The family of a 7-year-old girl who was hit and killed by a stray bullet held a vigil to honor her life Tuesday evening.
Mariasia Thomas was struck during a drive-by shooting as she sat on the couch inside her foster home along Satellite Boulevard on April 12. Around 11 p.m., three bullets hit the home's front door, and four bullets went through two windows, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.
She died Monday, 10 days after the shooting in Ellenwood. DeKalb County police are investigating but have not made any arrests. They are offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
At the vigil Tuesday evening, family members and neighbors released balloons and lit candles in Thomas’ memory.
Her father Mario Thomas begged for the shooter to come forward.
“The person that did this to my little daughter, just please show your face,” Thomas told Channel 2 Action News. “That's all I'm asking for. Just show your face."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 770-724-7850.
Thomas was in Division of Family and Children Services custody at the time of the shooting. She had been in the foster home for about two weeks.
“She was an innocent little girl just watching TV on the couch,” her biological mother, Chanrica Boyd, previously told the news station. “It’s still unreal that this is my child that was shot up in this house due to something that wasn’t even involving her.”
The girl's aunt, Kiya Caldwell, set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the family. As of Wednesday morning, the page had raised more than $2,400.
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