A family celebration in West Blocton, Alabama, ended in mass tragedy on July 18, 2024. Eight-year-old William Colton Daniels, who had been marking his upcoming ninth birthday with a pool party, was described as affectionate and well-liked at Greenwood Elementary School in Bessemer. Also killed at a home on Greentree Drive were his six-year-old sister Haley Daniels; their 24-year-old cousin Kelse Kendrick; and Kelse’s two children, six-year-old Kaleb and two-year-old Kynli.

Three of the children were pronounced dead at the scene; Kelse Kendrick and her niece were airlifted to Birmingham hospitals and later died of their injuries. Brandon Allan Kendrick II, husband of Kelse Kendrick, was at the scene when Bibb County Sheriff’s deputies arrived after a 911 call about a child being shot. He was taken into custody and charged with five counts of capital murder, including four counts involving children under 14 and one count for killing two or more people in a single act. No public explanation of motive has been released.

Does anyone have information about the family or the events that evening that could help clarify what happened?