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Guns now leading cause of death for Virginia children, teenagers in 2020

Virginia saw a 68% jump in gun-related deaths that year

Losing a loved one is a goodbye no one wants to say, especially not a parent.

โ€œThe loss is tremendous,โ€ said Lorraine Cunningham, who works with families at Oakeyโ€™s Funeral Service & Crematory in Roanoke. She said no matter the circumstance, it never gets easier.

โ€œJust a tremendous emotional experience for them. Just shock and not knowing what to do and how to move forward,โ€ said Cunningham.

Unsettling new statistics from the CDC show that nationally, firearm-related injuries were the leading cause of death for kids and teenagers (ages 1 to 19) in 2020, including homicides, suicides, and accidents. That is up 29.5% from 2019.

Itโ€™s a tragic trend that hits home in Southwest Virginia.

Back in 2020, 17-year-old Phillip Davis was shot in the parking lot of a Roanoke hotel after going to a party with some friends. He later died in the hospital. 10 News spoke with Davisโ€™ family after his passing.

โ€He didnโ€™t deserve to die like that,โ€ said Davisโ€™ mother, Dena Barbour.

โ€œHe should be laughing amongst his family. Heโ€™s only 17. You didnโ€™t even get to graduate and walk across that stage and make your family proud. We had to say goodbye to you in a casket,โ€ said Monica Scott, Davisโ€™ cousin.

10 News is working for you to learn more about the trend in Virginia. According to data from the Virginia Department of Healthโ€™s forensic epidemiologist, the total number of firearm-related deaths for kids and teenagers jumped from 88 in 2019 to 129 in 2020.

Thatโ€™s a 68% jump.

Homicides jumped from 52% to 75%. Suicides rose from 32% to 46%.

Before 2020, motor vehicle crash-related deaths had been the leading cause of death for children and teenagers aged 1-19 since 1999

Cunningham said Oakeyโ€™s staff has noticed an increase in suicides since the pandemic started.

โ€œI donโ€™t know whether itโ€™s due to isolation, depression or all of the above,โ€ said Cunningham.

She said itโ€™s a wake-up call.

โ€œSometimes we donโ€™t listen enough or look for signs,โ€ said Cunningham. โ€œWe need to try to intervene if we can.โ€


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You can watch Lindsey during our weekly newscasts or as a reporter bringing you the latest coverage.