Amya Frazier, 11, went to a relative’s house to play video games. Instead, she lost her life after her 14-year-old cousin shot her with an unsecured gun in Columbus.
“All I remember was screaming and dropping to my knees, begging God to let her live and be OK,” Amya’s mother, Hope, said. But Amya did not survive the gunshot wound to her head. “My whole world crumbled.”
Now, Hope, Amya’s grandmother Amy Zahrani, and other loved ones are pushing for tougher penalties against adults who fail to secure their firearms when tragedies happen. Hope said Amya will never get the chance to become the doctor or professional soccer player she dreamed of being — but stronger laws could help save other children.
For years, Democrats in Ohio have pushed for safe storage laws, but those proposals have stalled in the Republican-controlled Legislature over concerns about gun rights. State Rep. Darnell Brewer, a Cleveland Democrat, is trying a different strategy in hopes of gaining support.
Brewer’s new bill would punish adults when children gain access to unsecured firearms that are later used to injure or kill someone. Penalties would range from a first-degree misdemeanor to a fourth-degree felony, depending on how serious the injuries are.
“This bill does not create a storage mandate,” Brewer said during a May 7 news conference. “Instead, it imposes accountability only when a minor gains access to a neglectfully stored firearm and harm results. In other words, there is no violation unless the child actually gets a hold of the gun.”
Amya Frazier, 11, poses for a photo with her backpack. She was a fifth grader at Westgate Elementary School.
Amya’s death is not the only case of Ohio children getting access to unsecured firearms with devastating consequences. In 2019, a 6-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his 2-year-old sister in Pataskala. In 2023, a 3-year-old shot his 7-year-old sister in the head in Cleveland, according to WHIO. In 2025, a 3-year-old boy fatally shot himself with an unsecured gun on the Southeast Side of Columbus.
One study found that locking firearms away or storing them unloaded was linked to “significant reductions” in accidental and self-inflicted gun injuries and deaths involving children and teens. Twenty-six states, including Florida and Texas, have some form of safe storage law.
However, organizations like the Buckeye Firearms Association argue that existing laws already punish parents when children use unsecured firearms to injure or kill others. “We’re not convinced that we need yet more laws in this area,” executive director Dean Rieck said.
In Amya’s case, her uncle, Matthew Seymour, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children. His 14-year-old son, accused in the shooting, has been charged with delinquency reckless homicide. Both cases are still pending.
Brewer’s proposal would also create a tax incentive for people who buy firearm safes and locking devices. He is also seeking to direct $30 million in unclaimed Ohio funds toward creating a new Office of Violence Prevention within the Ohio Department of Health.
Amya’s grandmother, Amy Zahrani, urged lawmakers to remember the 11-year-old as more than just another statistic or headline and take action. Amya loved soccer and butterflies. “She had a laugh that could fill a room and a heart big enough to hold everyone she met.”
“We believe our homes are safe. We believe our children know better. We believe we have time,” Zahrani said. “But I’m standing here to tell you, we don’t have time. Amya didn’t get more time.”
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