A Washington mother is behind bars after she allegedly shot and killed her 14-year-old daughter for calling 911 on Tuesday.
KIRO 7 reports that authorities arrested Svetlana Laurel, 52, of Kent, in connection with the death of her daughter, Natalie Gulizia, shortly after a 911 dispatcher received a call from the teen. During a 15-minute call, Natalie told police her mother had a Taser and gun and threatened to use it on the suspect’s 12-year-old son. Laurel also threatened her former husband, Michael, according to police.
The incident began with Laurel showed up to her former husband’s residence, where their two children lived. The son was home alone and let Laurel inside. The suspect reportedly asked her son to show her around the home, then when upstairs, she zip-tied and shoved a sock in his mouth.
When Michael and Natalie arrived home, the suspect pulled a gun out and threatened to shoot her former husband for ruining her life, according to court documents. Natalie, fearing for her family, dialed 911. Laurel reportedly overheard the call. The police reported indicated a woman in the background of the call said she would “blow your head off” followed by the sounds of zip-ties and screaming.
“The 14-year-old daughter that was there tried to call 911 to get some help,” Cmdr. David Leibman, with the Renton Police Department, said. “The mother found out she was calling 911 and shot her.
Michael told police after Laurel fired the gun upstairs and shot Natalie, the suspect ran downstairs and pointed the gun at him, but it jammed before she could make a shot. He said he rammed her into a wall and managed to take the gun from her.
Spokesperson for the Renton Police Department, Sandra Havlik, said a parenting plan may have recently changed, People reports. According to police, Laurel had recently lost custody of the children.
“We believe there was a parenting plan in place but recent child custody issues that may have changed,” Havlik explained.
At around 8:32 p.m. on Tuesday, police detained Laurel. She was initially charged with suspicion of second-degree murder but during a hearing the following day, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Castleton requested to upgrade the charges.
“The state requests the court find probable cause for murder in the first degree, attempted murder in the first degree and three counts of unlawful imprisonment,” Castleton stated.
Laurel is now being held without bail on suspicion of murder, first-degree attempted murder, and three counts of unlawful imprisonment.
[Feature Photo:Natalie Gulizia/Police Handout]
