The playground at the Village Lane apartment complex in Baytown, Texas, was a place where 14-year-old Anaya Zachary sought moments of joy and freedom. On March 21, 2025, that sanctuary turned into the scene of a tragedy that would shatter her family and leave a community grappling with grief. Anaya, an honor roll student who had moved from Opelousas, Louisiana, for a better life, was fatally shot by a 13-year-old classmate after a dispute that began on a school bus. The incident, marked by its sudden violence and devastating outcome, has sparked a broader conversation about youth violence, parental responsibility, and the accessibility of firearms.
The chain of events began innocently enough, with an argument between Anaya and her classmate during their bus ride home from Baytown Junior High School. According to family accounts, the disagreement escalated when the boy threatened to kill Anaya, a warning that went unheeded in the moment. After the bus dropped them off, Anaya returned to the apartment she shared with her godmother, Sonya Stanford, and asked permission to go outside to the playground. Unbeknownst to her, the boy had gone home, changed into dark clothing and a mask, and retrieved a revolver from his parents’ bedroom. The gun, stored in an unlocked travel bag, was easily accessible. He then set out for the apartment complex where Anaya lived.
At around 4 p.m., as Anaya played at the playground, the boy approached her. Witnesses later recounted that he called out her name before opening fire. Anaya, sensing the danger, tried to flee, but she was shot four times—twice in the back, and twice more after she fell. Despite the efforts of first responders who administered life-saving measures, Anaya was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. A bystander holding a baby was also injured by stray gunfire but was treated and released without serious harm.
The 13-year-old suspect, whose identity is protected due to his age, was arrested and charged with murder. He is currently in custody at the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center. The investigation revealed that the revolver used in the shooting belonged to his parents, Kenneth Coney, 61, and Cassie Coney, 37. On April 28, 2025, both parents were charged with making a firearm accessible to a child, a Class A misdemeanor that carries a potential penalty of up to one year in jail. Authorities determined that the couple’s failure to secure the weapon in a locked container enabled their son to access it, setting the stage for the tragedy.
Anaya’s family, devastated by her loss, has been vocal in their demand for justice. Joseph Zachary, Anaya’s father, described the unbearable pain of looking for his daughter each day as school buses pass by, a habit formed by routine now tinged with sorrow. Her cousin, Janet Zachery, emphasized that the boy knew exactly where to find the gun, pointing to what she sees as parental negligence. “This could have been dealt with a whole other way,” she said, expressing frustration that warning signs were missed. The family has called for stricter charges against the parents, arguing that a misdemeanor does not reflect the gravity of their daughter’s death.
Sonya Stanford, Anaya’s godmother, offered a poignant mix of grief and forgiveness. While she expressed disappointment in the parenting that allowed such an outcome, she extended forgiveness to the young shooter, urging for accountability but also for healing. The community has rallied around the family, honoring Anaya with a balloon release in her favorite color, purple, and establishing a memorial at the playground where she was killed. Students at Baytown Junior High School planned to wear purple in her memory, a testament to the impact she had on those around her.
The case has drawn comparisons to a landmark Michigan case where parents of a school shooter were sentenced to 10 years for involuntary manslaughter, raising questions about whether Texas law should impose harsher penalties for negligent firearm storage. For now, the Baytown community is left to mourn a bright young life cut short and to reflect on how such tragedies can be prevented. Anaya’s family, supported by an online fundraiser to cover funeral costs, plans to lay her to rest in Louisiana, where she was raised, ensuring her memory endures even as they seek justice in her name.