My (28) Father (48) Did Not Lock His Gun And My Sister (16) Used It To Die By Suicide.

Please forgive me if I used the wrong flare as I know this is a criminal issue as well, there are a lot of components to this issue but I feel the most important is my other sister’s custody arrangements.

Location: Texas.
This incident occurred in Texas where my family lives, I live out of state in California.

Essentially on November 9th of last year, my father took two of my younger sisters (16 and 14) to his wife’s (not the mother of any of the children) families ranch. My sister (16) had been experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors for some time and had been in residential treatment before several times (I believe this is important). While my father and his wife and my sister (14) were asleep, my sister (16) got ahold of my father’s firearm which was unlocked, loaded, and had been chambered. She left the residence and used the firearm to kill herself on the property.

She had left a timed text message for my mom and a note for my father. When my father found the note he called the police which did NOT know about the firearm initially and were treating it as a missing child case, they searched the property and found her body.

My mother would obviously like to have full custody of my sister (14) now. My father refuses to give any information to the police.

Without my sister (14) having to testify against our father, how can we do anything to protect her or change her custody arrangements? Initially my mother told me that the prosecutor she spoke to was trying to pursue negligent homicide charges but told my mother they likely would not stick. My mother spoke to a grand jury this morning and have them her statement of impact or whatever that is called.

I am willing to do whatever I can to help my family (specifically my mother and sister (14)) with this issue but I don’t know how to help. My mother gave the custody evaluator my information but I was never contacted, that was ages ago.

Thanks for any advice in advance. Happy to answer any questions to the best of my knowledge and ability.