A 35-year-old Houston woman, Cibelle Savella, allegedly killed her four-year-old daughter, Vivian, before taking her own life.
Savella reportedly shot Vivian hours after a family court judge awarded primary custody of the child to her father, Aaron Savella, following a custody battle. The incident occurred in west Houston on Tuesday, September 30, 2026, shortly after the custody hearing involving Vivian’s parents.
According to attorneys representing Vivian’s father, Aaron Savella, the court awarded him primary custody and ordered that the child’s mother could have possession of Vivian only under continuous supervision.
Vivian was expected to be transferred to her father’s care after the hearing. However, the father’s attorney said the court order did not clearly specify how the immediate handover was to take place, while arrangements for a court-appointed supervisor had not yet been put in place.
Police said Vivian and her mother returned to their home on Terra Reserve Place after the hearing. Her stepfather and a babysitter were reportedly downstairs when they heard gunshots from an upstairs room shortly before 6 p.m. They rushed upstairs and found Vivian with a gunshot wound. Her stepfather reportedly attempted to perform CPR before emergency responders arrived.
Police said Vivian died at the scene, while Cibelle sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital in critical condition. She later died from her injuries.
Attorneys for Aaron said he had complied with the court’s orders throughout the custody proceedings and trusted the legal process to protect his daughter.
However,The Houston Police Department pledged to continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Vivian’s family described the four-year-old as a child who was “loved without limit.”
By Musekir Faisat Omolara
