Horrific details revealed after Texas mom shot daughter, 4, in murder-suicide hours after she lost custody battle

A mother tragically took her daughter's life and then her own, in a horrific murder-suicide following a custody battle.

Cibelle Savella had lost a custody battle with the girl's father, Aaron Savella, just hours before the horrific incident.

The Texas mom was meant to hand over her daughter, Vivian, to her ex-husband on Tuesday night (September 29), but this never happened.

Instead, the 35-year-old shot her dead in her Houston home before taking her own life, as reported by ABC13.

Lieutenant Larry Crowson announced: “There was a custody hearing earlier today that didn’t go well for the mother,

“She came home, shot her 4-year-old, and then shot herself.”

While the mom was hospitalized before dying a day later, the young girl died instantly.

Cibelle Savella committed a murder-suicide after losing a custody battle for her four-year-old daughter. Credit: Facebook

Cibelle and Aaron Savella's history

Cibelle, originally from Brazil, divorced Aaron in November 2024 after four years of marriage, which led to a lengthy legal battle over their little girl.

But eight hours before the murder-suicide, the mom was dealt a blow in her relationship with Vivian.

As reported by the Daily Mail, she was banned from speaking to her daughter in her native Portuguese unless one of the supervisors could speak the language.

The mom was banned from attending school performances and extracurricular activities, while being ordered to pay child support and cover 50% of any medical expenses.

While the details of the split are known, it isn't clear why Cibelle lost custody, or why she was hit with such restrictions over her daughter.

Family's relatives speak out

Vivian's surviving relatives admitted that they were 'devastated' by the news, as some admitted they were left speechless.

They said in a statement: “Vivian was 4 years old. She was loved without limit by her father, Aaron, and by everyone whose life she touched. There are no words for what has been taken from us.

“Aaron did everything the law asks of a parent who is trying to protect his child. He trusted the courts.

“He followed every order. He waited for the process to work. On Tuesday, a judge placed Vivian in his primary care, and she was supposed to come home to him that evening. She never did,” they stated.

The reasoning behind Cibelle Savella's restrictions with her daughter are currently unknown. Credit: Facebook

Family lawyer speaks out about the murder-suicide

Following the harrowing incident, lawyer Charlotte Rainwater, who represented Aaron Savella, shared how she and the family felt about the heinous crime.

The legal expert said, as per KHOU: “I’ve been practicing family law for 28 years and have never experienced anything like this.

“I don’t think anyone in this courtroom on Tuesday contemplated this could be the outcome.”

She also admitted that 'the family is devastated by this outcome.'

Featured image credit: Facebook