11-Year-Old Shooting Victim Supported By Online Donation Sites

POLK COUNTY, FL — GoFundMe accounts have been set up to help 11-year-old Aubry Gleason, who suffered 11 gunshot wounds and a broken leg when the rest of her family was shot to death during a home invasion Sunday morning in Lakeland.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, veteran Brian Riley, 33, attacked the family in the mistaken belief that they were involved in sex trafficking. He demanded to see a woman named Amber who he thought was in the Gleason home; authorities said the family did nothing wrong and they didn't harbor a woman.

Riley forced his way into the bathroom of the Gleason home, where Aubry, her parents and a 3-month-old baby hid after Riley broke into their home and fatally shot three of them. The 62-year-old grandmother who lived in an apartment behind the main house was the first victim.

Authorities said Riley claimed God told him to kill the family.

On one of the GoFundMe accounts set up to help pay for the family's funeral and medical expenses, organizers said Aubry shared a message to supporters. “ I want everyone to know that it was very scary … and how much I am going to miss the BEST daddy in the world.”

Donations will also help pay expenses for Aubry's mother and stepfather so they can take time off work to be with the girl as she recovers.

"I played dead and prayed to God," she told deputies after the shootings.

Aubry was taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment. She was shot at least seven times in the legs, Sheriff Grady Judd said Thursday.

She has undergone multiple surgeries, and as of Thursday was in stable condition, authorities said.

"Now you understand why I ask for a lot of people just to help a little bit because what is remaining — an entire family with the exception of this 11-year-old child is wiped out," Judd said. "There's funeral bills, doctor bills and ... collateral issues that have to be dealt with. The family's doing the best they can. We are working with them with our crime victims folks. But they can use help."

If you would like to help the family, you can visit the Polk Sheriff Charities and select “Quadruple Homicide Victims” when selecting the donation amount.

Other ways to donate are through GoFundMe accounts that have been set up. You can visit the first one here, and the second one here.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.

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