GBI: Man, 9-year-old daughter found dead at South Georgia ball fields

By Andy Cole & Graham Cawthon

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    BULLOCH COUNTY, Georgia (WJCL) — Emily Grace Mayo, a 9-year-old girl known for her “joyous smile” and big heart, was found dead alongside her father, James Mayo, in a locked pickup truck at a city park in Brooklet on Tuesday, according to police.

Brooklet police responded to a call about a girl stuck inside a locked car and discovered Emily Grace and her father both deceased inside the vehicle. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was called in to lead the case shortly after.

Following an overnight investigation, state investigators believe that James Mayo shot and killed his daughter before taking his own life. Emily Grace was killed in the backseat of the pickup truck, while her father was slumped over in the front with a gun resting on his lap.

Both bodies are now at the GBI crime lab in Pooler for further investigation.

For Emily’s family, time stands still as they mourn the loss of the “sassy and dramatic” little girl who will never enjoy another summer day or holiday. The GBI said simply that her father is to blame.

Emily Grace will be, as her family says, forever 9.

A GoFundMe and Meal Train have been set up to help the family.

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