A Texas mom shot dead her 4-year-old daughter in a murder-suicide just hours after losing a custody battle with the girl’s dad.
Cibelle Savella, 35, was supposed to hand over her daughter, Vivian, to her ex-husband, Aaron Savella, on Tuesday night – but instead shot her dead in her $824,000 Houston home and then turned the gun on herself, ABC13 reported.
“There was a custody hearing earlier today that didn’t go well for the mother,” Houston Police Lieutenant Larry Crowson said.
“She came home, shot her 4-year-old, and then shot herself.”
The mom was initially hospitalized but died a day later.
Savella, originally from Brazil, divorced Aaron in November 2024 after just four years of marriage, leading to a bitter legal battle over their daughter.
In her latest loss just eight hours before the murder-suicide, the mom was banned from speaking to her daughter in her native Portuguese unless one of the supervisors could speak the language, the Mail reported, citing the filing.
The mom was also banned from attending any school performances and extracurricular activities, ordered to pay child support to her ex and cover 50% of any out-of-pocket medical expenses.
It was not immediately clear why Savella lost custody and was hit with such stringent restrictions over her daughter.
The little girl’s surviving relatives said they were “devastated.”
“Vivian was 4 years old. She was loved without limit by her father, Aaron, and by everyone whose life she touched. There are no words for what has been taken from us.
“Aaron did everything the law asks of a parent who is trying to protect his child. He trusted the courts.
“He followed every order. He waited for the process to work. On Tuesday, a judge placed Vivian in his primary care, and she was supposed to come home to him that evening. She never did.”
Lawyer Charlotte Rainwater, who represented Aaron Savella, said “the family is devastated by this outcome,” KHOU reported.
“I’ve been practicing family law for 28 years and have never experienced anything like this.
“I don’t think anyone in this courtroom on Tuesday contemplated this could be the outcome.”
