Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005 | 11:09 a.m.
The mother of a 12-year-old boy who shot himself on Friday says her 10-year-old son tried to stop him from committing suicide, but the older brother went through with it saying, "The reason I'm doing this is so you can be safe and you don't ever have to see Dad again."
Syber Wells died of a gunshot wound shortly before 9 a.m. Friday at the home of his 35-year-old father, Geoffrey Wells, in the 300 block of West Basic Road in Henderson.
Thirty-nine-year-old Maria Wells fought back tears on Monday as she shared with the Sun what her 10-year-old son told her he witnessed as the tragic events unfolded Friday morning.
"All three (of her sons) were home alone after their father (Geoffrey Wells) went to work at 6 a.m.," Maria Wells said. "He (the 10-year-old) said they were told to do their chores and he (Geoffrey Wells) left.
Syber was cleaning the kitchen when he turned to my 10-year-old and said 'I've had enough of this, I'm going to kill myself.' "
Maria Wells said her 10-year-old son says Syber began giving him and his 8-year-old brother his games, toys and belongings and then went to the home's master bedroom. She said the 10-year-old followed him in and pleaded with Syber "not to do it."
She said her 10-year-old told her Syber turned to him and said, "The reason I'm doing this is so you can be safe and you don't ever have to see Dad again."
The 10-year-old told her Syber kicked him out of the room and minutes later he heard gunshots.
In a statement Syber gave to the Family Mediation Center this year, he said, "I would rather live with his mom and visit dad every other weekend."
He said his father "yelled at him and makes fun of him, his clothes and hair style."
Syber Wells might not have been at his father's home if not for Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss' decision to award joint custody of him and his 8-year-old and 10-year-old brothers as part of divorce proceedings.
Earlier this year Moss ruled that the boys' custody would alternate between the parents for one week at a time. Moss ordered each parent to have "one week on, one week off."
Moss made this ruling despite the fact that both videotape evidence showed that loaded guns were readily accessible in the home of Geoffrey Wells, a former Marine, and the 8-year-old and 10-year-old boys said in statements to the Family Mediation Center that the safe in which Geoffrey Wells allegedly kept the weapons locked was unlocked because he lost the key.
In addressing the gun issue on April 13, Moss said, "I don't see a problem with the gun issues as long as, I guess, they are trained as a military family. They grow up like that. It's a unique situation."
After reading the affidavits of the 8-year-old and 10-year-old in court on Aug. 8 in which the boys say loaded guns are unlocked at Geoffrey Wells' home, Moss took Wells' word at face value that the loaded guns were locked up.
Maria Wells could not hold back her anger at Moss when asked if she blamed the judge for the death of her son.
"I hate her," Maria Wells said. "She had a lot to do with killing my son. This should have never have happened. She should never have granted joint custody."
Before sharing her story with the Sun and finalizing funeral arrangements, the grieving mother was back in court Monday seeking a temporary restraining order against Geoffrey Wells.
She alleges that after Child Protective Services gave her custody of her surviving sons, Geoffrey Wells went looking for her. She says he went to her brother's house, banging on the door and screaming. He left after her brother called police, she said.
Maria Wells said since the incident her estranged husband has called her repeatedly, but she hangs up on him. She said he has also called her sister, saying Syber killed himself "because we've manipulated the kids against him."
Geoffrey Wells' attorney has not returned calls seeking comment.
Although Geoffrey Wells has no criminal history, there was a domestic violence call made early in the couple's 15-year marriage, according to Maria Wells.
She alleges that she was abused but she never filed charges. She said she didn't because she had been threatened by her estranged husband.
Clark County Child Protective Services is currently conducting an investigation into allegations of abuse and/or neglect of Maria Wells' children while under the care of Geoffrey Wells. She will maintain full custody of her 8-year-old and 10-year-old until CPS grants permission for joint custody to continue.
Maria Wells' attorney, Randall Roske, said if CPS failed to determine child neglect existed in the case and reinstated Geoffrey Wells' custody rights, he would seek to file a motion with Moss to suspend Wells' visitation rights.
Roske said the only acceptable form of justice in the case would be for the district attorney's office to file criminal charges against Geoffrey Wells for child neglect and endangerment with substantial bodily harm and reckless disregard of a person. Prosecutors have filed charges against adults in similar cases.
The family lawyer also said Maria Wells should have full custody of her children, and he hopes Moss "will learn to take more seriously the issue of guns and children; they don't mix."
Services for her son were scheduled this morning at Palm Mortuary, 800 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson.
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