a single shot, then entered and found Kenney dead from a self‑inflicted gunshot to the forehead.
During the search, deputies discovered an unsigned note from Crystal Kenney to her husband. The note urged him to seek help for his substance use: “You’re drinking, you’re using cocaine again. This is not the way the family should be. You need God,” the sheriff said.
Investigators have learned that Kenney had a history of domestic violence involving his wife, yet no prior police reports were filed. The children are now under the care of their grandparents, and Sheriff Judd said the family was “destroyed” after the tragic night, noting the contrast between a normal Christmas setting and the aftermath of the homicide.
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