JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A mother charged in the shooting death of her 14-year-old daughter is now on trial. Amanda Guthrie was arrested in 2021 after her daughter was fatally shot at their family home. A forensic expert says the shooting was accidental, but the state is now charging Guthrie with aggravated manslaughter.
Prosecutors began opening statements Tuesday accusing Guthrie of caring more about smoking marijuana than protecting her child. They say the girl was playing with a gun that was not locked up.
"The only reason Ayva is not here is because of the actions of Amanda Gutherie," Prosecutors said.
Guthrie's lawyer says she legally owned the gun and called the shooting a freak accident.
"What happened that day could have happened to any of us," Gutherie's lawyers said.
In a Duval County courtroom Tuesday, Amanda Gutherie listened attentively.
On January 19th, 2021, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says Amanda Guthrie's 14-year-old daughter, Ayva was playing with a handgun in Guthrie's bedroom. There was no magazine in the gun, but there was a bullet in the chamber. When the teenager handed her mother the gun, it discharged, hitting Ayva in the head. She died at the hospital the next day.
Ayva's father Aaron Beiger was the first person to take the stand Tuesday, testifying he held his daughter's hand as she died. Guthrie's 911 call was played for the jury to hear, telling the 911 dispatcher, Ayva was shot in the head.
Amanda Guthrie: “We have my gun and it went off and my daughter was shot in the head.”
Dispatcher: “Your daughter was shot?”
Amanda Guthrie: “Yes, please hurry. Please.”
Dispatcher: “Alright, did she pick up the gun herself? Did she shoot herself?”
Amanda Guthrie: “No, it wasn’t. The barrel wasn’t in there so I just shot it and I just shot it up but somehow it hit her.”
In her call, Guthrie told the dispatcher Ayva was breathing but bleeding badly. The 911 dispatcher asks Guthrie to put a cloth to Ayva's head, she does.
"Ayva, can you hear me? Ayva," Guthrie said.
Photos of the gun were shown to the jury. Gutherie's attorney said the bullet that struck Avya was an accident and a ricochet.
"The bullet struck the tile floor," the defense said. "As soon as Ava was shot, her mother immediately called 911."
The jury also saw photos of the crime scene, including a bullet strike to a picture frame on the wall. The prosecution says Gutherie never said the bullet ricocheted in the 911 call.
The trial resumes Wednesday morning and is expected to continue this week.
